December 21, 2020 • bachelor insider
Shawn Booth Pays Tribute to 'Soul Dog' Tucker, Gets Real About Grieving the Loss of a Pet
Pawprints on his heart. Shawn Booth paid tribute to his late dog, Tucker, in a moving Instagram post shared this weekend.
To celebrate what would have been the 12th birthday of his beloved canine companion, the "Bachelorette" alum opened about the "special bond" they had and offered advice to anyone else who is grieving the loss of a pet.
"My man Tuck would have turned 12 today. I get asked almost daily (through emails or dm’s) how to get over the loss of a dog, how to move on, or how long after you should wait to get another one," he wrote alongside a photo of himself and his new golden retriever, Walter, standing beside a mural dedicated to Tucker.
"I don’t know the answer to any of these. For me, I’ll never get over Tuck. He was my 'soul dog,'" Shawn continued. "I’ll miss him just as much 20 years from now as I do today. I’m sure this sounds crazy to everyone out there who hasn’t experienced a special bond with an animal, but I know all big dog guys out there get it."
The Nashville-based fitness professional went on to describe how his relationship with Walter compares to the one he had with Tucker, who passed away in April. "This doesn’t mean I love @walterboothdog any less. It’s a different kind of love. Which is completely fine," he explained. "They are very very different boys which is great."
He added, "I was one of those people who said I would never get another dog and never get another golden after I lost Tucker, and here we are."
Though no dog could ever replace Tucker, Shawn said he believes that "life is way too short to miss out on and having another bond & love with one." He elaborated, "Life is just better with a dog in it, plain and simple. So if you’re on the fence about getting another one, I say go for it. I don’t think you’ll regret it."
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