A dog whose loyalty to the end captured the hearts of so many has been given a free makeover to ensure he is at his handsome best at his master’s funeral.
The story of how nurses allowed Shep the border collie into Ninewells Hospital for a final moment with owner Peter Robson led to a flood of emotion here and across the world last week.
After tens of thousands of views on The Courier website, the story was picked up by media outlets across the UK and abroad — with interest from as far away as the United States and Canada.
While Mr Robson’s relatives continue to grieve the loss of the much-loved head of the family, the House of Howlers Dog Grooming service, in Lorne Street, waived their fee to ensure Shep is looking tip-top when Mr Robson is laid to rest next week.
Peter’s son, Peter Robson Jnr, said it is only right that Shep should be in attendance when family and friends gather to say a final farewell at the funeral on April 11.
Peter, 44, said: “We lost our mum nine years ago and we got dad the dog a year later.
“They were inseparable. He used to walk him four times a day every day.
“And Shep is missing him. When my sister drove him to the groomer’s he barked as he passed my dad’s street.”
The family have received countless goodwill messages after sharing their story on Facebook, and Peter, who will be taking care of Shep in future, believes the reaction has helped them cope with Mr Robson’s death from pulmonary fibrosis.
https://www.facebook.com/ashley.stevens.995/videos/10156367805036392/?permPage=1
“I think it has helped the grieving process because my dad would have loved that the nurses received recognition for what they did,” he said.
“He didn’t like bothering them because he thought their jobs were hard enough. He would be really happy to know they have received so much praise.”
Former scrap metal burner Mr Robson and his wife Joan, who died in 2009, had five children and an extended family of 35 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“He was still joking…”
And although the funeral will inevitably be a sad occasion, Peter said his dad would expect them to remember the good times — and enjoy plenty of laughs.
“My dad was a jokey person,” said Peter. “He even joked all the way through his last day. Even a half-hour before he passed he was still joking.
“The family are getting on OK. We just see that he’s going back with my mum as well. The reason he got Shep was because he missed her so much.”
“It really touched me…”
Howlers Dog Grooming owner Shauni Piggott said: “I’ve groomed Shep a couple of times in the past and I could see how much he meant to Mr Robson and the family.
“When I saw the video of them in the hospital it really touched me, so I thought it would be a nice thing to do it for free for the family.
“He had his bath and full dry, his hair cut, nails clipped ears cleaned — and a wee blueberry facial as well!”
Shauni said Shep was a pleasure to work on, and she hopes he learns to cope without his much-loved owner.
She added: “He’s so well behaved. The whole time he was here he was so chilled out — he has a lovely nature.”
