Caged Critters

Now tell me if you thinks this a fair way to treat man's best friend. Me and the Bugs E Doodle esq was sequesterd (big word for a little boxer) to our outdoor kennel while Daddy pushed tha wheel barrel back and forth with wood in it. For some silly human reason hims thought that it would be a really good thing to do this without the assistance of hims tow bestest friends. Me guesses hims didn't realize that a doggie escort would have helped make this work hims was doing go much faster and we would have gotten some exercise too!! Why me bets if hims had asked, me and Bugs would have been glad to carry pieces of wood to tha back yard in our mouths. In fact we would have been really happy to play "beaver dog" and chewed on a couple sticks of wood while we watched hims work. Sometimes ya gots to wonder about your humans. Thems just don't reason like us dogs do.

Murphy, who has finally been released from the outdoor kennel.

We is down some family members

Auntie Margaret and Hank moved into thems own apartment almost two weeks ago. This is a good and a bad thing. We misses thems both but it's really, really nice to not have to watch me p's and q's where Auntie Margaret is concerned. Her's admits that her's doesn't understand tha bounderies of a dog like me. Her's thinks that if it's cute and furry it should be huged and kissed on. Well that's not always tha case and me tried me best to let her know that but hers never did get me signals. Now don't get me wrong, me loves Auntie Margaret but hers never did learn hers place in tha pack and as far as me was concerned hers place was below me. In fact her's not knowing her place in tha pack got me demoted to tha bottom. This is not a good thing cause me has always been after Mommy and Daddy.

The down side of not having thems here is we miss thems!! Auntie Margaret does bring Hank over every day during tha week for doggie day care so we gets to see him for 8-9 hours a day. This is good cause Hank and Bugs can play and leave me alone to do me job, which is to guard tha house.


Murphy tha guard dog who wants to be premoted back to hims rightful place in tha pack

Mommy's birsday

Mommy had a birsday last weekend and Daddy tooked her camping and lefted us at home with Auntie Margaret and Hank. We was not happy dogs at all!! Thems alwayz takez us camping! Last year themz even took us away for mommy's birsday to stay in a cabin but not thiz year. Nope this year themz wanted to go be by themselvez. Me and Bugz doesn't understand how thems could possibly want to go anywhere without thems boyz.

We waz pretty unhappy and didn't even want to eat dinner on Friday night. To make matterz even worse Mommy had told Auntie Margaret to keep the gatez up so me and Bugz couldn't get upstairz to sleep in our own bedz which meant we had to sleep in tha den. The only good thing waz Hank got to stay in tha den with us. We waz going to have a real doggie boyz night!! Auntie Margaret went to bed and lefted us alone and the party began. We waz running up and down tha stairz from tha den to tha kitchen and out thru tha dog door and back again. We waz barking and running and playing and having a really good time. There was nobody to tell us to go to bed or be quiet or nothing! We was having so much fun chasing each other around we didn't hear Auntie Margaret come back up from her basement room. BUSTED!!! She yelled at us to get inside and be quiet and get in our cratez.

Boy she can be a real doggie party pooper! Her told Mommy we sounded like a herd of elephantz stomping around. Since me has neber heard a herd of elephantz or even seen one, me has nothing to compare her remark to and me doubtz we was that loud at all. We did settle down though and go to sleep for the rest of the night.

The next day me and Bugz appeitete was back and we was hungry and ate all our food. We sure did miss our peoplez though, hungry or not. Auntie Margaret is nice and we likez her a lot, cept when she is wiping our facez, but her isn't our peoplez and we sure waz mopy. We didn't feel like partying to much on Saturday night cauze we wanted to be rested for when our peoplez got home on Sunday and okay we waz really tired from playing half the night before. When Mommy and Daddy got home on Sunday we couldn't even keep our feetz on the ground we waz so glad to see themz!!! Me sure hopez themz don't go away again and leavez us anytime soon.

Murphy

Who's sleeping in my bed?

This is Bugs E Doodle esq here, I just wanted to tell everybody that having a big brother isn't always a good thing!!! Just look at this! All I did was get out of my little bed to go get a drink of water and that ole Murphy got out of his bed and got into mine.

I tried and tried to get him to back to his bed but he wouldn't go. Finally I had to just force my way in and try to lay down beside him. That ole dog woudn't budge an inch! And Mommy, instead of making Murphy get up and go to his own bed was busy taking pictures, as if this needed to be recorded for history.

Bugs E Doodle esq

Bugz 2nd birthday

We had a birthday party today!! It waz Bugz 2nd birthday and we include Hank to cuz himz birthday waz July 4th and Mommy and Daddy didn't know it. Now that Bugz is two him is considered a grown up dog like me and Hank but don't think the Bugz E Doodle knows this. Me don't think that silly dog will ever be serious like me.

