Saturday April 28th we had a
birthday in our house.....Brannigan was 1 year old. we actually got him in June
of 2011 but he was born April 28th.
Being 1 in dog years is the equivalent of 7 years in human reckoning and yes, it is like having a 7 year old little boy in our house. He still likes to chew things but we have better control of that now. His favorite pass time is thievery. He will steal shoes, cuddly toys from the bedrooms, dog treats if I don't close the pantry doors. He has stolen and destroyed this past year 1 cell phone, 1 TV remote control, 1 ward directory, 1 pair of sunglasses, several newspapers and many things I can't even remember.
He has a very different personality than Abish had. He is alot more wary than Abish was and has a very "in your face" attitude. Typical little boy! He is wary of bikers, skate boarders and people out on walks. We had a couple of scary incidents with the afore mentioned groups when he was younger but he is learning. He now sits when he sees them approaching, we shorten the leash to where he is right up against my leg and we have treats ready for a successful encounter. We have learned that Brannigan speaks "food" very well.
We have been to
obedience classes with some success but there were just too many distractions
to really be obedient! I have better success with him at home, teaching one on
one. He goes on 2 walks a day and has 2 play sessions in the back garden every
day with the tennis balls. He loves to retrieve but not very good on the
concept of bringing it back! He has some favorite toys but his favorite chew
toy is....Sashy! Yes, he likes to chew on Sash. Maybe she tastes good, who
knows. When he gets in trouble, which is a daily occurrence, he always looks to
Danielle if she is home because she has so much patience with him.
Everyone who sees
him says he is a beautiful dog. They should spend a day with him and then make
that comment! It has been a tough year but I am so glad that we have persevered
with him. Now that I understand him better and have figured out the best
schedule for him, I see only continued success. Brannigan Murphy, you may be a
handful but you are well loved and I, for one, am so glad you are with us.
 |
| Why yes. EVERYONE loves Brannigan! |
Hee! GREAT pictures, especially the one with Dennis at the end! Raising a puppy from puppyhood is NOT for sissies! Ooh, but looking at that dog, I just want to HUG him! They are so worth the trouble. Don't know what I'd do without my Teddy, don't WANT to know....
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you all for your patience!
Ruth