Murphy 11-374

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Profile

Sponsored by:Brenda Lindell
Overview: Murphy is a handsome guy who was given a raw deal in life. He’s spent the last seven or eight years as a breeding dog in a puppy mill with almost no human interaction, left out in all types of weather with no warm home to curl up in, and nobody and nothing to play with.

Brags: After only three days, Murphy is showing signs of relaxing, trusting, and becoming comfortable in a home. He’s progressed from avoiding me completely to running to me with wagging tail and big Golden grin. Since he has only known life as a puppy mill breeder, this bodes well for his putting his past behind him and becoming a good and affectionate pet. Murphy has a gorgeous red coat with a great smile. He is starting to acclimate to life outside a puppy mill and is learning many, many new things. He’s overwhelmed with so much change, but he is intelligent and is showing real Golden signs, such as wanting to be petted, which is totally new to him, and a Golden happy face.

Smiling Murphy -- happy to be outdoors laying in a bed of cool leaves.

Meals: Murphy is eating kibble mixed with canned food. He initially didn’t want to eat anything so this is an improvement.

Eating behavior: He eats all meals in his crate. Because he’s a puppy mill dog, he doesn’t eat until no one is paying attention to him. He does eat out of a dog bowl.

Housebreaking: He’s had no accidents in the house, but it’s too soon to say he’s housebroken. Since he’s probably never been in a house before it’s difficult to know why he has been able to restrict his business to outside. It may be because he is kept in a crate for extended periods of time.

Crated? Murphy is crated all night and most of the day except when he goes outside. He is being crated more than otherwise would be considered normal because he is petrified of almost everything and it is unclear as to how he might react to things. He does not like to into his crate. And once he’s in the crate he doesn’t want to leave it.

Murphy likes to chill out in his crate

Reaction to children: He has not been around children; and, given his level of fear, he should not be unrestrained around children and monitored carefully.

Dog Behavior –

Jumping: He is so docile and scared that he cowers, not jumps.

Takes treats: He’s not shown any interest in treats. I’ve tried chicken, turkey hot dogs, cheese, peanut butter, and rawhide sticks but have not gotten any reaction from him to any of these yet.

Interaction with other dogs: He’s starting to get more relaxed with my two dogs. My dog Remington is extra friendly and playful and tries very hard to get Murphy to play. Murphy is slowly responding to Remington’s requests to play. With Emma, he’s starting to make friends with nose touches and wagging tail.Interaction with cats: He’s shown no interest or curiosity in my cat. He’s also not allowed outside his crate while the cat is out.

Car riding: He rode from Waterloo to Iowa City strapped in the backseat and from my house to/from the vet clinic and barely budged. From Kramrar, he rode in a small crate. He was very scared, and peed in the crate, but didn’t pee in my car and didn’t throw up.

Leash manners: None. He doesn’t like the leash and doesn’t respond at all to one.Plays/retrieves? No, he needs to learn to play, but preliminary indicates are that he would love to play.Swims? Unknown, but probably not. He’s been so deprived of any interaction or experiences that he probably doesn’t know what it means to swim.

Thunderstorm reaction: Unknown, but my house is next to railroad tracks with sounds like distant thunder and he’s not shown any negative reactions.

Sleeps at night? He’s not sleeping through the night and has been barking/yipping very early in the morning. There’s no indication as to what is wakening him or why he’s barking. He hasn’t done any barking at other times.

Plays with toys? Toys are completely foreign to this guy. He needs to Learn to play and know what to do with a toy.

Grooming: Murphy got his first shower and cowered the whole time. He has tolerated having several mats cut out and being combed but hasn’t yet learned to enjoy it. The vet cleaned his ears and he was quiet and calm during that. No indication as to how he reacts to his nails being clipped.

Vet visits: Murphy had his first vet visit on 11-14-2011 and was completely docile during shots, ear cleaning, temperature taking, and fecal extraction. He’s heartworm negative (HW-) and in overall good health. He does have hookworms. Teeth have tartar build-up. He’s limping slightly with his right front paw because of landing on it after jumping out of an SUV. He also got a slightly split lip at the same time, but neither is sufficient to treat.

Spay/neuter: not yet

Health: Aside from the worms, he’s in basic good health with clean ears, good body weight, and beautiful glossy coat.

Energy/activity level: It’s a little low at this point because he’s not totally comfortable with letting go and running and playing. It’s not possible to tell how energetic he’s going to be. He is believed to be 7-8 years old.

Naughty/funny habits: When he doesn’t want to move, which is most of the time, he is very determined to resist any attempts to move him. He literally will drag his paws.

Worries/concerns: He came from very bad conditions and it will take time and patience to get him to trust people and be comfortable with playing. But he’s off to a good start and I’m very optimistic that with TLC he will be a good pet.

