He came and waited every day...

I love this story. Some of you many know it.
Hachiko was a young Akita (like a small German Shepard) pup when his master died. You see, this dog waited at the train station each day for him to come home from his place of work at Tokyo University. Even after the death of his master, he still returned every evening, for eleven years, hoping to catch him coming off the train... but his poor master never would again. Hachiko himself died in 1935, ever waiting, in the same spot.

And in that spot was erected only a few years later a statue commemorating the faithful dog. During WWII the statue was melted down for scrap metal, but another was built in 1948.

On the anniversary of the unveiling of the first statue, we remember a loyal and sweet dog. Though some say he merely came for the chicken-on-a-stick (yakitori) which he was sometimes found begging for. But others with pets who jump up on their masters in anticipation when they come home from a long day of work or school, just know there's a special bond.

Check out this Wikipedia article for more really neat information about this dog and all his ties to Japanese culture and beyond! He was even involved in a little April Fools joke.