A Royal Palace with Many Pampered Dogs

The maharaja (prince) of Junagadh, India owned 800 dogs and pampered every one of them.

Each dog had their own room in the lavish palace of the maharaja, and each had their own personal servant. They were often dressed up in formal evening suits so they could go on rickshaw rides around town. The eccentric maharaja would even spend large amounts of money on grand birthday parties. Probably the most extravagant event was the wedding of his favorite dog Roshanara to a royal golden retriever that belonged to the Nawab of Mangrol. Kathleen Walker-Meikle, author of The Dog Book: Dogs of Historical Distinction, described the event:

"Perfumed and in brocade and pearls, Roshanara was brought to the Dubar Hall in a palanquin while Bobby was greeted at the train station by a military band and the maharajah on an elephant with 250 brocade-dressed dogs (also on elephants). The breakfast was attended by 700 guests from Indian princely families, who were entertained by dancing girls singing for the dogs and Mendelsohn's "Wedding March." Alas, the wedding night was interrupted by the majarajah himself, who sent Bobby to the kennels so he could have his beloved Roshanara on his bed as usual."

The dogs also had their own hospital with a British doctor to tend to their ailments. When a dog passed away, a state mourning was declared. Oil portraits of his favorite dogs, including one of the wedding, are still exhibited in Junagadh Palace.

Nero: A Rich Dog During the Klondike Gold Rush

Nero became famous in history because of his owner Belinda Mulrooney, the richest woman in the Klondike - thanks to the gold rush.

Belinda & Nero

At a young age Belinda Mulrooney displayed her entrepreneurial skills. She started with a sandwich stand in Chicago at the Colombian Exposition. Then she opened an ice cream parlor in California. After the parlor burned down, she worked on a passenger steamship as a stewardess. Because of previous gold strikes in Alaska and the Yukon, Mulroooney headed north and worked at a small clothing store. When she heard about a gold rush in the Klondike, she headed to the Yukon and opened a restaurant near the miners.

One day, an Englishman who was down on his luck asked Belinda if she could care for his St. Bernard puppy while he worked during the mining season. He told her if the dog chooses to stay with her when he returns she can keep him. When it was time to choose, Nero chose Belinda.

Her restaurant business was booming and Belinda was becoming a wealthy woman. She was paid with gold dust, and did not trust anyone but herself to take it to the bank. The trip to the bank was 18 miles away so she would use Nero to help carry the heavy sacks of gold dust on his back. One day when making the trip, Nero slipped on a wet log while crossing a deep stream and fell into the water. The dog was unable to save himself because of the weight of the gold he was carrying so Belinda came to his rescue. She held on to a tree and was able to grab Nero's collar but she couldn't pull him in and she didn't have enough hands to cut the sacks off of him. A couple of miners walked by and one of them tried to help but when he held onto the thin tree it snapped and both fell in the water. Once in the water, Belinda was able to cut the sacks off Nero. Everyone survived the ordeal but two sacks of gold dust were lost.

Belinda's business was so profitable she soon built a grand hotel in town. She included a kennel in the cellar for both Nero and the miners dogs. One day, the hotel staff was instructed to take care of Nero when she visits her family in Pennsylvania. When the steamship carrying her moved away from the wharf, Nero jumped into the water in hopes to catching up with Belinda. Knowing the dog wouldn't make it, the ship stopped and some miners pulled Nero on board. The two traveled together to Seattle and Belinda was able to find someone there to care for Nero while she went to Pennsylvania. Months later, when she went to pick Nero up she was told her dog had run away. She went looking for him and eventually found her dirty and hungry dog. After a Turkish bath and some good food, Nero was back to his old self.

Belinda married and later moved to Paris with her husband. She had to leave Nero behind. A few years later, she divorced and returned to Canada. It is uncertain to what happened to Nero.

Nero's story, as well as other dog stories, is included in the book called Gold Rush Dogs.

Shop Amazon

Sigmund Freud's Helpful Dogs

Three chows made history by helping the famous Sigmund Freud, in both his personal and professional life.

Jofi & Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, did not become a dog lover until he was in his 70s. It all started when he bought his daughter an Alsatian shepherd to protect her on her evening walks through the city. Freud ended up falling in love with the dog, and in 1928 he got his own - a chow named Lun-Yu. Unfortunately, 15 months after getting her, she was run over by a train. Freud was devastated.

Several months later, Freud was emotionally ready to have another dog in his life. In fact, he got two dogs and both were chows. One was named Jofi, the sister of Lun-Yu, and the other was named Lun. I am not sure if Lun was related to the others, but either way, the two dogs did not get along well together so Freud decided to give Lun to a friend. Freud and Jofi became especially close to one another. She was almost always by his side, even when he was in his office treating clients.

The more Freud got to know dogs, the more he believed they had the ability to read humans. He noticed that when the clients were calm, Jofi would stay near them, and if they were anxious, she would move away from them. Freud also noticed that clients were more open and candid when Jofi was present.

