Martin The Whisperer

By Syd Sullins

How fortunate any organization is to have an employee for more than a decade. Though none of us were around when Martin Marquez arrived at The Ranch, we believe he has been working at The Ranch for about 18 years.

Martin is our dog whisperer. If we’re having trouble pairing a specific dog with a run mate, we’ve learned to ask Martin. If he says “no bueno” we don’t try. He also has a good eye for a dog or puppy that isn’t acting quite right. We know to trust his instinct.

If we have a very scared dog that we’re taking into The Ranch, we usually ask Martin to take the lead. More often than not, that scared, biting, growling dog will be in Martin’s arms with his tail wagging within a few minutes.

Martin has a big heart. When we lose a dog that is very special to us, he cries with us. When we place one of our “long timers” into a loving home, he cries then too.

One year, I worked hard to coordinate volunteers to cover Christmas day so all of our staff could have a day off. I told Martin about the time off. I expected he’d be grateful but instead he told me that he’d like to work; the dogs we’re his family.

Martin is very much a part of the face of The Ranch. Many of our Ranch alumni recognize him when they see him in Ajijic and come up to greet him. Through his hard work and devotion, he has earned the love and respect of many.

We are very grateful that Martin is a part of our Ranch family.