Thursday, July 9

Sabine, my little monster dog

I chose Sabine from her litter because she paid the most attention to me.  She was my second lab, I knew not to take the rowdiest puppy, nor the smallest one. I took her home in February 2000.

She grew up to be a beautiful dog, and so much more the sport-y dog than Emily.  She loved playing ball, and chased birds and cats with gusto.  She swam in Caliraya, she swam in Anilao. She sat when I asked her to, lay down when I had to cut her nails.  When she slept in my room, she woke me up if she had to go in the middle of the night.  She was a good dog.


During the Ateneo Dog Walks, my companions would call her monster dog, because she would stand her ground against the bigger pit bulls and even a giant doberman.  Sungit was how they would describe her.


Still, she always had an air of dignity about her.  She would lie on her stomach, head up, front feet crossed in front of her, a ball by her side.


Her kidney problems started when she was 7 years old.  It  was after the heaviest downpour we had experienced in Tierra Pura, the only time that the flood waters reached the inside of the house.  It seemed a miracle that she recovered, and she was back to chasing balls.  She was back to normal, always greeting anyone with a ball, toy, or (in the lack of those) stone, ready to play fetch.


On Tuesday, after a very bad month of struggling with the recurrence of her renal problem, the only recurrence after 3 years, she finally closed her eyes to rest, and as I stroked her fur, breathed her last.


We buried her in the backyard, with one of her tennis balls.  I will miss my little monster dog.  I hope she now has endless fields to run around in and all the balls and birds and cats she wants to chase.


Sabine
1999 - 2009


20 comments:

  1. Awwww, sorry to hear about it Trinket... Will miss you Sab... go have fun running after your ball wherever you are.

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  2. :( so sorry for your loss, trinket. i can only imagine how sad this is........... :( but i'm sure she's doing great in doggy heaven.

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  3. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, I'm crying..... So sorry for your loss Trinket, I hate it when one of my beloved dogs leave me but knowing they are now in doggie heaven makes me feel better....

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  4. Awww. So sad! Nakikiramay Trinket. Lungkot.

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  5. extending my condolences to you, ate trinket. so sorry to hear about sabine :( she really was a great dog...

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  6. Sorry to hear the news, twinks. We will miss Sabine. Fighter talaga si Sabine.. Di ba siya din yung naoperahan for the hip problem.. Dami niyang pinagdaanan. :(

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  7. i'm so sorry to hear about sabine, ate trink. :(

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  8. So sorry, Trinks. She was a beautiful doggie. Tama yan. Just celebrate all the happy memories and fun moments shared with Sabine.

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  9. Sorry for your loss Ate Trinket :(

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  10. Thanks so much to all of you for your kind words. :)

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  11. Taaaaaalllyyyyyyyyy! No more Sabine, I have no more black lab...

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  12. thanks jenneR. yes, she was my "real" dog. :)

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  13. hi vir! yes, naalala ko dati lagi mo rin syang kalaro with her ball! sa sunken garden diba sobrang layo mo tinatapon? tapos sa bahay nag p pretend ka lang na itapon at ang tagal nyang hinahanap?!? hehe. good dog talaga.
    ang dami nga nyang pinagdaanan... bukol sa paa, heartworm, lepto... such a fighter! until the end. :)

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  14. yes, we had almost 10 full years of memories together! halos kilala ng lahat ng friends ko si sab, it's great to remember all the fun times.

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  15. yep ixi! you and kitty are right. i'll miss sabine terribly, but i'll remember all the fun times and know she's running her heart out in doggie heaven, over the rainbow bridge.

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  16. i still remember the frothy saliva covered tennis balls na walang tigil pinapatapon ni sabine. goodbye good dog. sorry trinks.

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  17. Hello ma'am trinket..i remember you even did not go to work and teach because of Sabine's death. Sabine now is rolling over happily at the Rainbow Bridge! -Patrizia, biotech class

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