Warning! Heartbreaking ending... ( )

An in-depth narrative as to the natural science as well as emotional history of his owning a dog called Merle. Very informative.

If anyone could explain to me how to read the last chapter with out crying,I would be most grateful to hear. ( )

This is one beautiful book. If Merle the dog could read and interpret books the way humans could, he would see that his friend Ted Kerasote wrote him a loving, book-length love letter. For thirteen years, ever since Ted met the stray Merle as a young dog, Ted and Merle shared their lives in rural Wyoming. And what a wonderful life it was: they lived in a very small town, so small and remote that nobody had fences and dogs wandered around freely. Ted encouraged Merle to be his own "person" and have freedoms as much as possible: with a dog door, Merle controlled when he went inside/outside; with no fences, Merle could explore the surrounding area any time he felt like it; Ted even let Merle choose the time of day for dinner (5:30pm). There was a lot of trust and respect between dog and owner, and even more love. It was heartbreaking to read about vibrant Merle's descent into old age and failing health. After reading about so many adventures, I felt that Ted and Merle were as inseparable as any two characters in literature ever were. Their love of life and having adventures together just came through so strongly, that it seems just wrong that one must now continue on, on his own. A wonderful read that is both entertaining and informative and well-researched. ( )

Lovely warm description of relationship between a man and his dog. Takes place in a fairly wild rural community. Lots of discussion about dog psychology. Beautifully written. ( )

2009 ( )