"Merle's Door: Lessons from a Free-Thinking Dog"

This is a beautifully written account of the relationship between author Ted Kerasote, an award-winning nature writer, and Merle, the big golden lab mix who adopted him on a camping trip and returned with him to back-country Wyoming. 

Kerasote’s insight into dogs and the wild, and his lively account of Merle’s own decision-making, is given greater depth by being interspersed with studies by animal behaviorists. These studies back up his view of Merle as a responsible individual rather than a submissive pet.  The last chapter is as sad as that of most books on the full life of a beloved dog, but too thought-provoking to skip.

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