According to a client of Freud's, a psychiatrist named Roy Grinker, when Jofi would leave his side and scratch at the door to get out, Freud would tell him the dog did not approve of what he was saying. And if the dog wanted back in the office, she was giving him another chance. Once, when Jofi jumped on top of him as he laid on the couch in an especially emotional state, Freud told Grinker the dog was excited because he had discovered the source of his anxiety.

After attending so many sessions, Jofi began to internalize the duration of them. When Jofi got up and yawned, Freud knew the hour was up.

During his time with Jofi, Freud was being treated for cancer of the jaw. The devoted chow provided much comfort to him during the hard times. After a series of operations, Freud wrote to a friend "I wish you could have seen with me what sympathy Jofi shows me during these hellish days, as if she understood everything."

Freud wrote about Jofi in his diaries often, and would spare no expense on her - including paying for a complicated surgery to remove some ovarian cysts. In January 1937, a few days after the surgery, Jofi died from heart failure. Freud was deeply devastated, but knew he couldn't live the remaining years of his life without a dog. The day after Jofi's passing, Lun (the chow Freud previously gave to a friend) was returned to him.

Freud enjoyed the company of Lun but as his last days neared, Lun began to avoid him. He believed it was due to the putrid odor of infection coming from his face. He didn't blame the dog for avoiding him, but without her he became more depressed while suffering from immense pain. Sigmund Freud was ready for his life to end. He passed away on September 23, 1939 after receiving a lethal dose of morphine.

"Often when stroking Jofi, I have caught myself humming a melody which, unmusical as I am, I can’t help recognizing as the aria from Don Giovanni: A bond of friendship unites us both...," wrote Freud.

Shop Amazon

Rufus: Winston Churchill's Beloved Poodle

Rufus became famous as the little poodle who followed Churchill around while the Prime Minister successfully led Britain through WW II.

Sir Winston Churchill, the former Prime Minister of the UK, was known as the British Bulldog because of his no-nonsense temperament, and some say his looks. So, you would think being an animal lover, a bulldog might be his favorite dog. Actually he did have a bulldog named Dodo, as well as many other animals in his life, but the one that held a really special place in his heart was his little poodle Rufus.

The two were almost inseparable. Rufus was often at Churchill's side while the Prime Minister dealt with the hardships of World War II. The dog would join him at luncheons and official meetings, but when he wasn't invited Churchill would kindly give his poodle a reason. For instance "No, Rufus, I haven't found it necessary to ask you to join the wartime cabinet."

When the two weren't dealing with business, Rufus led a rather leisure life at the Prime Minister's lodgings. Not only was he allowed to dine with the family, he was served first before the others could eat. He was also privileged to sit on his master's lap when looking at the screen. Once when the two were watching a scene from Oliver Twist, Churchill covered the dog's eyes when the character Bill Sykes drowned a dog. He told Rufus "Don't look now, dear. I'll tell you about it afterwards."

Sadly, in 1947 Rufus was hit by a car and died while Churchill was away at a political conference. The British Bulldog was devastated.

Shortly after the death of Rufus, the Managing Editor of Life Magazine gave Churchill a poodle that looked a lot like Rufus. In fact, Churchill named the dog Rufus II but said the II was silent. Rufus II went on to live a long and happy life.

Dash: Queen Victoria's Closest Childhood Companion

Dash was the first of many dogs in Queen Victoria's life. He truly was her best friend during her younger years.

Painting of Dash

Victoria's childhood was not easy. She was raised under the Kensington System, a set of strict rules and regulations that were designed to make her weak and dependent on her mother, the Duchess of Kent. The only child of a similar age she had contact with was the daughter of Sir John Conroy (the Comptroller of the Duchess's household) but their friendship was more of a formal acquaintanceship.

Dash, a King Charles Spaniel, came into Victoria's life in 1833 when she was a teenager and the dog and Princess soon became inseparable. She would dress him in a scarlet jacket and blue trousers, give him gifts at Christmas, and refer to him as "dear sweet little Dash" and "dear Dashy" in her diary.

Dash remained with Victoria after her accession to the throne in 1837, and after her coronation, the first thing Queen Victoria did when she returned to Buckingham Palace was give Dash his bath. It is also said that Prince Albert won Victoria's heart because of his kindness towards Dash. The two married in 1840, the same year Dash passed away at the age of ten. The Queen buried Dash herself at Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle, with the epitaph "...His attachment was without selfishness, His playfulness without malice, His fidelity without deceit, Reader, if you would live beloved and die regretted, profit by the example of Dash."

I want to thank Claire for suggesting this topic.

Shop Amazon

Diamond: Isaac Newton's Favorite Dog Delays His Work

Although not all scholars agree, Diamond made history when inadvertently destroying important papers that delayed Isaac Newton's work.

