Muphys memoires

JoanneF · Sep 30, 2019

Oh no - hope you feel better later and it isn't too sore.

Mad Murphy · Sep 30, 2019

JoanneF said:
Oh no - hope you feel better later and it isn't too sore.

'Thanks I'll live but Im angry at myself. this in the third time in one year Ive fallen and I havent even had the good grace to be drunk....

It has ruined my plans for baking though. It looks like it will be shop bought bread and biscuits for a while now.

JudyN · Sep 30, 2019

Ouch! I hope you mend quickly xx

Ari_RR · Sep 30, 2019

Mad Murphy said:
... I'll live but Im angry at myself...

I just realized the true reason why I am the one with the leash when we both are out with the dog. It’s because should something like this happen to my dearest wife, she will be mad angry too, but not just at herself

Someone will have to be the lightning rod, and it won’t be the dog.

Feel better!

Mad Murphy · Oct 1, 2019

Its ok to laugh...
After patching myself up yesterday I spent the day doing things one handed and saying ouch a lot (or words to that effect) when I forgot. The girl at the local shop spoke exclusively to my bruised face and tried to give me change without letting it touch my hand.
Then last night I woke up at about 2am and thought Id had a stroke, like its not bad enough to 'have a fall'(thats what they say to old people) and look as if Id lost a bare knuckle fight I had to have a stroke as well?
My face felt odd, tight and I couldnt move my mouth properly or fully open my eye on one side. Without thinking I reached up to feel my face and yelped saying ouch again, I had forgotten the injuries to my fingers. Then using the other hand I did a better inspection of my face only to find that one of the very large sticky plasters had somehow peeled off my hand and attached itself to my face from my top lip to the corner of my eye. Laughing from relief that it wasnt a stroke and again without thinking I reached for the edge and yanked the plaster off my face giving myself a facial waxing in the act...
Oh the night air was blue in our house!!

JudyN · Oct 1, 2019

Lol!!

I've wondered if there's an age where you switch from 'falling over' to 'having a fall'...

I had a similar experience when I woke up in the night with the skin on my face feeling really odd. I put my hand up, and it was all rough, dry and scaly, with bits falling off

Turned the light on, and found I'd had a nosebleed in my sleep which had then dried on my face!

Mad Murphy · Oct 1, 2019

JudyN said:
Lol!!

I've wondered if there's an age where you switch from 'falling over' to 'having a fall'...

I had a similar experience when I woke up in the night with the skin on my face feeling really odd. I put my hand up, and it was all rough, dry and scaly, with bits falling off Turned the light on, and found I'd had a nosebleed in my sleep which had then dried on my face!

Nose bleed spounds nasty...

my son who has a weird sense of humour ( cant imagine where that came from) just said, well you still have the walker we got dad for his 60th birthday in the loft maybe you could use that if youre going to keep falling down everywhere..

Mad Murphy · Nov 24, 2019

We have been working hard with George the past few weeks. In a safe 'doggy playground' we have practiced recall and in deer free walks we've practiced walking nicely on the longer lead. After a lovely walk yesterday ,this morning we decided to put his training to the test and returned to our old walk, the one is filled with deer, and although he was pulling a bit (the lead was never slack) he didnt howl scream or bark, he could smell the deer because there were tracks everywhere but he was really restrained. I have hopes !

(photo from yesterday)

Mad Murphy · Dec 2, 2019

Things have taken a bit of a bad turn here, Murphy had calmed a lot since George arrived but the dark nights are causing problems. He has a light collar when its dark and we walk with torches that way we can see uneven paving, dog poo and any other debris that might be laying around. But we cant stop the sudden apprearence of bikes without lights (sometimes on the pavement) skateborders and other dogs who come looming out of the dark. The other problem is fireworks although that is a misleading name for the explosions going off at random monets all around us. One last night went off with such a bag that it set off a neighbours car alarm. They are in reality mini bombs.

This has all got a bit much for Murphy and while he is ok during daylight hours once its dark he is on high alert and is ready to defend himself against anything that comes his way.
He is barking and lunging at people dogs and bikes and its not nice to see..
So we have decided to give CBD oil a go. For him it will be 2 drops twice a day at 2.75%.

Im hoping that combined with continued training using the three D methods (distance duration and distraction) we can get him back to the point where he can ignore most things..The sudden explosions make me wet myself so if he jumps when they go off , I get it.
We started the oil on Saturday and I know it can take about a week before any results show so I will try to keep you updated on how he responds (or doesnt) .. One thing is clear, he has no hesitation in taking it I just put the two drops onto his food and he eats it..

JoanneF · Dec 2, 2019

That sounds awful. Have you thought of a Thundershirt too?

JudyN · Dec 2, 2019

I've a feeling we've talked about this before, but is it possible to only walk him in daylight, and give him some indoor/garden 'enrichment activities' in the evening? I hope the CBD helps - be interested to see how it goes.

