Dogs: Loyal to the End

[ethics]

http://i3.tinypic.com/62n4i02.jpg

If a pic is worth a thousand words...

[MNeedham73]

Oh man. :(

[jfcjrus]

Oh man. :(
Yea, and then some. :(

[Violet1966]

:(

[Arc]

In a world of clichés, overused expressions or labels and sound bytes there still are some things that you truly can't put a value on--so priceless that they are--such as unconditional love and loyalty. :(

[ethics]

Aptly stated.

[Piobaireachd]

One of the saddest stories I've heard was from Mark; an old Navy buddy.

My friend's father's best friend was a little Chihuahua. They would go everywhere together.

Mark's father was diagnosed with brain cancer and started going through the treatments. The dog never left his side while recuperating at home. Nevertheless, his health continued to decline.

One morning he went into to the bathroom and collapsed. Mark's family put the dog into the spare bedroom while the paramedics were at the house. They took Mark's dad to the hospital, but he didn't make it.

The dog knew that Mark's dad went into the bathroom, but it never saw him come back out because it was locked in the spare bedroom.

For weeks after the funeral the dog would just stay outside the bathroom door and wait. Its health also declined and it died shortly afterwards.

I like to think that Mark's dad and his little buddy are together again somewhere...

[cdw]

OMG. Why oh why did I click on that... *sigh*
How friggin' sad. :(

[Allene]

Now I can't get that photo out of my mind. And yet, it's uplifting as well as sad.

[jfcjrus]

Now I can't get that photo out of my mind. And yet, it's uplifting as well as sad.
Well said, young lady. :)
It is indeed uplifting, in particular to those of us that have lost such companions.

Sure it's dumb, concidering the great scale of worldly things, but these daymn fleabags do become a part of one's life. ;)
And, apparently, they can miss us as much as we miss them! ;)
(I've always found that enlightening).

Regards,

[MNeedham73]

Damn Todd. :(

Reminds me of a story I read not long after getting my Akita:

Hachiko was born in Odate, Japan in November 1923, a white male Akita dog. At the age of two months, he was sent to the home of Professor Ueno of the Agricultural Department of the Tokyo University. The professor's home was in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. The professor commuted to the agricultural department in Komaba and the agricultural experimental station in Nishihara.

Tragedy struck on May 21, 1925, when Dr. Ueno did not return because he had suffered a stroke and died at the university. Hachiko was eighteen months old. The next day and for the next nine years, Hachiko returned to the station and waited for his beloved master before walking home, alone.

Nothing and no one could discourage Hachiko from maintaining his nightly vigil. It was not until he followed his master in death, in March 1934, that Hachiko failed to appear in his place at the railroad station.

Hachiko was sent to homes of relatives or friends, but he always continued to await his master, who was never to return, at the train station.

[Allene]

A beautiful story! It is similar to Greyfriars Bobby, who has his very own statue in Edinburgh.

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Scotland-History/GreyfriarsBob.htm

[Allene]

Well said, young lady. :)
Sure it's dumb, concidering the great scale of worldly things, but these daymn fleabags do become a part of one's life. ;)
And, apparently, they can miss us as much as we miss them! ;)
Regards,

They definitely wear their hearts on their sleeves.

[ethics]

Yah but you know what? The love can be unconditional but most of the time it's not. I've known some amazing people, real human beings who loved their pets and would do anything for them. In this cynical world we love to point out what's wrong with people, and don't realize or fail to focus on what's right.

Looking at the picture, I am reminded that there was a two way street when it came to love.

Remember a poem by some guy on Johny Carson show?

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qUNJjIwlHk8&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qUNJjIwlHk8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[Piobaireachd]

Yah but you know what? The love can be unconditional but most of the time it's not. I've known some amazing people, real human beings who loved their pets and would do anything for them. In this cynical world we love to point out what's wrong with people, and don't realize or fail to focus on what's right.

Looking at the picture, I am reminded that there was a two way street when it came to love.

Remember a poem by some guy on Johny Carson show?

<object height="355" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qUNJjIwlHk8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>

Some guy?

[ethics]

You missed my sarcasm, Todd. ;)

[Piobaireachd]

You missed my sarcasm, Todd. ;)

Naw, I got it..I just forgot the smilie

[MNeedham73]

Chokes me up every single time I've ever watched Jimmy Stewart read that poem :(

[ethics]

Chokes me up every single time I've ever watched Jimmy Stewart read that poem

You wouldn't be a lovable pet owner if you didn't.

[Coot]

Ahhh, Jimmy Stewart. For a moment there, I thought he was describing our standard poodle. ;)

[Domh]

Grand... now I am crying at work.


What is it in the spirit of canine that bonds them to us so?
Perfection in love, forgiveness and compassion.
That we might stroke them then strike them.
That we might feed them then fright them.
Unconditional love is the dogs longest ration.
They bond to us so... to teach us what we don't know.


:cry:

[MNeedham73]

A beautiful story! It is similar to Greyfriars Bobby, who has his very own statue in Edinburgh.

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Scotland-History/GreyfriarsBob.htm

Hachiko also has a statue, at the very train station mentioned in the story.

http://www.lhup.edu/rsandow/images/TokyoAdd/Hachiko.jpg

[Allene]

Oh, that's wonderful. Thanks for the photo.

[ethics]

http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=7410

[Allene]

Give me a dog any day! He looks like my neighbor's dog.

[ethics]

You can always rent em... (http://consumerist.com/consumer/new-and-exciting-products/want-to-rent-a-pet-for-3995-a-weekend-day-plus-4995-a-month-plus-150-initiation-fee-319556.php)

[Allene]

Geez! That would be a fast lane to bankruptcy! :crazy:

[MNeedham73]

Would be better (not to mention a hell of a lot cheaper, probably) to foster homeless pets, I think.

[Allene]

Definitely! They have a program like that here, but I would become deeply attached to each and every animal, so I'm better off owning animals.

[jfcjrus]

:shake: You can always rent em... (http://consumerist.com/consumer/new-and-exciting-products/want-to-rent-a-pet-for-3995-a-weekend-day-plus-4995-a-month-plus-150-initiation-fee-319556.php)

Would be better (not to mention a hell of a lot cheaper, probably) to foster homeless pets, I think.

Definitely! They have a program like that here, but I would become deeply attached to each and every animal, so I'm better off owning animals.

Please pardon my abruptness, but anyone (that professes to LOVE dogs) that would pay someone $25/day for the companionship of a dog has absolutely NO :friggin: idea what the rest of this thread has been about! :shake:

And, to me, that tidbit of consumer information has no business in a thread titled 'Dogs: Loyal to the end'.
The species deserves more respect than 'renting' them for a weekend.

Again, I apologize for my abruptness.

Regards,

[ethics]

The species deserves more respect than 'renting' them for a weekend.

Without a doubt, Joe, and you are right it has no business here. I was just stunned by this "love for the weekend" sale and wanted to see the reaction here. To my happiness, no one disappointed. ;)