Spending just one day with a dog can easily make you fall in love with him. Now, you can only imagine what happens after 15 years of life with the furry companion. The bond becomes so strong that it is hardly breakable. 

Sadly, just like is the case with every being, with the years comes the deterioration in health and your pet is suddenly not what it used to be. For the owner who truly loves his canine, this is one of the most devastating moments. 

That’s exactly how Dennis Gerard, a dog owner living in Jacksonville, Florida, felt one day after he got home from work. The strange behavior of his beloved senior dog truly broke his heart. 

Heartbreaking But Sweet Moment

Dennis and his beloved senior dog, Piper, met 15 years ago when Piper was just two years old. They have spent so many happy moments together that it’s hard to count them all.

However, after Piper recently celebrated his 17th birthday, things suddenly began to change.  Piper was no longer the same dog, and the main cause of this was his old age, which made him deaf and blind, and brought him dementia as well. 

Although this is nothing unusual for a dog of his age, it was still difficult for Dennis to come to terms with the fact that his furry companion would never be the same again. Yet, this man was most devastated one day when he got home from work and saw Piper doing something strange.

When he first entered his house in Jacksonville, Florida, nothing unusual happened, as Piper was waiting in the foyer by the back door and then performed his usual ritual of kissing, dancing, and welcoming daddy home. 

However, what followed half an hour later was truly heartbreaking for Dennis. 

“A half-hour later, I was making a sandwich and watched him wander into the foyer and position himself for me to come through the door again. He was having a bad day and he forgot that I’d just come home. He was waiting for me again, it was so sad.” Dennis revealed in an interview for Newsweek. 

Although this was a very difficult moment for Dennis, his overall feelings were still mixed because of the one thing that made him happy. 

“This is one of those things that’s sad and cute at the same time, I love it and I hate it. I am his whole world, and it does bring me great joy seeing how much he loves me.” Dennis concluded. 

The Scene Touched Many

To show people that life with a senior dog is awesome, Dennis started posting videos with Piper on social networks a long time ago. Many of the videos he published on his TikTok account, @dennis.gerard, attracted enormous attention and caused enthusiasm among followers.

“People can really connect emotionally with posts like this,” Dennis said. “I’ve had thousands of comments, and every one of them is positive and uplifting, people are sharing their similar experiences with their dogs both past and present.”

That’s exactly how it was when Dennis shared the video that led to today’s story. In fact, it brought him the most views, and therefore, there were many different reactions and comments. 

“Why does any of this have to happen to our babies 🥺,” one user wrote.

“Awwww Piper!!! You are soooooo loved!!!” another wrote. 

And, the third quipped: “We are the keepers of their souls until it’s time to cross the rainbow bridge…. ❤️🥹”

We couldn’t agree more with the last comment, as the relationship between Dennis and his Piper is the best example of that. The only thing we would add is that our furry friends continue to live even after crossing the rainbow bridge – they stay alive in our hearts.