Several times a year we head to our ocean front condo in Myrtle Beach, SC. We are about to head out this afternoon. Murphy just loves going there. I am not sure what he likes best, it is a toss up I think between riding the elevator and sitting out at the end of the walk way that crosses the dunes to beach. When we took him the first time he did not like the elevator at all. Did not want to get in it, did not like when it started to move. Then he discovered that PEOPLE got in the elevator! There are two elevators, he can tell which one is going to pick us up so he sits right by the one on the way. There is a short walkway over the dunes to protect them with a small sitting area at the end right by the beach. Quite often we will sit there. He likes to meet the people coming and going. This time of year it is pretty quiet so people have a tendency to stop and chat awhile (most everyone likes hanging out with a labrador). Of course everyone introduces themselves. What is funny is that people will definitely remember Murphy's name....us? Not so much, LOL. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed off leash on the beach, ever. He does not seem to mind though, he likes taking walks along the beach and sniffing everything in sight. And then he gets to meet lots and lots of KIDS! In the condo itself he is no problem. This time of year a lot of the owners are at the beach so we know our neighbors. We like to go out in the evening for a few hours for dinner. We have checked with them and they tell us they have never heard him bark. He is sort of mystified by the balcony, he looks down (we are on the 14th floor) and watches things going. Then a bird flies by....he gets this look on his face that is hard to describe. Ahhh, the joys of having a lab!!! I like to post here now and then about what our life with a labrador is like. The other day Murphy and I stopped to visit my wife. She works one day a week at a wild bird seed store and is never very busy. It is an old, old house with a great huge side porch. Some nice ladies came in and visited with us out on that porch. Murphy was being Murphy, just making everyone fall in love with him. One of the ladies said "Oh, I have been thinking about getting a dog, I am going to get one just like him!" I said "Well, thank you." Then we chatted about what it took to have a dog like Murphy. When I told her that we go out to play about 5-6 times a day she was amazed. I explained to her that was why he was soooo relaxed and easy going. He gets rid of all that hunting dog energy and can settle down nicely. Turns out she is retired, has lots of time and thinks it would be a good idea if she got off her butt more often now that she is retired. Another interesting observation off topic. When we were in the backyard, Murphy would bark when the neighbors came home or if he saw someone on the street. He really likes the neighbors. But we could not figure out how to get him to stop barking every time they came out. Over the years, when something would happen that would startle him, we would tell him "It is ok Murphy, it is ok." and pet him a bit. Well, turns out that is what works for the barking. When we see him go on alert, we tell him "It is ok Murphy" and he does not bark, just watches and wags his tail like crazy. Funny how some of these things just work themselves out after a bit. Maybe all this going out to play during the day has relaxed me too?
