One year ago, we strolled into our local Petsmart with the intention of simply stopping by and saying hello to a friend who happened to work there. We had no intentions of leaving with a pet, but we also had no idea we would be introduced to an adorable puppy we would come to call Merlin. His amber eyes practically leapt out of his mocha-colored coat and put us under a trance we have yet to wake up from. He is our surrogate son and a proud member of the Olsen Family. Here are some of our favorite Merlin memories from the past 12 months:
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| At the Petsmart |
Merlin was terrified of everything on his first day with us. On the drive home he hid on the floor of the backseat, unwilling to let us pet his underbelly. When we got to the house, he immediately found the most distant and darkest corner closet where he hunkered down and refused to move. We thought a walk was all he needed to cheer him up and warm him to his new surroundings. "All dogs love walks," we thought. We put him on a leash, but he didn't like it. We literally dragged him out of the house. The dragging didn't stop when we got to the driveway, or the sidewalk, or the end of the cul-de-sac. After about 10 minutes of heavy pulling and having Merlin's footpads and nails scrape against the pavement, we returned home, and Merlin found his closet again.
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| Tired of trying to run away on his first day with us, he collapsed in his favorite closet. |
When we got Merlin, we were told by the folks at the Humane Society that he was house-trained. That was a major selling point for us, both working full-time and too busy to tend to a puppy that couldn't hold his water. When we brought him home on the first day, we sat on the couch and tried to let Merlin learn the house on his own. We watched as he kept walking in and out of our bedroom at the end of the hall. We made several comments to each other at how cute his behavior was, and what joy he was already bringing into our household. This went on for about a half hour, then a curious smell prompted us to stand up and check the bedroom. His "cute behavior" had left us with a few dumps and several large wet spots on our carpet. We learned then that Merlin was not even a little bit house-trained. What joy indeed.
Call of the Wild:
For as scared of the world as Merlin was (and still is, to some degree), he loves being in the wilderness. Our old house in Wake Forest backed up to hundreds of acres of undeveloped land, and Merlin basked in the romps and the unleashed walks in the forest.
Last Christmas, Celeste spent a week in Utah while Merlin and I stayed home. During that week, I read Jack London's Call of the Wild (a Christmas present from Celeste), a fitting story of the reciprocal love between dog and owner. While I would read, Merlin would lay on my lap or sit at my feet. Then, in breaks between chapters, I would bundle up and the two of us would retreat to the forest, beyond the gaze of any neighbor or sight of any house. We ran and wrestled and jumped over fallen trees. I chased him, then he chased me. At 27 years old and on the verge of earning a master's degree, I never felt so much like a kid, carefree and made happy by an indescribably profound companionship.
The Traveling Pup:
Merlin is a great traveler. He lays down in his crate and stares up at us with his big puppy-dog eyes from the backseat as we drive him to a far-off destination. He never barks or whines, whether we drive for one hour or nine. He's simply content to be with us, and the feeling is mutual.
Merlin's first big trip came last April when we drove to New York for a cousin's wedding. It was a great trip for him (except that he fell down their steep wooden staircase), and he made a great first impression with the fan.
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| On the Mid-Hudson River Bridge, Highland, New York |
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| Three Amigos |
As childish as it might sound, many of our favorite Merlin Moments have simply been epic family cuddles. Probably because of his abusive upbringing, Merlin is fiercely loyal and desperately clingy, which makes him a great cuddling companion. This means that after a long day at work, Merlin is so happy to see us that his tail wags so aggressively that it moves the entire back half of his body. When we have a moment to relax, he doesn't just sit on our laps. Oh no. He cuddles with a pressured lean into your body that can take the air out of your lungs, while he looks longingly up at you with puppy-dog eyes and pupils as big as saucers, as if to say, "LOVE ME!!!"
We do, Merlin. Here's to many more happy years.
