Jump to content

Faithful dogs


m-j
 Share

Recommended Posts

I've just been reading stories about faithful dogs and it made me think of a Greyhound that I rescued and rehomed to an elderly gentleman that had recently lost his Dalmatian. Cyan had been to two other homes and they hadn't worked out, not the fault of Cyan as she was the one of the gentlest sweetest dogs that I had ever rescued. I had her for about 3 years on and off until I found Bill (the elderly gentleman) he adored Cyan (who he renamed Skye) and she him. He would ring me every week and we would chat for up to a couple of hours and he would give me photos when I called in to visit. Anyway unfortunately one day Bill passed away and Skye turned into Cujo she wouldn't let anyone near his body except the ambos but they weren't allowed to move him. The local ranger caught her and held her while they took the body away, the ranger told me Skye started making a howling type noise he said it was the saddest noise he has ever heard. He ended up taking her to his home as she had touched him so much, rather than put her in the pound.  I was informed  by some people who knew that I had given Skye to Bill that Bill had passed, so after a frantic search I got her back. At the time I was absolutely full and really couldn't keep another dog long term so GAP Vic came to the rescue and a week later she had a lovely home with a couple in Melbourne.

 

Does anyone else have a faithful dog story?

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have several. Here are two.

 

When I was about 12 I noticed a black dog sitting on the corner near our house. There again next day. For around 2 weeks I would see the dog off and on, mostly right there in the same spot. I told a neighbor friend and we went looking for it thinking it was odd to be sitting on the corner staring across the road so much.

It was there and we experimented with names till she came to Lady. We took her home just around the corner and explained to our parents. Mine said we could keep her.

She often went to the same corner to sit.

 

 

About 3 weeks later we came home to our house destroyed after she had been chewing the door and window frames to get out. Our neighbors explained that man had turned up looking for his dog. He lived 350 miles away and had had to rehome her. A friend had always admired her and asked that he have her if she ever had to be rehomed so the owner had driven her to him after asking if it was a serious offer. Seems he hadn't said anything to his wife. I don't know if he had ever told her he had the dog, or if she just refused to have her but end result was 'Gypsy' ( her real name) was on the street and she had waited weeks for her owner to return for her. He didn't know what was happening.

He knew she was safe now even tho he didn't get to see her that time, but my neighbors ended up taking her themselves.We sort of shared her. The owner returned several times over the years and she  always remembered him with a tail going a million miles an hour.

 

Another is my own dog. I'd had him 5 years when my parents took our family back over seas for a year. Mum found a home hat would care for him. A couple who weren't sure they could cope with a dog but wanted to see if they could.I refused to go at all unless I knew I could get him back. I told him I would be back, and to stay. As we drove away he chased the car and we didn't know till we got back home that he was missing.

He turned up back there 1 hour later and we went over seas.

 

A year later we went back to get him only when I insisted. I had promised. My Dad was trying to tell me the carers wanted to keep him and he wouldn't remember us. I said if that was true, he could stay. It would be his choice.

When we pulled into the drive he ran out barking at the car till I opened the window and called his name. Right away he sat and howled.

When the car came to a stop he jumped in and refused to budge when we went in to talk and visit with the carers though we left the door open.

 

I had him another 12 years after that. On a visit to that town for a funeral 30 years later people I ran into kept saying 'I remember you and your dog' He went every where with me. Not so dramatic as your story, but faith all the same.

 

The neighbor girl mentioned earlier was the victim of a dog attack one day as we were getting ready for school. The dog had jumped up with both paws on her shoulders while it bit her around the neck chestand arms. I didn't know what to do to help, but told my dog to get it and he did.

 

Edited by moosmum
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is faithful, it is amazing what they can pick up re dog saving neighbour. I had a cocky Cecil who used to just hung around the house, he was walking around the edge of the above ground pool and a black shouldered kite decided he was going to be dinner. I was at the other end of the yard and started to run toward the pool as it was in it's dive. My GSD Sassy somehow worked out what I was attempting to do and took off ahead of me and jumped up beside Cecil to "get " the kite. It turned out its dive (it was only about two metres above Cecil) meanwhile Cecil was totally oblivious to the kite and as Sassy jumped up she frightened him and he fell in the pool. I got him out and he gave Sassy a tongue lashing as only a cocky can lol.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

:laugh:  I can imagine the tongue lashing!

