Update from Beagle-Land

So much has happened since we last posted!

MurphE has adjusted into the perfect house pet.  He continues to be a lover and a snuggler and rough house with his brother, Stu E.  In August we were able to visit our cabin near Manistique for the weekend and the dogs, Kirby and I were able to enjoy weekend outside and this was kind of a turning point for Murph and his dislike of walking on a leash.  We walked about 3 miles per day and we haven't had a problem with him wanting to go for a walk since.

The rest of September and October were pretty uneventful.  The dogs had Cousin Kate with them everyday after she was done with work and we were all together in the evenings.  Murph is a professional napper.  He is really, really good at it.

Stu and Murph wished Kirby and I a Happy Anniversary in October...I think Cousin Kate may have helped them a bit...and woke Murph up for the photo :)

Grand Hotel closed at the end of October, so both dogs have enjoyed coming to work with me.  I've transformed my office with the addition of 2 dog beds, multiple toys and the chair that StuE has enjoyed the past 2 winters.  In a typical winter I travel a lot, and this fall/winter has been no exception.  This leaves Kirby with doggy duty a lot, but the 3 boys work it out just fine.  Stu has also enjoyed hanging out with the HR Manager, Patrick.  Patrick's office has more windows, so he gets to see more people down there.

In mid November, Kirby and I took a vacation to Walt Disney World and the boys got to stay home with Cousin Kate.  The were missing her since she left at the end of the season and the reunion was certainly something to see.  They LOVE their Kate.  We were home for one night and left again, with the boys, for Thanksgiving with Kirby's family.  This was Murph's first visit to Elm Hall, MI and we recently learned that Murph gets car sick.  I am hesitant to give him any drugs, if we can avoid it, so we have been trying some things out and it seems that if we don't let him eat the morning of the car ride and I pet him and talk to him while Kirby drives, he will curl up and go to sleep.  I have gotten VERY good at reading him and knowing when he might get sick and we do our best to avoid it.  I do have a little bag I refer to as MurphE's Diaper Bag that we travel with, that contains towels and extra blankets and such, just in case.

On the ferry ride back home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I was petting Murph and I found a lump on the back of his neck.  I immediately grabbed Kirby's hand so he could feel it too.  We agreed a trip to the Vet was in order.  I made an appointment at the Maple River Animal Clinic in Alanson, as I have heard many good reports about the clinic and their staff.  They were compassionate and willing to get him in ASAP, however I was traveling again and couldn't get him in until Friday.

Murph and I arrived for our 10:30am appointment and we met with a vet tech who took his history, or as much as we can give them about his history as a laboratory test beagle, and then we met Dr. Neuman.  She was so wonderful!  She checked him over and noted this was the only lump she could find, but she was concerned about it because it was more solid than she would like to feel, and that it likely wasn't the fatty tumor we were all thinking it might be.  She did blood work to test Murph's kidneys and liver and pronounced that he was a good candidate for surgery to get that tumor out and she wanted to do it on Monday.

Murph and I spent the weekend with my family in Traverse City.  His Grandma and Grandpa were so nice to him and I think we all spoiled him a little extra.  This is his first Christmas as a freagle, (Freagle is the name sometimes given to these test beagle...free beagle...freagle), so he went to the tree lighting in downtown Traverse City and saw Santa arrive.  This was by far the largest crowd Murph has ever seen and he was definitely overwhelmed, but I assure you he enjoyed the extra attention from the many, many children that passed by and wanted to pet him, my parents dog Macy, and my brothers puppy Spartacus.  I didn't account for the fact that in addition to the large crowd of people, there were also cars.  It didn't register to me that Murph has never walked down a street with cars zooming by before and this did scare him.  So much so, that he slipped his collar and ran.  It was a terrifying couple of moments for me, but thankfully the family walking down the sidewalk behind us grabbed him, so he didn't get far.  Once we got downtown, the road was closed and he was much better with just people and we walked back to my brothers house on the back street, which has much less traffic.

Monday morning, we left Traverse City at about 6am and headed for the Vet and Murph was dropped off by 8:15am for his surgery.  They called me at 12:10pm to say that he was awake, did well in surgery and I could pick him up at 2pm, which was perfect because it was snowing here and there was no way the plane was going to fly, so I was completely dependent on the ferry boat to get home.  Fetching Murph at 2 would allow us to easily make the 4pm ferry home.

