"HEAVEN'S TO MURGATROID!!"
August 18, 1987 --- May 18, 1998

My first Anatolian, Murgatroid, a silver fawn male with a black mask, came to live with me in October of 1987. Murg was my "Heart" dog (had total control of my heart) and was my best guardian dog.

Murg was a sweet gentle dog, but could be very serious when he felt his "flock" was being threatened. He loved children, and I cannot begin to count the number of stray puppies and kittens he "rescued" over the years, making me bring them back to the house and care for them until they were healthy enough to go to new homes. Over the 11 years that I was privileged to be loved by this dog, he showed me over and over what Anatolians are all about -- Nobility - Loyalty - Love (especially "LOVE"). I shall be forever grateful that I had the opportunity to know such a dog.

Murg's best friend, other than my old mamma cat who raised him from a pup, was Sagi, a female I acquired from the same breeder I got Murg from. These two were inseperable and, while Murg was still young, would play and do laps around the yard every morning and late afternoon. As Murg got older, they would do perimeter checks together every AM and PM and, in between, would lay together watching over my property. Although Sagi was a "houdini" dog and was very hard to keep in my property, Murg would always go to the main gate and wait for her to return. Thanksgiving weekend in 1995, one of Sagi's excursions cost her life, and it was weeks before I could get Murg to leave his post at the front gate ... he was so sure she would come back!

At two years of age I had Murg's hips radiographed and, when his OFA reading came back borderline dysplastic, I had him neutered immediately. He had never been meant for a serious show career (he was a little on the small side for an Anatolian male at just under 29" at the withers), so this was not a heart rending decision on my part. For a short period when Murg was about 7yr, I showed him in the neutered class at shows given by the World Wide Kennel Club. After taking nine BEST IN SHOW wins in a row, I decided to retire him while he was ahead of the game.

I decided that, due to his OFA rating, I would do whatever was necessary for him to live a relatively long and pain-free life. This meant that I would have to strictly monitor his weight and make sure he got plenty of the right kind of food and exercise! Almost until the day he left me, he was in tiptop shape (hard as a rock) and would go for his daily run and/or swim with enthusiasm.

Murg completed six obedience classes ... all of them in the top three of his class. He also provided much entertainment for the obedience crowds since he never felt he had to prove himself in public.

Once while I was trying to stack him for a show photo, the photographer told me to nudge him because while standing there with my hand resting under his head, he had started SNORING!! I guess you could say he was a little "laid back" (VBG).

Murgatroid & "best friend" Sagi	Murgatroid & "best friend" Sagi taking a Winter nap
Murgatroid & friends	Murgatroid on guard duty

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