Greyfriars Bobby - The Most Faithful Dog In The World

The story of Greyfriars Bobby is one of the most loved from Edinburgh’s long history. It’s a heartwarming tale that makes a welcome change from the capital city’s gruesome legends or ghostly goings-on. This is the story of the most faithful dog in the world.

Bobby was a Skye Terrier who belonged to a local night watchman called John Gray. The pair were inseparable, and the wee dog would keep his owner company while patrolling the streets of the city. Every single night, through rain or snow, the best friends plodded around the Edinburgh cobbles.

Even after old John died in 1856 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, that close bond continued.

Legend says that Bobby lay down on the grass and refused to leave his master's grave. No matter how many times he was chased out by the caretaker, the faithful dog always managed to sneak back in to take up his post. As the story of Greyfriars Bobby spread, members of the public came to see him and the terrier became a local celebrity.

Crowds began to gather every day to see Bobby and it’s said that when the 1 O’Clock Gun fired from Edinburgh Castle, he would jump to his feet and trot round to a nearby coffee house for lunch. One tradition claims this was where he used to eat with John before his death and the owner had always fed him. Another story is that the owner realised how good Bobby was for business so trained the dog to listen out for the gun!

A new law could have been the end of Greyfriars Bobby when all dogs in Edinburgh were required to be licensed by an owner or destroyed. While there would have been no shortage of people willing to pay the fee, it was the Lord Provost himself who took care of the paperwork and presented the dog with a collar in 1867.

Bobby remained by his master’s grave for 14 years, well cared for by the people of Edinburgh, until his own time was up. He was buried nearby and even has his own gravestone at the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard, often seen with piles of sticks left as gifts by visitors. The stone’s inscription explains why so many love the story: “Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all.”

Shortly after Bobby died an English philanthropist called Lady Burdett-Coutts paid to have the famous drinking fountain built on the corner of Candlemaker Row and George IV Bridge. As well as allowing humans to drink from the top, there was a bowl of water at the base for dogs although the water supply has long been cut off.

The fountain has become a popular attraction for thousands of people every year who are moved by the story, although the rubbing of Bobby’s nose is inadvertently destroying the monument. It’s much better just to admire his likeness to ensure it’s still around for many more generations to be inspired by the most faithful dog in the world.