Tugging at the heartstrings of all pet owners.
Anyone who has ever owned a dog knows how that pet hardly ever stays as a pet. They become family. And just like you do with actual family, you feel pain when they are hurting or ill and grieve them heavily when it’s their time to cross that rainbow bridge.
Kelsea Ballerini is wearing her heart on her sleeve as she feels all the emotions about her dog. Ballerini has a fluffy cream goldendoodle named Dibs, and he’s like her child. She is always posting pictures of Dibs, and he goes everywhere with her. Earlier this summer, though, Ballerini asked fans for their thoughts and prayers as she shared that he was diagnosed with heart cancer.
“The last few days we have discovered that Dibby has inoperable cancer in his heart. He’s not in pain, and luckily, it hasn’t spread further.”
Since his diagnosis, Dibs has sadly been on a decline and is in what they think is his final weeks. While her partner in crime is getting sicker, Ballerini is in the prime of her career, with the release of her latest record, Patterns. With that, she’s on tour and doing press non-stop, leading her to show some emotions from her taking care of Dibs to show.
At her album release celebration in Madison Square Garden, Ballerini got extremely emotional when singing “Penthouse.” When Ballerini announced the show seven weeks ago, Dibs was still in good health and was highlighted in the promotional video, which also brought a wave of emotions as they did not think he would make it to the show date.
“We filmed this a few weeks before we learned about Dibby’s diagnosis, which makes this announcement even more emotional and sentimental. He sure did love getting to frolick around NYC and put his happy spirit into MSG to get it ready for us all.”
So when it came to show day, and her beloved dog was still on this earth but very sick, Ballerini got pretty emotional when singing about it. In “Penthouse,” there is a line where she acknowledges the future she wants to have with Dibs by her side.
“I bought the house with a fence
Enough room for some kids, a backyard for Dibs.”
When she got to that line of the song, the audience screamed it alongside her, knowing how much Dibs meant to her. Feeling the love from her fans but also the hurt in her heart that she’s losing her heart dog, Ballerini breaks down. She steps away from the mic and asks the audience to help her out while she composes herself.
“I’m going to need you to take this chorus for me.”
She tearfully says into the microphone, but her emotions take over, and she has trouble making it through the song—rightfully so, though. I am sitting here with tears running down my face for a dog that I’ve never even met, so you can only imagine the flood of emotions she is feeling.
Our thoughts go out to Kelsea Ballerini and Dibs. The bond you share with dogs is something special.
@monsterstargaga “A backyard for dibs.” @Kelsea Ballerini performing “Penthouse” at her SOLD OUT show at The Garden. #thegarden #penthouse #kelseaballerini #msg #patterns #rutwm ♬ original sound – monsterstargaga
Check out some of the comments where fans are empathizing with Ballerini.
“For those of us in our late twenties-30’s who don’t have children, our dog is the only constant we have. Some people just wouldn’t understand. Sweet Dibs.”
“I’m sure dibs got her through the most difficult part of her life, but now he’s not doing well.”
“Sobbing with her. Losing your soul dog is one of the hardest things… and to have to lose him slowly is tough as hell.”
“This just breaks my heart. Such a big year for her professionally but also the hardest with Dibs being sick.”
“The pain knowing those tears are for dibs. I’m crying in the club right now.”
“All I do is cry on this dang app.”
“To all of us who have been lucky enough to know a dog like that…and know that pain. Like this to send our soul dogs our hearts. We miss you…we love you. And we will never stop talking about you.”
“As someone who also bought a house for her dog to have a backyard, I am sobbing.”