Way back a zillion years ago when we were first married, my husband bought me this relatively large, stuffed hippo. Yes, I got married very young. As a new bride, my childhood pets came with me. Anyhow, I wanted my childhood Pug to have his own "chair" in our family room. Knowing me, my new husband then decided this hippo was perfect for what I wanted. So this was one of his first Christmas presents to me in our new house. During the rest of his lifetime, my Pug boy then used this as his own special place to relax while his people sat on the sofa. He was allowed on the sofa like the Chihuahuas, but he liked having his own special place, too.

That was a long time ago. During the years that passed afterwards, our newer dogs had no interest in using the stuffed hippo; so it became just a decorative item in the family room.

Then, along came Chile 2 1/2 years ago. Chile's breeder had taught her Chihuahuas to all get on & off the sofa via a ramp built just for them. We've never done the same for our Chihuahuas. Refusing to try to jump directly on the sofa here, Chile used her problem solving skills and decided to use this stuff hippo as a ramp between the sofa & the floor. She scampers up the nose, across the back, and then leaps to the sofa. Bella, who had been jumping directly on & off the sofa, soon got "lazy" & started to take her cue from Chile. Now, they both use the hippo as a ramp. Plus both also now lay on the hippo's back to rest; just like my original Pug Dog did many years ago.

However, teeny tiny, 2 1/2 pound Bailey still jumps directly on and off the sofa. Even after recovering from her broken foot. For a while after Bailey's cast first came off, she was afraid to jump directly down from the sofa and started to use the hippo, too. But as her confidence built, Bailey stopped using the hippo. But Bella & Chile still do. My childhood Pug's and my old Christmas gift is now functionally useful once again. It's a pleasure to watch the current Chihuahua girls use it.