Meet Maggie: The First of Our Three German Shepherds
When we first decided to get a German Shepherd, my wife was hesitant about bringing a new puppy into our lives. That all changed the moment she laid eyes on Maggie. We found Maggie through a Craigslist ad when she was just 8 weeks old. The people who had the litter brought all nine puppies to us in their car, and my wife fell in love with Maggie instantly. With her large floppy ears and sable-blonde coat, Maggie was irresistible. Although she has hundreds of nicknames—like Blondie, Mags, Magoo—we settled on the name Maggie, after the magpie bird. This name is special to me because my dad once rescued an injured magpie and nursed it back to health, so naming her Maggie felt like the perfect tribute.
From the start, Maggie was a feisty little pup. She had a strong will, which we noticed whenever she would get “growly” when picked up. Recognizing her spirited nature, we enrolled her in basic training classes at PetSmart when she was 12 weeks old. Maggie excelled in her training, so much so that we often joke she went to college and learned a bunch of useful things.
To ensure she grew up well-rounded, we made sure Maggie had her own space and crate during her first year. We had read that keeping littermates together can make them difficult to train, so Maggie didn’t meet her sister until they were both a year old. During that time, Maggie developed a love for playing ball and visiting the dog park. At first, she was possessive of her ball, but with patience and training, she learned to share and play nicely with other dogs.
Maggie’s absolute favorite activity is playing with the hose. We set it to JET mode, and she will eagerly try to “eat” the stream of water. It’s hilarious to watch her snap at flies, too; her loud snaps always make us smile. Early on, Maggie also loved riding in our Jeep. She had her own spot and seatbelt, although we had to carry a “Maggie cleanup kit” because she would get carsick. Thankfully, she outgrew that, and now she enjoys riding in the back of our Jeep Gladiator, safely secured by an iron rack.
Maggie has a best friend in our little Min Pin, Rocko. Whenever we take Maggie for a walk, Rocko has to come along too—he just adores her. All in all, Maggie is one of the best German Shepherds I’ve ever had. She’s smart, playful, and has truly enriched our lives.
Stay tuned for the next post where I’ll introduce you to Missy, our second German Shepherd, and share more of our adventures. If you want to check out some fun dog-themed T-shirts, including designs inspired by German Shepherds, visit CyberMUTZ. And don’t forget to explore our other posts on CyberMUTZ.com for more stories and updates!