A pious dog named Capitan failed after sleeping at his master's grave 11 times each night.
The black Alsatian was four times the age of when Miguel Guzmán, who had bought the dog as a gift for his son Damián, died in 2006 at Villa Carlos Paz, near Córdoba, the megacity of Argentina.
The dog faded soon after and the family allowed him to make a new home or he would be killed.
But several months later, on one of their visits to the cemetery during 2007, El Capitan was there. To their surprise, the neighbors told them how they began to feed him when they realized that he slept by the grave every night.
And so the sad dog continued his mournful watch until he died himself for several days at about 15 times of age, reported La Voz daily review.
What surprised the family most was that the cemetery was so far away from where they lived, and Capitan had now escorted them there before fading away.
Six times ago, Mr. Guzman's widow Veronica, contemplating keeping an eye on the pet's grave, told the Cordoba Argentina Review 'We looked for it but it resolved. We allowed that he must have run over and failed.
The following Sunday we went to the cemetery and Damian recognized his pet. Capitan came to us barking and wailing as if he were crying. She added: 'We've now taken him to the cemetery so it's a mystery how he managed to find the place.
We went back next Sunday and there it was again. This time, he followed us home and spent some time with us, but he also made it back to the cemetery before it got dark.
I don't think he wanted to leave Miguel alone at night. Cemetery director Hector Paciga added: 'He showed up at that time, all on his own, and started walking around the cemetery until he finally set up his master's grave.
During the day, he sometimes walks around the cemetery, but always rushes to the grave. And every day, at exactly six o'clock, he would lie down on top of the tomb and stay there all night.
Cemetery workers fed and looked after the faithful dog.
Guzmán's son, Damian, said he tried to bring El Capitan home several times, but always came right back to the cemetery. 'I think he'll be there till he dies, too,' he added poignantly. He takes care of my parents