At a Glance #11-374

Golden Retriever Born: October 2004
Male Weight not specified

Status: Deceased

Profile

Sponsored by:Brenda Lindell
Overview: Murphy is a handsome guy who was given a raw deal in life. He’s spent the last seven or eight years as a breeding dog in a puppy mill with almost no human interaction, left out in all types of weather with no warm home to curl up in, and nobody and nothing to play with.

Brags: After only three days, Murphy is showing signs of relaxing, trusting, and becoming comfortable in a home. He’s progressed from avoiding me completely to running to me with wagging tail and big Golden grin. Since he has only known life as a puppy mill breeder, this bodes well for his putting his past behind him and becoming a good and affectionate pet. Murphy has a gorgeous red coat with a great smile. He is starting to acclimate to life outside a puppy mill and is learning many, many new things. He’s overwhelmed with so much change, but he is intelligent and is showing real Golden signs, such as wanting to be petted, which is totally new to him, and a Golden happy face.

Smiling Murphy -- happy to be outdoors laying in a bed of cool leaves.

Meals: Murphy is eating kibble mixed with canned food. He initially didn’t want to eat anything so this is an improvement.

Eating behavior: He eats all meals in his crate. Because he’s a puppy mill dog, he doesn’t eat until no one is paying attention to him. He does eat out of a dog bowl.

Housebreaking: He’s had no accidents in the house, but it’s too soon to say he’s housebroken. Since he’s probably never been in a house before it’s difficult to know why he has been able to restrict his business to outside. It may be because he is kept in a crate for extended periods of time.

Crated? Murphy is crated all night and most of the day except when he goes outside. He is being crated more than otherwise would be considered normal because he is petrified of almost everything and it is unclear as to how he might react to things. He does not like to into his crate. And once he’s in the crate he doesn’t want to leave it.

Murphy likes to chill out in his crate

Reaction to children: He has not been around children; and, given his level of fear, he should not be unrestrained around children and monitored carefully.

Dog Behavior –

Jumping: He is so docile and scared that he cowers, not jumps.

Takes treats: He’s not shown any interest in treats. I’ve tried chicken, turkey hot dogs, cheese, peanut butter, and rawhide sticks but have not gotten any reaction from him to any of these yet.

Interaction with other dogs: He’s starting to get more relaxed with my two dogs. My dog Remington is extra friendly and playful and tries very hard to get Murphy to play. Murphy is slowly responding to Remington’s requests to play. With Emma, he’s starting to make friends with nose touches and wagging tail.Interaction with cats: He’s shown no interest or curiosity in my cat. He’s also not allowed outside his crate while the cat is out.

Car riding: He rode from Waterloo to Iowa City strapped in the backseat and from my house to/from the vet clinic and barely budged. From Kramrar, he rode in a small crate. He was very scared, and peed in the crate, but didn’t pee in my car and didn’t throw up.

Leash manners: None. He doesn’t like the leash and doesn’t respond at all to one.Plays/retrieves? No, he needs to learn to play, but preliminary indicates are that he would love to play.Swims? Unknown, but probably not. He’s been so deprived of any interaction or experiences that he probably doesn’t know what it means to swim.

Thunderstorm reaction: Unknown, but my house is next to railroad tracks with sounds like distant thunder and he’s not shown any negative reactions.

Sleeps at night? He’s not sleeping through the night and has been barking/yipping very early in the morning. There’s no indication as to what is wakening him or why he’s barking. He hasn’t done any barking at other times.

Plays with toys? Toys are completely foreign to this guy. He needs to Learn to play and know what to do with a toy.

Grooming: Murphy got his first shower and cowered the whole time. He has tolerated having several mats cut out and being combed but hasn’t yet learned to enjoy it. The vet cleaned his ears and he was quiet and calm during that. No indication as to how he reacts to his nails being clipped.

Vet visits: Murphy had his first vet visit on 11-14-2011 and was completely docile during shots, ear cleaning, temperature taking, and fecal extraction. He’s heartworm negative (HW-) and in overall good health. He does have hookworms. Teeth have tartar build-up. He’s limping slightly with his right front paw because of landing on it after jumping out of an SUV. He also got a slightly split lip at the same time, but neither is sufficient to treat.

Spay/neuter: not yet

Health: Aside from the worms, he’s in basic good health with clean ears, good body weight, and beautiful glossy coat.

Energy/activity level: It’s a little low at this point because he’s not totally comfortable with letting go and running and playing. It’s not possible to tell how energetic he’s going to be. He is believed to be 7-8 years old.

Naughty/funny habits: When he doesn’t want to move, which is most of the time, he is very determined to resist any attempts to move him. He literally will drag his paws.

