Darby Macleod T' Clan Macleod

Dec. 3, 1992 - July 27, 2005

Darby was the dog that started me on the path to learning a better way to train. Darby was my first toy dog and as such she was way, way, way down there! The idea of using a choke chain on a 7 lb dog was ridiculous but I couldn't figure out how to teach her to heel. That is when I discovered clicker training and target sticks. Teach a dog to follow a stick with their nose and you can teach them to walk in heel position without a leash or collar.

Darby learned the basics of obedience and even of agility, but she was never able to climb up the A-Frame without a struggle so we never pursued it. Darby's favorite activity (besides biting intruders) was to go to the lake and retrieve sticks. The dog was fanatical about it. We'd put her little life jacket on and she would retrieve until she was so tired she could barely hold the stick. No Retriever has been born that took more joy in a water retrieve than my little Yorkshire Terrier, Darby. We always talked about how cute it would have been to set up a little miniature "Dock Dog" venue so that Darby could play. I bet ounce for ounce she would have been able to compete with the best of them!

My husband referred to Darby as "The Dupester". She was all terrier. She is the only dog I ever owned that would bite strangers. The only thing that kept her out of trouble is she only weighed 7 lbs and didn't have a full set of teeth! But try holding that dog back when there was a stranger at the door was phenomenal. A little Tasmanian Devil she was!!!

Darby was also a terrier in that she was a hunter of small game. I don't think she ever caught anything (unlike her daughter Kira) but isn't most of the fun in the chase anyway? I had always thought that Darby would do wonderful at Earthdog but AKC doesn't let Yorkies play earthdog so we never pursued it. Just a couple weeks before she died a friend brought some earth dog tunnels and her rat to a flyball practice so that I could try it with my Yorkies. Darby took to it immediately. In less than 5 minutes she was going through 4 feet of tunnel and worrying the Rat (who actually didn't seem a bit worried BTW). I so wish I had brought my camera. It was most wonderful to see Darby finally get to do the thing she was born to do!

My husband and I will miss this dog very much, she has given us many sweet and precious memories.

Goodbye dear little dog, we won't let the Pizza man in, we promise!