Mercedes is my real name, but my friends call me Merci. I have a genetic disorder called Imerslund-Grasbeck Syndrome, but my parents didn’t know that when they got me. My disease is essentially a vitamin B12 deficiency, which means I can’t absorb B12 from my food. The side effects are loss of appetite, failure to gain weight, and lack of energy. The most embarrassing thing though is that I lost my color. I was scared when I went outside people would think my parents were mistreating me. It took 27 vet visits and 2 visits with a gastrointestinal specialist before they figured it out. I almost died, but I don’t like to focus on the negatives.

My two favorite things to do in the whole world is to catch a frisbee and go backpacking with my parents. The best thing about both of those is that I get to run. Dad says I can be a bit of trouble sometimes, but really, I just have a lot of energy. I also love to meet new people – particularly children, they are a bit closer to my size and usually share my same exuberance for life. 

I was about a year old when my parents decided to be adventurous and travel around the world. In my first year of travel I visited Spain where I got to swim in the Mediterranean Sea and explore the nearby mountains of Las Penas Blancas. We also visited Nepal for two months where I hiked in the Himalayas on the Annapurna Circuit. Then we came back to the United States and went on a road trip. Mom and Dad took me to hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in Southern California. The next year we drove over 6,000 miles through Mexico. After a few years on the road I’ve experienced some amazing things. My parents say that I could inspire people to travel with their dog and that makes me happy. Without traveling, I would not have these experiences and no dog should go without enjoying the benefits of travel.