Worries/concerns: He came from very bad conditions and it will take time and patience to get him to trust people and be comfortable with playing. But he’s off to a good start and I’m very optimistic that with TLC he will be a good pet.

Updates

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Hello friends, fosters, and fans...

Here I am at the South Dakota dog park.

I hate to say it but even I must admit I look pretty darn good in front of the camera. I want you to know that I am doing great. I still like my crate but the door is always open. I don't know if I will ever give up sleeping there at night but who knows....I might do that. I know the routine around here except I did not know that my new family gives baths on every holiday. So today she put my new sister and me in the bathtub and there were bubbles flying everywhere. She seems to think I look and smell wonderful. I am putting out the request for someone to take me in on the 4th of July. Actually I did not even shake or tremble in the tub. I figured if Sunni could do it so could I. We go for walks and we go to the dog park and we get treats out of the treat jar for doing something great. Great includes coming home from the dog park or a walk or something even less hard than that. What a life. I live with another RAGOM rescue dog and she is really sweet. Kind of obsessed with playing ball and I am not into that but I am thinking it might be a good thing to do because so many dogs at the park seem to think it is fun. Well, that is all for now. Just wanted to let you know how great things are going.

Murphy

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Hello Murphy fans

I just have to tell you everything that has happened to me in the last week. A family from Yankton South Dakota adopted me. On 8-25-2007 my family also adopted Peanut from RAGOM. They have a 12 year old named Sunni who has taken me under her paw and taught me so much. The drive from Apple Valley to Yankton was long but we stopped at several rest stops and went for walks. I just slept on Sunni's back all the way home and she did not complain at all. They had a crate set up for me because they knew I would like that but they leave the door open all the time and every day I come out a little more. I found the food right away....they keep it in the laundry room in case you drop by and get hungry. I go for three walks a day and they have a great dog park here where all the dogs and their owners are friendly. Everyone tells me I am beautiful and wants to pet me but I am not ready for that. Sunni watches over me and sleeps next to my crate. She has a big soft bed that she use to sleep on but now she sleeps right next to me. She introduced me to the neighbor dogs and showed me the treat jar. Peanut is a great dog but she is very shy. It has taken her a little longer to warm up to me but as the week goes on she is finding it difficult to resist my charm.

I want to thank everyone at RAGOM who got me ready to move into my furever home. And a special thanks to Sue and Kris. Every time you save a dog you bring bright light and joy to the world. I know your work is hard and I know that at times you wished I would have learned to trust a little faster but you were patient and I learned that there are wonderful people in the world. Thank you.

Murphy


Pet me!


Murphy Sunni and Peanut
(Sunni look at the camera)
Home at last!		 Sunni and me

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

I am honored to share the wonderful news that our incredibly sweet Murphy boy has been adopted! I have always made a vow to myself that my dogs will never leave my home unless an absolutely perfect match comes along for them – and in Murphy’s case, wow did it ever! The J family had fallen totally in love with Murphy, and willingly made the long 6 hour trip from Yankton, SD, just to see if Murphy could become a part of their wonderful family.  It was an obvious “yes” on all sides, including Murphy’s, and with LOTS of hugs and tears on FM’s part, Murphy left for his new home on Monday morning. 

Murphy has an incredible new mom and dad and a big fenced yard that he will be able to spend hours exploring! He also has a 21 year old fur sister cat, and even better yet, two golden fur sisters: Sunni (age 12) and Peanut (age 6). It is also my understanding that terrific grandkids come by fairly regularly, and we all know how much Murphy loves and responds to kids! But beyond all this, what makes this family extra special for Murphy is that they adopted Peanut from RAGOM 5 years ago, and she was an extremely traumatized puppy mill girl. As I listened to the stories about Peanut, and saw the love, patience, and understanding with which they handled all of her issues, I realized very quickly that this was the family for my boy. They have a whole lot more experience in dealing with puppy mill issues than I could ever have, and I feel safe putting him in their hands. They will bring out all of the goodness in Murphy, and will help him to become all the dog he deserves to be! 

I do want to thank the other special families that either met Murphy at events, or expressed interest in him via application. I am aware of each and every one of you, and thank you for caring so much for our sweet Murphy – you all brought tears to my eyes.  Just know that you are all wonderful families, and that your perfect RAGOM match is waiting out there somewhere, just for you. I am also forever grateful to Murph’s first foster, Sue, who brought him so very far along, and entrusted him to my care to find him his forever home. Sue – you would love these people – I can guarantee it. And a final thank you to all of the other people involved in bringing Murphy into RAGOM all of those months ago – what a lucky boy he is!

