Murphy is a 4 year old catahoula leopard dog/ lab mix. He was adopted as a stray from Idaho humane society when he was 1 year old. He is an athletic, smart, and protective dog that has been a loyal dog to his owners for the past three years. He is very smart, knows all the standard commands (sit, stay, laydown, shake) crate trained and house broken. Can be trained easily. Very athletic, will run with you, and keep up with your adventures all day long. 

However his high energy and excitability has proven to be challenging and a potential hazard around young children and his current owners plan on having young children in the home soon and therefore will need a new home with a family that can take in a dog with high energy. Murphy has been to several boot camps and many training sessions at Dog Retreat Center and has made amazing strides in behavior since he was first adopted. Murphy can still make improvements in some areas. Murphys socialization to other dogs when he was a puppy was either non-existent or traumatic to him so introductions to other dogs is a point of stress/fear for him. He can be introduced and play with other dogs but it takes time and can be stressful for Murphy. Dog parks are still too much for him. He is very excitable, so doorbells or running dogs can bring out his rambunctious side and it takes a few minutes to get him to calm down. There have been instances where he shows resource aggression. Since we discovered this he has been in strict training to avoid this behavior and we have not seen this come back in 6 months. He is scared of lightning but only will pant and shake when there is a storm. He is not destructive, and is very calm when in an environment with low stimulation. He thrives in a relaxed home and will happily lay by your feet while working at a desk or on the couch. He is very loving and once comfortable with someone will be their loyal companion.

We hope a new family that has experience with training dogs and the patience to continue working with Murphy will be willing to take him. The current owners are willing to be a resource as he makes the transition to the new home. 
This is a courtesy post for Dog Retreat Center of Boise. Murphy is not associated with Homeward Bound. If you are interested, contact DAndra at 208-949-7995.