| Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 178 reviews)
Sales Rank: 14527
Category: Book
Author: Ted Kerasote
Publisher: Harcourt
Studio: Harcourt
Manufacturer: Harcourt
Label: Harcourt
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Original Language), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.6
ISBN: 0151012709
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.7092
EAN: 9780151012701
ASIN: 0151012709
Publication Date: July 2, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
While on a camping trip, Ted Kerasote met a dog?a Labrador mix?who was living on his own in the wild. They became attached to each other, and Kerasote decided to name the dog Merle and bring him home. There, he realized that Merle?s native intelligence would be diminished by living exclusively in the human world. He put a dog door in his house so Merle could live both outside and in.
A deeply touching portrait of a remarkable dog and his relationship with the author, Merle?s Door explores the issues that all animals and their human companions face as their lives intertwine, bringing to bear the latest research into animal consciousness and behavior as well as insights into the origins and evolution of the human-dog partnership. Merle showed Kerasote how dogs might live if they were allowed to make more of their own decisions, and Kerasote suggests how these lessons can be applied universally.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 173 more reviews...
 I bought 6 more copies for dog-loving friends October 8, 2008
As an avid reader of 40+ years, I can honestly say that this is the only book I ever began re-reading the day after I finished it. It manages to be entertaining, intelligently crafted, well researched, thought-provoking and emotionally engaging all at once. I purchased 6 additional copies for friends and favorite dog care professionals, as I couldn't wait to share this book. In this book you get a unique window into the evolution of Ted and Merle's relationship through what seems to be both Ted and Merle's eyes. Ted and Merle's relationship is mutually respectful, emotionally intelligent and loving in a way that would put most human relationships to shame. They seem to truly be able to communicate and share their love of the outdoors in a way that most dog owners could only dream of achieving. Ted's astute observations of Merle's language and behaviors, coupled with his well-researched examples of studies in dog behavior, help us to understand and validate the context of his observations. The amazing thing is Ted is able to weave this scientific detail into the real-life observations in a way that enhances rather than interrupting the flow of the story.
Warning: Have a very big box of tissues ready for the last two chapters. I cried just as hard on the second reading as I did on the first. A truly, truly amazing book that I cannot even begin to do justice in describing here.
LUCKY DOG! October 6, 2008
The brilliance and vulnerability of the author's writing challenged me to be a better human to my canine friends. Thank you, Ted. Thank you, Merle. Every time I hear Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, I'll remember you fondly and lift my heart in joyful appreciation for noble characters like you. Truly,
I laughed out loud. And I cried, too. September 29, 2008
From page one, I envied Ted not only for finding a dog like Merle, but for living a life that is so well suited to a dog. What an amazing life Merle had, and all the way to the end! If only all of our dogs could have the freedom that Merle did...neurotic dogs would be an endangered species.
I cannot count on two hands the number of times I laughed out loud at Merle's antics, and at Ted's interpretations of them, while reading this book. And then, toward the end, I cried. I cried until my eyes were puffy and red, until my husband begged me to put down the book. The lives of the dogs in this book, as well as their humans' lives, are touching. This is a must read.
 Two Stories in One September 26, 2008
Did I love this book? Yes. But it is two books in one and one of the sections I found too long and of minimal interest. In fact, I purchased this book for my dog loving wife to read on the plane and she found the book too boring? Solution? Don't read the boring section if you find it as such.
The story of Merle and Ted is brillant, loving, caring, and of great interest that will leave you in tears at the end of the book. In fact, poor timing put me 100 pages away from finished at 11:00 at night which meant it was a 2:00 bedtime that night. Ted's relationship with his dog Merle is simple but complex and he does an excellent job describing how they communicate. Merle's life is much more rewarding than most dogs in a small town in the wilderness able to live without leash laws. As good as this book is in describing the relationship between dog and owner, the bonus is Ted's one long-standing female relationship with a younger, much taller woman who buys a similar dog.
The part of the book that is less enjoyable is when Ted discusses the theory of dog behavior. It is interwoven throughout the book and while interesting and informative, it does detract from the owner/dog relationship and pushes the book much longer than it needs to be. But this shouldn't penalize the absolute great story than any dog lover will enjoy reading. So, read it all, or I told my wife, skip the theory until you get to a paragraph that has the word "Merle" in it and you will get a great payoff.
 Semi Disapointed September 19, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Good book but I was somewhat disapointed. I wanted to read about Merle really not interested in all other info that was included. Way to much of it. Felt like I was back in college when all I wanted to do was read about this beautiful animal. I by passed that stuff and read just about Merle.
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