As usual we gotz 2 double cheeze burgerz and custard for dinner. The only problem with birthday parties is we still have to mind our mannerz. Daddy made Bugz sit and wait for himz dinner just like it waz any other day.


Then when himz had showed himz still remembered himz mannerz himz waz allowed to eat himz birthday dinner.

In fact we all had to sit and wait for our dinnerz. This does not seem very fair when it is a special day like a birthday. After tha dinner of double cheeze burgerz we got our birthday ice cream. Notice me ice cream bowl is on tha red carpet and nobody elsez is.

Poor cousin Hank didn't know what to make of tha birthday party. Himz mommy don't do parties for him like our peoplez do. His mommy had to encourage him to come to tha party but it didn't take long to figger it out.

Mommy even got presentz for everybody. Me and Hank got chew bonez and Bugz got a chew fish and himz won't share and has just about chewed it to piecez. We is all really tired after tha party. It's hard going to parties.

A major discovery!

There haz been a major discovery!!! It'z been discovered that me is not a Boxer/American Bulldog BUT a Boxer/English Mastiff. Itz true, Mommy and her friend Maggie (not to be confused with Auntie Margret) waz on themz work break and had gone for a walk when thiz man came around tha coner towardz them. On the end of himz leash waz a dog that Mommy thought waz me!! Hers knew it couldn't be cause me waz at home but just tha same it made her catch her breath. Now where her breath wasz running away to that she had to catch it me don't know, it'z just what she said.

Mommy stopped the man and asked him about himz dog. Hims said tha dogz name was Frank and himz waz a boxer/english mastiff mix that himz had rescued. Themz compared notez and had a nice conversation. Mommy said that what made her realize it wasn't me waz tha fact that this dog had more white on himz chest than me but except for that she would of sworn somebody and dognapped me.

Now tha really intersting thing about all this waz that when Mommy first brought me home and took me to visit Dr. Caldwell, her (Dr. Caldwell) said if herz had to guess she would say me was boxer and mastiff not boxer / american bulldog. Looks like me vet is a very smart lady.

Murphy, who haz discovered another side of himself.

Cousin Hank

Mommy finally got them picturez downloaded and haz breathing time to update me blog. It'z about time too, cuz thiz dog waz about to forget some of tha thingz that'z happened thiz summer. If me is lucky hers will take dictation (what eber that iz) for a couple adventurez.

If you rememberz the last time me wrote (with the help of Mommy) Auntie Margert and cousin Hank had come to stay with us for a while. Thingz haz turned out real good in that area. Hank haz learned hiz place in tha order of tha pack, which iz tha bottom but himz don't seem to mind to much. Isn't him a handsome fellow, all shiny and black. Of course himz isn't as handsome az me.

Hank really likez living here with us too. Himz getz treatz from Daddy and getz to sleep on the dog couch and go camping too! We taughted him how to be a camping dog just like me and Bugz. The best of all is himz has two buddiez to play with all day long, except me don't like to play all day long like Hank and Bugz do. Hank and Bugz just lovez to play keep away. And you know all know how Bugz just haz to have tha toy you iz playing with.

Even if we had the very same toy, which me and Bugz doez, then that ole silly Bugz wantz them all and isn't happy until himz getz them all. Lucky fog Bugz that Hank isn't a dominate male like me. There would be troublez then thatz for sure.

For tha most part me just watchez them to play cause being the older brother and the older cousin somebody has to be in charge and guess who that is.

For tha most part thingz haz been really good. Me and Auntie Margaret haz had a few disagreementz, like her not understanding tha me iz not a submissive dog or that when me goez into me crate itz me safe place and to leave me alone. Me is very sorry to say that me haz snapped at her 3 timez cause her getz in me face and yellz at me. Me triez to tell her to stop but herz doesn't seem to understand boxer talk. Mommy told her that when me sayz "roo, roo, roo" that me iz telling her to leave me alone that me has gone to tha safety of me crate and not to mess with me there. Me is alwayz really sorry afterwardz but sometimez a dogz gotta do what a dogz gotta do. Me lovez Auntie Margaret and would never ever bite her but boy or boy she can be slow understanding me. Thiz week haz been better cauze we haven't had no problemz, maybe you can train humanz after all.

