The Doggie Wars

I'm getting a dog.

As in "A" dog. One. Only one.

Problem is, there are two very dear, near, and available to me. I need to decide which one.

So without further adieu...

Time for a N0-Holds-Barred Puppy Smackdown!
Let's get ready to RUMBLEEEEEEEE

The contenders for the main event are:

Murphy (aka Pooter Doodle)Age: 4
Height: 19"
Weight: 28lbs
Breed: Black lab/beagle
Best trick: Snork taco chips off the counter in a flash. Also rings a little bell when he wants to go outside.
Likes to: Run around like a lunatic, avoiding capture.
Quirk: Horrible flirt with the ladies. Also very ticklish.
Fighting Style: Young, quick and agile, think of a furry blur. With ADD. On meth. Easily distracted and unstructured, his only hope is a quick takedown.

History:
Many of you have asked about the puppy in my profile avatar. That's him.
After I got in a really bad auto accident in 2003, I was unable to work for about 8 months, and spent quite a bit of time alone. Jean and I were living in Denver at the time, away from family and friends. Needless to say, I was getting a little stir-crazy. So we decided to get me a friend with paws. We picked up the little 5-week-old potbellied pooch, and we became a family of three.
After the divorce, Jean asked for him (he is a momma's boy, after all) and I accepted joint custody, since she took the divorce harder than I did and could use some serious puppy therapy.
The "joint" custody turned out to be not. As a matter of fact, the first time I asked to take him, she suggested I sign a contract ensuring his return. Yeah, she actually did that. In all fairness she recanted, but I had been "allowed" to take him only three times since the divorce, and all three times because she was going out of town.
A few weeks ago, I had lunch with her, and mentioning that I was taking my vaca, asked to take him for a bit. "Hell, you can have him," she quipped. Half-joking, I know.
COMMA.
I knew he could be a bit much to handle, especially since she never was really consistent with him. Honestly, that's why he runs amok so often. So right before my birthday, she called and asked about me taking him for vaca. It being almost over it was a bit of a moot point, but I asked her if she was serious about me taking him permanently. She said she was.

Which brings us to...
Shadow (aka Goof)
Age: 10
Height: 29"
Weight: 94lbs
Breed: Golden Retriever
Best trick: Popping his head out randomly between your legs
Likes to: Be attached to my hip, towing me towards the nearest kids
Quirk: Deathly afraid of thunderstorms, will crawl under the covers during showers.
Fighting style: A lover, not a fighter. Yet older, confident and experienced. Fighting style is more Shaolin-Zen. Sweet, gentle giant. Also not too bright or exciting.

History:
After Jean and I moved back to Texas, I began volunteering again. One thing was fostering for a local rescue organization. That's when we got this big lug.
~~Shameless Plug Time: If you care to donate to help a worthwhile organization, click here~~
From the many accounts of his history, here's what I've pieced together.
He originally belonged to a career military man in a happy home. Then, when the Iraq war started, his daddy was deployed for an undisclosed period. So he gave Shadow to a home that might seem perfect at first- A family with kids out in the country, plenty of room to run around and explore, birds to chase, TONS of pooping room, etc. But the family didn't know how to take care of a Golden. First of all, they tried to keep him outside (NOTE: Goldens are NOT outdoor dogs). Once a day, they'd feed him, and that was pretty much their exposure. After a while, Shadow started trotting off to go find someone to love on him. To keep him from running off, they eventually tied him to a tree. Somewhere in the midst of this, he developed heartworms. Then the family did the best possible thing- They surrendered him to the rescue group.
He did have some issues, which I was able to work out. However, he's been placed in two homes so far (neither of them worked out too well), and has been passed on from foster to foster since.
(In all honesty, I've been told that he was happiest with me)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakdown:
Murphy- This is MY dog. I love that guy, even though he is a handful at times. He has a strong and goofy personality, and is truly one of a kind. However, he is in a loving, nurturing home right now, and would be very happy regardless of if I take him or not.

Shadow- Fits in my lifestyle, and his personality matches me better. Also, with his age and medical condition (currently under control), it seems like I am the last chance he has for a happy home. Not many people adopt older dogs.


What do y'all think? I want to make a decision soon, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Either by comment or email would be fine.

But in the end...
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!