Pukka: The Pup After Merle

by Ted Kerasote

The bestselling author of Merle’s Door offers a “moving, pictorial love story” of man and his new best friend—full of dog care knowledge and insight (People).   After Ted Kerasote’s beloved dog Merle passed, the author received thousands of emails asking two “Have you gotten another dog?” and “Are you writing a new book?” Now, the bestselling canine lover answers both, in the most heartwarming way.   Told in Pukka the pup’s charming voice and accompanied by more than 200 photos, The Pup After Merle tells the story of how Ted found Pukka. It recounts the early days of their bonding as they explored both Ted’s hometown of Kelly, Wisconsin, and the wider world. As walks become hikes and hikes become climbs, pup and man’s adventures culminate in a rugged wilderness journey that teaches both Pukka and Ted something new about the dog-human partnership.   Filled with stunning images of the West—and adorable pictures of Pukka—this book also shares Ted’s in-depth research on the best food, toys, and medical choices he could provide to ensure that Pukka would live the longest, healthiest life possible.   “Glimpses of Pukka’s charmed life are interwoven with vast amounts of important information . . . that [encourage] you to draw your own conclusions and make the best choices for you and your dog.” —The Bark  

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Dogs, Biography, Memoir, Picture Books, Amazon

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Ted Kerasote's writing has spanned the globe and appeared in dozens of periodicals and anthologies, including Audubon, National Geographic Traveler, Outside, Salon, and The New York Times. He is also the author and editor of six books, one of which, Out There: In the Wild in a Wired Age, won the National Outdoor Book Award. He lives in Wyoming.

Reviews

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

WARNING!!! Merle's Door spoiler ahead (sort of).

So, if you can't guess by the title of this book, Merle passes away at the end of Merle's Door.

So, Ted Kerasote received tons of emails and letters asking him if he ever got a new dog after his adventures with Merle.

Well, Pukka: The Pup After Merle has the answer. Yes.

Ted Kerasote adopted Pukka several years later when he found he had again found his kindred spirit in a dog.

Pukka is a young dog that looks somewhat similar to Merle and has a similar countenance and attitude.

Ted adopts Pukka as a young pup, only six weeks old, and the book is told from Pukka's point of view, as if Pukka is narrating the story.

This book is quite different from Merle's Door because Merle's door is a long non-fiction book told from Ted Kerasote's point of view, whereas Pukka: The Pup After Merle is a picture book which is much shorter and told from Pukka's point of view.

Pukka is a really great book for children, and the photography is absolutely stunning. If you are a sucker for books with adorable pictures of adorable dogs, this is the book for you! It is a quick read, but truly enjoyable and stunning.

The only thing that saddens me is that the book only follows Pukka until he is some six months old or so before the book ends. Obviously Pukka must have been adopted fairly recently so Ted Kerasote couldn't write more of Pukka's story, but I am truly hoping that later in Pukka's life we will get another installment of Pukka's story about his life with Ted (or Ted's story of his life with Pukka).

Merle's Door may not be a great book for children due to the science-y language, adult themes, and language, but Pukka is a great book for children! It shows a dog who is truly loved by his person, and a person who is truly loved by his dog. Plus, again, the pictures are amazing, and will tug at your heart strings!

If you've read Merle's Door (or even if you haven't) get Pukka: The Pup After Merle today and give it a read.

I am grateful to FSB Media for sending me a review copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, just an honest one.

4 out of 5 stars.

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a good book for what it is. Great pictures of a puppy in beautiful surroundings. It could easily be read with a child, or if older share read where you read one page and they read the next. Quick book to read.

Merle's door was one of my favorites which had some great writing about a remarkable dog. Pukka is going to take a lot of life experiences to get there. If you are looking for a sequel to Merle's door, maybe this is the start of the next sequel but going to take time to be anywhere on the same level.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't read this book with any thoughts of analyzing it, that's not what it is about. It's simply meant to enjoy Pukka the pup's charming little voice telling of his first 6 months in this world and all of the wonder and beauty and he sees in Wyoming, Yellowstone Park, and all his adventures with his human, Ted. s I was reading it, I kept thinking that I wish every dog that is born into this world could be blessed with such a life as Pukka.

This is a follow up tale to Merle's Door, which was another 5* read for me. How do you follow up a book after that? Most anyone that read it loved it and became a huge "Merle fan". Well, you follow it up exactly like Ted did with this book -- primarily in breath-taking scenic color photos and fun, sweet pictures of new pup, Pukka, with his narration dispersed throughout the book. I'm not sure if it's because I am a dog lover, or a "Merle fan", but many parts of the story brought tears to my eyes.

I look forward to now following Pukka's life on his and Ted's website: www.kerasote.com. You can also read about beloved Merle on the website. Pick up this book for true enjoyment only.

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this is one of those quick reads story wise but the accompanying photographs are what will give you paws...excuse me, pause. Seriously...once I picked it up, I finished it in a sitting. EVERY PAGE has a photo to take you along on Pukka and Ted's adventures. From the adorably cute to those captured on their many wilderness hikes, it seems this pair though still in the beginning phases of their relationship (as Pukka is only 6 months old by the book's end) have created a strong bond of friendship, love, and loyalty that will serve them well in the years to come.

Recommended reading for fans of the author's previous work about his first puppy friend Merle, as well as dog lovers the world wide. Just try not to smile at the antics of this young beauty as he grows from precocious little one to a boisterous fun loving pup ready to take on the world. A touching recollection of puppyhood if I've ever seen one....happy reading!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't sure how I'd feel about Pukka - cause I loooooooooooooved Merle. But the way this book is presented, you can't help but to love Pukka too. So adorable! So glad Ted found another pup to love!

