Tati

Myaskova is a tribute pet to my dear dog Mya.
2010-03-20 ~ 2026-03-11

Mya joined our family at 4 years old, after her original owner passed away. She was depressed : she was thin, sad, had no energy, and she refused to eat. It took a few weeks to bring her out of her shell, but she blossomed into the sweetest pup.

Mya was chosen by her first owner because she was the calmest puppy in her litter. She was raised as a lap dog, always in someone's arms. She was conditioned to the sound of the cutting board -- her first owner was a restaurant chef, so she always got some veggie scraps!

Even if she was a lap dog, she was not yappy. She only barked at visitors outside, and when she heard a doorbell. She was gentle and polite, and she understood "no" very clearly. She was obedient: she knew commands and could walk off leash. She also enjoyed doing tricks for treats. She knew sit, sit pretty, lie down, paw, roll over, high-five, hide (a paw over the eyes) and bang (lie down + roll over lol)!

As a teen, I would bring her around with me wherever I could: I would set her up in my backpack and I'd bike around the neighbourhood with her. Wherever she went, she got along with people and cats. She wasn't a fan of dogs though.

One day for Easter, I got a Lindt Chocolate Bunny, which comes with a little bell on a ribbon. I put that small bell on Mya's collar, and from that day onwards you could hear her walking around, ring-a-linging happily on her walks.

Mya was a cuddle bug. As long as she had company, she was happy. She enjoyed cuddling in front of the TV, at night in bed, and during meals (but let's be real: she was hoping for table scraps lol). Come springtime, she looooved to lie down outside on the warm, sunny porch.

When I moved away into my own home, I brought her with me and we had her for 1 year. By that time, she had reached 14 years old. Unfortunately, after the covid-19 pandemic, Mya's separation anxiety got pretty bad, and we made the difficult decision to bring her back to my parents and brother, who could take better care of her. She stayed there for another year and a half, until we saw she was nearing the end of her life. I brought Mya back home to me, and took dutiful care of my now deaf, almost-blind, fragile pup, and she lived just over one month more. She passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, 9 days before her 16th birthday. She rejoined her first owner: she will never be alone again.

Mya was an extraordinary dog. She charmed everyone she met. We adopted her in the first place because we knew she was special. She was one of the loves of my life, and I cherished her as a family member. She taught me the value of living in the present.

Myaskova is a play on the french phrase for "where are we going??", since that would get her really excited. This pet was created on the day of her passing - this pet's age is how many days ago Mya crossed the rainbow bridge.