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Davis Journal

Merlin works his magic to become part of the family

Mar 09, 2023 02:13PM ● By Becky Ginos

The Holbrooks adopted Merlin a few months ago from a breeder. Photos by Roger V. Tuttle

BOUNTIFUL—Bringing home a dog is a lot of responsibility but once they’re there – they’re family. The Holbrooks are first-time dog owners and in the beginning they wondered if they’d made a mistake getting their English bulldog Merlin.

“All the time I was growing up I had a dog,” said Taylor Holbrook. “My wife had never had a dog so it was a big change for her. At first I wasn’t sure we could do this and thought ‘should we return him?’ My wife was crying saying ‘what did we do?’”

Holbrook said they decided it wouldn’t be fair not to keep him. “We could be good dog owners and give him a good home. Before he was sitting in a kennel a lot of the time. The owner wanted him to be around a family who loved him.”

Merlin’s original owner was a breeder and she decided to keep him from one of the litters. “But then she moved to Indianapolis and couldn’t take him with her,” said Holbrook. “She put him up for guardianship on Facebook and we messaged her and got him the same day.”

Guardianship is where the prospective owner either pays nothing or a small fee to take the breeder's dog but they still have rights to it. Some guardianship arrangements are until a female has a certain number of litters or for males how many times they can breed.

“I always wanted an English bulldog,” said Holbrook. “But they’re expensive. Essentially we own him but occasionally we have to take him to a canine fertility place to breed. We got Merlin for free and we’re paid some money to take him to the breeding place.”

Holbrook said at first his wife was kind of against an English bulldog, he said. “But when she saw him she fell in love. He has a good demeanor and doesn’t take a lot of activity. We walked him a lot and he used to just lay down in the snow. Now we go on long walks as a family and that has been really, really nice.” 

Merlin does shed a lot, said Holbrook. “We vacuum a lot. The Rumba is always running so that’s kept the hair under control. He also slobbers a lot. We have to use a hand towel to wipe his mouth after he drinks. The slobber gets everywhere. You also have to clean between his folds daily so they don’t get infected. He’s high maintenance but low maintenance (in other ways.)”

The Holbrooks have boys that are 7 and 9 years old and they’re a part of Merlin’s care too. “My oldest is paid to do all the walking and my youngest helps a lot too. It’s good. It teaches them responsibility that this is a living creature that needs to be taken care of.”

Holbrook said anyone who is considering getting a pet should realize what it takes. “It's a serious decision. You should give some thought about it. It’s a huge investment and you’ve got to have the dog be part of your family. It can’t just be outside and sit in a kennel, that’s not good for them.”

Dogs give love like no other, he said. “Merlin loves, loves, loves. He loves my wife more than anyone else. He sits by you and wants to be by you. Dogs make great companions. They bring you light and happiness. Merlin is part of the family now.”