Loyal Dogs in History
Throughout history, pets weren’t providing just companionship, but true love and loyalty that goes beyond measures.
Waghya
1670s to 1680
Waghya, (meaning tiger in Marathi), was a mixed-breed pet dog of Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj, known as the epitome of loyalty and eternal devotion. After Chhatrapati Shivaji's death, the Waghya mourned and jumped into his master's funeral pyre and immolated himself. A statue was put up on a pedestal next to Shivaji Maharaj's samadhi at Raigad Fort. In 2011 the statue of Waghya was removed by alleged members of the Sambhaji Brigade as a protest but was later reinstalled.
Greyfriars Bobby
Friday May 4, 1855 to Sunday Jan 14, 1872
Greyfriars Bobby (May 4, 1855 – January 14, 1872) was a Skye Terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died himself on 14 January 1872. The story continues to be well known in Scotland, through several books and films. A prominent commemorative statue and nearby graves are a tourist attraction.
Hachikō
Saturday Nov 10, 1923 to Friday Mar 8, 1935
Hachikō (November 10, 1923 – March 8, 1935) was a Japanese Akita dog remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, for whom he continued to wait for over nine years following Ueno's death.
Shep (American dog)
1930s to Monday Jan 12, 1942
Shep was the name given to a herding dog that appeared at the Great Northern Railway station one day in 1936 in Fort Benton, Montana, and watched as his deceased master's casket was loaded onto the train and left. The dog remained at the station, waiting for his master to return for the next five and a half years, until he was killed by an incoming train in 1942.
Fido (dog)
1941 to Monday Jun 9, 1958
Fido (1941 – June 9, 1958) was an Italian dog that came to public attention in 1943 because of his demonstration of unwavering loyalty to his dead master. Fido was written about in many Italian and international magazines and newspapers, appeared in newsreels throughout Italy, and was bestowed several honors, including a public statue erected in his honor.
Red Dog (Pilbara)
1971 to Wednesday Nov 21, 1979
Red Dog (c. 1971 – 21 November 1979) was a kelpie/cattle dog cross that was well known for his travels through Western Australia's vast Pilbara region. Red Dog had a series of owners and lengthy periods traveling on his own, essentially becoming a beloved friend and mascot of the greater Pilbara community. A statue was installed in his memory in Dampier, one of the towns to which he often returned. He is frequently referred to as a "red kelpie" or a "red cloud kelpie".
Džok
1990 to 1998
EDżok is a Black mongrel dog (1990–1991), throughout the entire year, Dżok was seen waiting in vain at the Rondo Grunwaldzkie roundabout in Kraków, Poland, to be fetched back by his master, who had died there. a monument located on the Czerwieński Boulevard on the Vistula River in Kraków, near the Wawel Castle and the Grunwald Bridge.