04/05/2026
This is a post for those of you who love animals.
Yesterday we said goodbye to Tiggy.
Anyone who has loved a dog knows the bond is profound, but science also backs up what we feel. When humans and dogs look into each other’s eyes, both species release oxytocin - the same hormone that bonds parents and babies. It’s one of the reasons the connection with a dog can feel so immediate, so trusting, and so emotionally safe.
Dogs also live almost entirely in the present moment. They don’t analyse, they don’t judge, they just attach. Psychologists sometimes describe dogs as offering unconditional positive regard, something us humans rarely manage with one another. To be loved by a dog is to be accepted exactly as you are.
Tiggy was a rescue dog, and as such, she carried another layer to that bond. Many behaviourists believe rescued animals often form especially intense attachments to the people who give them safety again. It’s as if somewhere in their nervous system they recognise that they were chosen, and that sense of mutual rescue runs both ways.
Tiggy Piggy was that kind of dog. A rescue Staffie with the biggest heart, and a loyalty that felt almost ancient. She trusted us completely, and we did everything in our power to protect her.
Grief after losing a dog feels surprisingly big. The loss of your companion animal can trigger the same neurological and emotional responses as losing a close family member. And perhaps that shouldn’t surprise us. Dogs share our homes, our routines, our private emotions. They witness the rhythm of our lives in a way few others do.
Yesterday I saw her for the last time. It felt like she knew. There was a pause, a look…a moment of “there you are… I remember you.” Sue told me she stared out of the window, looking for me, after I left.
For a creature who arrived in our lives as a rescue, she gave us a lifetime of loyalty, joy and ridiculous amounts of love.
My special girl, you were very, very loved. 🐾
