Written by, Linda from Whitney, Texas
Sapphire's Human
March 13, 2003
 

SAPPHIRE'S STORY

Our Maltepoo owns us.  Her name is Sapphire because she is a jewel.  As near as we can determine, she is 3/4 Maltese and 1/4 miniature Poodle.  She weighs about nine pounds.  I found Sapphire six years ago.  She was just about to jump out into Interstate 35 traffic near Dallas, Texas.  The little girl was rib showing thin and her black, white and gray fur was down to the ground and ragged.  She had a bow on each ear, was wearing a collar, but no tag.

I brought her home and my husband rolled his eyes, because we had agreed that we would not get a dog.  Actually, he said he did not think we should get a dog because we were "too busy" and I said okay.  I did have my fingers crossed behind my back when I said it.  I offered (with tongue in cheek) to take her back out to the Interstate.

The next night, my husband came home with a dog bed, saying "she has to have some place to sleep."  I said, "Yes, Dear."  Sapphire does not sleep in her bed, of course.  She sleeps at the head of our bed, between us.  She is very much her Daddy's girl.  She likes me all right, but my husband is her favorite human.

 

We also have an AKC registered Pomeranian, who was a gift.  His registered name is Topaz (a jewel name, to go with Sapphire). 
 When we called him Topaz, it just did not fit his personality.  "Bubba" fits much better.  We got Bubba two years ago, when he was just seven weeks old.  He played rough with Sapphire, as puppies are prone to do.  She was gentle and patient with the baby, until he was about four months old.  Then one day, she had had enough.  She turned and nipped him, just to let him know he should learn some manners.  I was impressed that she waited until he got out of the "little puppy" stage before administering any discipline.

Sapphire and Bubba keep us laughing every day as they play together and tussle over their rawhide bones.  They each have a bone, but Bubba wants the one Sapphire has.

Sapphire is a smart dog and wants to please us, so I have been able to easily teach her several tricks.  Bubba, on the other hand is motivated solely by food.  And, he is very smart.  He understands very quickly what I want him to do, but after he does it a time or two, can see no good reason for continuing to do the same thing.  Sapphire is very gentle and sensitive.  If Bubba does something wrong and I tell him "no", Sapphire gets upset.  She is a happy dog and wants all of us around her to be happy, too.

I have always looked on Sapphire as one of God's gifts to me.  She has brought joy, comfort and much companionship to us.  Her favorite pastime, besides sleeping, is to get a belly rub.  No matter what she is doing with us, it always gets around to a belly rub.  She also likes to cuddle and she's one of the best.  She hardly ever barks, unless it is at Bubba when he tries to take her bone away.  She will also bark at other dogs.  When she does bark, it sounds like a play bark, not a real dog bark.

It is hilarious to watch Sapphire and Bubba bark at each other when they are tussling over their bones.  Bubba carries his bone on its end, and it sticks out of his mouth like a cigar.  He then waves it in Sapphire's face until she can't help but try and get it.  Then the game is afoot!

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