Four weeks into life with Murphy, I feel like I know this sweet guy pretty well, and this is what I can say about him: He is incredibly sweet, loving, and eager to please. He obeys commands very well. For example, when we were heading out to our van tonight for his favorite activity--going for a ride--he spotted a cat across the street. (He was on leash but I wasn't holding it.) He started trotting down the driveway, and I firmly called his name. He immediately stopped in his tracks and came right back to me. He also walks very well with a harness, although will occasionally try to run after cars, and barks at other dogs when we pass them. We have found that remaining calm and confident seems to help keep him calm in these situations. Many people have asked how Murphy does with kids, and I can confidently say that he is great with people of all ages. He greets all people he meets with a wag of his tail and often a nudge in hopes of being petted. We have also discovered that he only barks at the sound of the doorbell when our own dog does. On the occasions when he is the only dog home and visitors arrive, he quietly trots to the door the make friends with whomever is there.He also gets along great with our resident dog. They have become great buddies, and love to wrestle, usually right in the middle of whatever we are doing.
I won't claim that Murphy is perfect--who among us is--but I truly believe that this guy is worth dealing with a few quirks. He is on Clomipramine for his anxious behavior. We have had him on it since March 12th, and I am told that it needs to build up in his system. I believe the behavior that prompted this was his "shadow chasing." When the sun shines in, creating light beams on the floor or wall, he will often (but not always) become obsessed with these. We have been working to distract him when he starts biting at these shadows, and it appears to be helping. I would guesstimate that I observe him doing this about once a day, now that the sun is finally shining! I am told that his previous owner stated that he would actually lick the walls during these episodes, but I haven't observed that.
I am also a bit uncertain about how Murphy is with dogs other than our own. When we are walking and see another dog, he becomes very excited and barks and lunges. I haven't allowed him to get close enough to see what would happen, but, based on how well he does with our resident dog, I would speculate that with proper introduction he would do okay. Now that everyone is used to each other, he is also very good with our cats, ignoring them most of the time.
Murphy sleeps great at night--usually on my bed--and has free roam of the house, even when we are gone during the day. He hasn't gotten in to any trouble when we've been gone, but he will counter surf if given the opportunity. He has adjusted to the routines of our household, seems to know what to expect, and is wonderful to have around!
