Dog goes to church every day since owner died

[Kurioxan]

I don't think so...

Sadly its how it works (im not saying you will kick the dog all the time or abuse it btw), they are pack animals and have a strict hierarchy, a certain degree of violence towards lower members is quite common in packs...
Dont get me wrong, i like dogs (big ones), but there are things about them that unnerve me a bit.

[Deleted]

Sadly its how it works (im not saying you will kick the dog all the time or abuse it btw), they are pack animals and have a strict hierarchy, a certain degree of violence towards lower members is quite common in packs...
Dont get me wrong, i like dogs (big ones), but there are things about them that unnerve me a bit.

tell me about it some of thoose big dogs freak me out,they sense your fear instantly

[Dezerte]

Sadly its how it works (im not saying you will kick the dog all the time or abuse it btw), they are pack animals and have a strict hierarchy, a certain degree of violence towards lower members is quite common in packs...
Dont get me wrong, i like dogs (big ones), but there are things about them that unnerve me a bit.

Oh, I see what you mean now. There are kicks you can use to mark that you are the pack leader, but then there's also the harmful kicks that hurt the dog badly; these tend to have another effect...

[Kurioxan]

Oh, I see what you mean now. There are kicks you can use to mark that you are the pack leader, but then there's also the harmful kicks that hurt the dog badly; these tend to have another effect...

Yeah ofc, the animal will defend his own life, but yes i meant the normal violence expected in a dog pack, to me that is odd... real odd :P
So i prefer cats

[Puck]

God, why did you post this. I'm sad now.

Though I don't think he is mourning, he has just repeated that routine for years and years and continues to do so out of habit.

[Deleted]

I don't particularly care for a dog's loyalty or company but do respect them as I know their habits gross me out so it's better not to keep a dog for it's own sake.

[Deleted]

The question remains though. Does he go there every day because he used to do that every day anyways and he gets pet, fed and shelter there, or because he thinks "Master used to go there all the time. Honor his memory even through death"?

No question remains
He went there -loyally- looking for his pack master because he knew it was a place she used to visit frequentely with him..after a while people started giving him food so ofc he stayed... but that doesnt mean that the original action was totally cold and out of habbit, dogs freak out whenever their pack or pack master disapear..
sure it is not morning but it is not as cold as some people here make it out to be
also, cant really explain the cemetery one

[Deleted]

I don't particularly care for a dog's loyalty or company but do respect them as I know their habits gross me out so it's better not to keep a dog for it's own sake.

What habits exactly? I have a German Shepherd and he doesn't do anything gross. I keep him inside and he has never relieved himself inside, never chewed anything, at least after he was 6 months old. He doesn't steal food even when I leave the room and it's in reach (I've never punished him), doesn't eat anything gross. In fact hes pickier about what he eats than me and sometimes expects to be fed small pieces from hand or he doesnt touch the food. Sure Ive spoiled him a little but still. He doesn't even bark at guests and waits for my approval before going to greet them.

[Deleted]

What habits exactly? I have a German Shepherd and he doesn't do anything gross. I keep him inside and he has never relieved himself inside, never chewed anything, at least after he was 6 months old. He doesn't steal food even when I leave the room and it's in reach (I've never punished him), doesn't eat anything gross. In fact hes pickier about what he eats than me and sometimes expects to be fed small pieces from hand or he doesnt touch the food. Sure Ive spoiled him a little but still. He doesn't even bark at guests and waits for my approval before going to greet them.

I'm talking about maybe the dog licking private parts or farting or something and it won't smell good.

[Deleted]

I'm talking about maybe the dog licking private parts or farting or something and it won't smell good.

They only fart when you don't feed them correctly.. mine never does.

[Rheckameohs]

What habits exactly? I have a German Shepherd and he doesn't do anything gross. I keep him inside and he has never relieved himself inside, never chewed anything, at least after he was 6 months old. He doesn't steal food even when I leave the room and it's in reach (I've never punished him), doesn't eat anything gross. In fact hes pickier about what he eats than me and sometimes expects to be fed small pieces from hand or he doesnt touch the food. Sure Ive spoiled him a little but still. He doesn't even bark at guests and waits for my approval before going to greet them.

