DEeRe Sandy ClawS,

Dis is Merlin. I half been a good ADT fuzzpubbee all yeer, an jus made a few boo-boos around de house. Like 2 munths ago when I accidentally ate the cushion off my hooman Mom's new chaire, or 2 weeks ago when I accidentally ate her glasses. Oh yeah, and like yesterday when I accidentally pulled up and ate the new wall-to-walle karpet upstairz in de hall (It tasted almost as good as soap -- even better than those books I accidentally ate last summer). So 'cept for those thingies an a fu others I have been reeeeeel gud dis yeer. I didn't bight anybody 'cept when playing with 'em, and I had only one accident in de house. Oh yeah, I also might have accidentally eaten one of my hooman brudder Nicholas's shoes. And his shirt. And a soccer ball. And some other stuff. Accidentally. Not on purpose. They might have attacked my hoomans.

I eben let dad make me ware a seetbelt in de kar.

So for Christmas dis yeer, I wood like a cutting torch an some acetylene gas and some nice goggles to wear. U see, Dad went 2 de Doggie Store today and came home with this crate thing, and I wanna be able to get out any time that something smells good anywhere in de house so that I can go chew it u..., er, uh, investigate it for my hoomans.

Also if it izzent 2 much trouble, pleeze send me a pretty ADT girlie doggie to live wif me or next door (instead of dat dumb toy puddle they keep talking about getting) so dat I kin have dates sometimes... ***PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE****

By the way, I hope that Prancer's foot is ok after I bit him last year -- I really thought you guys were burglers an I was afraid u might be trying to get my bones and special doggie treats.... Anybody can make one little misteak. Did Mrs. Claus get a chance to sew up that hole I bit in your pants when you were trying to run back to the chimney? Sorry...

I rote this yesterday, but being a good ADT doggie, I couldn't resist eating the note after it was in the envelope, so I'm sending this 2 u on the ADT liste dat dad reeds, because I figure that anybody as important as u must read this liste ebery day...

When you get here, I'll be the one howling to get out of the krate thingey...

Thank you -- from Your furry friend,

Merlin (the very appreciative) Austin