Murphy – I love you with my whole heart, and will never forget you. There is something about a vulnerable PM dog that gets to you like no other – I know that the fosters of the Missouri girls and anyone else who has ever fostered a PM dog know exactly what I’m talking about. I miss him terribly, but he is absolutely where he is meant to be, and I know his life will be golden.  Thank you, J family (and of course Sunni and Peanut!) for caring so much, and adopting another one of our most needy dogs.

On a final note (yes, I do stop writing eventually!), I’d like to share some pictures of Murphy enjoying his first day at his new home. They make me smile everytime I look at them!


Sunni, Murphy and Peanut in the background 
More backyard fun! 
   
Murphy being so regal


Murphy and Sunni

Monday, April 23, 2012

My goodness, Murphy has had a very busy time of it since our last update! The poor dog's head is probably spinning!
 
Before we get into his busy social life, Murphy has accomplished a whole lot at home in the last week. Now remember, some of these things might seem pretty normal for most dogs, but for a special dog like our sweet Murphy, they are all huge steps in the right direction! Here is what we've learned:
    
-Eating and drinking outside of the crate are fun things to do! Galloping into the laundry room (where the food is kept) when FM picks up the food bowls is also a fabulous thing to do!
-Riding in a car is just fine! He gets a bit nervous, but plunks down and stays there until we get where we're going, and he's had some decent road trips lately!
-He's not afraid of noisy thunderstorms - yay! Vacuum cleaner, however - hmmm, not his favorite thing!
-Now this is huge in my book - he is starting to constantly make direct eye contact, wagging his tail away at the same time. You haven't seen anything until you've seen those gorgeous brown eyes looking directly into your own - and several lucky people have had that honor!
-He still goes in circles on his walks (when things make him nervous or if he is in a crowded area/street), but for the very first time today, we had an entire walk on a gently held leash - wow!
-And finally, we've learned that those comfy looking dog beds spread out all over the place are actually meant to be used!

Murph has also spent a lot of time doing other fun things this week! He went to a RAGOM event in Rochester, and had the pleasure of hanging out with Honey, Ruby, Bailey (Ruby's "big" baby), and ambassador Remington. He found a nice spot to hang out in, and did just fine! Thanks to Janet F for the handsome picture of Murph from this event!  We hope to get back to Rochester sometime soon in the future!

Murphy also spent a very nice afternoon at the RAGOM event in Blaine! The inside of the store was not to his liking, but we then found an extremely comfortable corner outside in the shade! There were lots of dogs and people at the event, and I was extremely proud of how well he handled himself. One of the best moments came when two very young children spent some time softly petting Murphy, and he literally almost melted into a puddle - it almost made me cry! I want to thank all of the wonderful people that came to see all of our dogs that day, and to also thank the very special people that spent a great deal of time gently petting and speaking to Murphy - this is how Murphy will learn that people are good, and that his new life will be even better.
 
Finally, Murphy had another big event at home, when our house became the midway point for the transport of two new puppies, Mandy and Harley! It turned into quite the dog party, with 6 goldens outside in my yard, but we managed to get one very sweet picture of Murphy checking out those adorable pups!

This is getting longer than I anticipated, but as you can see, a lot has happened to Murphy in a very short week! Though he still has a lot to learn, I no longer think he needs to be unavailable, and would be willing to talk and meet with interested applicants. Please be completely aware that he still has a ways to go, and he will need to be gently and lovingly worked with for some time to come, but the rewards will be immeasurable. Murph is an extremely special boy, and believe me, he will work his way right into your heart.  On one final note, I told several people at the event that Murphy has developed kind of a "goofy" look when he is happy. I think I managed to capture it, and it makes me laugh every time I look at it!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Murphy and I would like to thank all of the wonderful people who came out to meet him and all of the other fabulous RAGOM dogs at the the Apple Valley event this past Saturday! I think he received more pats and attention than he ever has in his whole life, and you know what - he really did a great job! He was nervous (well who wouldn't be with barking dogs, tons of people, shiny white floors, and lots of bright lights!), but I was so very proud of him - wonderful boy, Murphy!  I was incredibly touched by how kind and gentle every single visitor was with Murph, kids (a special shout out here to the family of dog savvy girls that spent so much time with Murph) and adults alike. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart - each and every one of you is helping Murphy realize that a human touch can be kind, and that there is a whole other wonderful world waiting out there just for him! This big beautiful boy with the incredibly soulful eyes is definitely warming up to people, and it makes my heart just swell! 

Because I think he did extremely well at this event, Murphy will be attending the next RAGOM event in Rochester on Saturday 4/21 from 12-2:00 pm.  Hope to see you there!  In the meantime, enjoy the pictures below that were taken at the event on Saturday. Many thanks to Devon for the gorgeous close-up of my boy, and also thanks to Angie for taking the terrific picture of Murph hanging out with his gal pal, Greta!


