[gatagato]

This is not surprise for me, dogs ceased to amaze me since I've realized that THIS is ordinary for them.

They say that a dog is a man's best friend, and for Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson, 35, and his beloved and loyal dog Hawkeye, not even death could break this powerful bond.

At Tumilson's funeral in Rockford on Aug. 19, his beloved canine lay at the foot of the casket throughout the ceremony. Tumilson's cousin Lisa Pembleton took the heart-wrenching photo of the devoted dog, known to Tumilson's family and friends as his "son."

"I took this picture and that was my view throughout the entire funeral. I couldn't NOT take a picture," Pembleton said. "It took several attempts since every time I wasn't crying and could focus on taking it, there was a SEAL at the microphone and I didn't want to take a picture with them for security and respect reasons. Our family is devastated to say the least."

At funeral, dog mourns the death of Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan
Faithful to the last: slain Navy SEAL's dog stays by his side at funeral
Dog Mourns at Casket of Fallen SEAL
Photo of faithful dog at Navy SEAL funeral grabs international attention

Humans are obviously more educated than dogs,
but they will NEVER be able to learn how to be so faithful and trustworthy, NEVER. Homer tried (apparently unsuccessfully) to explain it in his Odyssey:

And so these two men
talked to each other about these things. Then a dog
lying there raised its head and pricked up its ears.
It was Argus, brave Odysseus' hunting dog,
whom he himself had raised many years ago.
But before he could enjoy being with his dog,
he left for sacred Troy. In earlier days, young men
would take the dog to hunt wild goats, deer, and rabbits,
but now, with his master gone, he lay neglected
in the piles of dung left there by mules and cattle,
heaped up before the doors until Odysseus' servants
took it as manure for some large field. Argus lay there,
covered in fleas. Then, when he saw Odysseus,
who was coming closer, Argus wagged his tail
and dropped his ears. But he no longer had the strength
to approach his master. Odysseus looked away
and brushed aside a tear—he did so casually
to hide it from Eumaeus. Then he questioned him:
"Eumaeus, it's strange this dog is lying here,
in the dung. He has a handsome body.
I'm not sure if his speed once matched his looks
or if he's like those table dogs men have,
ones their masters raise and keep for show."
Then, swineherd Eumaeus, you answered him and said:
"Yes, this dog belongs to a man who died
somewhere far away. If he had the form
and acted as he did when Odysseus
left him and went to Troy, you'd quickly see
his speed and strength, and then you'd be amazed.
No wild animal he chased escaped him
in deep thick woods, and he could track a scent.
He's in a bad way now. His master's dead
in some foreign land, and careless women
don't look after him. For when their masters
no longer exercise their power, then slaves
have no desire to do their proper work.
Far-seeing Zeus takes half the value of a man
the day he's taken and becomes a slave."
This said, Eumaeus went inside the stately palace,
going straight into the hall to join the noble suitors.
But once he'd seen Odysseus after nineteen years,
the dark finality of death at once seized Argus.

And still everyday it happens that men beat/hang/set-on-fire dogs, often to death, for "fun".
THIS is why I feel much worse after reading about animal cruelty than seeing graphic images of humans: If i see some drunkass being beaten after harassing dozens of people I don't give a shit. But if by disgrace I see a dog (or any other animal, to be honest) being beaten, THEN I could even kill: I realize it's not "ordinary" but I don't care, that IS what I'd really be able to do, if needed.

Hawkeye, the dog who stayed by his master's coffin during a funeral service for fallen Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson, has found a new home. He will now live with Tumilson's good friend, one who took care of Hawkeye when Tumilson was deployed

[Flaka]

[bdjackass318]

I seen this earlier on another website. thanks for posting it on here. dogs are pretty amazing. great post!

[Faline]

What a wonderful story, sad but heart warming in a weird kinda way

[Johnny Wadd]

God bless them all

[kellyhound]

some dogs can be like that.

[Soar]

Brings tears to my eyes every time I see that picture.

[Mr.Goodbar]

Obvious propaganda is obvious.

PsyOp at work

[hal0mega]

aww for christ sake this is too much sadness and cuteness at once, god bless his heart lol

[Nanina]

That video kills me..