Here is where I have to give full credit to our amazing dog MurphE.  He has an incision down the back of his neck that made me nauseous to look at, and 8 stitches.  He endured a 30 mile car trip, 45 minute boat ride, and the snowmobile ride home and all he cared about was getting inside the house and getting some food.  The vet suggested he only be allowed a little water and a little food to make sure he wasn't going to be sick after the anesthesia and surgery.  How do you tell a Beagle he can only have a little food?  It's impossible.  He ate a little food and I took his bowl away and the pathetic look that followed was incredible.  I did my very best to ignore him and after a little while, Kirby and I both threw in the towel and let him eat.  He did just fine.  The night was uneventful too.  He slept well and was back to work at the hotel with me on Tuesday.

I was definitely not ready to see this....We are calling him FrankenMurph as this looks Frankenstein-ish to me.

Our little trooper having a snooze while we waited for the boat.

Now we wait.  The tumor was sent away and we are awaiting the pathology report.  Murph is recovering so well and really wants to play and run with his brother.  We are supposed to keep him calm for 10-14 days and I really think we are going to have to let him and Stu play sooner than that.  Stu wants to lick Murph's stitches for him, so it is good they are in my office all day so that I can keep an eye on them.

This waiting period has given me a lot of time to think about so many things....mostly bad things that involve the word cancer and I end up in tears.  I have to remind myself that we don't know ANYTHING right now and I am getting ahead of myself.  The important thing is that I love this little boy and I am so thankful that he ended up in our house.  Our job for the time we are lucky enough to have him is to make his life happy and comfortable and that is exactly what we are going to do...and hopefully for a very long time.

Frisbee's.....

Murph-E discovered frisbees yesterday.  There were 3 kids playing in the yard outside of Stonecliffe and he was fascinated.  He sat and watched for a bit and then wanted to run to the kids and get a closer look.  It was as fast as I have ever seen him move.  He jumped up on one of the boys and they instantly became friends.  We have come to learn that Murph LOVES kids. He loves everyone he meets, but he really likes kids.  The 3 kids played with Murph for a little while and then it was time for them to go.  Murph couldn't understand why they were leaving and he certainly didn't want them to.  This led to one of Muph-E's famous, "I'm going to sit down and refuse to budge moments, and if you try and make me, I will just tip over" moments.  I scooped him up and headed toward home.  Once he got a little closer to home, he stopped to visit with the 12 people standing outside of Wood's Restaurant waiting for a taxi.  Surprising to Murph, no one was interested in playing with him, so he sat and looked at them with the most pathetic beagle face imaginable.  Again, I scooped him up, told him that his Mama loves him, and headed for home.

All this is happening while I have Stu-E on another leash bored stiff and wanting to chase after squirrels.

Kirby is much better than I at walking both boys at one time.  It is doable, but I think everyone has more fun if they are walked seperately.  We can all go in similar directions, but both dogs like sniffing different things.  Murph wants to sniff everything.  Stu wants to sniff for squirrels.

Wylie left last Thursday to head back to her Mom's and Cousin Kate had a bike accident on Thursday night and hurt her ankle.  We went from a house of 4 dog walkers to a house of 2 dog walkers, overnight.  Kate has badly sprained her foot, but is on the mend.  She and the boys have been sharing the couch this weekend.  They watch over her and she said Murph-E never leaves her side.  This gives the dogs plenty of energy for Kirby and I when we get home.

Stu and Murph are missing Wylie.  They scratch at her bedroom door and I had to show them she wasn't in there.  Thursday night I stripped her bed and put her sheets were in the laundry area.  Stu thought that was the best place for his nap.  I think he caught Wylie's scent and wanted to stay close to it.

Murph E and Stu E cuddling up with Cousin Kate

Murph and Stu are acting like brothers.  Sometimes can't get enough of each other and sometimes need their space.  They chase each other through the house and play with toys together.  It makes me smile when they play.  I just love to watch them.

One of the highlights of each day is coming home to these two goof balls. Stu is usually bouncing like a kangaroo and so excited.  Murph is right there too, but his greeting is much more gentle, almost like a hug.  He loves any attention he can get.  He's is making up for almost 5 years of missed time.

It think he is loving his new life as a professional cuddler!

More Firsts...

