Gary Allan's dog Lucy, a goldendoodle (part golden retriever, part poodle) often seen on stage with her human dad, died recently. The country singer broke the news on Monday (Aug. 16) via social media.
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"RIP Lucy!! Lost a great one today, you'll always be missed," Allan wrote on Instagram.
Country artist Randy Houser shared his condolences and a funny story about a dog that'd become a regular at country music festivals.
"Awe man. Never forget her," Houser wrote. "She was awesome. That time Jerrod and I dressed like dogs and came onstage. Lol. She hated us so bad!!!"
Allan, a singer-songwriter from California, spoke about Lucy in interviews, such as a 2018 chat with Go San Angelo during which he said that "she travels with me and comes onstage each night during our encore."
A May 2013 feature by AL.com identified Lucy as being 4 years old at the time, so she would've been 12 or 13 when she passed away. In that same story, Allan called Lucy "the smartest dog I've ever had."
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As anyone who's lost a pet recently knows all too well, adjusting to a new routine is a big part of the grieving process. Allan made Lucy part of living off a tour bus and other elements of being a Nashville star, so reminders of his best friend will be hard to escape. Luckily, Allan has multiple dogs still, increasing the odds that a pet steps up and helps fill the Lucy-shaped void in his heart-- not that she can be replaced.
Country music fans first met Allan 25 years and four No. 1 hits ago. He's been on the MCA Nashville roster since the 1999 release of Smoke Rings in the Dark. His most recent studio album, Ruthless, was released on June 25.
