Montauk, a mixture of Husky and Labrador, is big. Big as a Montauk sofa, hence his name. He gets up on counters, steals food, destroys household objects, climbs on sofas and on people, as well. On top of that, he doesn’t bring the ball back when playing fetch! But, in spite of all his shortcomings, or maybe thanks to them, Mya is crazy about Montauk.

Free-spirited and a little bohemian, the 16-year-old teenager dreams of travelling with a pack of dogs. "I'm going to live on the road, in a bus, with 5, 6, 7 or 8 dogs!” she says all bright-eyed. And Montauk? "If I could, I’d put him in my backpack and bring him to school."

Mya was 13 years old when her mother, Maryse, decided that it was time for the family to get a dog. One evening, when Mya and her brother Xavier came home from school, Montauk was waiting for them outside. A dream scenario? Not for Xavier, at least, who was afraid of dogs. And Montauk's behaviour really didn’t help his cause. Fortunately, Maryse had time to spare. After his obedience classes, Montauk was a little relaxed. But he remains very stubborn and imposes his law whenever he sees fit. "Today, he swallowed three almond croissants," exclaims Mya with a mischievous smile. “Food is really his weakness, but no matter ... we love him, our big otter. And he loves us too! The proof is that if I spend five minutes in the bathroom, he’s as happy to see me as if I’d been gone for three days. He’s great for everyone’s morale."

"For a while, I wasn’t doing so well," says Mya. “School, my routine … I found it difficult. To help me see positively, I made a list of three happy moments at the end of each day. And I realized that Montauk was always on the list. With him, there are never any ulterior motives or grey zones. He’s just a big pile of hair … purring when he's happy and sulking when he's angry.”

When he wants to see her, Montauk pushes open the door of Mya’s room, hops up on the bed and lies at her side. Mya tells him about her day at school and the dog listens while she pets him. With his good nature, Montauk charmed everyone in the family one by one, including Xavier, who is no longer afraid. Maryse, his “official” mistress, has developed a deep connection with Montauk. According to Mya, even her father Olivier likes to pet and scratch the family dog—though he will never admit it. In this beautiful and united family, Montauk receives tons of love from his humans and he returns it a thousand times over.