When you head out into the woods for a hike, you never know what you’ll find. Between the plants and animals you see, it’s always different every time. But Alyssa certainly wasn’t expecting to find friendship for both her and her gorgeous Great Dane, Kernel, while walking on a trail.
And as you may have expected, it was curious Kernel who brought them all together.
On a few separate hiking adventures, Alyssa and her pack passed the same older couple on the trail. And every time, she noticed that they were smiling at her Great Dane, Kernel. When they finally had the chance to interact, the gentle giant instantly fell in love with them both. He was sure to smother the couple in love every time they ran into each other after that. This wasn’t too much of a surprise to his mom, as Kernel has been known to favor older ladies.
Then one day, they saw her hiking the trail all alone. So Alyssa asked about her husband. Sadly, she shared that he had passed away. This hit Alyssa really hard, as the couple reminded her so much of her own grandparents, for whom she is still mourning.
When Alyssa and company ran into her on the trail again, the woman shared that she had purposefully come out that day hoping to find them. Naturally, they knew they needed to exchange information. Now, she accompanies the pack on their hike at least once a week.
Alyssa owns an off-leash dog walking company, so Kernel and the pack give the new widow a sense of friendship as well as some much-needed time in nature.
“It’s just so much fun to see them running around smelling their smells. I feel welcomed. It’s just a wonderful treat,” she said.
After a few outings with them, the woman asked to be Kernel’s new pack grandma. She loves to walk him. She also loves to take his picture, as she was once a professional photographer and he is an incredibly handsome subject.
They have become the best of friends. In fact, they have all grown so close that she even invited Alyssa and Kernel over to her home for a Mother’s Day meal!
“It was Kernel’s taking to Cal (the woman’s now-deceased husband) that I think we both found very special,” says Alyssa.
As she navigates the loss of her husband, Kernel has given her a sense of routine and friendship. After all, what’s better than going for a walk in the woods with your best fur-ends?
Watch the entire heartwarming tale of Kernel and Grandma’s friendship below. And, to keep up with Kernel and his many adventures, follow him via his Instagram page.
Featured Image: YouTube
