Comments on: Book Review: “Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog” by Ted Kerasote

By: Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE, the dog who changed my life

Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE, the dog who changed my life — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:03:09 +0000

It sure is a gut-wrenching decision for everyone — you are right that quality of life is different for each animal and person. I agree that we all make the best decision we can given each unique situation. It was clear that all of Ted’s decisions came from his deep love for Merle, & even though it may have been too long for me with my animal, I believe there’s a level of communication between pet and guardian that is all part of the decision.

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:55:56 +0000

I agree that “Merle’s Door” and “Marley and Me” are on two completely different levels. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy “Marley and Me”, but “Merle’s Door” goes so much deeper.

It is interesting how everyone’s definition of when it’s “time” to let an animal go is different – that could probably be the topic of a whole separate discussion. It is a gut-wrenching decision for every pet owner, and “quality of life” is not always black and white and is different for each animal and for each person. I address this in greater detail in “Buckley’s Story.” Ultimately, I think that it’s an individual decision, and I’ve always felt that those of us who love our animals so much (and that certainly was true for Ted and Merle) make the best decision we can given each unique situation. Sometimes, even the people closest to us may not be able to understand. As you said, everyone’s threshold is different.

By: Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE, the dog who changed my life

Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE, the dog who changed my life — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:09:35 +0000

I, too, loved this book and found it one of the best dog books I’d ever read. I found it much deeper than Marley and Me, more in tune with who dogs are. I did have a hard time at the end with how long Merle went on sick. I’m afraid my threshold for when it’s time is lower than Ted’s. I had the opportunity to meet Ted at a book signing here in Boulder. His love for Merle was so palpable.