Tales of extraordinary canine loyalty

[Dalesred]

We've all heard many of these, but I thought it would be good to start a thread and see what people came up with.

 

I read this in a newspaper when up in the Yorkshire Dales last weekend. I can't find a link to the story, which was in the Westmorland Gazette.

 

The border collie, a very handsome tri boy called Ruswarp ( named after the village of the same name near Whitby) belonged to a chap who campaigned in the 90's for an old railway branchline to be kept open. Ruswarp was the campaign's much loved mascot and had even 'signed' the petition with his pawprint.

 

Ruswarp and his owner were inseparable. One year they went on a winter hiking holiday early one January in a remote part of the Welsh mountains. They never returned and a search team was sent out, but found nothing. The man's body was eventually located at the end of March that year - he had suffered some kind of fatal illness - with the dog - still just about alive - by his side. Sadly, despite being rescued and found another home, Ruswarp never recovered, and died only a short while after his master.

 

Just recently, the branchline campaign has had good news that the line will be kept open. They are planning to put a bronze statue of Ruswarp by the station.

[BustopherJones]

Another story involving a railway for your reference: Dog Loyalty

[vickim]

Loyalty of animals stories both astound me and on another level, make me sort of sad, especially those stories of animals being loyal to their people after their person has died. To me, it's nearly unspeakably sad the animal waits and waits for their person--and their person never comes. And you can't tell them that their person isn't coming and why.

 

Here's one about Greyfriars Bobby:

 

http://www.pet-portraits-scotland.com/truedogtales9.html

[sweet_ceana]

I don't have a story astounding enough to put in print, but I can share one that ment the world to my family.

 

When my grandfather passed my uncle and aunt sprung a little red dauchsaun mix named Suzie LALA from the local pound. She became my Grandma's constant companion, and much like my grandmother, was a spit fire not to be messed with. After my Grandmother had some health problems she began complaing to my mom that, "the damn dog" wouldn't let her have a whole night's sleep. Suzie would wake her up multiple times a night and she was at her wits end.

 

We soon learned that my grandmother's Dr had forgotten to put her back on her hypothyroidism meds. She developed sleep apnea and every night, unkown to my Grandma, she would stop breathing. Suzie LALA would then lick her face, and bark until my Grandmother woke up and started breathing again. Without "the damn dog," we could have easily lost her prematurely.

[BustopherJones]

To me, it's nearly unspeakably sad the animal waits and waits for their person--and their person never comes.

And yet this is one of the very aspects of a dog's make-up that endear them to most of us. The extraordinary devotion as exemplified by these stories are oft immortalized in stories and monuments that endure long after the dog has gone to its eternal rest. They do not seek recognition and immortality, but they are rewarded with it nonetheless. They will be remembered and celebrated long after the world has forgotten meager mortal men and women. In a way, I envy them...

[ItsADogsLyfe]

its certainly not extraordinary loyalty, but my daughter tells me that when I call her when I'm on my way home from work (never at the same time) that Reign perks up when the phone rings and then goes and waits by the door till I get home..sometimes not for 30 minutes. He doesn't do this when other people call her phone, only me.