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Merle's door
If you haven't read "Merle's Door" by Ted Kerasote, you've missed out on a treat. This is an amazing book that tells the story of a man and a dog living in harmony.
Ted met Merle when the dog was around ten months, and living wild in the Utah desert. Ted was on vacation taking a river trip, and Merle ended up travelling down the river with him and his friends. At the end of the trip a bond had been formed, and Merle accompanied Ted back to Wyoming.
Ted's home in Kelly is in the middle of a national park, and the dogs living there are afforded freedom which would be impractical in most areas. Having lived alone, Merle had become independent, and wanted to come and go on his own timetable. To enable this, Ted installed a dog door - Merle's door. Man and dog could then develop their own routine.
This is no ordinary tale of man meets dog. Merle had clear ideas of his own, and he gave Ted an insight into the dog world. He had a way of communicating which Ted had a way of translating.
Reading this will make you smile and make you cry, it will educate you and it will make you examine your attitude towards your own dog. In this interview you can hear Ted talk about his and Merle's journey together - from how they met, to what Merle showed him about the natural world to how Ted coped with the eventual loss of his best friend.
Adding another aspect to the book is the research included, which is presented in a very accessible way. Dog lovers will find the wolf research cited particularly interesting and relevant to dog ownership.
You may not be able to give your dog total freedom, but hear how Ted advocates enhancing his life. To find out more about this glorious book visit Ted's website.
UK Ban on hunting with dogs
We were contacted by a listener who was concerned about the impact the ban on hunting with dogs was having on beagles.
At Crufts we found an expert and put the question to her. In this interview you can hear whether Beagles are adapting to the new legal situation, and what Beagles are like to live with.
News
The DogCast Radio News brings you the usual mix of dog related stories, and you can catch up with listener Jim Martin's quest to find the dog he wanted. Jim spotted Scout on our Jack Russell breed pages, and wanted a dog that looked just like her. He found one - but be careful what you wish for as the reality can take an awful lot of energy!