Although pit-bulls are not known for howling, it’s possible to do anything with a good teacher. Gunner is an 8-year-old German shorthaired pointer, and when he met his puppy brother, a pit-bull named Murphy, the Pointer knew that he found his perfect protégé. As soon as the two met, murphy started idolizing his brother, and started trying to just like him. Sarah Lee, the pair’s mother, had this to say in an interview: “Gunner and Murphy instantly bonded. Where Gunner goes, Murphy goes. Where Gunner sleeps, Murphy sleeps. They are inseparable.”
Although Murphy profoundly copied Gunner, when it came to embracing their inner wolf, Murphy fell short, which Gunner had no problem doing. Lee also had this to say about the duo: “If Gunner hears a train, ambulance or police siren, he howls at it. Initially, Murphy would just watch him and tilt his head from side to side, sometimes sniffing him to see what he was doing.” Although it didn’t come to him naturally, Murphy kept on trying and trying to learn how to howl. Lee also went on to say: “One day, he started trying and his little muffled whines slowly turned into simultaneous howls with Gunner. He totally copies Gunner, and will only do it if Gunner is howling.”
Being full of energy, both dogs love snuggles, people and food, and although they have a big age difference, the two dogs are as close as brothers can be. Lee continued to say in her interview: “[Gunner] still acts like a puppy, so they will run around our yard smelling anything and everything. They sit on the back deck steps together ‘pawtrolling’ the yard. Murphy is only 8 months old, so their energy levels match perfectly. They snuggle on the couch together, eat together, share their toys and play tug-of-war.”
Lee also has three little kids, and the big brother doggo Gunner has also taught Murphy to be gentle with them. The mom is the most grateful that Murphy has a perfect role model, even though her life has become noisier. Finally, Lee says: “Our dogs are our family. We love them unconditionally.”
