Two And A Half Stories Of Loyalty, Faithfulness And Unconditional Love
…and Hachiko, a white Akita dog, was born in Odate, Akita Prefecture Japan on November 10, 1923.
At two months old, he was sent to the home of Eisaburo Uyeno. Eisaburo Uyeno was a Professor of the Agricultural Department at the Tokyo University.
Eisaburo’s home was in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. The professor commuted to the agricultural department in Komaba, and the agricultural experimental station in Nishihara.
Hachiko and Professor Eisaburo Uyeno were inseparable friends right from the start. Each day Hachiko would accompany Eisaburo to the Shibuya Train Station when he left for work.
Upon returning, Eisaburo would find Hachiko patiently waiting, tail wagging.
This happy routine continued until one fateful day on May 21, 1925, when the professor suffered a stroke and died at the university, never to return home.
Hachiko was eighteen months old.
The next day and for the next ten years, Hachiko returned every day to the Shibuya Train Station to wait for Professor Eisaburo Uyeno, waiting for his beloved master before walking home, alone.
It was not until Hachiko followed his master in death on March 8th, 1935, that Hachiko failed to appear in his place at the Shibuya Train Station.
Loyalty, faithfulness and unconditional love are qualities that have earned dogs the title of “man’s best friend”. Hachiko took these qualities to such an extreme, he has earned a place in the hearts of all Japanese people, and has kept that place for over sixty years.
The people who passed the loyal dog each day were so touched by his story that they erected a statue in his honor in 1934.
- Today, the bronze statue of the Akita Hachiko pays silent tribute to his faithfulness and loyalty outside the Shibuya Train Station.
Hachiko is the subject of a 2004 children’s book named “Hachiko: The True Story Of A Loyal Dog”, By Pamela S. Turner, and another “Hachiko Waits” By Leslea Newman.
“Hachiko: A Dog’s Story”, an American movie starring actor Richard Gere about Hachikō and his relationship with the professor, is expected to release in 2008.
… This Marine named “Lex”… enjoys dog bones and having his belly rubbed!
Lex, a bomb sniffing dog, has just returned from duty.
He became fast friends with his former handler Corporal Dustin Lee, who was killed in Iraq in a Mortar attack. Lex was injured in the same attack, but Lex refused to leave Dustin’s side as the medics tried to revive him.
Corporal Dustin Lee’s family has now adopted Lex, where he will live out his days in retirement with the family of the man he so dearly loved.
Photos and the story can be viewed on video, here.
Dustin’s family has a blog, further photos and stories can be viewed here, as well as Lex’s Retirement Ceremony and a very, very touching video of Dustin’s Homecoming.
I simply cannot imagine life without a dog. It would be so… empty.
I loved all these stories, Diss, and was touched by them. Wow. I’ve been a cat person, mostly, but you may be turning me!
If you watched Dustin’s Homecoming, and then Lex’s Retirement… you’d be done for the night. I cried and cried and cried. Beautiful and sad and heartwarming all at the same time. So wonderful Lex is with Dustin’s family now. That is a very recent development, however I’ll leave their blog to finish the story.
I’m looking forward to Hachiko’s movie coming in 2008.
My dog is right beside me right now at this very moment, as always. Can’t imagine it being any different!
If only pitbulls and rottweilers learned form Hachiko, i would be less petrified of dogs
awww aniche I’ve never been attacked by either of those breeds. I did get chased by a poodle once when I was little. I was too close to his house I think. The bikes didn’t help any I’m sure.
Understanding them is like … 100% of the process is all!
thanks for the comment. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you have any questions about anything feel free to contact me. I was wondering…how you found my blog. I’m just curious because I am trying to make my blog more popular and if i know how you found it I might can increase my blog presence. Feel free to reply to this comment over at my blog so that I will see it.
What a touching post. I’d not heard of Hachiko nor Lex, but both the stories hit home why it is I so love my two dogs. And why it physically hurts when I see dogs mistreated.
I know a woman who once beat the tar out of a man who was beating a horse. She just lost it. This guy was using a whip on a horse and she went over and grabbed the whip out of his hand and beat the very crap out of him with it, yelling “how do you like it?!” I couldn’t believe it. What we all wanted to do, she did!
I agree ybonesy, it physically hurts to see dogs mistreated. I just don’t understand it.
Here is a new story of a Rotty that chased would-be burglars away from a home. 4 of the suspects have been caught.
http://www.wtov9.com/news/14952226/detail.html
Here is a recent story:
Dog Finds Way to Owner’s Funeral
“Sam leaves home by himself, embarking on a two-day trek to a funeral service.”
Below is a video.
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4633822