Murphy and Greta
So cute!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Murphy here!  Just a quick update from me before I have my breakfast – num, I love breakfast!  My silly new foster mom was so busy gushing over how handsome I am (which of course is true) and how great I am about taking treats from her hand (well, duh, I was smart enough to reject all those dry treats, so am now getting bits of turkey hot dog), that she forgot to tell everyone the important stuff!  I’m a very smart boy, so I just decided to do it myself, before she started crying over some amazing thing or another that I did!  Before I came into RAGOM to start my new life, I was a puppy mill boy. Because of that, I will need to have the following in my forever home: a fenced yard (so that I can’t run away if I get scared), another fairly confident dog or two (to show me the ropes), and no kids under the age of 10 (because normal kid behavior can sometimes scare us PM dogs). On my own short list for requirements would be unlimited turkey hot dogs, unlimited brushings, and unlimited hugs and kisses, but I guess a dog can only ask for so much…

Foster mom also said to tell all of you that though I’m doing great, I’m still not quite ready to go to my forever home. (Personally, I think she just is so crazy about me that she is coming up with one excuse after another to not let me go.) Whatever – I have no complaints about hanging out here for a while.  Check back frequently for updates, and we’ll BOTH let you know when I’m ready to go home.  In the meantime, FM is planning on bringing me to the Apple Valley Petco event on 4/15 – check back later this week for the time that I’ll be making my premier appearance!

Lots of Love, 
Murphy

Sunday, April 8, 2012

A huge welcome to Mr. Murphy from his new foster home in Apple Valley!! We couldn’t be happier to have him!  We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Murphy’s former foster, Sue, who loved him dearly, and taught him so very much.  She also brought him all the way from Iowa City to Apple Valley, just to make sure he was comfortably settled in with us. Thank you, Sue, and rest assured that we are taking very good care of him!   Like many of you out there in RAGOM land, I have been following Murph’s story, and was always taken by what a beautiful dog he was. Well the pictures don’t even begin to tell the story – as I’ve said to many people, he is knock dead gorgeous!  He is deep red, and has a beautiful, soft, healthy coat, due to the high quality food Sue has been giving him.  He is a smaller dog (well at least smaller than his foster siblings, Belle and Bear), and I would estimate him at approximately 65#. He could probably use to lose a few pounds, but who couldn’t! He is neutered, up to date on all of his vaccinations, and recently received doses of heartworm and flea/tick. His ears are in great shape, and he has been declared worm-free. All in all, he’s a perfectly healthy boy, and one that has the most beautiful and soulful eyes that I’ve ever seen!

As Murph is a puppy mill boy, things have progressed a bit slower for him in our house than they normally have with new fosters. However, with each and every foster, there has been a moment where I have fallen completely in love with them. Well – with Murphy, there has been one moment after another: the first time he let his my son, Erik, and foster sibling Bear, get close to him in his crate; the first time he came out of the crate on his own; the first time he sat calmly next to foster sibling Belle and took cues from her; the first time he ate and drank in our presence; the first tail wag (oh my!); the first time he took a treat from my hand; the first time he actually sat on command for a treat…..I could go on endlessly, but the point is…I’m pretty much one big puddle over this boy!  

Murph has come a long way since he first came into RAGOM several months ago, but we still have a ways to go. Now that he’s becoming comfortable with our house and family, we will slowly nudge him out of his current comfort zone – i.e., the crate. I want him to learn that the rest of the house is a fun place to be too!  In terms of walking, I already have seen a great improvement in one week. Like most puppy mill dogs, he tends to circle when he’s nervous. With twice daily walks, and a very tight leash to keep him very close to me, the circling is starting to slow down, he is starting to stand tall, and the tail is starting to wag!!  He already is house-trained, and does let me know when he needs to go outside with one sharp bark, so all is great there!  We have a rather hectic neighborhood, with lots of kids and people walking dogs, not to mention a rather non-stop flow of teen-agers through my house, so slowly but surely, I think he will become much more comfortable with other people. As soon as the time seems right, I also intend to bring Murphy to RAGOM meet and greets, maybe even the one in Apple Valley this upcoming weekend – check back later this week to see if he will be able to make it! That will do for now, but please follow our Murphy’s new journey to becoming all the boy he can be…and I’m sure it will be a pretty incredible one at that! I know the perfect family is out there, waiting just for him – but we’re in no hurry whatsoever– we’ll all know in our hearts when the time is right.  In the meantime, I learned for the first time today that my boy very much enjoys being brushed!  Enjoy the post-brush pictures of Murph outside, soaking up the warm, beautiful sunshine!!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Murphy has a wonderful new foster home in the Twin Cities MN area.  While it broke my heart to pass him on, my work situation is changing and will require me to be travelling, sometimes with only a few days notice.  Murphy needs consistency in his life, so he has another foster mom who is fantastic and two new foster siblings – a nice brother and a sweet sister.

