An army recruit’s dog was so shocked to see her when she returned from training he didn’t know who she was – until he got closer and then leapt into her arms in joy.
Janna Berger, 20, left Murphy at her parents’ house in Salem, Ohio, while she completed ten weeks of basic army training and months of advanced training.
By the time she was given leave to visit home, her dog didn’t know who she was.
Adorable moment dog has delayed reaction to seeing mum again
Janna Berger, 20, leaves Murphy at her parents house in Salem, Ohio, while she completes her ten weeks of basic army training. He doesn’t recognize her when she returns
Ms Berger had lived with Murphy for three years, but by the time she took leave from army training to return home he didn’t know who she was
She greeted her pet in her military uniform, which perhaps added to the dog’s confusion. Ms Berger’s father suggests she take her hat off so Murphy can see her.
‘When he didn’t recognize me at first, I was so heartbroken,’ she said.
As Ms Berger knelt down for the moment of reunion she called out Murphy’s name, a recently unearthed video of the moment in 2017 showed.
When the dog, who had lived with Ms Berger for three years, bounds out of the house and sees her, he gets spooked and turns back to run and hide behind a car
But when the dog, who had lived with Ms Berger for three years, bounded out of the house and saw her, he got spooked and turned back to run and hide behind a car.
Murphy, who had taken to sitting outside Ms Berger’s bedroom door pining for her return, ran around the car towards Ms Berger a second time, but again stopped and looked towards her father.
It was almost as if he was seeking reassurance it was actually his owner in front of him.
The dog wagged his tail as he moved closer before backing away. He seemed to either be in shock, or perhaps he actually thought he was meeting someone new.
As Ms Berger’s father knelt down to give comfort to Murphy, the dog moved closer and let her gently stroke him.
Sadness quickly turns to joy as she hugs him and he suddenly realizes who she is. He bowls her over in his excitement
The pooch’s entire body wriggles with joy as he leaps into Ms Berger’s arms when he eventually realizes who she is
Murphy got closer still as he climbed up onto her knee to lick her face. As she hugged him he suddenly realized who she was and bowled her over in his excitement.
The pooch’s entire body started to wriggle with joy as he leapt around his returned owner.
‘I had no idea Murphy would react the way he did when I finally got home,’ Ms Berger said.
‘The happiest moment of my life was when he finally figured out it was me.
Concern turns to joy as Ms Berger wraps her arms around her beloved pooch. ‘The happiest moment of my life was when he finally figured out it was me,’ she said
‘He’s been the light of my life for over three years now, and I’m hoping to have many more with him by my side.’
Ms Berger was away for at least ten weeks during basic training, and then went on to spend more time away as she completed her Advanced Individual Training, to specialize in her chosen area.
During that time Murphy slept outside her bedroom in her parents’ home.
‘In the first letter my mom sent me, she told me about how every day since I’d left, Murphy waited outside the door to my room for me to come back,’ she said.
The pair were so close Murphy slept outside Ms Berger’s bedroom in her parents’ home after she left to complete her training for the army
‘I thought about Murphy every day I was at basic training and AIT. I think I missed him more than my family, because I knew he didn’t know if I was ever coming back.
‘My best friend went to my house one day, found Murphy sleeping outside my room, and got one of his paw prints on a piece of paper to mail to me.
‘It hung inside my locker by a band-aid for the rest of basic.’
Ms Berger recently finished her training and in a few months she is expected to move into a new off base home. She will bring Murphy with her.