In Memory of a Wonderful Dog

My heart is filled with sadness as I write this as a good friend of Lucky Fiona has crossed the bridge. Murphy Brown was not just a bulldog, in my heart she is THE bulldog, she was the quintessential example of the breed and she stole my heart the moment I met her. I fancied bulldogs from afar and it seems like fate that just a week or so before we moved into our home and across the street from Murphy I found an old vintage photograph of a bunch of English Bulldogs on a hill in the 1930's. I thought to myself how I'd love to photograph a bulldog, capture the spirit from within those wrinkles of skin. Then as if fate or kismet or some great Dog in the sky was looking over me I bought a house across the street from the most beautiful bully in the world. Murphy's parents were of coarse the best neighbors we could ever ask for, kind and friendly and in total love with their fur-child. They spoke dog and as our second language a fast friendship of animal lovers was formed.
Murphy became my muse and seemed to enjoy the funny lady with the camera poised who liked to take her picture all the time. I never tired of dressing her up or capturing that tilted head or enthusiastic smile. I quickly realized the way to her heart and the heart of bullies everywhere was through food and I was happy to be the spoiling Aunt that gave her far more treats than she was allowed. I was William Wegman and she was my Man Ray, I felt like I could capture something in her photographs that was special and was her and more importantly she wanted me to see it. We shared a connection and I am so grateful she let me into that large heart of hers. Her yearly holiday photo became her signature and I was only too happy to take it.
One of my favorite memories of Murphy or Mugsy as I affectionately called her was when her parents were out of town and I was pet sitting her. I went over for her bedtime visit and discovered a half eaten tube of Neosporin on the floor. After a frantic call to the animal poison control center the vets there said given her body weight she should be okay, but just in case she needed to be monitored closely for seizure activity through the night. I was running a professional pet sitting firm at the time and my hard fast rule was no sleepovers, and believe me lots of clients begged for this service. After Murphy's ointment snack I had no choice - I had to stay over with her. So we hunkered down in the guestroom and Murph and I became strange bedfellows. I had heard bulldogs snored and I occasionally witnessed the infamous bulldog flatulence when around Murphy. But never had I witnessed both firsthand in a bed up close and personal. My husband thought it was fantastic karma that I was forced to sleep with a loud snoring dog given that I apparently snore too. (allegedly) I didn't do too much snoring that night as 75 pounds of bulldog snuggled up with me and snored in my ear through the night and tooted out the other end. This I reasoned was what loving dogs was all about, because as I lay awake watching the sun come up, Murphy slumbered seizure free and I couldn't have been happier.
Even after Murphy's Dog-parents took new jobs and moved an hour and half away we still stay close friends. They added some children and we added some more dogs to our pack but they never stopped speaking the language of dog with us. I've witnessed Murphy slowing down over the years when we'd visit and counseled her Dog-mom on some of the changes. I've known in my soul time with her was slowly coming to an end and my heart started to save a little special space for her with the other dogs I've lost that have meant so much to me.
Today Murphy crossed the bridge with dignity and love and I hope with pride. She was a fine bulldog and brought so much love and happiness to so many. We often speak of people that cross into our lives and the effect they have upon us, but I like to catalog some of my time on this planet with the dogs that have meant so much to me. Murphy was one of those dogs and I find solace today that she is happy again, in another place where she can be young and healthy and free of the ailments that deterred her in this world. I love you Mugsy and you will be missed.