 

This was a big move for him, and he did the 4 ½ hour drive without a peep.  We made one rest stop after driving about three hours.  This was just a little too stressful, so he did his best to wrap the leash around my legs and didn’t take advantage of the inviting grassy area. 

 

Once we got to his new home, he wasn’t too sure about getting into a new house.  But once he saw the comfy crate that was all set up for him, he went in and was very happy and grateful to his new foster mom who was all ready for him. 

 

Here is Murphy and me saying good-by.

 

 

And here is Murphy settled into his crate in his new foster home.

 

 

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Murphy has made tremendous positive changes in behavior since he was sprung from the puppy mill a few months ago.  You can imagine how difficult it would be to have been neglected your whole life and now you’re expected to learn absolutely everything.  Here are just a few highlights:

 

He’s very comfortable in the house and in his crate.  He is the mellowest dog ever; the vet even commented on how easy it is to treat him for anything because he is so tolerant.  He puts up with everybody and everything.  He has no issues with my cat or any of the other dogs.  He has been living with my two dogs.  While on respite, he was fine with four other dogs.  And he did fine with my daughter’s big black lab who spent the weekend with us.

 

Murphy has no food issues.  He eats some Taste of the Wild regularly twice a day. 

 

Initially, Murphy had no experience with being on a leash.  He still walks with some trepidation and may go in circles, but he’s much more comfortable with going for a leash walk.

 

As a puppy mill dog, he’s a follower rather than a leader.  But once outside, he’ll follow his buddy Remington back into the house with no problem. 

 

At first, he couldn’t stand to be petted; it made him very nervous.  But now getting petted generates a happy smile and tail wags, though he’s still happiest if he is petted in his crate.

 

Considering the environment he came from, Murphy is also amazingly healthy.  He had to be treated for some hook worms and just had to have a retreatment (not at all unusual).  He’s also just finishing treatment for an ear infection (a common situation for Goldens).  He got through his neuter surgery like a champ.  So he’s had nothing serious and responds well and quickly to treatment.

 

Murphy has also come a long way in learning how to play.  This is still a pretty new thing for him, but he’s learning that life can be fun!  Here are some pictures of him playing in the latest snow fall.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Murphy has had a significant accomplishment this past week.  He has started to completely come out of his crate to join his step-brother (Remington) and step-sister (Emma) in getting pets.  I was sitting on the couch giving Remington and Emma some good scratching when Murphy decided that he would join the group.  For some time, he’s been comfortable in getting about half-way out of his crate to be petted.  Coming completely out of the crate is a big step in expanding his comfort zone. 

 

 

This is Remington, ready to be petted while Murphy waits his turn.

 

 

Here is Murphy, resting his head on Remington’s hip.

 

Unfortunately, Murphy is still quite camera-shy.  Taking his picture while he’s outside of the crate is a challenge.

 

 

Murphy is hiding his head in Remington’s coat so I can’t take his picture.

 

 

Murphy and Remington are buddies, though it’s hard to get a picture of them together.

 

 

Murphy is really a handsome guy!

 

An added note:  Murphy is a loud barker, but the amount that he has been barking has diminished considerably.  He will bark to let you know he has to go outside, and he will bark when he comes inside if he isn’t sure about getting in the patio door.  Most of his barking is because he is excited and happy!

 

Friday, January 20, 2012

Murphy has done very well here visiting while his FM is out of town.  He gets along very well with my gang and as his FM says there is not a mean bone in his body.  Murphy prefers to eat in his kennel but he has had water from the community bucket.  The kennel is Murphy's home where he is most comfortable.  When he is in there he is totally relaxed watching the activities around him.  He shows no interest in playing but happily runs around the yard with the girls and the little minidoodle.  I tried him with a tennis ball but again he showed no interest.   Maybe when we get to summer and he is out with his housemates they can show him how much fun tennis balls can be.  As you can see in the picture he is totally relaxed.  With Murphy is Abby one of the females surrendered before him with another female called Jasmine.  Abby decided to join Murphy and they slept in the kennel all night together without a peep.
 
Murphy is an absolutely beautiful dark red golden with a great coat and tails that shines so pretty in the sun.  When nervous he tends to run circles in the yard but so did my Gracie when she was rescued from ND in 07.  Circling has diminished greatly as he has become more familiar with his surroundings.  Murphy likes to bark but it is a happy excited bark or where did you go bark if you are out of his site and stops once he sees you or comes in the house.  Murphy did have a poop accident the first morning which was totally my fault not knowing his routine after eating and it has not happened since.  He did decide to mark my space heater (was not on) on the lower level where they have free roam.  You have to remember he was an outside dog for many years so he just needs time to learn to live in a house by human rules.  All good things come with patience and time when you work with breeder dogs who come from not so great places.  Murphy will get there once he realizes he has won the lottery by being accepted by RAGOM.  He is a great golden who will become a devoted companion in time.
 
