TRAINING! Dogs are easy... kids, not so much.

Today our new trainer from Bark Busters comes by for Murphy. Murphy isn't a "bad" puppy, but he is mischievous and I swear he has ADHD. Murphy is the puppy we got last July for the kids. My husband at first tried to say he was MY DOG, but no. As the months have passed he is most definitely a kid's dog. He prefers children and other mammals. Yes, he even loves cats. The only thing he really chases are birds. I think maybe he wants to pin one of them down, stare them in the eye and bark, "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" Meaning flying. He gets really excited when he sees a flock of birds in the sky. Anyways, I digress.

Murphy has gone through a lot in the past 6 months. He lost his BFF (our old foster dog, Avid), then he was unexpectedly attacked by our next foster dog. He got a new brother, Eros, and then he ended up needing a bilateral ulnar osteotomy. (Say whaaa?) Basically it's this, Murphy is 1/2 labrador and 1/2 Welsh Cardigan Corgi. His front legs (the ulna bones) were trying to grow labrador sized, but he is short like a Corgi. His ulna bone was slipping outside of the elbow socket causing elbow dysplasia and if he didn't have the surgery he would be in a life of pain, possibly unable to walk. I couldn't let this happen. As much as a bugger he can be, we love him. So in comes surgery (shortening the ulna bones) and 8 weeks of crate rest. Fun.

But this is the best part, one week after he gets off crate rest we are traveling for 6 weeks! So that majorly messed with the poor pup too. Now we are having issues with him. He needs to get back to the training he started in San Diego. Good thing there is a trainer with the company here in North Chicago! Also, GOOD thing we got him lifetime training. I think that was the best investment we ever put into this dog. Let us see how it goes.