Murphy wants to wish all his RAGOM fans and fellow RAGOM dogs and Foster Parents a Happy Thanksgiving! Murphy has so much to tell you as his last update is getting very old. Since coming into foster care Mr. Murphy has had free reign with the resident dogs while Foster Dad is away at work. We are thrilled to report that he has not had one single accident in the house.

Murphy just loves to have his toys near him. He is not too picky about his toys either. He loves tennis balls, nyla bones, rope twist toys, kongs, etc. He is very much like a young child. Where Murphy is to be found so is a large pile of toys. No sense in putting the toys back in the toybox as he just keeps pulling them out. And when you pick one up he just has to have the one in your hand. Some times he can be very grabby at trying to get the toys.

Murphy loves going for his daily walks with his foster sisters. He dances at the door when he sees me grabbing the Gentle Leaders and Leashes off of the shelf. He walks very well until we see rabbits or squirrels. Then he tends to pull until I call his name and redirect his attention to our walk path. He redirects with the offer of a tasty treat too, as he is very food motivated.

The longer Murphy has been here the more relaxed he has become. He enjoys a good game of wrestling with his foster sisters. His favorite is Indy as she is the biggest marshmallow in the house. The giveaway that the dogs have been wrestling while I am getting ready for work is when I find the comforter half on the bed and the other half on the floor. The dogs tend to do this while I am in the shower. But as soon as I an done Mr. Murphy is right there to lick my legs. He sure does like to give you lots of kisses each and every day.

A few weeks ago my entire family was in town for the weekend. My brother brought along their bichon/beagle mix male dog, Coco. At first Murphy was very protective with Coco in the house. He didn't understand that Coco loves to play with Indy. On Sunday morning Coco was playing chase with Murphy in the kitchen. Coco likes to be vocal when he plays and poor Murphy was hiding under the kitchen table. It was funny to see a 70 pound dog afraid of a 18 pound dog. At least Murphy was under the kitchen table rather than on top of it.

Murphy has a lot of energy like a puppy. The daily walks and play time with his foster sisters help to channel that energy. The old saying a tired dog is a good dog works well in this household. We are working with Murphy to take his treats and toys more gentle. When he does it nicely he gets lots of praise and more treats. When he is too grabby then we put things away. Murphy does listen well and he has quickly learned he must sit nicely before we put his food dish on the floor. What we are still working on is trying to get him to slowly eat his food. He tends to just gobble his food down.

I still think it would be best for Murphy to go to a home without young children. He is so focused on his toys and likely would think a child's toys were his as well. A physical fence would be best for Murphy too. He seems to have a prey drive and might take off in hot pursuit if given the opportunity. Slow introductions to other dogs are a must for Murphy. Murphy attended a Chuck and Don's event in Saint Paul. While the other dogs wanted to meet Murphy, Murphy did not feel the same. My feeling is that Murphy is more protective when he is anxious about being in new surroundings. Once he settles in he shows a much different side.

Enjoy the pictures of Murphy! The pictures were taken at the Chuck and Don's event by Devon TT and Jen E.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

XOXO
Murphy