When “Ducky” was 11 months old “Ducky’s” breeder started the process of applying to Guinness World Record’s but at the end of the online application it said something to the effect that the category had been closed due to people underfeeding their dogs. Therefore we thought that particular Guinness category was forever closed. Recently a friend told me about an article on cute little "Tiny Dancer" in "People Magazine" who was going to be measured for the smallest living canine category for Guinness World Records on his 1st birthday that was coming up the following month. Until then I had assumed the "Smallest" category was closed for good. Needless to say I went right out and purchased the issue of "People Magazine". The photo of "Tiny Dancer" has
him photographed in a glass measuring cup and it was printed at "Tiny Dancer's" actual size. My daughter went out and purchased the exact same measuring cup by the same manufacturer. {I assume that "Tiny Dancer" was about 10-11 months old in the photo. I'm assuming this because magazine publications have a lag time.} We then took a photo of "Ducky" (who is named "Ducky" btw because he doesn't bark but he sure does quack like a little "Ducky"!) in his measuring cup right aside of the "People Magazine" page with "Tiny Dancer's" actual size photograph to compare. Well... After we saw "Ducky" who is full grown at over 2 ½ years old next to "Tiny Dancer" we decided to try and submit an application again to GWR and sure enough this time we could. That was about a month or so ago. Then we sent the 2 “required” official witness statements and other required proof off to GWR. I felt we needed to put together everything very quickly because "Tiny Dancer's” birthday was coming up and didn't know if GWR would close the category again so if we were going to submit “Ducky” for consideration that it had to be done very quickly. Well the rest is history. :o)
I'll tell you a little about my sweet "Ducky". He will turn 3 years old this coming Nov. 4th . He loves to eat. He eats Nutro Ultra Holistic Puppy food. I like to keep his caloric intake up because he is so little and that is why I keep him on puppy food. He has never had a sugar drop. Ducky weighs 21 oz. More about my little man... "Ducky" is such a funny little guy. When he is content he sticks the little point of his tongue out so it always makes me happy to see that. He loves to cuddle and even cuddle's up in my jammies at night too. Luckily I don't move when I sleep. I actually have 2 toddler safety railings on my bed so the babies can't fall off and the other side of the bed is against the wall so everyone is always safe. "Ducky" is a nosey little fella too. Even if he is sound asleep with me and he hears something; he is the first to stick his little head out and quack and quack and quack... He gets the rest of them going and then he just tucks his little head back in and goes to sleep but the rest of them are now still barking!! He loves to play with his sisters (not by blood) "Cocoamo and Angel" in their little playpen. Everyone always says, "Aren't you afraid he will get hurt?" and I always say, "No. If they are fighting over food; I know I will find "Ducky" on top of them telling them off in his funny little voice." They are so good with him. All the dogs treat him as if he is the baby!! Funny thing is though; he is the oldest out of all but 1 of them. They are always licking his head and eyes and cleaning his ears and he LOVES it!! There can be 3 taking care of him at the same time. It's just so sweet!! "Ducky" loves people. He along with most of my other babies loves to have his picture taken. He poses for the camera. "Ducky" has his own wardrobe to keep him warm. He has recently become more outspoken though... ... I was always able to take him and his sister in everywhere with me in my pocketbook and they wouldn't make a noise but lately he has been quacking to get out because he wants to be right with me. A few months back a teller at the bank thought she was hearing things. She said she kept looking around for a little kid making quaking noises but she didn't see any children around so then I unzipped my bag and she saw who was making the duck noises. I have sooooo many "Ducky" stories but I'll stop with one last one... The day we went to the Vet's to have one of "Ducky's" official measurements done and to have his birthdate verified was the day this happened. The Vet left the room to write up his official statement for GWR and I had brought all my GWR paperwork in a cardboard USPS Priority envelope to keep it all together and had it sitting on the examination table. Well, the Vet entered the room and picked up the envelope and looked in it and said, "Where's Ducky?". I looked at him and said, "I wouldn't put "Ducky" in an envelope and laughed, then I said look!! He's right here in my sweatshirt and "Ducky's" little head was just cocked looking out at him. The poor Vet... I think he had had a long day!! When "Ducky" was born his breeder didn't measure him because she never thought he was going to make it but he still even had a strong will back then. "Ducky" was not bred down for size in any way... this Breeder does NOT believe in that. His Mom is 5+ pounds and his Dad is 3+ pounds. Both his Grandmother and Grandfather were 7 pounds. Donna, "Ducky's" breeder kept him for the first 13 months of his life. She took such good care of him. When she had to do housework she would put him in a little bunny cage that was on wheels so she could wheel him around the house with her. She had something personal come up and she was afraid she was not
