A tiny Yorkie with a big heart. Thats my Martial. He was 2 pounds 2 ounces at 6 months old. When you are in the dog business it is necessary to keep a certain amount of distance between your dogs and your heart. Not that I don't love all my dogs and treat them all very well. But you have to keep a protective attitude due to the fact that we are most likely going to outlive our dogs. I also have to face the fact that my breeding females will go to new homes someday because I want them to live out their lives as pets and not breeders. My male dogs are here forever and I do allow myself to become more attached to them. So along comes Marshall. He was a dog I was not sure I even wanted because he was so tiny. But from the beginning he was determined to win me over. He was absolutely the most adorable Yorkshire Terrier I have ever seen. His breeder did not dock his tail and he had this awful looking scrawny tail that would wag whenever he saw me. He also had this irritating high pitched bark that you could always hear over the other dogs. This he used whenever he heard my car pull in the driveway as he could not wait until I came in the door. With each movement I made his bark would get louder and more excited. The car door opened he got louder. I put the key in the door, it increased in barks per minuet. He was irritatingly adorable and my heart gave in. I truly loved this dog. I had him for only a few days when he became very sick. He had the worst case of tapeworms I had ever seen. They almost killed my Martial back then. It took several visits to DR. Tammy Ferrara and 3 subcutaneous fluid packs to save his life. But live he did and for the next few months showed what a little wild dog he could be. When I would open the door sometimes he would run out and then in his excitement forget it was me he was running out the door to see. He would see the wide open space and he would run. A call from me was all it took to bring him back. Well one day he did this so fast I didn't know it. I went in with my arms full of groceries and missed seeing Martial run out the door. My husband called me on the phone and I went to answer the phone when I hear Martials wild barking outside. Little tiny 2 pound Martial had chased a 60 pound German Shepard mix across the street and had him cornered and cowarding by his front door. As soon as I called Martial he came back to me tail wagging looking very pleased with himself. He stopped in front of me and sat his tiny bottom an the ground with that ugly tail wagging back and forth sweeping the dirt around in a half circle. How could I be mad. All my fear for him left and my heart filled with more love and admiration for this little dog staring up at me with round, liquid eyes, tongue hanging out as it dripped sweat on the driveway. "Good Boy" was all I could say as I picked him up and carried him back into the safety of my house. Martial seem to fly around my house. There was no stopping him. He jumped form coffee table to couch. From my chair to my dresser to my bed he would seem to fly effortlessly. He would sleep by my head at night. There was no where else for him. To try to crate him sent him in spasms of high pitched barking that would keep us awake My husband had to be able to go to work the next day and needed his sleep.. It was one of these nights when he tried to jump from the chair to our bed that he didn't quite make it. I am not sure what happen but I found him laying on the floor not moving. His heart still beat a little so I tried to revive him but it was no good. Little Martial died in my arms and a part of me died right with him. He had made this leap many times before. I never thought this would happen. I went through the next few days both angry at myself and heartbroken. I think he was special. His little spirit was big enough to fill the heart of lion. He didn't know the meaning of the word fear or the word cant. I put this here as a memorial to this fearless little dog. But it is also a warning on how quickly these tiny dogs can be hurt or killed. Please take the time to protect these precious little souls. I preach this and I didn't follow my own advice. My husband said it was a freak accident. But I know in my heart that if I had taken the time and spent a few sleepless nights making Martial stay in his crate, he would not have made that fateful leap that killed him. I am so sorry! Ill always remember you my little Friend!. |
Martial.