 

That dog was pretty unique in his language skills and I used to brag I could teach him to do anything in 10 minutes. Lots of stories with him.

He would lead the horses if we dropped the reins while riding. herd goats sheep or chooks, took part in parades on the float. There was a tip next to our property where we would catch feral kittens. I would meow till they came out of hiding and he would keep them rounded up in place while I scooped them up.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by moosmum
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, moosmum said:

:laugh:  I can imagine the tongue lashing!

 

That dog was pretty unique in his language skills and I used to brag I could teach him to do anything in 10 minutes. Lots of stories with him.

He would lead the horses if we dropped the reins while riding. herd goats sheep or chooks, took part in parades on the float. There was a tip next to our property where we would catch feral kittens. I would meow till they came out of hiding and he would keep them rounded up in place while I scooped them up.

 

 

 

 

 

I bet your parents would see an animal that might be a stray and collaborate amongst themselves" quick you keep moosmum occupied while I hide this animal" :)

Dogs like the one you have talked about are truly amazing, but they do need the right person to allow them to show it. I've seen dogs whose potential is just squashed, or totally unappreciated. 

Edited by m-j
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Surprised there aren't more people contributing to this thread.

 

Agree with your last comment. I don't think dogs ( or any animal) should be treated as furry people, but I think too many underestimate them as well.

There is a lot more capacity for communication than most give credit for or are willing to see.

We don't breed for that any more, or even promote that ideal.  We used to.

 

Re my parents, pretty much, except they had accepted it as inevitable.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a blue heeler that worked on the farm with me, one day getting cattle in, a snake scared my horse and I got thrown. I was knocked out for a time, the bloke with me had to go and get the ute to pick me up. He told me not to go to sleep, I was having trouble staying awake. He left and my Bluey Ringer sat right next to me and every time I started to go to sleep she barked at me. She kept me awake this way until he came back with the ute. I broke many ribs and had a concussion.

Ringer had a ear splitting bark that really hurt up close! I loved her to bits.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, gillybob said:

I had a blue heeler that worked on the farm with me, one day getting cattle in, a snake scared my horse and I got thrown. I was knocked out for a time, the bloke with me had to go and get the ute to pick me up. He told me not to go to sleep, I was having trouble staying awake. He left and my Bluey Ringer sat right next to me and every time I started to go to sleep she barked at me. She kept me awake this way until he came back with the ute. I broke many ribs and had a concussion.

Ringer had a ear splitting bark that really hurt up close! I loved her to bits.

Another example of how they just work things out, amazing. What a clever dog.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 05/06/2017 at 11:34 AM, moosmum said:

Surprised there aren't more people contributing to this thread.

Ok then... :grimace:

 

A really simple one, that I think many dogs probably do. Whenever anyone is sick Malcolm seems to take on the role of nursemaid and spends all his time with them. He was constantly at my mum's side when she had the swine flu backed up by pneumonia.

 

And I don't think it was just so he could steal her tea, eggs and toast when she wasn't looking. :laugh:

 

 

On 04/06/2017 at 9:04 PM, moosmum said:

He would lead the horses if we dropped the reins while riding. herd goats sheep or chooks, took part in parades on the float. There was a tip next to our property where we would catch feral kittens. I would meow till they came out of hiding and he would keep them rounded up in place while I scooped them up.

Reminds me of my in-laws' cattle dog. Born on a farm but raised entirely in the inner city. Whenever they'd go on holidays she'd collect her leash, bowl and tennis ball and put them out the front with the suitcases. One time they took her on a farmstay and she jumped the fence to a paddock, rounded up all the white chickens on one side, the brown chickens on the other, and stuck the rooster in the middle. :laugh:

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My pets always stay with me when I'm sick. Either together or at least in shifts. Currently under a puppy pile at the moment, sporting a thumping headache :( they get allocated sexist roles though - Max is always the doctor and Meg the nurse LOL In my defence, Meg is way less attentive to my health, I think she cares more about couch cuddles than me being sick.

 

Our first dog when I was a kid was put into a kennel once when we went on holidays. Apparently he wasn't the happiest but one morning was extremely excited. That was the day we were driving over to pick him up. It was a long way from home and he wouldn't have been able to hear the car, so no idea how he knew we were coming for him.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Several months back, Creedence the 4 yr old tibetan spaniel, came to live next door...by his choice from an amazing background.  He was originally owned by registered breeder, David Laird who was a retired Qld police officer who showed tibbies.

