Greyfriars Bobby

Greyfriars Bobby was a Skye terrier who became famous in Edinburgh when his master, John Grey, died and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. For fourteen years after Grey's death, Bobby refused to stray far from the kirkyard, even howling to be let out if concerned citizens tried to keep him indoors in bad weather!

Locals were touched by Bobby's loyalty; they fed him and built a shelter for him in the church grounds, even though dogs were usually banned from the graveyard. The lord provost at the time paid the dog's licence fee, and Bobby was given a collar so he wouldn't be mistaken for a stray.

Before his death, shepherd John Grey visited the Traills Coffee House at 1 o'clock every day for lunch. Bobby would sit at John's feet, chewing on a bone. Legend has it that after his master's death, Bobby continued to return to the local inn for his bone each day at 1 o'clock.

After Bobby's death, Baroness Burdett Coutts had a statue of his likeness erected in the churchyard. The story was also taken up by authors, and by Disney who made a movie about the man's best friend, Greyfriars Bobby.

Today, diminutive Skye terriers are well known for their work ethic as well as their ironclad loyalty and they remain popular pets. According to petnet.com, the persistent canines from the Isle of Skye became particular favorites with the nobility: "There was a time when any self respecting duchess would have been ashamed to be seen in the park without her fashionable Skye Terrier!"