Good morning my sweet and wonderful big boy.

Hello my big lovely boy, are you having fun? I bet you are chasing all over the place with your buddies.

Its a bit overcast today and a lot cooler, so much so I have to put on a pull over when I take Molly outside. I can't let her out on her own yet, in case there are more snakes out there.

Yesterday Molly was so naughty, I let her off of the lead and she took off around the property, totally ignoring me when I called her back to me. In some ways she is so much like you, but in other ways she is so different. When you were a puppy you followed in my foot steps keeping up with me, when I called you, you came to me right away, you were so obedient, I had no problems with you at all. I think Spud is too much of an influence on her, they love playing together and I love watching them play, but if she is so disobedient I am going to have to use a more firm hand with her.

It's not long now till Melissa's baby is born. I wish you were here Merlin, I know you would have looked after and protected the baby against any harm.

Good morning my sweet and wonderful big boy.

Hello my lovely boy.

It's another lovely day today, bright and sunny, no wind and not too warm, a perfect day for you to run and play, catch sticks or chase Spud.

Spud does get a bit frustrated, Bella doesn't want to play with him and neither does Hobo, both of them want to lay in the sun and chill out. Spud does try to get Bella to play which leads to a lot of snapping and snarling, Molly jumps in and play attacks Spud, I'm worried that Bella will bite Molly by mistake. One day perhaps Spud will clam down.

Spud and Molly play a game, lets see if I can explain it,

Spud picks up stick A
Molly picks up stick B
Spud drops stick A and takes stick B from Molly
Molly picks up stick A

And then it starts all over again, a pair of crazy puppies.

Time to go play my lovely boy and have some fun.

I love you so much Merlin, for ever and a day.

Your ever loving Daddy

Good morning my sweet and wonderful big boy.

Hello my Merlin, hows my bestest boy today? Been having fun I bet.

Today is a really nice day, very fresh, sunny, not a cloud in the sky and no wind. It's really beautiful outside.

Molly has been her usual naughty self, yesterday she pulled the end of the toilet roll and unrolled the whole roll. Your mum wasn't very happy at all, she said loudly, "LOOK WHAT YOUR DOG HAS DONE!!!" When she misbehaves she's always my dog, not "our" dog.

Molly is without doubt far naughtier then you ever were, she has chewed the toe of my slippers, she attacks my slippers if I go to answer the phone so that I end up dragging her across the dinning room floor and then by the time I reach the phone, the caller rings off!

She's laying in your favourite spot under my desk right now, just like you use to, she looks so sweet. Oh boy what a dog.

Your mum and I were talking about you this morning, we were saying how sweet you were when you were here, you had a heart of pure solid gold my boy, you are without a doubt my real treasure. I couldn't have gone on without your complete and total love, devotion and loyalty. I miss you so much Merlin.

Time to go play my wonderful boy and have some more fun.

I will never stop loving you Merlin, ever.

Your ever loving Daddy

Good morning my sweet and wonderful big boy.

Hello my lovely boy, how are you today? I bet you have been playing and running like you always did here.

Its been raining all night and it looks like its going to rain today as well, I think we are in for a storm.

It was so funny the other day Merlin. I heard such a a heck of a commotion coming from Melissa's room, it sounded like a full scale cat and dog fight. Suddenly Spud came tearing out of Melissa's room like the hounds of hell were after him, followed closely by Melissa's cat Zoe swiping at his backside, the look on Spud's face was absolute terror. Apparently Spud wanted to take a look at Zoe's kittens, but Zoe didn't want him there and she went for him.

A couple of hours latter, there was another commotion coming from Melissa's room, this time is was Hobo who came tearing out, his eyes like organ stops with Zoe hot on his trail, hissing and spitting. By the look in his face, I'm sure Hobo thought it was his last day on earth. I'm sure Melissa's cat is part lioness, she certainly protects her babies.

Lady Zara was like that when she had her and your babies, if Bella or Hobo came too close she would really snarl and warn them off, but she allowed you to check out your sons'a and daughters. She was such a sweet little girl and I do miss her so much. It was so sweet watching you interact with the puppies and you were so patient with them. Not only was Lady Zara a good mum, you were a good dad.

Time to go play my sweet lovely boy and have some fun.

I love and I miss you so much my boy.

Your ever loving Daddy

Good morning my sweet and wonderful big boy.

How is my boy today? Been having fun I bet.

I was watching Spud on the little mound near the fence that you use to sit on watching and listening, then I remembered this poem that remind's me so much of you my boy, in fact it IS you.

I saw a glimmering vision
It took my breath away
'twas the silhouette of a shepherd
More regal than words can say

The beams of light they danced
on a coat of endless black
A vision of perfection
Atop an iron back

He stood there like a statue
for all the world to see
What a vision of perfection
The German shepherd can be

The look of a noble prince
Lord of all he surveys
Confident in himself
Eyes fixed in aristocratic gaze

Never shall I forget
The vision I saw that day
Of the mighty shepherd
Who took my breath away

A Vision
written by Carol Kufner

I love you so much Merlin, please never forget that.

Your ever loving Daddy

Good morning my sweet and wonderful big boy.

Hello my lovely boy, how are you this morning?