 

 David, with another officer, had started the Qld Police Dog Squad years ago with 2 german shepherds donated by the RAAF.  With tibbies later in life, Creedence was his favourite boy.  He said if he lost Creedence, it'd be like losing his own left leg.

 

Tragedy struck.  David was killed in a house fire while recovering from surgery.  Fortunately his tibbies were being cared for by other breeders. Then, those breeders looked for good homes.

 

Our neighbour, Len, went to look at the tibbies because his wife's beloved tib, Lily, had died.  So he focused on the females.  But a beautiful male, gently but firmly, pushed his way thro' the crowd & settled at Len's feet.  After more general chat & looking....this male tibbie did it again.  Straight to Len.

 

A bond instantly developed between the 2.  Len phoned his wife & told her.... she said go with that little fellow who's chosen you.

That was Creedence & he came home with Len, absolutely devoted to him.

 

The amazing thing is that, as the other breeders pointed out, Len actually looks like David Laird.  They are both Vietnam Vets & both suffered from PTSD.

 

Creedence has proven a devoted,  loving & intelligent companion for Len... who said recently that the tib had raised his spirits out of the PTSD.   Same as David before him, he said losing Creedy would be like losing his left leg.

 

One final thing... Len took Creedy to be enrolled in the Qld Police Service Dogs on Patrol program (for people who walk their dogs & observe).  So David would be proud of his little man wearing the tag on his collar that says ...'Initiative of Qld Police Service

Edited by mita
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Mjosa said:

What an amazingly touching story is this, that little dog is just the best, I think that David guided him to Len, may they have a long and happy life together.

I think so, too.  It's like David guided Creedy to Len.   Creedy is normally aloof with strangers...as his breed can be.  But he firmly & consistently went to Len as if he'd known him all his life.

        

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know what a wonderful breed the Tibbie is, I have a niece in her late 50's who is almost bed ridden now with Myotonic Dystrophy, she now has her second Tibbie, Banjo, when she first got diagnosed with this dreadful disease her husband bought her her first boy, Jasper, sadly he passed at a good age and she felt so lost without him so her husband, who works full time, went and got this magic little boy for company, he is her carer basically, her Mother lives next door and should our niece have a fall, which does happen on occasion, he runs next door to her Mum and lets her know that there is a problem, other than that he sits on her lap all day or if she goes to bed he is right there with her, he knows that his "Mum" is not well and has taken on this job of looking after her with much gusto God bless him.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Mjosa said:

I know what a wonderful breed the Tibbie is, I have a niece in her late 50's who is almost bed ridden now with Myotonic Dystrophy, she now has her second Tibbie, Banjo, when she first got diagnosed with this dreadful disease her husband bought her her first boy, Jasper, sadly he passed at a good age and she felt so lost without him so her husband, who works full time, went and got this magic little boy for company, he is her carer basically, her Mother lives next door and should our niece have a fall, which does happen on occasion, he runs next door to her Mum and lets her know that there is a problem, other than that he sits on her lap all day or if she goes to bed he is right there with her, he knows that his "Mum" is not well and has taken on this job of looking after her with much gusto God bless him.

Mjosa, that's beautiful & you're right, Tibbies become devoted to their person using a lot of intelligence.   Could I have your permission to post  about Banjo's work as a carer on the (Australian) Tibbie Pet Owners' Facebook page?  It would warm tibbie owners' hearts!  

Also, if your niece is on Facebook, she might like to join that group.  Lots of sharing pics, stories, tips etc. Let me know & I'll tell you how she could join.    

Edited by mita
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are most welcome to share Helen and Banjo's story with the Tibbie pet owners' page.

Helen does not use the computer, but please do share this amazing little boy's mission in life and that is to look after his Mum.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Mjosa said:

You are most welcome to share Helen and Banjo's story with the Tibbie pet owners' page.

Helen does not use the computer, but please do share this amazing little boy's mission in life and that is to look after his Mum.

Thank you, Mjosa.  Even if Helen doesn't use the computer, the Tibbie Pet Owners would be supportive if ever there was anything they could ever do for Banjo.   Just PM me, if needed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...