Sir Isaac Newton, born on Christmas day in 1642, is credited with discovering the laws of gravity and motion. It is said Newton loved animals, and one of his best friends was his dog - a Pomeranian named Diamond. According to historical research by Stanley Coren (a highly respected professor), Newton got up from his desk and closed the door to his study to see who was knocking at his front door, leaving Diamond alone in the room where she laid next to the desk. The dog became excited when she heard an unfamiliar voice, began running around the room and bumped into the desk, knocking over a lit candle that set fire to the manuscript Newton was working on. Despite the loss of much work, the scientist lifted his beloved dog into his arms and said "O Diamond, Diamond, thou little knowest the damage thou hast done."

"It would be close to a full year before Newton would reconstruct the theory of gravity in full," wrote Coren in his book The Pawprints of History: Dogs in the Course of Human Events. "Thus an entire year of intellectual life and research, by one of the greatest scientific minds of his era, was lost due to the actions of a dog."

Shop Amazon

James Ferocious: Amelia Earhart's Childhood Dog

It was because of James Ferocious that Amelia Earhart found the courage to become the first woman in history to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

James Ferocious, a large black dog, loved Amelia but was not friendly with strangers. Therefore, the dog was kept tied to a shed when outside. One day, some neighborhood boys passing by the dog decided to tease him. James Ferocious was not happy with the teasing. He broke free from his chain and took after them. The frightened boys climbed atop the shed for safety.

Six year old Amelia, who was awakened from her afternoon nap by the screams from the boys and the loud barking from her dog, took charge of the situation. She ran outside, reached out to her enraged dog, and in a firm but loving voice said "James Ferocious, you naughty dog. You tipped over your water dish again." She then patted her dog and led him into the kitchen.

Later Amelia's mother asked her if she was scared with what happened. Amelia replied "There wasn't any time to be afraid." Amelia showed at that early age, despite James Ferocious being her loving dog, she was able to deal with a scary situation.

Amelia Earhart accomplished much in her life, but unfortunately disappeared on a round the world flight over the central Pacific Ocean in 1937 at the age of 39.

Gompo: Nelson Mandela's Dog

Two photographs of Nelson Mandela's dog Gompo, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, taken at his home on 8115 Vilakazi Street in South Africa - the home that has since been turned into a museum as a tribute to Mandela and his role in the struggle against apartheid.

Nelson Mandela and his beloved dog Gompo (1959) in front of the house that was shot at and set on fire during his fight for equal rights.

Gompo peeking out from under the gate.

Lizzie Borden's Three Boston Terriers

Animals still benefit from the love the accused murderess had for dogs.

Lizzie Borden and one of her Boston terriers

In 1892, Lizzie Borden was accused of killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet. In 1893, she was acquitted. Her father was worth almost $10 million in today's money, and Lizzie and her sister Emma inherited a significant portion of his estate.

Lizzie loved animals, especially dogs. In 1913, she helped fund the start of a rescue center in her hometown Fall River, Massachusetts to care for abused draft horses. In 1914, the center called Animal Rescue League was in business, and in 1917, it expanded its mission to dogs and cats.

Lizzie had a fondness for Boston terriers, and before her death in 1927 she owned three of them named Royal Nelson, Donald Stuart and Laddie Miller.

After her death, the Animal Rescue League (now named the Faxon Animal Care and Adoption Center) was to receive money from her trust if they agreed to take care of her three dogs. They took care of them for the rest of their days, and today the center continues to receive money.

In addition, the center also receives donations from the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum - the family home where the brutal killings took place.

All three dogs are buried in the Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery in Dedham, Massachusetts under one headstone with the words "Sleeping Awhile".

Helen Keller's Faithful Dogs

"From scrappy Scotties to dignified Great Danes to a famous Akita, dogs always brought joy to Helen Keller." - Perkins School for the Blind

Helen Keller and Sir Thomas (Phiz)

Helen Keller loved dogs, and she always had at least one as a pet from early childhood to the very end of her life. When she was young, she tried to communicate with her dog Belle by finger spelling on her paw. Belle never did learn. "I tried hard to teach her my sign language, but she was dull and inattentive," wrote Keller. When she attended college, her classmates gave her a Boston bull terrier which she named Sir Thomas. Sir Thomas, more commonly known as Phiz, would accompany her to her classes and wait for her patiently until the class was over. In the 1930s, when Keller visited Japan, she heard the story about the loyal Akita dog named Hachiko. She was given one as a gift, named Kamikaze-Go, but unfortunately the puppy died from distemper shortly after Keller returned to the US. Keller was heartbroken. The Japanese government heard of the news so arrangements were made to send Kamikaze's younger brother to her. Kenzan-Go, Go-Go for short, lived a full life. Keller helped introduce the Akita breed to the US, and referred to them as "angels in fur".

If given the chance to see, the first thing Keller wanted to do was "look into the loyal, trusting eyes of my dogs... whose warm, tender, and playful friendships are so comforting to me."

"They [dogs] have always been my companions. A dog has never failed me." - Helen Keller

Shop Amazon