My sweet, bossy, chunky, lazy dog, Murphy, turns ten today! She is a bull terrier, a notoriously stubborn yet loyal breed. Here’s a picture of her from a few days ago:
I adopted Murphy in 2021 from the Bull Terrier Rescue Mission after her original owner turned her over to a North Carolina animal shelter. What a terrible thing to be abandoned after eight years!
But his callous decision was Murph’s gain—I hope!—and mine. We immediately took to each other, and while she loves many people, she’s always most excited when she sees me.
She is a good dog, and I consider myself fortunate to have her as my first. Other than her innate orneriness, extreme stubbornness, and tireless neediness, she’s perfect. Those might all sounds like criticisms, but they’re just part of what make her so special.
I love you, Murphy!
With that, here is 15 June 2022’s “Happy Birthday, Murphy!“:
Today my dog Murphy turns nine-years old. According to the records I have from The Bull Terrier Rescue Mission, she was born 15 June 2013, which is a pretty easy date to remember.
Last summer I suddenly, inexplicably went a bit dog crazy. I was not looking for a bull terrier at all, but stumbled upon one on at Petfinder. I spoke with a representative from BTRM, and we realized that that particular dog would not be a good fit for me due to his advanced age and delicate health issues.
She put my information into their database and said it might be a few months before a dog came available in my area. One week later, while moving a then-girlfriend to Athens, Georgia, I got a call from BTRM asking me to foster an older girl who was good with children and other dogs.
About ten days later, I had Murphy.
She was a mess at the time—a bad rash, creaky joints, uncut toenails—but to me, she was perfect. I knew the day I picked her up in North Carolina that she was my dog, and I was her human.
Two months later, I formally adopted Murphy. A few months after that she had her six-month checkup, and the veterinarian said she looked like a completely different dog.
She’s a bit chunky around the middle (so am I!), but I love her.
Happy Birthday, Murphy!