Original: “When he’s playing by himself, he likes to toss his toy in the air and then pounce on it when it lands.”
Murphy and his littermate were usually the best of friends, but the two boys got into occasional scuffles. With five kids between three and eleven, his Maryland owners were concerned that a tyke might be caught in the middle at some point. This, coupled with a recent move to a home without a fenced yard, resulted in the difficult decision to relinquish Murphy to MAESSR.
This boy is incredibly handsome and sweet – what a combo! He made fast friends with the three Springers at his foster home, who range in age from two to six years old. He tends to push the resident male around, which has resulted in a few minor disagreements but has not had any issues with either of the females. Murphy had never lived with a cat before entering foster care. He shows some interest in the resident kitties, but no aggression. If his foster mom picks up on his interest, Murphy is easily redirected. When he gets too nosy, the cats stand their ground and give him a hiss or growl to express their discontent. Murphy responds well to this and backs off. If a less dog savvy cat would handle his interest by running away, Murphy would probably give chase.
Murphy has generally good house manners, with the typical Springer exception of checking out the counters. He also believes that a dog bed is no place for a dog, preferring instead to hop into the recliner or on the sofa. If a person is already sitting there, so much the better! Murphy would love to be invited in the human bed at night, but that is not allowed at his foster home. Instead, he sleeps quietly through the night in his crate. Murphy is also crated when his foster parents are out during the day with no issue. He kennels easily for a treat. Murphy is housetrained and has not had any accidents in foster care. His knowledge of commands is limited, but he seems to have “sit” and “shake” down. He pulls when walking on leash and loves to ride in the car. Murphy is not trusted off leash because he likes to follow his nose! He also tends to jump up when he is excited, which his foster parents are working on.
A playful fellow, Murphy engages in games of chase and wrestling when outside with his foster siblings. He loves chewing on antlers and Nylabones. He can frequently be found trotting around the house with his treasure of the moment in his mouth. When he’s playing by himself, he likes to toss his toy in the air and then pounce on it when it lands. He is very entertaining! Murphy hasn’t caught onto the mealtime routine at his foster home yet. While the other three dogs gobble their food up, Murphy takes a more leisurely approach to dining. This results in his foster parents having to run interference to ensure that the residents don’t take Murphy’s food as well. He is gradually getting the idea of eating his food as soon as his bowl is placed in front of him, but this is a work in progress.
Although Murphy came into foster care with a fairly recent haircut, he got to accompany his foster siblings to the groomer for a spa day. The groomer said he was “a doll” and he was very well-behaved for having his ears and feet touched up, and his toenails trimmed. Good boy, Murphy! At the vet, Murphy barked at both the vet and her assistant when they came into the room, but made friends as soon as they pulled out the treats. Other than that, he was a perfect gentleman for the visit. He allowed his blood to be drawn and a vaccine to be given without so much as a whimper.
After fostering nearly fifty dogs, Murphy’s foster parents have only “failed” once. This sweetheart was enough to make them consider waiving their three resident limit, but they stood firm which is great news for some lucky family. Wouldn’t you like this Velcro boy to be stuck on you?