Hi! I'm Maya Anubis Doggers Davis Johnson. My folks sometimes call me Ol' Sappyback, 'cuz I like running under pine trees in the springtime. They also call me Baskerville on occasion--it seems to have something to do with a nice doggie in a Sherlock Holmes story. I'm a smooth-coated border collie. I was a stray when I was found by the Lycoming County SPCA and adopted by my folks back in February of 2001. I'm so glad they took me in, 'cuz I like being a member of their family. Below is my scrapbook. I hope you like it (wag wag wag).
These first two pictures are me at 6-7 months of age, right after my folks adopted me. I was still feeling a little insecure at this point, but they hugged me and took me out to play a lot. They still do.
In the picture below left, I'm enjoying my first ever winter. I LOVE playing in the snow. I was born to run in the snow. There's nothing more invigorating than a romp and a roll in several inches of that fluffy stuff. It gets me so excited that, for some reason, I just want to go round up a bunch of sheep and drive 'em somewhere. In the picture on the right, that's me on the A-frame. My folks tell me I'm a natural at this agility stuff. They think I'm pretty smart and fast. All I know is, it's fun and they keep giving me treats and praising me!
I wanted to compete with other dogs in agility trials, so I asked my folks to apply for an ILP (Indefinite Listing Privilege) from the American Kennel Club. Well, this meant putting together my portfolio, which meant professional photographs! I think the photog, a family friend, did a pretty good job--don't you? The shot on the left was just for fun, to show my sweet, tender side. But check out that distinctive border collie stare on the right. Mesmerizing, isn't it?! Why, I'm gonna round YOU up if you don't watch out!
| When I was 1 1/2 years old, some new neighbors, Joe and Jeanna, moved in three doors down. That's when I got to know my best friend in the whole world (humans excluded, of course!). Trooper was just 6 months old when we met. He's a German shorthaired pointer. He used to be smaller than me. Would you say he's grown a little? |
|
|
Trooper and I spent a whole
glorious year chasing each other, play-fighting, and playing tug-of-war and
keep-away. However, this past Thanksgiving, Trooper moved to a new house very far
away. Bummer. But we still see each other now and then. Here he is (on the
right) with his new puppy playmate, Bosco, and me. Bosco's still a little
clumsy, but Trooper and I'll teach him how to play! By the way, this picture is courtesy of Trooper and Bosco's Grammy, Maria Ananea. |
In May, my folks took me backpacking. Now that was an interesting experience. I got to meet some cool creatures, like a big ol' rattlesnake. I don't know why the folks got all excited. We were just staring at each other, a foot apart. I mean, what was it going to--bite me? Yeah, right. It was a nice rattler. Well, below left is a picture of my new, green backpack. No, you goof, not the big one with Smokey on top. Below right is the tent that I pitched. Okay, so the folks helped a little. It's kind of a flimsy sort of structure. I felt compelled to stand guard and stare out the window all night long. I mean, somebody had to do it. What if a chipmunk had climbed the tree that held our food bag and run across the branch and down the rope and eaten my breakfast?
| A week after the backpacking trip, I went to the Lycoming County (PA) SPCA Pet Fair. What a tail-wagger that was! I got to see a couple of my buddies from Basic Obedience class last year. Holly's gone on to become a search and rescue dog, and Wally's settled down to become a great buddy of Les at the SPCA. Of course, the heart of the event was the Games of the 11th Dog-lympiad. I sure trained my folks well in obedience class--as I walked my Steve from the start to the finish line, he was able to hold the end of a plastic spoon--which held an egg--while holding my leash with the same hand. I'm proud of my Steve. He helped me become the grand champion of the day. To the right, I'm checking out the spoils of victory. |
 |
Guess what! On June 8th, I participated in my first agility trial. What fun I had! I got to camp out under a beautiful shade tree and watch the pretty dogs walk by while my Steve was helping in the meet. When I finally got to do my thing, I had a blast. According to the dogs that were watching me, I had a perfect run in my standard Novice A group. Unfortunately, my Steve is still learning how to guide me, so I went around a tire and a couple of jumps (just following his body language, of course!) and had to come back and jump through and over them. Alas, according to the humans' rules, I didn't "get my leg." But so what? I've already got four of 'em! I didn't get upset with my Steve--he tried hard and we sure had a lot of fun.
