Simba a 4-year-old male, maybe a mix or just a small Golden, who was surrendered because the owner could no longer keep him. Simba came from Colorado two months ago; the current owner was supposed to temporarily keep him for his cousin, but the cousin couldn’t take him back. Simba was reported to be great with other dogs and kids. We tried him with a foster who has five other dogs, but Simba made a pest out of himself trying to hump, especially the female dogs in the household. So, we moved him into boarding at Academy West Animal Hospital. At AW, he received all his vaccines and tests for valley fever and heartworm. The foster had noticed that Simba walked with a bowlegged hind end and has a hunch in his spine, so we had his back evaluated. He does have a type of scoliosis called kyphosis, but the condition does not seem to bother him or hamper movement. An adoptive couple came down to Glendale to meet Simba and fell in love with him. After he was neutered, he was transported to their home where the meeting with the two resident dogs went well. They changed his name to Murphy. Here is what the adopters wrote recently:

Adding Murphy into our lives has been a pure joy! He took no time at all adopting us as his new family and let everyone know early on that he was alpha dog; even though Jackson and Sara are 10 and 9 years old respectively. Murphy is very smart and cunning. He knows if he’s doing something that’s naughty, but gives me “those eyes” when I go to scold him. Murphy and I attended obedience training the week after he came to his forever home. He is a quick learner and got bored very fast if the class didn’t progress quickly enough for him. He’d just lie down and put all four feet up in the air, wag his tail, and give me “those eyes.” Everyone thought he was hysterical! Murphy knew from the minute he entered my home that the people bed was his. He’ll lie on the lower corner of the bed and not budge or allow me to get in. Instead, he rolls over, feet in the air, belly displayed and gives me “those eyes” and it’s really difficult to make him listen; though listen he does, eventually! He has a sense of humor as well. Loves to pick up things I’m working with for the horses, say a jar of ointment, and take it into the house. He steals gloves and hides them under the bed. He’s the first dog to come when called, loves to play and wrestle with Sara and sometimes even Jackson, especially in the early morning. Loves to protect his home by barking at our neighbors or anyone walking by “his” house. He had a curvature of his spine when he arrived. Although I can’t be sure, I think it’s disappearing! He was also diagnosed with hip dysplasia, but shows no signs of any weakness or limitation as of now. Murphy has brought life back into our two senior dogs and he certainly has brought love into our home. On behalf of Sara, Jackson, and us, thank you AGR for allowing us to add him into our home. We are eternally grateful.