outsideonline.com (july 5, 2018), copyright © 2018 by
tess strokes and eric wagenknecht.Reunited
at last:
Susan, Lily,
Axel (bottom),
Eric, and
Merle
dogs surviving in the wilderness,”
Quann says. “But herding breeds are
driven and tough. His return was most
likely testament to his positive associa-
tion with home. These dogs are incred-
ibly bonded to their owners.”
Quann says Merle probably followed
human smells on the trail to get back
to civilization. “We can’t wrap our
brains around how easy it is for a dog
to follow a scent or hear traffic miles
away,” she says. Plus, after a week in
the wilderness, Merle’s senses had
likely sharpened. “I’d guess it was this
combination, plus intuition and some
luck, that got him home,” she says.
Over the next week, while I was still
away, Merle recovered beautifully.
His wandering eyes straightened, he
gained weight, and his gait returned
to normal. Axel and Lily, who now
fully believe in miracles, spent every
moment with their best friend. When
I got home just after midnight one day
later that month, I walked through
the front door, anxious to see Merle.
Would he run from me again? I en-
tered our living room, then kneeled
down and called him to me. He gave
a quick bark before lowering his ears,
tucking in his tail, and wiggling onto
my lap. He clawed my chest like he
wanted to climb on top of my shoul-
ders and kissed my face.TGIFrankenstein
If teenage Mary Shelley can win a storytelling contest with Lord Byron
by inventing science fiction, I can surely make it to Friday.
@sketchesbybozerd.com 89