Murphy

MURPHY is Nanooks brother. He is shown with his new found friend, Hovis the dalmatian. Murphy is living a wonderful life in Dalgety Bay, Scotland.

Murphy is now two-and-a-half years old and has matured into a handsome boy with a lot of the retriever traits.

An acquaintance who has golden retrievers, who met him for the first time recently,
remarked “He’s the wrong colour.”

We have recently moved to the far north of Scotland. Unfortunately, this takes us further way from IRR, but he now has a very large garden cum wood to spend his days in. He is an ardent mouse hunter, along with Hovis, but leaves the catching to Hovis.

The moles moved out shortly after we moved in. I think him thundering over them,
chasing his frisbee, became too much for them. Perhaps I could hire him out?

When he is not exploring in the woods, he loves to lie in the garden watching the world go by and has various vantage points that he uses. But as soon as someone sets foot outside they are mugged for a game of catch the frisbee.

The young hooligan has become a loving companion who hasn’t yet mastered how to be a lapdog,
but he keeps trying.

FURTHER UPDATE FROM SHEENA

Murphy has now matured into a gorgeous dog - not just my opinion. I get lots of compliments and he gets lots of petting. He looks much more a retriever now. Just a bit small and the wrong colour.

He is quite an easy dog now, very gentle, unless he is chasing his ring.
Just don't get between him and it.

We started agility a few weeks ago. It is a small, do it yourself class. There are a couple of people who can advise you, but I know more about some of it than they do from going with Amber. It is not at all serious. One chocolate lab grabs the jump pole, instead of jumping it, and runs off balancing it precariously in her mouth. There is a scene of devastation when she finishes her round. The owner doesn't really mind, although he makes out he does.

Murphy has taken to it quite well. He had done some puppy agility at his obedience class. The first night he didn't know what to make of it all and was very reserved. The second night I took his lead off and Jim's comment was 'he was listening to you'... what a cheek!

Murphy was fine on the jumps we had done the week before, but when we turned to a different direction that was too much. He immediately started sniffing the ground. This time I recognised the sniffing and put him in a sit, stroked him gently, and told him to settle. He looked up at me and I saw him relax again. We carried on and he was fine. He did it again later, but I repeated what I had done previously and, again, he responded right away.

He has now mastered the tunnel, although he does like to pee in it! He went up the A-frame himself, last night , after I led him onto it, and has almost mastered the dog walk. I still need to lead him on it. Again, him of no faith said, 'did he do these other ones?' I replied, 'Of course.'

At the end of the class the dogs are allowed to run about together ,while we put the equipment away. Until last week Murphy stood on the sidelines , watching, like the shy child at the birthday party. However, last night, he started whining as we turned in to the venue, despite having not been there for two weeks, and at the end he was off with the others. It was nice to see him racing about in circles as part of a group.

He was not sure what a little jack russell type was ( the owner said she quite agreed with him) and he stalked it very cautiously. Once he sussed it out, he relaxed. When it came to play time, the jack was
grabbing at his back legs, because that is as far up as it reached, and he did not know what to make of this. He is used to Hovis grabbing his neck, not his legs. He tucked his tail in and bum down and ran . He did come back for more though, and by the end of the time he was running quite happily with it.

He has also made friends with a border collie bitch that is very nervous with other dogs and a bit snappy. Like Amber, he just has such a gentle, laid back approach. We both comment that he does little things that Amber did. I still think she is influencing him!

The first week Murphy started to answer back to one collie, which I do not want. However, I just kept stepping away and moving him behind me and he quietened. Last night he just ignored it, occasionally looking up at me, so I was well pleased with him. I think he'll make the grade!

Sheena writes. "The snow in the garden has frozen on top and when Murphy walks or runs over it a leg sinks in every few steps. He looks like he is drunk!

He is oblivious to the snow. He still wants to chase his toy or lie out in it all day. It is like having a child - come in, it is too cold to lie outside. It is dark, you need to come in now. It is snowing, you can't lie outside etc etc. The snow lies on top of his coat, so he is well insulated against it.

Hovis is not impressed at all. He has his fleece coat on all day until teatime then lies beside the stove the rest of the evening. Murphy is so insulted he lies right in front of it and his collar gets too
hot to touch. He doesn't need the heat from it but I think he is just copying Hovis."

UPDATE JUNE 2010

Sheena says "Murphy had an exciting day last week. He went over in the ferry (small motor launch), followed by a minibus trip to Cape Wrath.

My son was visiting with friends and a borrowed Rhodesian Ridgeback. That made for an interesting half hour as we introduced Hovis and him!

Fortunately, Harri is the MOST laid back dog I have ever met. He made absolutely no reaction to Hovis and watching him throwing out calming signals of looking away, turning side on, sniffing etc was fascinating. Thanks to his nature they were mixing within 15 minutes, although Hovis was still trying to show who was boss from time to time.

However, after half an hour, they were all together in the lounge. The next morning they set off shoulder to shoulder up into the garden.

Then we went to Cape Wrath and all three dogs were squashed together in the middle of the launch with eight adults around them and not one cross word. The ferryman was not in the least perturbed at three large dogs in his boat although, I can tell you, hoisting a very large and unwilling Rhodesian Ridgeback into a small floating boat is not easy!"