My partner died 19th Feb after 20 months and the dogs have been wonderful. All through my partners illness they continued to be just the same as they always were, small, dim and loving. There was no strange behaviour but they simply adapted to changes.
The arrival of the hospital bed downstairs was simply delivery of a giant dog bed courtesy of the NHS. The reclining chair and heat pad meant that if my partner got out of that it was free for one of them. Because I was upstairs in the bed on my own it meant that the rather fluffy one thought that was his place now and was upside down with his head on my partners pillow - promotion.
In the mornings, my partner needed to get his head together and orientate himself - so the new routine became him reading the news from his phone to the little dog who would stare intently at the latest news about Megan and Harry or whatever was in the headlines.
Being housebound and chair and bed bound meant that they had 24 hour company - they have loved it. We have some really funny photos of the last three months at home which involve the dogs.
They were very welcome visitors at the hospice in the last week of my partners life and simply charged in, charmed the staff, got up on the bed and made them selves at home.
So, I am glad to say, no GreyFriars Bobby in my house. Do they miss him - I dont think so and they are helping me keep my feet on the ground and whatever I am feeling, get up, walk the dogs, say hello to other dog people and keep on wagging.
