Beyond Bobby – Edinburgh’s famous dogs
But Edinburgh is a city of animal lovers, and Bobby is not the only famous dog whose life has been commemorated. Here are some of Edinburgh’s other famous dogs.
Bum the dog
Did you know that Edinburgh is twinned with San Diego? And to honour the partnership, the cities gifted each other statues of their most beloved dogs.
Bum the dog was a stray much loved by the people of San Diego in the 1880s. Bum was known for riding in San Diego’s ‘streetcars’, joining parades, and sleeping on busy streets. Bum was so loved by everyone that his image was featured on local dog licenses even as he was officially made exempt from needing one himself.
You can see the statue of Bum in St Cuthbert’s churchyard, just by Princes Street Gardens.
Maida, Sir Walter Scott’s dog
Sir Walter Scott was one of the most influential writers of the 19th century, and his dog Maida was a huge influence on him.
Maida was a deerhound and was said to be Scott’s favourite dog, although he owned and loved many dogs in his life. He suffered hugely when they passed and is quoted as saying: ‘I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?’
Scott spent most of his life living in Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders, and in 1846, he was honoured with a huge monument in Princes Street Gardens. It’s the second-largest monument to a writer in the world and features a statue of Sir Walter Scott sitting with his beloved Maida at his feet, memorialised together forever.
Soldiers dog’s graves
In a corner of Edinburgh’s most significant building, Edinburgh Castle, lies a dog cemetery. This is the final resting place of a number of faithful dogs who served alongside their soldier masters, including Fido, the first dog to be buried here in 1847, Jess, band pet of the Black Watch 42nd Higlanders, and Dobbler, who served his country across the world.
The graveyard is not open to the public but can be viewed from above from within the castle’s grounds.
Toby, James Clerk Maxwell’s dog
James Clerk Maxwell was a Scottish physicist and mathematician, and one of the most important scientific figures in the world. He was responsible for the first theory to describe electricity, magnetism and light as different manifestations of the same phenomenon. And he loved dogs.
Maxwell and his wife had many dogs in their lifetime, and many of them were named Toby. It’s said that Maxwell’s one-way conversations with his dog would help him work through difficult maths problems and make sense of his thoughts.
On George Street in Edinburgh, there’s a statue honouring James Maxwell Clerk and his contributions to science, and of course, Toby sits at his feet, forever supporting his master in his work.