Since last week, Murph has entered into "Puppy Mode."  He is doing all the things he likely never got to do when he was a puppy.  He has discovered the art of chewing on shoes and power cords.  He tries to explore corners where he doesn't actually fit.  He thought sitting ON TOP of the crate might be more comfortable than sitting IN the crate.  We discovered he is now strong enough to jump up onto our bed.  This means we likely need a bigger bed.  Kirby, Stu, Murph and I can certainly fill our double bed...especially when the 2 beagle morph into St Bernard's when they sleep.

I know that his foster mom gave him 2 bathes during the week she had him, so Kirby and I gave him the third bath of his life last Sunday.  He took it all in stride.

We are struggling with taking Murph E on walks.  He can be VERY stubborn.  He sits or lays down and NOTHING is going to move him.  He vet suggested that when he does this, we should make the leash as tight as possible and turn our back to him and that he would then realize that he needed to get up and walk, and when he did we were to praise him and continue our walk.  I am here to tell you, this dog won't move for anything.  It takes a lot of patience to walk him right now.  I am hopeful we get this figured out and very soon.  Potty training has still been going pretty good with minimal accidents in the house.

I discussed the last post that Murph is not a morning dog.  For this reason, he gets to sleep in until 6:30am and Kirby takes him for his walk in the morning.  I take Stu for his brisk walk around the neighborhood, as he is up and ready at 5:15am.

Much of our week has been consumed by having family visit.  My Mom, Dad and Aunt arrived on Monday and with Wylie and Katelin here too, it made for a full house for a few days.  We love it!  It was extra good that they were here right now because Stu E was pretty sick for a few days.  Friday evening he was very lethargic and just laid around shaking, like he was shivering.  He wasn't interested in eating, playing or snuggling.  Nothing about this is normal behavior for Stu, so I was worried.  This continued through the weekend and worsened to the extent that he didn't want to be petted or held and hid under the bed.

First we thought he was upset because Katelin was gone for a couple of days.  He can be sensitive about that sort of thing.  He went on quite the hunger strike this past winter while I was on a recruiting trip.  Katelin came back and Stu did not improve.  Then I thought my parents arrival would cheer him up.  That didn't work either, so Tuesday afternoon, my Dad and I took both dogs to the mainland to see the vet.  We chose to fly to the mainland and back, as Murph E hasn't been downtown yet and I think the large crowds of people and noise would be too much for him, plus there is that whole walking thing...

The vet gave Murph a clean bill of health.  Her only thought was that he looks older than he is or maybe he had a rough life.  Duh.  I'm going with rough life on that one.

Stu E on the other hand is suffering from some sort of virus which is similar to you or I having the flu.  She said he was probably very sore, he has a fever and probably a sore throat, which is why he won't eat.  We've been doctoring his normal food with baby food to soften it up and that has helped.  I also let him have a couple of teaspoons of vanilla ice cream (a favorite of Stu E).  I am happy to say, I think he is on the mend, but it's taking a while.

Mom, Dad and Aunt Cathy all left this morning, so the house has returned to "normal" for the boys.  I think we are all due for an early bedtime tonight.

Getting settled...

We have all been settling in to a schedule the past few days, and I must say, it is as if Murph has been here all along.  Each new day bring new experiences and excitement to his life.  He is now walking on a retractable leash which allows him more space to explore and sniff and sniff and sniff.  He sleeps each night in a crate in our bedroom, but the door is open and he can come and go from the crate as he wishes.  Every time he leaves the crate, I sit straight up and wake up Kirby, convinced he's about to potty in the house.  This hasn't actually happened and Kirby has put a flashlight next to my bed so I can see what Murph is up to without turning all of the lights on.

Yesterday was exciting as we caught Murph and Stu chasing each other through the house as Stu has a squeaky toy in his mouth and Murph wanted to play too.  It is important to note that from Murph being in a cage his whole life he is very weak.  The fact he can jump onto the couch is a major accomplishment.  He can't jump as high as the bed yet.

I wake him each morning at 5:15am to go for a morning walk and hopefully a morning potty.  Housebreaking a almost 5 year old dog is tricky, but we have only had 2 accidents.  I'm happy with that.  Murph is NOT a morning dog.  I typically have to carry him down the stairs and to the first patch of grass we encounter and then he stands there sniffing the air for a few minutes before he moves.  I think he is probably 1) not awake 2) a little sore.  I keep thinking about when a person exercises muscles they haven't used in years, or ever, they are sore and need to stretch.  I would think Murph is no different.  It takes a lot of patience to walk these 2 in the AM, as Stu hears the alarm to wake up and is READY to go!  After our morning sniff and stretch, he naps.

