07/21/2025
Swipe through for a tribute to the best dog in the world, Shelby 💔
Saturday was a day I’ve dreaded and pushed to the back of my mind for years. Shelby unexpectedly passed away after 11 beautiful years of life and 8 years of absolute perfection with me and Lauren.
She came into our lives in 2017, right in the heart of downtown Chicago, and she’s been part of our story ever since. She lived with us in Iowa, Madison, and Colorado. She traveled the country with us, flying on more planes than we can count on hands and feet. She’s been there for over 85% of our relationship and wasn’t just our dog. She was our glue.
Every single day, Shelby gave more than she ever took. She beat cancer twice. She carried us through my *second* hardest day—losing her sweet momma, Mavis. She celebrated with us through every achievement and milestone, stood on the sidelines during our wedding weekend, and comforted us through all the heartbreak and uncertainty of trying to build a family of our own.
If you know me and Lauren at all, you know Shelby was our soul dog. She loved life and she loved us.
My final promise to her is to keep her alive in the stories and memories we pass down to our baby boy. To always remember her as an essential part of our family. To treat each other with the same love she gave us. And to write stories for our children that reflect the beauty and grace she brought into our lives.
Shelby was the best dog in the world, and we were the luckiest people to love her.
Love you forever Big Girl 🖤