nice try...

...Murphy! We've been looking for the anti-barking collar all week, Richard turned the house upside down on Monday night, kids hadn't seen it and the dog-walker didn't have it when we asked her. Then I checked the garden this morning and there it was - cunningly stuffed under a bush.

But not far enough, Murphy, eh? Guess you'll have to dig a hole and bury it next time!

history

...I thought I'd give you a wee bit history of our bold hero and found this picture of him as a puppy, just after we got him.

Aaaww, doesn't he look sweet? Doesn't he look as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth? Don't you believe it!

Exactly that did indeed melt in his mouth, just as soon as we had to put him onto doggy weightwatchers (of which more another time) and he discovered the kitchen worktops to be a hitherto unexplored source of delight, including "abandoned" food - not that he waits to confirm the abandoned assumption - he just scoofs it up and then sits around looking innocent. the first thing that went was butter... we couldn't quite believe it and it seemed quite funny.. til I came in one evening to find Richard had left my dinner out for me and all that was left was a (very clean) plate siitting there, with a scattering of peas and carrots sprinkled around it - bang went my shepherd's pie - not so funny then..!

When we got him he was the same size (NOT the same build) and roughly the same colour as Eddie (the cat, remember?) so he naturally thought, coming from a large cohort of brothers and sisters as he did, that here was another one to play with. Eddie knew he was a cat, but Murphy thought he was a dog, and Eddie never disabused him of that. For a year was chased around the house and they wrestled, Eddie would chew Murphy's nose, legs or anything else he could get his paws round. He never used his claws, though. When he had had enough he would head for the high ground (moral and practical).

The trampoline in the garden provided him with a safe haven for a while - Eddie would stand on top, thinking he was safe as Murphy at that point was too wee and round to get onto it. But Murphy the puppy wisnae daft, and could see Eddie's shadow from underneath - so he ran about under it and jumped up, headbutting the cat from below! Eddie was most discomfitted, and backed off until he was at the edge of the trampoline - at which point Murphy popped up again behind him with his front paws on the edge - "hello! it's me!" You can see why Eddie took to the trees in time-honoured cat fashion.

The neighbours got a kitten too (Spencer - you may as well know the cast's names) - a disciple of Eddie's, he used to lick his feet when they met, and the two of them would drive poor old Murf mad - they would take a tree each and just sit there, watching as he bounced up and down underneath, barking, trying to get them to come the heck down and play! - it never worked.

Now he just stands underneath trees that contain anything from cats and birds to squirrels and barks at them, or just sits with his mouth open - I don't know if he thinks they're just going to fall into his waiting jaws but hope certainly springs eternal on that front!

Next time I'll explain the subtle difference between Eddie and Gizzy (our current cat) in their dealings with our hero.

Saturday

Saturday - Murphy had a great time last night - he went off for a sleepover with my stepdaughter (Emily) to a friend of hers who has a puppy - I dropped them off and he looked very smart in his best bandana, waiting at the door to get in. Meanwhile Gizzy our current cat and Murphy's boss (in the house) thoroughly enjoyed her evening without him.

He had a good run down by the river today - he loves water. For once he didn't chase the swans (very much) and didn't even eat the bread some little old lady was throwing to the ducks - unusually good behaviour!

But then things went wrong - he was invited up the stairs (he's not usually allowed) and came rushing up and into the bathroom, delighted with this - til he caught sight of the bath itself and realisation dawned... help! A quick turn around to shoot out the door again... and fetched himself a light bang on the head - too late, the door was closing!

After a brief struggle to get him in the bath (four legs are all very well but it just makes it more difficult to get them all in the bath at the same time) he contented himself with shivering and hanging his head out over the side while we did our worst... only one break for freedom and four towels and several changes of clothes for us later, it was all over. I think we're forgiven, til next time... and the bathroom always dries out in the end.

But whether he'll forgive Emily's plans to buy him a pink coat for Christmas is another matter - especially as his pal Archie the Airedale (who got a No. 1 all over last week) now has a green burberry coat with brown cord trim. Watch this space!

hello

I know from experience that it's not really a good idea to link the names of pets, as it seems to increase the chance of something happening to one of them. We had a kitten called Eddie, so when we got our puppy, called him Murphy... get it? Well, poor Eddie turned out to have absolutely no road sense at all and only lasted about a year... broke our hearts..

Murphy, on the other hand, has grown up to be a (currently 3½ year old) hale and hearty golden retriever and Murphy by name, Murphy by nature! He's a bouncy, enthusiastic numpty of a dog (unless there's food involved). His life revolves around food, walks and hugs - not necessarily in that order.

As you'll have guessed, he's the love of my life (as my poor husband - of 2 months - acknowledges with a sigh, particularly when I get his and the dog's names mixed up).

He gets up to all sorts of mischief (Murphy, that is) and I am forever regaling my long suffering friends and aquaintances with his latest doings - so I thought I'd cut out all the repetition and start a blog about it. I'll try to keep to the funny stuff so as not to bore anyone who'se already bored enough to have come across this!

Well I'd better go for now, I'll think up all his best past doings for the next few entries...