Wylie and Cousin Kate take turn snuggling and walking the boys throughout the day and both are incredible about sending us fun photos and stories of things that happened throughout the day.

Once Kirby and I are home, we cook and eat supper and then walk the dogs.  Stu loves to search for squirrels and chase them up a tree and Murph watches and learns. We got Murph to run a bit yesterday and that is a sight!  Imagine Elaine from Seinfeld when she would dance...one leg goes one way and another goes quite opposite.  It is quite remarkable, really.  These spurts of energy are short lived and then he needs to nap for several hours.  He loves to curl up on the couch with anyone who will snuggle with him.  We have been told that as he gets stronger and more comfortable, he could revert to having the energy of a puppy.  Not sure I'm ready for that...

His appetite is great and he likes the same food as Stu.  I have not been successful in getting him to try any treats, but Wylie is diligently trying to teach him to sit.  He actually did it once AND took a treat from her.  She' s like a dog whisperer or something.

Basically, so far, Murph E has been a joyful addition to our home.  I have found myself looking at him a couple of times and thinking that, by all rights, he shouldn't be here right now and that so many more like him don't get a chance at a normal life after "retirement" from a laboratory environment.  It takes a little adjustment and a little patience, but the end result is so worthwhile.

Murph E and Stu E relaxing this afternoon

Welcome Home Murph-E!!

The last 24 hours or so have been quite the adventure...for all of us.  Kirby had to work, so Sky and Wylie and I left on the noon ferry yesterday to meet Jean and Larry, Murph's foster family.  We basically agreed to drive until we found each other, which happened in Oconto, WI.  We pulled into the McDonald's and the second most adorable beagle face I've ever seen was looking at us from the back of a Honda Element (the first most adorable beagle face belongs to our Stu-E).

Jean gave us lots of instructions and pointers.  I signed the adoption papers and he was ours.  She said he hadn't been outside since morning so we thought we'd walk him in the open field across the street. She warned us that Murph was better at going potty in dirt than he was on grass, but it all scared him, so good luck!  She also explained that Murph was involved in Drug Testing at the research facility and that the patches of fur missing from 3 of his legs would grow back.  We learned that Murph is 4 years old and his birthday is October 28, just a week after Stu-E and a week before mine.  She also explained that he has a tattoo on the inside of his ear which was how he was recognized in the lab.  They have since tattooed over the original number tattoo to make him untraceable, and made it all 8's, but they also added a happy face :).  First time she has ever seen that and she has fostered 7 beagles from the facility.

Wylie and her new brother Murph E

Murph's Tattoo...Neighborhood dogs better beware!!

The trip home was uneventful and Great Lakes Air brought us back to Mackinac around 10pm were met at the airport by Kirby and Stu-E.  I'd love to say that the two dogs sniffed each other and galloped off into the sunset as best of friends, but that was not the case.  Stu was not impressed and Murph was totally overwhelmed.  We walked home and gave each dog their space and Murph successfully pottied outside.  I was thrilled.  Waiting at home was Uncle Thad and Grandma and Grandpa King.  Stu E thought the best way to welcome Murph was to hump him repeatedly.  This did not impress Murph at all.  I immediately panicked and imagined the worst, things like they will never get along etc.  Stu has always gotten along well with other dogs, so this was a surprise to me.  He reacted the similarly with my Parents dog, but one snap from her and he would stop and go about his business.  Murph expressed his displeasure, but Stu didn't seem to care.

It was bed time and I was concerned as to how this was going to work.  Both dogs have a crate, but typically Stu sleeps with us and I had planned to have Murph sleep in his crate until we are confident we have him totally housebroken.  Remember, until July 3, he had never been outside before.  Stu wanted nothing to do with sleeping, the bed, or us.   He was sitting in the corner pouting.  This broke my heart.  He looked so dejected.

Murph was in his crate, but when we shut the door, he was a bit agitated.  We decided, in the interest of sleep, we would leave the crate door open and see what happened.  Eventually, I fell asleep and when I awoke, both dogs were in separate crates,  sleeping like angels....until 5:50am.

The boys...Murph E on the left and Stub E on the right

Kirby and I took the boys for a walk and our day began.  Stu was slightly aggressive throughout the morning, but I corrected his behavior repeatedly and we all took several walks together.  This seemed to calm him down a lot and they have coexisted wonderfully all afternoon.  Stu regresses now and again, but they actually played together this afternoon for a couple of minutes.  It was great to see.

