Merle’s Door, Lessons from a Freethinking Dog

by Ted Kerasote, 2007

“This sort of analysis has led geneticists to conclude that everyone alive today is related to one woman-dubbed “mitochondrial Eve”-who lived in Africa about 150,000 to 175,000 years ago.”

“…every domestic dog alive today, during the last century, and going back for thousands upon thousands of years, from the smallest Pekingese to the largest Great Dane, is descended from wolves.”

What a beautiful book! Love story between Merle and Ted – Merle the dog, Ted the man. Ted disscovered him on a trip down the San Juan River and adopted him and took him home to Kelly, Wyoming – in Grant Tetons. They grew up together, hunted together – elk, skiied together, built a log cabin together. Merle got his own dog door and could come and go as he wished, no leash required in Kelly, Wyoming. He became the beloved dog – the Mayor – and would make his rounds 3 times a day – greeting his constituents.

When he got old and sick, Ted took care of him to the end. Heartbreaking to lose his love. He was a singing dog – loved especially the Hallelujah Chorus.

What a special, beautiful book!