Murray 11-116 [1]

Meet Mr. Beautiful!!!  Murray is a 2 ½ – 3yr. old, 63 lb. Golden Retriever Mix (GR/ Siberian husky is our best guess) with the sweetest disposition!  Murray comes to us from another rescue group that felt Murray would excel in a foster home rather than at the shelter where he had been after being picked up as a stray over a year ago.  Thank you to our friends down south for getting this boy into RAGOM!  He is settling in perfectly with our pack and wiggling his way into our home and our hearts!

Murray is timid around humans (obviously has not had much socialization) but LOVES other dogs and follows their cues!  He met our resident dogs without issue and has been engaging them in play since arriving.  At this time, we know Murray will need another confident, playful dog in his life---he relies on our dogs to let him know it’s safe---be it to enter a room, walk the stairs, or to approach new humans when they show up.  He is very much like a Puppy Mill dog---trusting of dogs and learning to trust humans.

Murray has been to the vet and impressed everyone there and surprised Foster Mom when he walked right back with a stranger, got his shots, talked with the vet and proceeded back to the room without issue—HA!  Murray does need to put some weight on his frame due to a worm issue--both Hook and Whips--which he’s being treated for now. The vet would like to see him gain about 7 lbs---which would put him at a lean, but healthy weight of 70 lbs. Other than his weight & worms---Murray passed all his other tests and is a very happy, healthy, young doggie!  We are going to the groomer on Saturday for a buff and shine—like he needs to look any more beautiful than he already does right?

One reason Murray was at the last rescue so long was because he is said to be a little escape artist---able to clear a fence with little effort and so they required a 6’ fence for this boy. We do not have a 6’ fence and so the jury is still out on this requirement as Murray has done beautifully on a long leash with us.  We do have a 4’ fence that he is interested in, but when I call him, he turns away from it and comes to me.  I have no doubt that he would jump it in a heartbeat if we were not outside with him—but we are always outside with our dogs so he is content on his long trailing leash.  We started with a 25’ leash to give him some room to run—but still allowing us to grab hold if we need to.  He is now up to a 50’ leash that just trails on the ground as he runs with the other dogs.  So far—this has been a “safe” and manageable way to allow Murray his freedom with the other dogs but takes the “flight risk” out of the equation.  I’ve had Murray out in the unfenced area with the long leash and he’s been great…so a 6’ fence would be ideal—but not necessary.

And how does this ex-shelter, ex-stray dog do in the house you wonder?

Murray is crate-trained and loves his little “den”---definitely his “safe spot.”  He is crated for bedtime (for his comfort) for now and while we are at work.  When we are present, Murray has free roam to play with all the toys, wrestle with the dogs, and relax on a doggie bed or in his open door crate. Murray had just one “leg lift” on the first day in the house---but none since.   It took Murray about 12 hours to enter our home---he was not coming in no matter what we tempted him with and we feared he had never been in a house before (or trained to stay out)---but his will power finally ran out and that Father’s Day pork chop finally won him over!  Now Murray is quite comfortable as you can see and he’s learning all about being a family member!

We are very much enjoying this funny little boy and we know there is so much more to him!  So…we will keep you posted as he continues to come out of his shell more and more each day!  Keep an eye on Murray---he is something REALLY special!