Murphy

It's been a week since Auntie Margaret and Hanky Poo came to live with us and boy have me and the Bugs E Doodle had fun with Hanky Poo!!!! That little lab sure does like to play and play and play. This is a good thing cause me gets worn out playing with Bugs all of tha times. Having Hanky Poo around helps take tha pressure off of this little boxer pup!!! Bugs and Hank plays keep away and when thems gets out of line or two rowdy it's me job to run in and breaks up tha action. Sometimes this means me has to body slam one or the other of them two boys and sit on them. Our peoples is even leaving us alone at home for short periods of time and we is all good boys!

Me has taken on another job too. Mommy is having to get up earlier in tha morning so hers can ride the light rail (what ever that is) to work. When the alarm goes off it's me job to go bark at her 2 or 3 times to make sure hers is awake, then me goes back to me little bed. AND me is a smart enough boxer to know that me only has to do it Monday thru Friday. Mommy thinks it's cute that me has taken on this responsibility for her. It's just another job for this boxer is all.

As soon as Mommy puts some new batteries in her camera hers will take pictures to post.

Oh yeah we is all going camping next weekend.

Murphy

Our world has changed

My goodness it's been ober a month since me has been able to use Mommy's laptop and write me story. Lots and lots has happened since then. Mommy went to visit her human children for a whole week tha end of May. It was tha longest week but then hers came home and me and Bugs was soooooooo happy. Then me and Bugs went camp with our peoples and that was a great adventure too. But that's not where our world changed, nope that happened on Thursday of last week.

Mommy's friend, our Auntie Margaret, came to stay with us for awhile and she brought her dog, our cousin Hank, and her kitty Diva with her. Mommy and Daddy was worried at first about how things would work out with me, Bugs and Hank. That was silly, me showed Hank me was the top dog right away and things has been good ever since. Hank is lots of fun to play with cause hims lets me and Bugs beat him up. Hims said this was the first time hims has played with other dogs and hims didn't know the rules. You better believe me and Bugs taught him tha rules, our rules of course.

But the bestest thing that happened was when her stinking kitty Diva came up out of tha basement and went upstairs to visit with Miss Lily Pants. Me heard that kitty and was woofin at her. When Mommy came to see what was going on a flash of black and white kitty came flying down the stairs and up on top of the curtian rod. Auntie Margaret was trying to push me away from tha couch and Mommy was yelling for Daddy to get the remote (me had me electronic collar on) and Hank and Bugs was trying to help me get to the kitty. It was lots and lots of fun!! Of course Daddy found the remote and Mommy grabbed Bugs by the collar and put him in hims crate and then Hank settled down. But boy there was some action there for a little bit.

Me don't know how long cousin Hank is going to be here but it sure is fun!

Murphy

Mommy is leaving!!!!

This is true! Mommy is leaving me, her handsome boy, Bugs E Doodle esq, stinky kitty Lily and Daddy. No hers is not leaving us for good, just for 10 days and that is almost for good by dog standards. Hers is leaving tomorrow to go to Virginia to see her human kids and her's not taking us with her. Me can't believe hers isn't takin me!!!! Who is going to keep her company when hers is driving across Kansas??? Daddy says Kansas is boring. Me doesn't know where Kansas is but if it's boring then Mommy would need me to keep her company. What is all of us going to do without Mommy? Her said her would call us everyday and take lots of pictures to share but it's not the same as taking us with her. We likes to travel don't you know.

Murphy

Nose to nose with Lily

Mommy said it was bound to happen sooner or later and it did this weekend. Mommy was in her office working and Lily went in to join her on tha table. Then it happened! Bugs came running into tha office and sticked hims nose right in Lily's little face and them's touched noses for a second. Me thinks both of thems was surprised cause Bugs E Doodle jumped back and Lily hissed and all of hers fur fluffed up. Mommy was surprised too cause hers didn't see either of thems two come in and all of a sudden there is hissing and scrambling around.

Bugs came downstairs to tell me all about hims first close up meeting with Lily. Hims said that sure enough hers was a stinky kitty! Hims also said that Lily thought she could scare him bu fluffing up her fur and making herself look bigger but hims, Bugs E Doodle esq was not fooled at all. Of couse hims being the gentleman dog hims is, Bugs didn't want to hurt Lily's feelings so hims acted like hers scared him. Bugs thinks this might help Lily build up her confidence and she will come downstairs and join us in tha evenings. Me thinks it's working a little bit cause hers came down into that kitchen for a few minutes tonight. We was in our crates so me thinks hers felt safe enough to take little Lily steps and try to come join us.

Murphy

Bunnies and Boxers don't mix

Mommy says bunnies and boxers just don't mix and me is here to tell ya this is tha truth!!!!

