I'll try to think of good stories, but I have this to offer right now.
My Dad is your typical dad. He works hard and he's a Harley driving tough guy. When our Shih Tzu, Angie passed away my Dad was so depressed and visually upset that he missed three days of work. It's VERY rare to see my Dad this way. The impact of her death hit him and me so hard because she was seen as an equal in our house.