Éowyn (our 3-year-old english cream golden retriever) surprises me with her empathy. (None of our other dogs had ever been remotely aware of emotional or physical pain or illness.)
I got home sick with a moderate fever, last week. Éowyn seemed to sense this, and immediately started licking me in the face, instead of excitedly expecting attention from me. When I lay down on the couch (okay, it’s a love seat, we’re short), she brought her big Lamb Chop over—not to play our usual evening game of “tug”—and carefully placed it on me, then lay down next to me. Not long after, she decided that I would be warmer with a dog on top of me. For the past 24 hours, she’s stayed right with me.
Update: I am feeling better, and Éowyn has returned to her usual behaviors. I must now play tug and “bite the hand” with her. She is back to her more typical self—now that I am.