When we had a Retail Store, before you even got out of your car, our 'official greeter' Maya would run, barking enthusiastically, to greet you.  For our online shoppers, here's a Cyber Greeting from Maya!

So many of you, especially the kids, have fallen in love with Maya that we think she deserves her own page!

She is a 11-year-old, yellow Labrador Retriever out of the superb Kennel, Heartland Retrievers in Winchester, VA.  She weighs 55 pounds soaking wet, which is her normal condition in summer -- she's in and out of our pond all day long.  And, FYI, Maya's page always gets more 'hits' than any other page on our website!

Meet Maya's Puppy - born April 2005     Katie

3-5-01 At 8 weeks, she could break your heart she was so cute!

3-20-01 At age 10 weeks, she was already showing some of the strong characteristics that she still has :  tight, beautiful feet;  an extremely muscular yet very fine, lean body and beautiful, extraordinarily soft silky hair short enough to show off her muscles and a face TDF - to die for!

Maya 'plays well with others', even cats!  Note, she IS a small dog but also, Tigger the cat is a HUGE cat!  Maya about 10 months of age -- Tigger was about 12 years!

She loves playing with toys and when they fall to pieces, she loves playing 'Dress Up'!  3 years old here.

 

She not only likes to swim in the pond but has mastered the ladder and now has 'invaded' the swimming pool with her tennis ball!  She was about 1 1/2 years old here.

 

At age one, this was her favorite sleeping position -- smiling and dreaming of Beggin' Strips.  She's generally more ladylike now in her sleep habits!

She wasn't too wild about my homemade splint!  

Has anybody seen my stick?  I think it's stuck in this bush!

Oh, never mind, I found a much better one!

In early Fall 2004, we met 'Macon' - a Champion Field Trial Dog out of Amber Run Kennel and decided he was just the right mate for Maya!

The mating with Macon produced 9 beautiful puppies in April 2005!  Here's proud Mom with her litter at 5 weeks of age.  

Once the puppies were gone, Maya returned to tending to her stuffed animals at night until September 2007 when her job description changed drastically!

In September of 2007, we had our first grandchild and Maya immediately adopted the roll of 'Nana'.  Carolanne, our new grandbaby loves 'Aya' who's as gentle as a lamb with her! But, a true 'Retriever' at heart, Maya is thoroughly consumed with teaching Carolanne how to throw a ball so they can play fetch!

First, Maya ever so carefully places the green ball up on the bouncer tray and manages to get it to stay...

and Carolanne proceeds to totally ignore it!

When giving the ball to Carolanne didn't work, Maya tried giving it to her doll!  So both Maya and Carolanne seem to be saying, "So, are you going to throw it or just sit there?"

Even as Carolanne gets ready to depart to go back home, Maya tries one last time and clearly Carolanne is starting to wonder, "Is fetching a ball all you ever think about?"