Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog Book

MARVELOUS! I give this book 5 stars without a second thought! You cry, you chuckle, you laugh out loud, you read again sections of other dog books mentioned in the text that one has^previously read, you search Wikipedia concerning subjects that the text brings to your attention and about which you realize you really have to know more. This book has everything for anyone that truly loves their dog.

OK I have to say one thing and I would really like to discuss this with others...... I don't like how the book ends, in that I really don't agree with how the author deals with the final stage of a dog's life. Quite simply I think he dog suffered too much at the end of his life. The the author should have euthanized the dog. On the other hand, I was not there. I did not see Merle. Ted thinks Merle remained happy. OK, if he was really sure then I agree with his actions. BUT this was a thinking dog. He was intelligent and he had emotions. One must also consider the dog's emotions. How did Merle react emotionally to having to go through what he went through. The degradation of soiling one's self. I do believe that Merle could understand that he could no longer do what he enjoyed doing best in life, that he would have to accept doing a bit less for the sake of being with Ted who he loved. Just maybe the suffering went on too long. Again, I wasn't there so maybe I am completely off mark. Ted was a marvelous dog owner and I in no way criticize him.

I have an old dog. A curly coated retriever of 12.5 years. He too has arthritis. He takes the same medications and he loves his massages. I do not do acupuncture. My dog has not been able to have the independence that Merle has had, but he is damn, damn smart, and my husband and I love him so very, very much. He can no longer do everything with me any more. He doesn't like being left at home so I change my life, as much as I possibly can to accommodate his needs. And who want to play God - I certainly don't. I don't want to end his life. I will continue to help him as long as I can. He will stay with us as long as I believe he can enjoy life.