Sweet and gentle Mya came into rescue about 3 months ago as an owner surrender to an animal shelter. Mya and her sister had been expected to become hunting dogs, which they both failed to do. Mya is about 22 months old now, and she still has some puppy behaviors such as chewing.

Personality-wise Mya is exceptionally soft and sensitive. With her background and her gentle spirit, any training she receives must be provided with patience, kindness, and gentleness. Taking a training class with her new parent as a bonding experience would be welcome. She is submissive and takes correction from other dogs well. Her foster mother says Mya is the most dog friendly pup she has ever known, and she definitely needs another active and playful dog in her new home. She will get along with any dog, anywhere. She is “all happiness and sweetness, without any meanness whatsoever”. Mya is gentle with an older and frail dog in her foster home, but she also plays rough with a younger, active dog in the household.

Mya is active. She has tracked 60,000 steps a day on her Fi GPS collar. This isn’t heavy running, rather Mya flits all over the yard, happily exploring her world, from sunup to sundown. The concern if she were left outside unsupervised is that she would overheat, so she cannot be ignored when in her yard. She has not challenged a 4-foot fence, and she does not try to escape her interesting backyard. She may well door dash, so care must be taken when entry and exit points are open, but she hasn’t tried to wiggle through any fences.

Mya would do very well around children, with visiting grandchildren or guests. She would be fine around toddlers and young children, but here’s the catch with Mya and kids: Mya still has her puppy behavior of chewing, and she will find anything and chew it. Sprinkler heads. Hoses. Extension cords. Shoes. Handbags. And toys! She loves (and destroys) her dog toys. Children tend leave their belongings strewn about, on the floor, on their beds, and Mya, at this time, would chew these items. Mya would get along famously with children, but she has high potential to damage some of their things.

Until she was rescued, she had never lived in a house, so everything is a toy to young Mya. With gentle training and correction, as well as simple maturity, she is expected to outgrow this behavior, but in the meantime, if an item is left within her reach, she will chew it. We all know the stereotypical and joke phrase “the dog ate my homework”. With Mya, that could actually be a truthful statement.

She loves to cuddle, craving physical contact and seeking it out. Getting love and attention is very important to her. She likes treats but is not particularly food motivated.

Mya is a true ray of sunshine. She needs someone at home with her to keep her safe when outside and to keep her out of trouble inside. Mya would excel at gentle training to mature into an extraordinarily loving and sweet dog. She is ready to be adopted and blossom into the family dog she is meant to be.

Please share Mya’s story on your social media, as the more people who read about this truly special girl, the better her chances are at finding her forever home.