Murphy's FM is due back tonight but I think the storms may delay her arrival as she is coming from the Eastcoast.  I am sure Murphy and FM will be happy to see each other this weekend when she comes home.  Enjoy Murphy's new pictures.  He is welcome back anytime!!
 
Murphy's temp fosterhome fostermom. 

 

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Murphy received two wonderful Christmas presents.  In his name, RAGOM received a nice donation from Cheerie Smith, RAGOM volunteer/foster mom.  And in addition to that, Murphy has a sponsor!!  A huge doggie kiss goes to Brenda Lindell who has selected Murphy to sponsor.  For a donation, RAGOM can provide the following help: 

$5.00 – buys a small bottle of ear cleaner or a monthly heart worm preventative   

$15.00 – protects a dog against Kennel Cough for a year

$25.00 – covers many common lab tests

$50.00 – eases an arthritic dog's pain for an entire month

$100.00 – provides diagnostic x-rays for hip problems

For $325, you can sponsor any RAGOM dog. RAGOM will assign you a dog, or if a certain dog grabs your heart, you can request one, and you can watch his or her progress on the website, reading about vet visits, socialization, foster care, and potential adoptive families. Some dogs will need multiple sponsors due to extraordinary medical expenses. It's a rewarding way to get involved - and help a specific tail start wagging again.

 

Murphy has been lucky.  Though a puppy mill dog, his only significant medical care so far has been to get all his vaccinations and have neuter surgery.  These are the basics and many dogs need more to make them the happy companions they can be.  If Murphy could talk, he would give Belinda and Cheerie a very loud THANK YOU!

 

 


Murphy is so happy to have a sponsor!

 

Murphy just received his second bath/shower.  His first one was when he had just come into foster, the same day he was pulled out of the puppy mill environment.  For this first time, with a great deal of effort, he was coaxed/pulled/pushed into the walk-in shower and scrubbed down.  He spent most of his shower cowering in the corner and shaking in fear, having no idea what was hitting him, where he was, or what might happen to him.

 

He still doesn’t like a shower, but he lay down and let himself get shampooed and then rinsed off.  He was toweled off and almost allowed himself to enjoy the attention.  And there was no shaking.  What a huge improvement!  Since it was very cold, he couldn’t go out until he was thoroughly dry.  So this time he also encountered a scary hair dryer.  He would have been happy to get as far as possible from this machine which was noisy and blew air all over.  But all it took was a firm grip on his collar to keep him close enough to be dried off sufficiently.  Once that was over, he was so relieved to escape back into his crate.

 

Besides a shower, Murphy continues to slowly acclimate to normal life as a pet instead of an existence as a piece of livestock.  Accidents in the house are almost down to zero.  (A recent accident wasn’t totally his fault since his crate door was left open all night.)  His interactions with his foster brother and foster sister dogs are increasing.  He is still most comfortable hanging out in his crate, but the gates can be left open without his being stressed about it.  He’s showing more friendly interest in the cat – to the chagrin of my cat – and he’s getting up and down steps with no hesitation.  (He started off absolutely refusing to go up or down stairs.)

 

It takes awhile for him to get used to something new, but his trust level has grown tremendously.  He now has a greater sense of what happiness can be!

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, December 26, 2011

From Cheery, In memory of my first RAGOM furbutt Tika From Cheerie, In memory of my first RAGOM furbutt Tika

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Murphy gets happier every day that he is no longer in the puppy mill.  He is all smiles most of the time and has truly found his voice with a happy bark.

 

 

Murphy has the greatest smile!

 

Though Murphy is still happiest in his crate, he is slowly getting acclimated to being in the crate with the gates open and also to being outside the crate with the rest of the pack. 

 

 

He’s learning to interact with the other dogs.  My Remington is particularly a fun-loving guy and is working hard to show Murphy that playing can really be a lot of fun.

 

 

 

Murphy (sitting) and Remington (lying down) are getting to be friends.

 

We tried Murphy on a play date with his former puppy mill friend, Abby, at Abby’s foster’s home, with mixed results.  He and Abby were happy to see each other, but being in a new place was kind of scary.  Going outside was one thing and coming back in was quite another.  Murphy did not want to come back in until I (his foster mom) came to pick him up and could sufficiently reassure him that coming back inside was all right.

 

 

Murphy is playing coy for the camera.

