Why anyone would name their dog Marley after the movie Marley and Me came out in 2008 beats me. If you have  not seen the movie yet, it is a must see for dog lovers or anyone who likes a fun, but sad movie. However, I definitely would resist the urge to name your dog Marley.

The Marley my family has been looking after is a one year old burly black lab. His head is enormous, and he is a bit uncoordinated. A loving dog for sure, but a ridiculous one as well. He is a bundle of joy who has a lot of energy but does not seem to have had proper training to help him know when to use his energy. Marley definitely has the potential to be a smart dog, but I do not think his real family is home enough to stimulate his senses.

The first day Marley came to our house, he immediately became our guard dog. Every time you took him for a run or a walk and you stopped to talk, someone would ask, “Oh, is he named after the movie?” I really do not know why he was named Marley by my friend’s family, but I hope that wasn’t the reason. So, not only do dogs named Marley have spunk, but if you name your dog Marley, be warned that you are going to hear that same question over and over again.

At the house, my 14 year old cat is still the boss. Marley will start to go after her only if he starts his approach from behind, but once she hears him, she turns around and glares. He then whimpers and retreats.

Marley’s been a ton of fun to have around the house, but it will be a nice to not have to chase and yell “MARLEYY!!!”  because we see a billowing black pooch running around with yet something else from the ground, such as any sort of cardboard, paper glasses prescription, a bracelet, socks, and more.

So, this is how John Grogan does his job, huh? It does not seem like too bad of a column to write.