Mad Murphy · Dec 2, 2019

@JoanneF thundershirt might help but the thing is hes fine indoors not sure how it would work with walking and his harness.

@JudyN walking in daylight is tricky its dark until nearly 9am and then from 4pm it would mean only taking him out in the day and our garden isn't suitable for an active dog. Its at the side of the house and its gravel, besides which he wont toilet in the garden. I think it would make him more frustrated being so confined. At Christmas and New year to avoid the madness I go tee total and drive the dogs out of town three times a day...

Mad Murphy · Dec 6, 2019

I did say I would keep you updated and Im quite excited.. Tomorrow will be one week since we started using the drops. We have noticed that Murphy is a little less jumpy at night when he hears bangs outside and when we do our last walk he is not treating every person who gets near us as a threat.
Today we took the boys to the common, they were on lead and we were met by a group of three women 1 chi 1 corgi 2 staffs a mastiff and a bc. The staffs and the mastiff stopped to have a sniff and say hello but the owners were good and walked briskly on calling the dogs with them as they went . George enjoyed the meeting as always and Murphy seemed really relaxed about it too. No growls or grumbles. Later we met a guy with a lab cross a GSD and a cross breed again there were hellos but no growls or backing away..
So far so good.. He seems relaxed but not dopey he is still eager to swim (no we dont let him in this weather) and heads straight to the beach he still plays ball and roughhouses with George but the overraction to things seems to be calming.

JudyN · Dec 6, 2019

Ooh, interesting - can you say which brand/dosage you are using, MM? I wonder if they might help my stresshound, but my vet has warned that calmers can also lower inhibitions in general and make the occasional dog less inhibited about reacting.....

Mad Murphy · Dec 6, 2019

@JudyN we are using Jacob Hooy 2.7% cbd 2 drops in his food , these drops are available locally for us and its a well known trustworthy brand..

JudyN · Dec 6, 2019

Thanks MM

Mad Murphy · Dec 13, 2019

So tomorrow is two weeks and Im am really happy with how things are going for Murphy and the CBD oil. The fireworks are getting more frequent now and unless they are really close by he seems failry unphased by them. He is much calmer with strange dogs and even a man who appeared from a gate last night totally invisible in the dark with his black clothes, just a slight growl to let us know he was there and then he walked on...He has been much better ever since George arrived but this really seems to be helping those last nerves..

On a fun note the boys thought Christmas had come early this morning when Henk (the dog meat man) arrived with 37 kilos of meat for them... They lost no time inspecting the delivery!

Mad Murphy · Dec 27, 2019

Georges first Christmas with us and its gone quite well.. Only lost one bauble ..We put up the tree with the proviso that if George tried to eat it or pee on it we would take it down but in the end he ignored it 99% of the time only when a bauble fell off did he swoop in and grab it. Luckily I have a little pot of treats next to my chair and was able to swap him before he ate it and we spent Christmas at the vet!
He really didnt beg too much either although he didnt move far away while we all ate. We strated the day with a really good 5 mile walk at the nature reserve and they loved that.
Opening gifts was obviously new to George and he stood back and watched with puzzelment as Murphy attacked a box for no apperant reason , it was only when tennis balls started to appear that he realised what the game was and joined in. Then like all children they both decided the other had better gifts and decided to swap!

Mad Murphy · Dec 29, 2019

Sometimes my OH asks..'do you think George feels really at home here now'?

I got out of the shower this morning and found this...I give you exhibit A ..I think its safe to say he feels perfectly at home.

Finsky · Jan 3, 2020

Mad Murphy said:
Indeed, we have had three boys in one house before starting with a BC adding a beagle and then a rat terrier.. They were fine but it was nothing compared to the bond that Murphy and George have had since day one. I've never seen two adult dogs bond so quickly and so well. Of course there are things we have to be careful about George inhales food like an industrial hooverso he has to be kept seperated from Murphy who is a slower considered eater. Also if there is a bone or chew treat we keep them apart after all there is no need to tempt disaster. But they play and sleep together beautifully. They seem to have found in each other what they were missing before George loves to be around other dogs and Murphy needed back up. In fact George is the sort of dog many of us hate seeing off lead he is a social butterfly who if given the chance will be up in your face saying 'hello, I love you, be my buddy' until you just get smothered. Yet Murphy seems to like it, in fact they even engage in mutual grooming to the point of licking in each others mouths (YUK) they wrestle and neither one is dominant they take turns to be the one pinning the other to the floor and seem to enjoy it all ..Never any aggression...
I am counting my blessings with George.. Photo is them enjoy off lead time this morning

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I'm just catching up with posts and decided finally to check Murphy's story up. I'm sitting here with misty eyes...it is like you are describing my little ones interaction....AWWWW! Sometimes the friendship just 'clicks'.

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