You see, I'm not just a sweet, obedient little doggie. I'm a rough and tumble, action doggie, too! In fact, I just can't wait for the next agility trial. This was way too much fun. By the way, how about the quality of those pictures? They are posted here with the permission of Carol Counsil of the Williamsport Dog Training Club. She took them with a digital camera. Want to see more? Check out her pooch pictures from the two-day AKC event in Montoursville, PA (you'll find more of me on June 8, page 6!).
In May, my Steve and I competed again in the WDTC Agility Trials, where I picked up my first leg in Jumps with Weaves. What fun! It was a mudbath. My goofy Ellen had so much fun watching us, she forgot to take pictures! (there's one coming, though).
In July, my Steve was out of the country, so my Ellen took me with her on a hiking and driving tour of Shenandoah National Park. Score one for Advantix--the ticks were dropping off me like water off a duck's back (mmm--duck!).
After Shenandoah, my Ellen and I drove off to Michigan to hang out with my grandowners Davis for a couple of weeks. It's a pooch paradise! A big, ol' lake right out the front door with big, fat geese to chase off the property all day long. Hey, I earned my stay in goose poop denied!
 |
School started at the end of August, so my Steve and I went to the Lycoming College carnival. Below are pictures of my Steve and me taken by my friend Geoffrey Knauth on August 31. My Steve is crazy. I barked at him, and even tried to climb into the ring to stop him, but he and other people just kept hitting each other. Human beings are really strange sometimes.
In October, my grandowners Johnson came to Williamsport to run with our pack for a few days. While my Steve was teaching, the rest of the pack went out to Susquehanna State Park--that's the mighty "Hiawatha" riverboat in the background. Later that week, we did what comes natural to Northcentral Pennsylvanians--we went to a lumberjack festival. Those lumberjacks are NOISY! Their chainsaws are hard on my sensitive ears. But what great smells and tasty dropped hot dogs!
In October, my pack finished the year with a nice little 10-mile hike in World's End State Park. The day was topped off by getting to see my old obedience classmate, Holly Mosteller, who participated with her folks in a Canine Search & Rescue demonstration in the park amphitheater. I'm so proud of Holly--she's now trained to go out and save lives--canine and human. I also love kids and older human beings, so I'm thinking that someday I might want to train to be a Therapy Dog.
This year is starting out just great. I loved those super January snow storms we had last month. It's meant a whole lot of fun and frolicking at the park and behind the apartment, though the early February freeze also meant a lot of tough hiking on ice-encrusted snow. Oh well; it sure got my Steve in shape, trying to keep up with me as I ran around in the hills! If he'd only learn to use all four paws, it would be so much easier for him.
 |
Dang, that stuff was getting deep--And this was in our backyard! |
Running around in Susquehanna State Park in the wintertime is a blast--Check these pix out.
I like that last picture. My Steve, being a Californian, had never lived near a frozen body of water before moving to Williamsport. So of course we had to go walk out on the river, though he wouldn't go very far. Obviously he's not very observant--even I could see rodent tracks criss-crossing the river.
On April 17, my Steve and I started to sharpen up for the June agility trials in Bloomsburg. So we went to a "show-and-go" hosted by the WDTC's Sue Peterson of Sunbury, PA.
 |
This picture was taken by Marc of LandMarc Photography in Danville. How 'bout that air time, huh? (If you really want to see some altitude, check out Jacqui O'Niell's boxer Jax sometime.) |
And then came the big Bloomsburg trial, June 5th and 6th. Wow! It was raining. It was muddy (I'm a mudpuppy!). It was so cool! I just ran right out there, first thing Saturday morning, picked up my third leg in jumps-with-weaves, and earned my Novice Jumpers title! I'm now Maya Anubis Doggers CGC NAJ (the CGC stands for Canine Good Citizen--Don't laugh! I'm a sensitive, delicate doggie). But I won't let the title go to my head. I'm a good Presbyterian doggie--I try to keep everything in perspective. My Steve, on the other hand--he's a different story. Now he goes around calling me "The Artful Doggers." I love my Steve, but what a goofy!
