When Sophie welcomed Maggie into her family as a puppy, she was a little rascal who wreaked havoc around the house.
True to the expression “the dog ate my homework”, Sophie recounts an incident where one-year-old Maggie climbed onto her study table and chewed up her schoolbooks, knocking picture frames and stationery over in the process.
Fast forward several years and five-year-old Maggie has grown out of her playful stage. She is now a calm and collected dog who snuggles up to new people without a trace of suspicion.
Though far less excitable, the British bulldog still enjoys a good game of tug-of-war, perhaps a remnant of her habit as a youngster of chewing things.
Despite being named after Margaret Thatcher, Maggie couldn’t be further from an Iron Lady.
“She loves resting. Even on her walks, Maggie loves to take breaks, be it under a shady tree or on a patch of cool grass. She’s very much a sprinter – long distance is not her forte,” jokes Sophie.
In fact, Maggie has taken to scarfing down her food the minute the word “walk” is mentioned, in preparation for the exercise ahead. Her diet consists mainly of kibble or cooked fish, as eating chicken or beef triggers her skin problems.
“Other than salmon, Maggie loves my grandma’s pork and rice. Every time we reach her house, Maggie gets so excited and runs straight to the kitchen.”
A big fan of rest and relaxation, one of Maggie’s hobbies is sleeping. “She can sleep wherever, whenever,” Sophie says fondly, listing her preferred nap spots that include the balcony on a sunny day, and the shaggy floor mat outside Sophie’s bathroom.
Sometimes her favourite pastime keeps others up. “At night when I’m trying to fall asleep, I can hear Maggie outside my door because she snores so loudly,” Sophie laughs.
With this knowledge, it may come as a surprise that Maggie harbours a sporty little secret.
“A few months ago my dad came home with a skateboard. I thought it was for me until he told us it was for the dog!” Sophie recalls.
What started off as a bit of a joke is now part of Maggie’s daily routine. While other dogs learn how to sit or give handshakes, she has taken to skateboarding.
“She plonked herself on the skateboard on one of her walks, and the rest is history. At first someone had to give her a push, but now she’s started to propel herself forward with one of her hind legs.”
With skateboarding being one of the newest additions to the Olympics, Maggie just might have a chance at being Malaysia’s first gold medallist.
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