 

Murphy is a very shy guy.  Considering he’s been neglected his entire life, it’s no wonder!  In addition to his foster mom, he’s getting used to his pet-sitter, who things he’s pretty terrific.

 

Murphy has made wonderful progress in the few short weeks he has been in a home.  He’s had a lot to adjust to:  being inside a house, riding in a car, hanging out with other dogs and a cat, being around humans, going to the vet, and all the strange noises and smells and tastes.  He’s getting inside my car on his own now and rides very calmly.  When I take it slowly, he’s finding that being petted can feel pretty good.  Murphy is a handsome and terrific guy who should continue to become more comfortable with his surroundings as he learns more about how nice it can be around humans who care about him.

 

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Hi,

My name is Murphy. You’ve been hearing from my foster mom, Sue, up until now; and so I’ve decided you should learn some things about me from my perspective.

I guess you already know that I’m a puppy mill dog. It wasn’t a good life, which I don’t talk about, but for 7-8 years I didn’t know anything else. It has taken me three weeks in Sue’s home to start adjusting to living in a house, where everything scared me. I’m still scared of new things and take awhile to adjust to anything that’s new, so I require a lot of patience. But you can see from my pictures how happy I am to be in a home with a foster family, getting some good food, and being where it’s warm and I’m cared for.

This won’t seem like a big deal to you, but I’m pretty excited about learning to be comfortable with hanging out in the living room. When I’m startled (and a lot of things can startle me), I’ll run into my crate and stay there until I feel that it’s safe to come back out. I’ll also eat and sleep in my crate and stay in there when Sue is out of the house. This is mostly for my own good, but also to keep the crate as my safe place and to ensure I don’t do anything in the house that I’m not supposed to. I haven’t had any accidents in the house, but I’m sorry to say I did poop once in my crate, and I know I’m not supposed to do that.

Here I am, Murphy, contentedly hanging out in the living room with my foster family.

I’ve just achieved another new milestone: I’m slowly learning to take treats from a human hand. The first few times that Sue tried this, I backed into the corner of my crate, not knowing at all what she was trying to do. I wouldn’t even take a piece of turkey hot dog. Can you imagine? I have started to take bite-size pieces of American cheese slices. I’m still a little cautious about it since this is something that is so new to me. Nobody ever gave me a treat before. Once I realize that it’s okay, I very gently nibble on the cheese. I don’t want to push my luck and have this opportunity taken away from me!

This is one of the first times that Sue tried to give me a treat. I’m starting to realize that she just wants to do something nice for me, so it’s okay to take it.

I got really excited the other day when I realized there was a cat in the house! I’m not quite sure how to relate to a cat. Bella (that’s her name) is really good about not running away from me, although she’ll meow pretty loudly when I try to get close. I’d really like to get to know Bella, but my foster mom and my foster sister, a little Golden Chow, are pretty protective and don’t think it would be a good idea for me to get too close until everybody (including me) knows that I won’t do anything I shouldn’t.

By the time the next report is filed for me, another major event will have occurred in my life. I will be neutered! It’s not anything I’m looking forward to, but I know it will help make me adoptable by my forever family and also help to give me a healthier life. I don’t like going to the vet, even though I’m pretty good in the car. I guess you can tell by now that with so many new things to deal with I’m kind of anxious about them. But I’m learning as fast as I can and want to do everything I should so I can be a good companion to my forever family.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Murphy is becoming a happy guy and learning to trust humans and other animals alike.  He still likes to chill out in his crate, but he’s also getting better at getting in and out of the house.

 

 

Murphy likes hanging out in his crate.

 

 

Murphy is happy and feels secure when he can just chill out in his crate.

 

His fear of stairs continues to decrease to the point where he usually gets up and down with no help, though he still needs encouragement to get up the steps from the backyard onto the deck and into the house.

Murphy has also just found his voice!  He wouldn’t say a peep his first week out of the puppy mill.  Now he’s doing a lot of talking.  He can bark for attention and has the funniest howl when he wants to respond to a siren or other appropriate sound.  He also barks when he’s running around outside, just to say how happy he is to have room to run and playmates.

 

My Remington (Golden Saluki) is teaching Murphy how to play.  They have just started to chase each other.  Remington will pester Murphy until he starts to react to his invitations to play.

 

 

Remington is playing cute to get Murphy to play with him.

 

 

Emma doesn’t bother Murphy.  He’ll rub noses but otherwise leave her alone.

 

Murphy greatest accomplishment so far may be transitioning from running away from me to coming to me.  He doesn’t know his name yet, of course, and doesn’t exactly come when called, but he’s no longer scared to death to come near.  He’s getting much more comfortable at being in a house, and he’s reaching the point where I don’t have to lift him across the threshold from the deck onto the porch.

 

 

Murphy in motion.  He’s happy to be coming to me!