Pet parents fall in love with their puppies instantly. The days spent together only strengthen this relationship, making it unbreakable. However, as time passes, so does our youth. Just like humans, dogs age and their health naturally declines. It affects us a lot, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything. Our life together is irreplaceable! One dog father, Dennis Gerard, was deeply affected one day when he came home from work to find his older dog, Piper, behaving oddly. Dennis and Piper have been together since Piper was two years old, sharing countless joyful moments over the years.
However, after celebrating Piper’s 17th birthday, notable changes occurred. Piper is deaf, blind and has dementia. Although these changes are not uncommon for a dog Piper’s age, they still have difficulty accepting them for Dennis, especially when he witnesses something particularly traumatic. When Dennis first returned home that day, everything seemed normal as Piper greeted him at the door with kisses and a happy dance, a typical welcoming ritual at home.
But what happened next left Dennis deeply saddened. “Half an hour later, I was making a sandwich and saw him come into the lobby and get ready for me to walk through the door again. He was having a bad day and he forgot that I just got home. He’s waiting for me again, so sad,” Dennis shared in an interview with news week.
Despite the sad circumstances, Dennis’s emotions were complex, tinged with joy. “This is one of those things that is both sad and cute, I love it and hate it at the same time. I was his whole world and it gave me great joy to see how much he loved me,” Dennis reflects.
To share the beauty of life with his senior dog, Dennis started posting videos of Piper on social networks a long time ago. His TikTok account, @dennis.gerard, has attracted significant attention and enthusiastic responses from viewers. “People can really connect emotionally with posts like this,” Dennis said. “I have had thousands of comments and every single one has been positive and uplifting; People share similar experiences with their dogs, both past and present.” The video that inspired this story was especially impactful, attracting many views and diverse reactions.
“Why do these things happen to our children,” one user lamented.
“Oh Piper!!! You are so loved!!!” another person commented.
A third added: “We are the keepers of their souls until they cross the rainbow…. ❤️”
These sentiments capture the essence of the relationship between Dennis and Piper perfectly. To experience the relationship Gerard and Piper share and witness the event the story is based on, watch the TikTok video below.
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@dennis.gerard Piper forgot he’d just greeted me at the back door half an hour ago. He was walking around the lobby waiting for me again, I saw him staring at the wall. I call this being stuck. #Pipertheminpin #dogdaddy #dogdad #piperston #minpinsoftiktok #minpin #minpin #blurryface #minpinsoftiktok💕 #dogsoftiktok #minaturepincher #seniordogsoftiktok #Dementia #agingdog #blurryface #dog #dogsnamedpiper #blinddogsoftiktok
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