Dogs are some of the most loyal, loving, and amazing pets that we have ever domesticated. It is no wonder that so many of us look forward to seeing our dogs after a long day out. Not only are dogs sweet and affectionate, but they can also sense when we’re having a rough time. When one little girl’s father passed away, she was having a tough time coping with the loss. Noticing that she was in pain, her dog decided to step in and help mend her broken heart!
20. Tragic Accident
In November 2016, Emily Taphouse’s life would completely change in the worst way possible. That month, she lost her husband, Korey, in a horrible accident. Korey had been struck and killed during a hit-and-run drive.
19. Brokenhearted
Emily was completely devastated and brokenhearted when she found that her husband had passed away. It seemed that no matter what she tried to do, nothing could fill the void that her husband had left behind. Then, one day, a miracle arrived into her life…
18. Grieving
That morning in November, Emily’s entire family was broken. She couldn’t begin to explain the situation her two daughters, Hazel and June, then 4 and 2 years old. As she was older, Hazel was far more impacted by the passing of her father.
17. Explanations
The toughest part for Emily was explaining to Hazel that she would never see her father again. Explaining that concept to a little girl is incredibly difficult. “Telling her that her dad died, and also that she wasn’t able to see him, was almost worse than the accident itself,” Taphouse told The Dodo.
16. Fresh Start
After the accident, Emily decided that it would be best to move so that she and her daughters could have a fresh start in life. She sold their home and moved closer to the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. That was also when she decided that the family could use a new family member…
15. New Family Member
Emily decided that the family could use a new member, so she decided to add a sweet white and brown bulldog puppy to the family! They named the puppy Fern and she seemed to be the perfect addition. The girls were super excited to have a puppy in their lives.
14. A Puppy
Hazel and June were so excited when they found out that they were getting a puppy. They accepted Fern with arms wide open when she finally arrived. Both of the girls immediately snuggled up with Fern and gave her lots of love and attention.
13. A Patch
“It’s like I could feel a patch be placed on my heart,” Emily said. “I watched as my girls squealed and played and loved on her. She changed everything.” Emily began to take Fern out on playdates with other dogs and that’s when she noticed something that would change everything.
12. Lonely
Every time Emily would bring Fern back home after a doggy playdate, she would notice just how sad the bulldog would get. Even though she was getting a lot of love and attention, Fern was missing out on socializing with other dogs. So Emily decided that she had to solve this problem for Fern!
11. New Dog
So Emily began to hunt to find a new dog to add to the family. However, finding one that would be compatible with the family and Fern was proving to be a bigger challenge than Emily anticipated. “It seemed that every dog we were finding in the shelters and adoption groups was either not good with small kids, or kitties, or was too old to keep up with our 1-year-old stinker,” Emily explained.
10. Facebook Post
Emily was close to giving up when she came across a Facebook post that her friend had tagged her in. The post explained the situation of a dog named Juno, a large bulldog that had a very tough past. Emily read through the story and her heart was immediately touched by Juno. “She figured I could help find [Juno] a home, since I’m always trying to help find homes for animals who need them. I took one look at her and said, ‘Yeah. ME!!!’ I just knew,” Emily explained.
9. Love At First Sight
“Her foster mama, Victoria, told me she had been abused and neglected. I was expecting her to be timid, aggressive or frightened. Instead, we sat on the floor to meet her and she happily laid her 74 pounds directly across my 30-pound 4-year-old.” Emily explained that it was, “love at first sight.”
8. Piece of Heaven
“She had previously been hit when she tried to get on the furniture,” Emily said. “I got her home, and we talked her into going on the couch. She looked like she had found a piece of heaven.” However, Emily had no idea just how close Juno and her youngest daughter would become. The two of them found complete solace in one another.
7. Best Friends
Juno and June have become the best of friends and they can be found doing everything together. June also goes out of her way to care for Juno in the sweetest ways. “June cares for her like she’s a small puppy,” Taphouse said. “She asks her if she’s OK, if she can get her anything. She puts blankets on her.”
6. Different Personalities
Fern and Juno both brought very different things to the family and everyone is so grateful to them both. Fern brought with her a playful and energetic personality while Juno is much more calming and snuggly. “She is the most gentle baby,” Emily said while describing Juno. “She quite literally loves anybody and anything. My cats even snuggle up to her.”
5. Helping Out
Juno and Fern have helped out the family in the most amazing way possible. When everyone in the family was feeling at their lowest, Fern brought with her a fun and playful attitude. However, when the loneliness began to creep up, Juno came in and brought with her a ton of love and reassurance.
4. Building Strength
The two bulldogs have helped Emily in quite a profound way as well. Whenever she sees the dogs cuddling up with her daughters or playing around, she is filled with an enormous strength that helps her get by each day. She is so grateful to her two dogs for bringing so much love and happiness back into all of their lives.
3. Survival
“There was a time when I wasn’t sure I was going to survive this. I wasn’t sure I wanted to,” Emily said. “Therapy, medication, all of it just didn’t seem enough to get me through this. I can say with 100 percent honesty that the combination of these dogs and Hazel and June have done more for me than any medical professional has.”
2. Healing
Through the help of her dogs, Emily has been able to heal in a profound way. “They are light and healing in the sweetest packages,” she added. The dogs are also so grateful to be in a loving home where their unique personalities are appreciated.
1. Happy Family
Although Emily and her daughters have undergone quite a traumatic event, it hasn’t stopped them from progressing in life. Thanks to their wonderful dogs, these three wonderful ladies have managed to find happiness once again!