Saturday me was just looking out tha front door and what do you think me saw?? A BUNNY!!! Yes, there was a bunny sitting right there in me front yard. Me was so outraged that me jumped up on tha door and guess what? Tha door opened up. Well this was an unexpected turn of events and it surprised me enough to jump back and that's when Mommy grabbed tha door and shut it hard. It was a good thing to cause me was going to go after that ole bunny. Instead me and the Bugs E Doodle had to sit on tha couch and stare out tha picture winda at the furry little critter. It was just sitting there puffing it's little bunny checks at us. We was clawing at tha winda and barking at the bunny but it wasn't scared of us at all. No sir, it just sat there puffing it's cheeks at us. Even when Daddy came in through tha front door it sat there. Next time me sees that bunny and jumps on tha door and it opens, me is out like a light to get that ole bunny, you just wait and see.

Don't call me Spot

My peoples has taken to calling me Spot. Why you ask? Well remember back a few months ago when me had tha booboo on me little forehead? Mommy spent lots of money trying to find something to make tha booboo go away but tha Vet finally said it would most likely heal on it's own. Well it did and it lefted a round place on me head that was like a scar but then the hair started to grow back in only some of it was white. Well, Mommy was being funny and and decided thems should nickname me Spot. Grrrr......me is not a Spot, that's a name you would give a dog that has spots on it, sorta like Bugs. Hims has spots, kinda of. Me has a few white hairs on me wrinkled forehead but that doesn't make me a Spot. And me won't answer to it either. Mommy says "come here Spot" but me ignores her. That silly human knows me name is Murphy or even tha Murphster but not Spot!!!

On to another subject.......Miss Lily. Yep that stinky kitty has been with us for a month yesterday and hers is showing no signs of leaving. Tha other night hers went on a little midnight stroll though tha house. Me guesses hers thought because me and Bugs E Doodle was in bed sleeping it would be a good time to splore tha house. Not a chance! That ole Bugs heard her padding down tha stairs and off hims went hot on her little tail with me right behind him. Mommy heard us scampering down tha stairs and around tha living room and jumped out of tha bed. Her said her saw a little white streak come zooming up tha stairs and back into Lily's safe place with us in hot pursuit. We almost had her!!!

Murphy, don't call me Spot

Me is happy to report

that the new kitty, Lily or Miss Lily Pants as Mommy was calling her today, made it just fine through her surgery today. This means 0ur Mommy is a happy Mommy again. I heard Mommy say that she was really worried and scared the same thing might happen to Lily that happened to Simon last week. Everything went well and that little ole stinkin kitty will be living with us for a long time which means we really do have a baby kitty sister. Right now hers is curled up in tha middle of tha bed like hers was a princess. Well hers may be Princess Lily but me is tha first prince and Bugs is tha 2nd prince so that means we gets tha bestes treatment. So there you ole stinkin girl kitty!!

Now me and Bugs and Lily needs to get to know each other.


Murphy

A new kitty sister

Mommy wasn't kidding when her said hers didn't want to wait to long to get us another kitty. Her was afraid we would forget what a kitty was. Me thinks Mommy really was lonely for Simon and used me and Bugs as an excuse to get another kitty right away.


Hers found another siamese kitty that is close to tha same age as Simon was. This one is a little girl that Mommy has named Lily cause her is so dainty and pretty. Hers came to live with us today. Me and Bugs hasn't seen her yet but we sure can smell her girl kitty stink. We isn't nearly as excited about this kitty cause we know what a kitty is now. Mommy said this one is used to dogs so if we is lucky we can all play together soon.



Lily's eyes really don't glow yellow that's just that flash on Mommy's camera. Her eye is blue. Mommy has set her up in Simon's old room so me guesses it's now Lily's room. Me sure hopes nothing happens to this kitty cause it sure did make me and Bugs berry, berry sad to see our Mommy crying and so sad.

Murphy

1 month and 15 days later

Our Mommy is so very, very sad tonight and we feels sad for her. See today hers took that ole Simon kitty to tha vet to be altered and hers didn't get to get to bring him home. Tha vet called to tell Mommy that Simon had come through surgery just fine and bouncing around being hims kitty self and hers could pick him up this afternoon. Then just before her left work to go get that silly kitty tha vet called to say hims had died. Tha vet isn't sure what happened but hers was going to try and find out. Mommy said it was hard to tell who was crying harder, her or Dr. Pierce.


We couldn't believe it when Mommy told us today and let us into Simon's room this afternoon. Me and Bugs was looking all over for him with our nubbins waggin. We even looked under tha bed for him and Bugs was barking for him but that ole Simon wasn't there just hims kitty stink.

Just when we was all starting to get along and used to each other too!!! Hims wasn't really all that bad and hims couldn't help it that hims ran when hims saw us. We was starting to work it all out too. Me and Bugs could sit and look at him through tha gate and he wouldn't run from us. In fact hims and Bugs came almost nose to nose yesterday morning and just sat and looked at each other.

