[Dailydrool] Merlin

[Linda H]

Thank you so much, everyone, who sent me messages. I am slowly answering every one. I am emotionally able to answer only a few before my eyes blur too much to see any more. Are keyboards tear-proof? I sure hope so! You are a wonderful bunch of nutty basset lovers.

As part of my therapy, I have put together a bit on Merlin's life. I am TRYING to put together a PhotoBucket album, but it is fighting me. So I figured I'd just start over, but found my computer had eaten half of the photos that I had scanned. Grrr! I suspect Merlin is working to keep my mind off my deep grief. Fighting with a computer will do that.

I woke up yesterday and found another of Merlin's chewed up rawhides by my side of the bed. Was it there when I went to bed?? I sure don't remember it!

Anyway, here is Merlin's story.

How do you select from a mass of squirming 2 week old pups? It took me about ½ hour of watching to decide on the outgoing black and white male. Merlin. He had little brown “Doberman” eyebrows when he came home. 

Merlin potty trained quickly. His crate had a “front porch” of newspapers. During the night, he would use his papers, then cry for service. Which he immediately got, of course. Then I would lay him on my chest to go back to sleep. When he got to be 60 pounds, he still liked to sleep on my chest. When it became a challenge for me to breathe with the big lug on me, we ended that. 

Spider, our cat, showed the pup the ropes. He liked the little guy. Merlin adored Spider, following him all around. Spider passed on, and we got another kitten, DeVille. Merlin was terrified of him. DeVille so wanted to be friends with Merlin. When Merlin would be napping, DeVille would sneak up, and curl up with him. It took only about a week for Merlin to figure out that DeVille was not going to hurt him, and Merlin became his protector. 

Merlin was the star of the neighborhood. He would run over to Gell’s, two houses down, and the kids would hoist him up onto the trampoline with them. Max and Sundance, doggy friends, would come by to visit. Max was like a mommy to him, allowing him to jump all over him. Sundance was NOT impressed with the rowdy pup, especially when Merlin bit him in the only place he could reach. Hey, it was dangling down there. The daycare kids in the ‘hood loved Merlin. He did not jump on them, would sit calmly for them, and was such a funny looking dog. When he tired of the kids, he would just walk away. 

At about 6 months, it became obvious that Merlin had congenital bad shoulders. He was put on glucosamine for the rest of his life. So Merlin was never a great athlete. But what a doll! 

Early on, he figured out the ramp at the foot of our bed. It was left from Turbo, our atb basset. Merlin would sleep with us, between the sheets. Nice and warm in winter. How could he breathe under there?? Merlin’s tongue was always the first part of him to wake up. Which led to the infamous problem with my husband . . . .   

Merlin loved all other dogs. We would take him to the park, early in the day, to join the other off-leash dogs for a good romp. So much fun. Howling - only when we left him tied out front while hubby and I walked the ‘hood. Then the “Oh woe is me. No one loves me” belly-aching would begin. It was a low, mournful, song. Just beautiful to hear. 

Merlin was my buddy. My baby. The huge hole in my heart will heal. Some day. 

We will adopt another dog, some day. Merlin would want that. I am saving his dog food.

Linda, Lynn,  & DeVille de cat
Turbo and Merlin, atb

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