This has been the most amazing day of firsts for Murph.  He mastered going up and down the stairs, discovered the toy bin, explored the area around our house, saw his first horses (not impressed), ate regular dog food, watched Stu tree a squirrel or 3 (hopefully he was taking notes), and most importantly, learned how to snuggle on the couch with Wylie, Katelin and Grandma King.  I also think he is learning his name.  He seems smart and he is certainly a sweetheart.  I couldn't be happier with him.

It really is so hard to believe that these dogs are considered disposable and just gotten rid of when the facility is done with them.  They deserve a shot at having a family to love them.

Long day at work for me tomorrow, but the boys will get to spend the whole day with their Dad and I am sure they will have even more adventures and firsts for Murph-E and Stu-E, like Murph's first NASCAR race.  :)

Murph and Cousin Kate...she's teaching him to cuddle

TOYS!!!  He figured out what they were for pretty quickly

The Beginning

Some might say I've become a woman obsessed.  Some think I've lost my mind.  Some think this is the greatest thing we could ever do.  I think they all are right.

It all started a few months ago when I saw a post on the almighty Facebook talking about beagles and their use in testing of various products, medications, chemicals etc.  I looked over at my beagle baby, Stu-E, who was curled up next to me on the couch and wondered how this was possible.  This was the first of many tears I shed for these poor animals.

Upon further research, I learned that up to 70,000 beagles every year are used as test subjects.  Some tests seem rather harmless and some are truly horrifying.  Do a Google Image search "Animal testing on Beagles" and you will see what I mean....(or don't do that at all and trust me...it's very disturbing).

Next, I downloaded an app for my phone that allows me to scan all of the cosmetics, bath and cleaning products in my home to see what is tested on beagles and what is not.  Believe it or not, Kirby's suntan lotion was the ONLY thing NOT tested on Beagles.  Since that time, as we use things up, we are replacing them with Beagle friendly products.  Lucky for us, my good friend Nicole, owns a WONDERFUL little shop on Mackinac called Little Luxuries and they carry lots of good options.  We have switched our laundry soap, bath soap, fabric softener and several of my cosmetics so far and will continue to make changes as we run through our inventory at home.  I am happy that several of our friends and relatives have follows suit and done the same.  Cousin Kate bought all new cosmetics and Wylie is conscious of what is a is not cruelty free too.  This is all good and gives me a warm feeling, but I knew we needed to do more...

Through my research, I learned of several  animal rescue organizations that are working hard to free beagles and other animals from labs and place them in loving homes.  Some are really focused on not testing on animals at all and some are focused on placing "retired" beagles with families.  Beagle Rescue League and Beagle Freedom Project seem to be 2 of the larger ones, but there really wasn't anything in our area.  Enter an animal rescue in Des Plaines, IL.  They are about 8 hours from our house, but closer than anyone else.  They were in contact with us about beagle who was to be "retired" from a research facility near them and would we like to give him a home?

My initial, gut reaction was, "Of course we will take him."  Then my brain kicked in...this is going to be hard.  This little guy is 4 years old and has never been outside, never walked on a leash, never socialized outside of a research environment, never had treats, never lead the life of a family pet.  I was truly torn.  I really wanted to give this guy a lot of love and a new life, but with our crazy schedule and already having our 1 1/2 year old beagle Stu E, was that the right move, right now?  There were, and are, lots of "What if's" going through my head, but Kirby really put it in to perspective...either we are going to save this dogs life or we are not.  A crazy life with us would be better for him than no life at all.

Soooooo...Little Murph-E was rescued last Thursday.  Independence Day means a whole new thing for him now.  He has spent the last week with his Foster Family while we make arrangements to pick him up.  We have enjoyed daily updates from his Foster Mom that included a video of the first time Murph sniffed grass.  They have been working with him on housebreaking and socializing him with people and other dogs.  By all reports, we have another lover on our hands.  His foster Mom said he is a very sweet dog and is enjoying exploring and sniffing everything he can.  He didn't eat for several days and they tried many different food and finally Murph-E decided he would like canned Alpo mixed with rice and kibble and small Milk Bones.  We will have to shop before his arrival.

If all goes according to plan, Murph-E will be arriving to Mackinac Island on Friday and begin his new life.

Stay tuned for more updates.............