We know Mommy is going to miss him and we is going to miss him too. Maybe we will get another kitty sometime soon before we forgets about how to act around them and we hopes this one will stay around and make Mommy as happy as Simon did.

Murphy and Bugs

HAPPY BIRFDAY TO ME!!!!

It finally got here! Today is me 3rd birfday and Daddy says me sure is big for a 3 year old. Hurmph, me is the normal size for a 3 year old. What does him expect when hims oldest boy is a Boxer/American Bulldog mix, a Chihuahua?

It was a wonderful day! Mommy bought me a new toy (Bugs got one too). The toy says squeaka, squeaka, squeaka when me squeezes it. Me just LOVES this new toy but that ole Bugs keeps trying to steal if from me even though hims got a new squeaky toy too.

Then the bestest thing of all, me Birfday dinner! Me peoples went to Mickey D's and got two DOUBLE cheese burgers and some banilla ice cream, yeah they got ole Bugs E Doodle some too. See how nicely me was sitting and licking me lips while Mommy was arranging me birfday dinner. Bugs was crowding Mommy, but not me. Me was being really good and "waiting" until it was time to eat.

Being good has it's rewards and me got a most excellent dinner, complete with dessert. The only problem was that it didn't last to long. Even though Mommy cut them cheeseburgers up into small bite size morsels, me gobbled them up.

You Pal Murphy (who is now an adult dog)

Boy oh boy, is Mommy a sucker for boxer hugs. All me has to do to get what me wants is to snuggle up to her and give her some really good boxer hugs.....then me springs tha trap!!!!

Tonight me was doing just that. Me got up on her lap (all 115#'s of me) and laid me big ole head on her and just loved on her and loved on her. THEN when me had her all loved up on, me sprung tha trap!!! See me and Bugs E Doodle esq wanted to go for a ride. Me got off of Mommy and started prancing around and barking. Arf! Arf! Arf! me said and Mommy knew her was had. Her knew we wanted to go for a ride so her sucked it up and took us for a ride. We loves to hang our heads out of tha window and have tha wind blowing our ears back. And tha smells....humans have no idea what them is missing but not having a sense of smell like us dogs. We can tell all kinds of things just by the smells in tha air.

Now here is tha thing, her thinks her is fooling us by only taking us around the block. Nah.........we knows exactly what her is doing and we don't care. We is just happy to go for a ride, even if it is a short ride. Me is ready to go get in me little bed and take a nap.

Murphy who is 4 days away from being 3

Left alone

Mommy and Daddy went away for tha weekend with thems friends and didn't take us. Me and Bugs was left alone all weekend, from Friday afternoon til Sunday afternoon. Well okay we wasn't quite left all alone. Auntie Julia and Uncle Mike and thems boy Nick came to stay with us.

It's fun to have Auntie Julia and Uncle Mike come stay with us cause even though thems knows tha rules for us dogs but we can fool them and get away with stuff. Bugs really, really had a good time cause hims was playing with Nick tha whole time. Bugs really liked having a human boy to play with. Me, well me thought it was fun too but me was more content sitting in tha living room on tha couch looking out tha window. Me likes to watch tha world from there and watch for Mommy and Daddy to come home.

Me also has a Simon update. That stinkin ole kitty is getting really brave. Hims comes out of hims room and wanders around upstairs all of the times. When hims hears us coming hims don't run like before. Hims goes to hims gate and sits there for a few seconds to see if we is coming. Then hims calmly goes under tha gate and into hims room and looks at us. Hims don't even run and hide anymore when Bugs charges tha gate. You know what me thinks? Me thinks that darn ole kitty is getting over being afraid of us.

Murphy who is 5 days away from being 3 years old.

It's almost me brifday!!!

We is days away from me being 3 years old and that means me is a mature adult dog. This is a good thing and a bad thing. Me can't use the excuse of being a puppy any more and that's a bad thing. The good thing is me has turned into quite the handsome fellow. Me knows this is true cause Mommy is always telling me how handsome me is. BUT the very bestest thing of all is me gets to have cheeseburgers for me birfday dinner and to finish it off me gets to have a cup of banilla custard. WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!

Now here's the question and it's a berry berry important question, does me get to have the same number of cheesburgers as me is old??? That would mean 3, count them 3 cheese burgers and that would be a berry good thing. Of course Bugs couldn't have that many cause hims is still a baby and that would maybe upset hims tummy not to mention it wouldn't be fair for hims to have as many as me.

Murphy who is almost 3 years old.