The story of Robin Gibb and his dog
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When Robin Gibb was in hospital, he longed to be home and walk in the garden with his dogs, Ollie and Missie. Ollie died quite prematurely earlier this year, and Dwina Gibb told us the story about Robin Gibb and his dog as we chatted on the phone about what is being planned for Robin this year.
Ollie was Robin Gibb’s loving and protective dog. When Robin was at home, Ollie was never far from him.
Dwina Gibb reminisces:
Ollie was only three but after Robin left he had this osteosarcoma and had an operation for that about six months before he died. Then he only had three legs, but he was like a kangaroo, leaping and running. He was a very happy dog. Robin loved him very much.
When Robin used to play the keyboards, Ollie used to come and just stand behind Robin, and he would lean against him. Then Robin would put his hand down and ruffle his head. And Ollie would stand there for an hour, for two hours, when Robin was playing the keyboards, composing and singing. Ollie would lean against him and listen to him singing. Whenever Robin was in the garden, having tea, Ollie would be sitting about twenty yards away from him, guarding him from the rabbits, making sure none of the rabbits should come near him. If there were rabbits in the garden, he would chase them away and then come back and guard Robin again. When Robin passed, Ollie howled. It was a huge primitive howl. When the casket came back to the house the day before the funeral, Ollie went up and sat beside him. We had to leave the door open, because Ollie wanted to stay up there to be close to Robin.
Every sunny day, Robin loved to sit and have his tea outside in the sunshine, and read the paper, with the dogs by his feet. Then he would take the dogs for a walk around the grounds.
Even for an Irish Wolfhoud, a big breed that has a relatively short life span of five or six years, Ollie’s life was short. It sounds like Ollie died from grief and loss.
There is a beautiful picture of Robin and Ollie walking in the garden. We have decided not to use it in this article as it is going to be featured elsewhere.
(Thanks: Dwina Gibb)
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