Murray the Destroyer

We originally thought he was a girl. When we adopted him and brought him home, we named him Abbey. Being a Beatles fan, I liked the association to Abbey Road. And considering that he was just a poofy ball of fluff, Abbey seemed to fit.
A few days later, we discovered his boy parts among all that hair, and Abbey became Murray. And later he became known as Murray the Destroyer.

He was supposed to be smart, mixed as he was from two breeds known for their intelligence. Muray is a cross-breed combining Maltese and Shih Tzu.

Consider this published information about the breeds:

The Maltese:

The Maltese is spirited, lively and playful. Gentle, loving, trusting and devoted to its master. Highly intelligent. Good at learning tricks.

Maltese with Shih Tzus are called Mal-Shihs, Shihtese, or Mitzus. This results in a dog which is a small, friendly and intelligent animal with a unique low (or no) shedding coat.

The Shih Tzu:

The Shih Tzu is a very small dog breed that is incredibly loyal and comes from a long royal heritage. By nature they are bold, affectionate and energetic. They are prized for their appearance and intelligence, and continue to be an excellent companion for both an individual and a family.

He was supposed to be smart, our little Stay-Puft Marshmallow Murray, but his actions sometimes point to a different conclusion.

During a recent rainstorm, Murray decided to pull his nice warm bed out of his kennel which is blocked from the wind and rain and quite cozy, and drag the faux sheepskin bed out into the downpour, then sit shivering beneath the overhang, staring at the bed longingly.

On another occasion, he pulled the bed out into the sunlight, only to then roll his own poop onto the bed with a paw.

And last week, My fiancé watched through a window as Murray the Destroyer searched out a warm spot in the sun, circled twice and lay down for a nap. It took him a few minutes to realize that his ear floated in a fresh puddle of his own urine.

He was supposed to be smart. Maybe he’ll be a late bloomer.