As we come to the end of this year many people reflect on what changes good or bad occurred in their lives. For me there were many welcoming changes I married an awesome man, became a step-mom to two great kids, went on a beautiful honeymoon (Scotland/Ireland) and adopted a great schnoodle from the San Mateo SPCA. All we knew about Guinness was that he had a bad habit of running away. We learned quickly that old habits die hard, so a lot of love and patience, a lot of patience has paid off.

But not long ago I took him out to my back yard and as we got to our sliding glass door I unhooked his leash and he bolted underneath me right out the side gate towards the street. I ran into the house to put some shoes on so that I could RUN after him....this is where this story really begins! As I was rushing to put my shoes on I yelled "Guinness why couldn't you have been more like Bobby"! Bobby who? ...Well when we went on our honeymoon to Scotland and arrived in the city of Edinburgh we heard the story of Bobby a dog who was a friend and faithful partner.

"He was a wee Cairn terrier named "Greyfriars Bobby". In 1850 a man named John Gray arrived in Edinburgh with his wife Jean and son John and commenced looking for a job as a gardener. But he was not able to find work in that field. Rather than turning to crime, Mr. Gray turned to the law and joined the Edinburgh police force. (As the British police force was originally formed by Sir Robert Peel, the police constables became known as, Bobby’s!! after there founder.) John Gray took a partner as his watchdog- a wee Skye terrier and as he was performing police work, named him, Bobby!

These two friends were a familiar site to the town folk; day in and day out they walked the cobble stone streets and alleys. After nearly 8 years of faithful partnership John Gray took ill with tuberculosis. He died in 1858 and was buried in Greyfrias Kirkyard. There are no records of how his wife Jean or son John reacted to his death, but the reaction to his wee partner certainly was. It was heartfelt by all the town folk to see his partner Bobby refusing to leave his partners grave. Everyday come rain or shine, snow or hail Bobby refused to leave his partners grave. The gardener and keeper of Greyfriars tried to evict him but to no avail. Bobby just kept faithfully coming back. In the end they gave up and constructed a shelter for him beside the grave of John Gray. Edinburgh's one o'clock gun was the signal for Bobby to leave the grave for his midday meal and the citizens of the city were there to watch him follow Mr. William Dow to the same coffee house that he had daily visited with his dead partner.

When a new city bye-law requiring all dogs to be licensed came into effect in 1867, the Lord Provost of the day, a gentleman by the name of Sir William Chambers, paid Bobby's license fee and presented him with a collar with a brass inscription "Greyfriars Bobby from the Lord Provost 1867, licensed"!

The good kind town folk of Edinburgh took great care of Bobby but he remained loyal to his old partner of eight years by standing watch and guarding over his grave for the next fourteen years. Bobby eventually died and joined his partner in 1872.

A lady by the name of Baroness Angelica Georgina Burdett-Coutts was the president of the local committee of the RSPCA, was so touched by Bobby's story that she persevered on the city fathers to allow her to erect a granite fountain with a statue of Bobby. So in 1873 just outside Greyfriars the statue was unveiled. (Even though the memorial to Greyfriars Bobby is outside the Kirkyard, Bobby himself is buried inside the Kirkyard)

(Today it is a favorite attraction for those visiting the city of Edinburgh visitors will even take a picture next to Bobby)

Back to the end of my story with "Guinness" as I ran to open the front door there he was right in front of my front door wagging his tail and looking at me like "what took you so long"!!!

I picked him up and said "Guinness my faithful partner and friend"... My reason for sharing this story with all of you is that in some funny way our pets have a little of "Bobby" and little of "Guinness" in them, but we would hope we learn from both of them. Let’s hope that we are as faithful and devoted to our pets as they are to us. And even if they are working out their own issues, lets be diligent in being patient and loving and most of all having a sense of humor on those days where they may not live up to our expectations.