These next pictures were taken on Sunday and Saturday, respectively. Check out the cleats on my Steve--he's learned from previous Central PA agility mudbaths!
How 'bout that tire shot! You can call me Ray. You can call me Jay. You can even call me Fido. But don't call me unfocused. This was taken by Tien Tran of Tien Tran Photography in Burbank, CA. Now what the heck was someone from "beautiful downtown Burbank" doing taking pictures in Central PA?
| On October 2 and 3, my
Steve and I did it! I earned two legs in Novice Standard and got my
title! Yay! It was fun. The weather was actually nice for once, but that
didn't stop us! By the way, check out that form! Franz Klammer, eat your heart out! We doggies can't brush our gates like you skiers. Hey, Dwight Stones! Once you jump, you're done. But look close--I'm already looking at my next obstacle and I'm not even over the bar! WOOF!!! (another great shot by Marc of LandMarc Photography) |
 |
Big news! This November, I landed a job with the DCNR's (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) Bureau of State Parks as a Goose Abatement Officer! All those years of chasing geese at the park finally paid off with a job! But why not? I was bred to work. It's my nature to work. So, the Bureau hired me to test-run a pilot program that might eventually be expanded to other state parks. Of course, I'd better do a good job! My webmaster helped me to submit an application. If you're interested, check out my resumé.
Exciting news! My pack finally listened to my complaints and bought me my own den with four acres of rodent-filled woods in back. We moved in in March, just before a snowstorm. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!
Springtime at my new den is really pretty. I love being mistress of my own domain.
My Steve has been building trails in the back all year long. We go hunting back there almost everyday. Well, okay, maybe he doesn't hunt, but with all them there varmints runnin' loose, someone's gotta keep things in order. So I've decided to put my rodential neighbors on an active, invigorating exercise plan. Of course, whenever I come out, they all run off to watch TV in their dens. What a bunch of blobs!
| In June, My Steve and I got back
into the game and I got to run at two different agility trials. As usual, I
had a ball. The dog walk is a kick--I really get to strut my stuff on that
one. Would you say the judge in the background was having fun?
(By the way, the next five hot shots
are all from lens-spinner |
 |
I |
In the Jumps With Weaves, I earned my first Open leg. I just love to jump! |
A week later, my Steve and I were in Bloomsburg for the new Bloomsburg Area Recreation Club's "A" match. In case some people think agility is just running and jumping, I beg to differ. Agility takes canine gymnastic skills and real doggie/handler synchronicity. That's my Steve on the right--he's doing what he calls the Presley Push. What a goof--if he doesn't watch out, he's going to get hip dysplasia!
I |
Three weeks later, we were down in State College for Mt. Nittany Dog Training Club's summer agility trial. |
Dang, I sure had fun this summer. In August, the pack packed up and went camping and backpacking in Michigan's Northern Peninsula, where I just missed crossing paths with a bear! Afterward, we spent a week with my grandowners Davis on Bristol Lake--chasing geese, of course!
This year, I got the opportunity to become an educator! I was invited to come to Sheridan Elementary School in Loyalsock Township on May 16 to provide a demonstration in agility. It was so cool. My Steve gave a PowerPoint show on my life in Williamsport, followed by my getting out there and puttin' on the dog! Then I got to visit almost all of the classrooms and hobnob with all of my distinguished host. After all that petting, I'd better be a "smooth coat."
| Some people are under the impression that border collies are such serious working dogs, they just don't know when to relax and ham it up a bit. I disagree. You be the judge. |
 |
Thanks for visiting my web page. If you enjoyed it and/or have any suggestions, let my Steve know. He's my webmaster. He's also a professor at Lycoming College.
