Loyal Dog Does Something Offer Unconditional Love

Many dogs are far more loyal than friends, they love and care for their families more so than some family members. I often tell my grown kids if I locked them and my two dogs in the trunk for 3 hours who would be glad to see me. Dogs offer that unconditional love. Why are dogs so loyal? Some people would say it's just because they depend on us for food and shelter, so they have to be nice to us. But when you see how dogs react when their humans and canine friends come back after they've been gone for a long time or when they don't come back at all, you know it's about more than food.

Greyfriars Bobby

Greyfriars Bobby is another dog who came to fame after his master died. John Gray died on February 8, 1858 in Edinburgh, Scotland, leaving very little behind except for a little Skye terrier named Bobby. The day after the burial, the curator noticed Bobby lying on the fresh mound of dirt. He immediately chased the little dog away, but the next day he was back. Again, the curator chased him day, but on the third day-despite the cold and the rain-Bobby was back. Finally, the curator took pity on the poor dog and allowed him to stay.

For the next fourteen years, Bobby kept constant watch over his owner's grave, rarely leaving except to take his noontime meal at exactly one o'clock. After a while, he came to be known as Greyfriars Bobby, after the cemetery in which his master was buried.Bobby outlasted his master by fourteen years. When he died, he was buried just inside the gate at Greyfriars Kirkyard. He could not be buried with his master because it was consecrated ground. His headstone reads, "Greyfriars Bobby - died 14th January 1872 - aged 16 years - Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all."

Greyfriars Bobby may be gone, but he has not been forgotten. Shortly after his passing, a statue was resurrected in his honor. His story was also passed down and eventually a fictional version of the tale was published in a book titled Greyfriars Bobby by Eleanor Atkinson. In 1961, the book was made into a movie titled Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog. Another movie was released in 2006 titled The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby and starred Oliver Golding and Christopher Lee.