going to be able to be there with him all the time so that's when Donna blessed me with "Macho Man". Yup, it's true... he came to me with the name "Macho Man". To this day she still calls him "Macho". I was embarrassedto say that his name was "Macho Man" when people asked me what his name was. Paul and Donna (the breeders) loved "Ducky aka Macho Man" so much and it was very hard giving him up. Paul actually flew on the plane with him to hand him right to me. They are from North Carolina and I live in MA. I could see that Paul seemed sad when he was giving "Macho/Ducky" to me. I kept asking him if he was sure? I assured him that I would love him forever and take the best care of him. It makes me so happy that Donna tells me that she placed "Ducky" in the perfect home. I just love him so much and I know Donna still loves him too. Donna says she will never have one like Ducky again... he was just a little fluke she says. Whenever anyone see's Ducky they want to know where I got him from so I tell them about Donna but also tell them that she does not breed for her dogs to be tiny and that he is the only baby like this that she has ever had and probably will ever have! I do tell people to contact her though because she is such a caring and honest breeder. In the beginning I was driving Donna absolutely crazy because I thought there had to be something wrong with him if he was that tiny!! Her Vets office was an hour away and like I said she had something personal going on
but she was willing to take "Macho Man" out there to her Vet several times to get every test under the sun done on him to make absolutely sure he was 100 % healthy. I was afraid of falling in love with him and having my heart broken. So she graciously had each test done and her Vet would fax the results over to one of my Vets. I was worried he may of had "Liver Shunt" because he was so tiny. Long story short... he had all the tests done for liver shunt (bile acid test and Sonogram) but the only real conclusive test to 100% rule out liver shunt is a test where they have to be put under anesthesia and they put some sort of dye down their spleen and if the liver lights up florescent then they 100% don't have liver shunt. Well, I decided to get him neutered and have the test
done at the same time during the first week that I got him. As I said..I was soooo afraid to fall in love so I wanted to get everything done right away. I had a found a Vet who did laser neutering which is a lot easier on them. I am very happy to say that "Ducky's" liver shinned bright!! He is just this little because that's just how God intended
him to be!!
Notes: Just today (Monday, June 18th) when speaking with GWR on the phone for the first time I found out that the category was never really closed... It was just changed from a weight category to a height and length category. Come to find out, “Ducky” could have been the record holder for over the last 1 ½ years. “Danka” the previous record holder was 5.4” tall. I was asked today (Monday, June 18th) why I wanted “Ducky” so thought I would address this question here as well. Initially it was his big sweet eyes that melted me in the photos that I saw of him. Then when I really began to think about the question deeper I came to this conclusion... I worked for the Yorkie Rescue League (had to eventually quit because just about every time that I was fostering a needy Yorkie getting it ready for it’s new forever home I would fall in love with the animal and end up adopting it myself!!) and I love taking care of dogs who need that little bit of extra love, kindness and care. "Ducky" has always been 100% healthy but in order to keep him this way I have to make sure that he eats every three hours. If a little dog this size does not eat at least every 3 hours they can have a sugar drop and possibly die. I also have to make sure that ”Ducky” stays warm because he is so tiny. Another example is my 4 year old blind Yorkie named “Bumpers” who was blind by the time he was 1 year old. Because he was blind and nobody wanted to deal with him he was kept in a crate. That’s no life for any animal. In the past year he also had Glaucoma come on quickly so he needs drops in his eyes several times a day to keep the pressure down. Plus he has a breathing problem that the Vets can’t figure out so he needs to be kept calm. Even with all of this “Bumpers” is a happy fellah. Caring for animals like these, it makes me feel like I am doing something worthwhile.
Another question that I was asked is: Do you get money from GWR for this? The answer is, no. However, it will be very cool for my kids to show/ tell their kids someday about this. :o)
Please let me know if you have any further questions. I can be reached at [REDACTED]. Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Lisa & “Ducky” Messier |
