A SHY GUY

I am sending you an update and a photo of our lovable Westie, Murphy.
He has made some progress that we are very proud of. Murphy weighed 16.7 pounds when we first got him.  He now weighs 22 pounds.

As you might remember, Murphy was an extremely timid and nervous dog when we adopted him in May.

In July, Murphy graduated from the Beginning Dog Obedience Class at our local PetSmart. Murphy goes to the dog park 5-6 times a week and although he is fine greeting other dogs, he has yet to learn how to "play" with the other dogs.

He doesn't like to play fetch with a ball, but if the mood strikes him, he will chase various stuffed toys that we throw for him to fetch....his favorite is a toy squirrel.  Speaking of squirrels, he'll run out into our backyard whenever he sees squirrels running on top of our fence. He'll sit next to the fence staring up at them for 30 minutes or more or until they run away.

We never heard Murphy bark until about a month ago when he started to bark whenever a stranger approached our front yard/door.  I'm guessing he is starting to develop a "protective" attitude to his home and becoming a good "watchdog".

Another recent development is Murphy is getting more comfortable with taking walks in our neighborhood. Until last week, he would become extremely nervous and terrified of going out our front door for walks.  I started driving him to the dog park and began parking farther and farther away from the dog park to get him used to walking in the neighborhood. Murphy will  now walk the 1.5 miles to the dog park with minimal nervousness.

Murphy is still not comfortable with my oldest son, Matt even though Matt tries to be nice to Murphy whenever he is around.  My younger son, Nick spoils Murphy with plenty of hugs and affectionate strokes. Murphy likes to sleep in Nick's room as sometimes Nick will allow him to be up on his bed. My wife Shauna loves to buy him toys and pets him all the time.  Murphy follows me around the house and likes to stay near me most of the time as he knows who feeds him!

In closing, Murphy is a loyal, lovable member of the family and we couldn't be happier with him.

Thanks for allowing Murphy to become a part of our family and pass along our appreciation to Janie.

Best regards,

Greg



Murph will be a wonderful Westie for the right person or family.  He needs to be gradually brought out of his shell and learn that world is not a fearful place. 

Murphy is 2 years old and was rescued from a local shelter where he was returned after being adopted.  The elderly couple who adopted him didn't have the ability to handle Murphy.  He needs an active caregiver who can take him places, walk him and also has the knowledge to handle his inexperience with the world.  He needs firm but gentle guidance so that he knows the rules and someone who can take him to dog obedience classes.   We believe with the right owner he can blossom into a typical, happy little Westie.

Please, no young children for Murphy.  Older teenagers o.k.

Please read about our adoption policies and procedures before calling or emailing with questions.  Many of your questions can be answered by reading our information.  Keep in mind that the first step toward adoption is to fill out an application.  Also, WE DO NOT SHIP!

All animals are bathed and groomed before adoption, vaccinated with proof of vaccinations, spayed/neutered, and also are sent home with a leash, collar or halter, toy and food to get you started.

Good with Dogs, Not Good with Cats