• Merle's Door

  • Lessons from a Freethinking Dog
  • By: Ted Kerasote
  • Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
  • Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (921 ratings)

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Merle's Door  By  cover art

Merle's Door

By: Ted Kerasote
Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
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Publisher's summary

Ted Kerasote met and adopted Merle, a Labrador mix, while he was on a camping trip. Merle had been living in the wild, and after taking the dog home with him to Wyoming, Kerasote soon realized that Merle could not adjust to inhabiting exclusively the human world. So he put a door in his house to let Merle live both outside and in.

A deeply touching portrait of a remarkable animal, Merle's Door explores the issues that all animals and their human companions face as their lives intertwine and presents the latest research into animal behavior, as well as the origins and evolution of human-dog interaction. Merle showed Kerasote how dogs might live were they free; Kerasote suggests how they should be allowed to live, and the doors that should always remain open to them.

©2007 Ted Kerasote (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Informative....Kerasote gives readers much to consider that will enrich their own relationships with their pets....Highly recommended." ( Library Journal)

What listeners say about Merle's Door

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Merle is the best dog forever

I know and love this dog, grateful for the story, the best dog's human has kept his life in our hearts.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Couldn't get in to it.

What did you like best about Merle's Door? What did you like least?

I might like this book better if I were reading it instead of listening to it. Seems very informative and I am interested in the subject but I just really couldn't get into the sound of the man's voice who was reading it.

Would you recommend Merle's Door to your friends? Why or why not?

I told my neighbor about this book and she was extremely interested in reading it so I have ordered the paperback for her to read.

Was Merle's Door worth the listening time?

Not for me.

Any additional comments?

I love dogs and I reluctantly listened to A Dog's Purpose. At first I didn't think I would like it but I really got in to it and have now started listening to a few dog books. That is why I purchased this one. I have given it a couple of hours and still am not really liking it. I'm gong to give a little more time.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed book more

Would you listen to Merle's Door again? Why?

Maybe on a long car trip

Did Patrick Lawlor do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Not good enough with dialects to use for certain quotes, should have stuck to regular voice throughout

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

This Book is Not Meant for Most Dog Owners

I am quoting from a review on Amazon that says it better than I ever could (and that I wish I'd read before my purchase):

"The fact is, I found myself hating this man, even as I grew fond of his dog. Jackson Hole is rife with his type of arrogant, he-man, gotta-eat-wild-animals, gun loving, opinionated jerks. He even goes so far as to say that vegans are responsible for the destruction of animals and insects because farming supplants wildlife habitat. Yet it's somehow okay for him to go out and blast away at elk, antelope, deer, various birds, and God knows what else. He is downright irresponsible with his wonderful dog. As for the idiotic idea that dogs should run free, I live in a rural area where people let their dogs do just that, and people do get bitten, and dogs do attack other dogs and livestock, and they do get hit by cars and shot by people who have had it with dog owners just like Kerasote."

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A great book for dog lovers

Let me first state that I love my dogs - I view them as members of my family. I believe that dogs have very distinct personalities and can communicate with humans and other animals.. If you feel that way about your dog - then you will love this book - you will laugh and cry - and wish that you too had met Merle. If you view a dog as a pet and not part of the family - then skip this book. This is a very personal insight into Ted and Merle's relationship.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Like a science class

While the interactions between author and Merle were funny and interesting, most of the story was about research of animal behavior. It was so boring, I couldn't finish the book. I was very disappointed.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

truly great read for animal lovers.

This is a truly great biography of a super dog. It is a little long on the history and biology of all dogs, and the author dwells a little too much on the sex life of this "fixed" male. This is limited to a small segment near the end of the first halve of the book.
Other wise this would be a full five stars from me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The biography of a great dog

This is a wonderful audio book. The narration is great, and the author does a terrific job of telling the story of Merle's life. He clearly spent a lot of time researching the ways that dogs communicate with each other and how they relate to people. He and Merle clearly benefited from his efforts--and it makes for interesting listening

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

If you own a dog....

If you own a dog, you will love this book. If you don't own one, you will be tempted to get one. Kerasote gives you the "new owners" issues and how their family dealt with them. You learn to love the Merle, in spite of himself, and it is a portal into the lives of this couple as they adopt, grow and adjust to having Merle in their lives. Very touching story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

An uplifting, joyful story that touches your soul.

This was one of the best books that I have gotten yet. It made me laugh, cry, and appreciate my dogs more for the pure joy they give. Its a must for every dog lover out there.

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