I have two black labs that are the same way. I literally did not do a damn thing even remotely resembling discipline, yet they are the most well behaved animals I've ever seen. They never chew anything, they don't beg, they don't get on the furniture, they never bark, they never piss or shit in the house... I don't quite understand myself, it's really weird. To top it off, they are extremely obedient, following commands the first time, every time.

Black labs are the master breed.

[Deleted]

SHUT UP, no I'm not crying!

[HAcoreRD]

that picture alone breaks my heart. the story is depressing.

[DEATHETERNAL]

always chokes me up

Poor little guy (same goes for the church dog)....

Now I go to bed sad.

[Noomz]

Such a sad story, it makes you think though, animals arent as stupid as we may think.

I doubt the dog cares that it's a church. But it may know that it was the last place its owner went to, quite literally. He might be going there, thinking that the owner might return to that location. Dogs have been known to stay by the grave of their owners, because they can smell their lingering scent.

But the loyalty and the love is there, without a doubt.

My parents have only one cat left out of three in a short time. The remaining cat, the youngest of the three, that still lives, some times starts playing by herself. She used to play with one of the cats that's now passed away, but she seems to still think that he'll show up when she goes upstairs to play until she sits there and seems to realize that he isn't coming this time either. Breaks my heart, it's so precious and I'm almost in tears just thinking about it.

---------- Post added 2013-01-21 at 09:00 AM ----------

SHUT UP, no I'm not crying!

Damn those onion ninjas!

[Daedius]

Stories like this move me close to tears, sad and wonderful animals...

And yet you have the old fashioned thinking of religious people saying that dogs don't go to heaven... cruel bastards. -.-;

[TheBeardedOne]

Its kind of weird how many people try to project human emotion onto their animals, all the animal is doing is continue the routine they had before and once they get hungry enough they will break it and learn a new.

[Noomz]

Its kind of weird how many people try to project human emotion onto their animals, all the animal is doing is continue the routine they had before and once they get hungry enough they will break it and learn a new.

They might not contemplate like we do, but I'm 100% sure and convinced that a social animal like a dog really feels sorrow and longing. Perhaps not as we percieve it. The dog probably doesn't understand. But I have no doubts that he misses his owner.
You must've never been met by a dog that misses you to not understand such loyalty.

---------- Post added 2013-01-21 at 09:38 AM ----------

Have you been able to teach your dog what death is? I have a cat that acts like a dog, from playing catch to 'barking' at other animals outside. Was found in a forest as a baby, the most bad ass cat ever... Can't tell him to act like a cat... Flips the world off for telling him to act like a cat, totally Punk!! Maybe I'm just misinterpreting cat behavior by rationalizing it as being that of a dog. You can't judge an animal's behavior on the basis of human interaction.

While they probably don't contemplate life and death, there is no doubt that they feel joy and sadness. If a dog is left alone, it will miss you. If your dog hasn't seen you in a long time, it will be overjoyed to see you again. No they aren't entirely like us, but they aren't without emotion.

[TheBeardedOne]

They might not contemplate like we do, but I'm 100% sure and convinced that a social animal like a dog really feels sorrow and longing. Perhaps not as we percieve it. The dog probably doesn't understand. But I have no doubts that he misses his owner.
You must've never been met by a dog that misses you to not understand such loyalty.

---------- Post added 2013-01-21 at 09:38 AM ----------



While they probably don't contemplate life and death, there is no doubt that they feel joy and sadness. If a dog is left alone, it will miss you. If your dog hasn't seen you in a long time, it will be overjoyed to see you again. No they aren't entirely like us, but they aren't without emotion.

Their loyalty is for food and company (because they were pack animals) not love

[Noomz]

Their loyalty is for food and company (because they were pack animals) not love

You've obviously never had any animals. That, or you're a bit miserable. No offence.

If you really want to get down to it, isn't that what love is about for us too? Animals are just a lot more honest about it.