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pukka took me by surprise-it is mostly pictures with some text. If my ability to take a nap had not interposed I think I would have finished this in less than an hour. And no the book itself did not put me to sleep. This book tells the early life story of Pukka, a puppy adopted by author Ted Kerasote. I am a sucker for dogs and it is charming in its' way, but I think if I had read Merle's Door, the "prequel" to this book, Pukka would have had a lot more of an impact on me.

[raccoon reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay! Life after Merle. Merles Door is one of those "life changing" books for me that I read after getting my first dog. I cannot, absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on Kerasote's new book.

Update: 11-10-10
This is an easy read. You could finish it in an hour no problem. It has large beautiful pictures on each page with a small sentence or paragraph written by Pukka about how he came to live with Ted and what his life is like. It's quite a change from Kerasote's part biography/part academic treatise on the state of animals in America that his last book was.

But sometimes different is just fine. And this kind of different is lovely. You will recognize some reoccurring themes though if you've read Merle's Door. You'll recognize references to Kerasotes distinct and important way of thinking about the behavior of dogs and their lives with us humans. For example: Pukka points out that Ted lets him smell anything he wants (no I'm in charge and you're just an animal heel and walk mentality) and rarely makes him wear a collar or leash. Also Kerasote is a big advocate of proper care and feeding of animal so you'll see nods to this. He is also not one of those whiny "but bones are bad!!!" people. Tons of pictures have Pukka chewing away on real animal bones. And maybe that's a point to make sure you're aware of. They aren't mass produced pet store bones, but bones from animals he's shot or are eating. We give our dog big massive bloody meat attached bones purchased from an all organic farmer we know and trust. When you see Pukka with his bloody bone, meat and gristle shining, it's quite a far distance from the peanut butter stuffed bleached bones from the PetCo down the street!

I recommend this book to anyone who loves dogs. It will make you smile. I also recommend you listen or read Merle's Door as it is a wealth of information and will give you a lot to think about.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book! Its mostly a pictorial story with written lines by Pukka himself. Whenever he refers to "Merle," having read and loved that book it would choke me up. Merle was really "some dog!" I'm happy to see that Ted Kersote has been able to bring another dog into his life after Merle. A very quick but wonderful read!

[Tom Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful photo-journal of Pukka, the author's new dog. Kerasote takes us with on the first several month's learning adventures with his well loved puppy.

[Perri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just picked book up because of the cover and lots of cute puppy pics inside. It's a short photo story about the puppy the author adopted after Merle-a book I now plan to read

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the lay out of this book. It tells a story form a Dog point of perspective. Great pictures.

[Ana Marlatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have not read Merle's Door, this book will not means as much to you as it did to me. I LOVED Merle's Door, and Pukka is a great companion to it. It is sort of a heavy duty picture book and it follows Pukka the pup for his first year of life. It was interesting to read it but the best part were the pictures. It made me think of Merle's Door and I was able to see many of the places mentioned in that book. It is a super quick and enjoyable read, but please read Merle's Door first for maximum enjoyment!

[Donna Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful little book that introduces the reader to Ted Kerasote’s new puppy, who is following in Merle’s footsteps. It is nice to see Ted’s Wyoming world, and to see the puppy grow up into a marvelous outdoorsman. I grew up in this country and appreciate its beauty. Living in New York City has so many benefits, but if you love to hike and camp out (I do not) then Wyoming is the place to raise your perfect dog.

[Jennifer Morefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love Merle so it was a must for me to read about Pukka the pup after Merle. It was a cute story that I fully intend on reading to my granddaughters when they are a bit older. Merle is the best dog story I have ever read. Pukka, while not as amazing a story as Merle, it was a solid read. I am a huge fan of dogs and I really appreciate a good dog story. This was cute and well worth reading.

[Peggy Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pukka: An Adventurous Pup

When I bought this book online, I didn't realize it was half picture book; but I loved it! Reading what Pukka "thinks" made me feel as if it were really the puppy expressing himself. It is fascinating to watch Pukka go from a small pup to a half-grown dog. I believe anyone who enjoys dogs would enjoy this book.

[BLD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos in this book are fantastic. I enjoyed the accompanying stories told from Pukka's POV. But I really wanted to hear Ted's thoughts & feelings about his new companion, especially after his years with such a special dog as Merle. From the photos & stories, it seems that Pukka is another very special dog.

[Jane Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dog Story

Interesting story--especially after reading Merle's Door. This is a picture book of a young puppy, the successor to Merle. It doesn't have much to read, but the pictures are expressive and show the beginning of a relationship

[Roland Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pukka knows his business

Pukka does a very good job of dictation and Ted is a very good writer. He really understands dogs and has an interesting presentation. It was short and ease to read. I am looking forward to reading his next book, Pukkas promise

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short and sweet book with many photos, perfect for a Sunday at home and an excuse to take breaks from chores to read a little. I read Merle’s Door many years ago and Ted has influenced the way I own my dogs to this day. I loved reading about Pukka.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not high literature, and the content is slim, but damn is it adorable. The book is filled with puppy pictures, and you can glean bits and pieces of how Kerasote worked with Pukka. I enjoyed it immensely.

[Kathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adult picture book full of puppy photos.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This must have been a children's book. It was only a set of pictures with text about what the pup was doing. I would never have purchased it if I had known.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved all of the great photos.

[Barbara J Breault · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up

Pictures and dia!loge are excellent
Seeing how Ted was training Pukka as
The time went on fasenating. can't wait for more.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a pictoral introduction to Pukka than a novel, but entertaining nevertheless

[Linda Bodnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't enjoy a picture book about an adorable puppy?

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Photos!

[Chris Linn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyrical life with a dog

[Dianelys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so cute! Beautiful book with amazing photos.