An Auspicious Blessing

Tashi, MoriDog #97

It was nearly sunset when we met Tashi, whose name means "auspicious blessing" in the Tibetan language. Not only is he the first Collie to become a MoriDog, but by meeting him, it was the first time I had heard of the coloring called "white merle." Thanks to the internet, and about a half-hour well spent, I now have a good understanding of this beautiful, but potentially dangerous color. I learned that if the white coloring goes all the way into the ear canal, it results in deafness. Although Tashi has deafness in one ear, you can see that he responds well to the various chirping noises that I make when I want a dog to look towards the camera. A typically playful 11-month old puppy, Tashi forgot his doggie manners for a moment with Luna. She used her "teacher voice" to remind him, and he accepted the lesson.  He hasn't, however, learned the lesson of leaving human food alone. He recently stole and consumed an entire pound of bacon.