It's a lovely day today, nice and fresh, cloudy and no wind, a kind of day to run around chasing sticks to keep warm.

I've often wondered how you would have coped with snow if we had moved back to the UK my boy, somehow I think you would have loved it, me throwing snowballs for you and you trying to catch them. I really think it would have been tremendous fun for us both.

Do you remember the times you locked me in the bedroom? The human family still laugh about that, so do I, but at the time I was so annoyed with you Merlin. The first time was when I was taking a nap when you jumped up to open the bedroom door and managed to turn the key locking me in. No one was home so I had to climb out the window and come in through the front door. I did swear at you. The second time you locked me in, thankfully Mike my son was home, who was able to unlock the door, laughing hysterically while he did so. Again I swore and wagged my finger at you. After that I put the key on the inside of the door!

Time to go play my wonderful big boy and have some fun.

I will love you for ever Merlin, you are without a doubt my bestest boy ever.

Your every loving Daddy.

Good morning my sweet and wonderful big boy.

Hello Merlin, Hows my lovely boy today?

It's quite nice outside today, no cloud and no wind, but it can get hot in the sun, I have to be a bit careful with Molly and watch her like a hawk as snakes like to sunbathe. Spud, Bella and Hobo know that they shouldn't get too close, but I cannot trust Molly will know to keep away, she might think its a new friend. It makes me shudder just to think of it.

Spud is really pushing his luck with Bella, he keeps trying to get her to play, so she ends up snapping at him. Molly wants to join in and begins to bite Spud. Its actually quite funny to watch, I'll say one thing for her she has the typical GSD courage and tenacity. She's also getting faster on her feet, she manages to run further without Spud knocking her over. She has learned a new trick, she hides in the long grass then attacks Spud as he walks past. She does amuse me Merlin, just like you did with your antics and little ways. I use to laugh when you would drop a stick in front of me to throw, I would turn my back on you, you would get so annoyed and you would bark at me. If I did it too much, you'd pick up your stick and walk off with it looking totally disgusted with me. I had so much fun with you Merlin, I miss those days so much my boy.

Time to go play my big loveable puppy and enjoy yourself.

I love you Merlin and I always will, I will never forget you, ever.

Your ever loving Daddy.

Good morning my sweet wonderful big boy.

Hello Merlin my amazing boy.

It's another nice day today Merlin, no wind and warm, but very overcast. Perhaps we will have rain later.

Do you remember the times you tried to sit on my lap Merlin, you were so heavy I couldn't breath, I had to tell you to get off. You'd get off with that sulky look on your face, but I'd wrap my arms around your massive neck, give you a cuddle and tell you that I love you. You wanted so much attention Merlin and I was so happy to give it to you, you are indeed my best friend Merlin and you always will be.

I remember the time you got tick bite fever, I was so worried about you, I felt physically sick. The vet treated you, but you had lost a lot of weight it just fell off you. You were spoiled rotten until you got well again, well spoiled more then usual until you put your weight back on again. You did love the chicken and rice that your mum made for then you turned your nose up at the regular dog food. You were such a fussy eater my boy.

Time to go play my lovely boy and have some fun.

Never forget how much I love you Merlin

Your ever loving Daddy.

Good morning my sweet wonderful big boy.

Another nice day today Merlin, another one of those days you loved to race around chasing sticks or chasing Spud.

Molly is always in trouble, yesterday she took the toilet paper from the bathroom and was barking at it, this morning she's chasing Melissa's cat and attacking Spud, she is always up to mischief of some sort! I keep telling myself that one day she will calm down, somehow I don't see it happening any time soon. After she gets told off she sits down and has the cutest look on her face, EXACTLY like you did when you were naughty.

I don't feel too good today Merlin, Melissa brought a cold into the house, passed it onto me and now I feel terrible. When she was in school if there was anything going around, she would caught it and pass it on to me! But mustn't complain my boy, many people are worse off then I am.

There is a bit of a riot going in in the village, nothing too serious but I am keeping the dogs inside until its been quelled.

Time to go play and have some fun my boy.

I do love you so much Merlin, I always will.

Your ever loving Daddy.

Good morning my sweet wonderful big boy.

It's quite nice today, sunny, not too hot and no wind, another sort of day you loved to run and play.

Molly loves it outside, she loves to play in the long grass, she jumps like a little kangaroo or rolls around in it. This morning Spud and Molly had a mad half hour, Spud was running around the house with Molly in hot pursuit. It does look like those two are going to be the best of friends like Lady and Monty were.

It really amazed me how you could run after sticks for hours on end without tiring, I don't know where you got your energy from my boy, you tired me out just watching you. But in the end you would go into the house, have a drink of water and flop down, sometimes on my bed.

We really had some good fun together Merlin, I miss those times so much. Even when you were a tiny puppy you would follow me around the property watching everything I did, your little tail wagging so happily as you ran to keep up. Right from the start there was no doubt that you were my boy. Mike my son commented one day, "Merlin is your dog Dad, he follows you everywhere and watches everything you do." He was so right Merlin, you are MY boy and will be forever.

Time to go play Merlin and have some fun.

I love you and always will.

Your ever loving Daddy