Monday, August 01, 2011

Murphy chooses a side in the Civil War

Or as he'd likely call it, "The War of Northern Aggression."

Yesterday I had Murphy down to Harpers Ferry for some swimming and ice cream. He enjoyed both, as he always does, and we walked about the town for a bit because it was a week-end and all of the re-enactors were about.

All was well and fine until one of the re-enactors, a large man in Union blue, got a bit to pushy with Murphy while trying to pet him. Murphy is still somewhat reserved when he meets new people and prefers to make the first overtures himself. He also really hates uniforms, probably due to his time spent at the dog pound, aka: dog jail, before I got him.
But this fellow reached out to pet Murphy, and he was not at all dissuaded when Murphy drew back from him. I saw the ears flatten and the hair on his back start to rise, and I told the man to give him a minute. But Mr. wanna-be Dog Whisperer replied that he was good with dogs, and despite my warning and the warning signs that Murphy was displaying, he tried to reach for him again, only to have Murphy bark and lunge for him and come up short only because I saw it coming and reefed back on the leash.
To his credit, the guy realized that he'd screwed up and apologized, but Murphy is not a forgiving dog, and once he's fired up, he not only dislikes the person who has offended him but anyone who looks like that person as well. And as luck would have it, Harpers Ferry was filled with fat guys in blue wool uniforms and all the way back to the car, Murphy barked at or tried to close with every single one that he saw.

I just told people that he was a Confederate dog, a line which drew more than a few laughs, especially from the men in gray uniforms who Murphy was completely ignoring. He was definitely selective and I had to cut short our walk and take him home because I knew that he wasn't going to calm down any time soon. This shepherd has a memory and no bluebelly would be safe with Murphy on the streets, so back home we went, stopping just long enough to get him another ice cream cone from his patron, Sharon at the Swiss Miss shop.

Some things are more important than re-igniting the War Between The States, and ice cream is one of those things, at least in Murphy's opinion.

7 comments:

  1. Even without reading about Murphy, I still know better than to get into a Dog's "space" that I do not know without being invited! Sheesh! What a Maroon!

    Ice cream does make things better!

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  2. Hoo boy... Bet THAT got to be an interesting walk, glad you were proactive!

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  3. Good dog!!! Glad to know he choose the right side of the War! ;)

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  4. +1 on Gator Girl!

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  5. I love that boy more and more each time you write about him! ;-)

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  6. Who's a good dog? *laughs*

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  7. Hoorah! Hoorah, for Southern Rights! Hoorah! Hoorah for the bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!

    Murphy has class.

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