You are probably familiar with "Marley and Me," a wonderful book about the world's worst dog. As great as that story was, I finished reading a book yesterday called "Merle's Door," written by Ted Kerasote, that blew me away. This is the story of the best dog in the world (in contrast to the ornerey Marley.) The book paints a most vivid portrait of Merle and the Teton Range in Wyoming where he lived with his owner Ted. By the end of the book, thanks to Kerasote's detailed and intimate accounts of life with his dog, I felt like Merle belonged to me. I couldn't help feel like I had known him all my life. Which made the story very emotional for me as well.
Kerasote appreciated every small detail about his dog's life. He allowed Merle to be himself which allowed the dog to blossom into a magnificent animal and companion. His accounts of their life together has caused me to re-examine the relationship I have with my own dogs. Am I too controlling? Do I micro-manage every aspect of their lives? Do I allow them the freedom to be themselves? Are they happy? I hope that I can be a better dog owner from now on and give my dogs the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest. It's what Merle would have wanted for them.
Thanks go out to Kim McCullough, my good friend and fellow dog lover, for recommending this book to me. Although this story caused me to cry for the first time since my mom died, (and for only the second time since my beloved dog Jake died a year and a half ago,) I feel that my manhood is still in tact. In fact, I think I'll be a better man (at least in my dogs' eyes) now that I've read this book.
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