Man's Best Friend: UPDATED

One of the happiest moments of my husband's homecoming was when he finally got to see our dog again. Our pets really are members of the family, as many of you have reminded us here at SpouseBUZZ. Check out this video of an airman who greets his dogs after a 14-month deployment.

Melts the heart.

Hat tip: Dave in Texas

We'd love to hear your stories. Tell us what happened when your spouse was reunited with the family pet(s).  

UPDATE 2/9/09:  Pet Lovers, You need to click here to see another amazing video of two puppies rescued by soldiers in Afghanistan.  

Comments

[Penny]

When Dh got back this weekend from being away for training, our dog Nike started dancing.. Literally, jumping on his hind legs, going around in circles with his little paws in the air.. hehe :)

[Sarah]

Oh man, that made me laugh and cry all at the same time.
Some days I think my husband misses the dog more than he misses me. I hope our dog does the same thing to him when he gets home.

[Slightly Salty]

My dogs did the same thing when Obi-Wan got back from his last deployment. They went bonkers and were so excited they didn't know what to do with themselves.

[Marine Wife]

Was anyone else afraid the black dog was in danger of wagging his tail right off?

[Tania]

My dog is really nervous around people and will charge them barking his head off. It's been a while since he saw my husband and it will have been a year when he finally does. So I hope he doesn't go ballistic when he hears a deep male voice he's not used to hearing. He better remember his daddy!

[Penny]

Tania, when my husband came back from his 15 month deployment, Nike barked his little head off at him.. But by the end of the day, they were best pals again hehe.. :)

[Andi]

We had the opposite experience, I'm afraid to say. Our dog was thrilled to see my husband when he first walked in the door, but rather than follow him around and pal around with him for the first few days, he clung to me mostly. I know it's because he was used to having only me around for months, but it hurt my husband's feelings, and that broke my heart.

But, it wasn't long until they were back to being inseparable and I was chopped liver again....

[Navy Guy's Girl]

When my dad came home from the first Gulf War, it was alot like this video. Our Black Lab barked his head off for a few minutes and we thought that my dad's only "war wound" would be a dog bite. Then, all of a sudden, the light bulb went on in the dog's head, and the licking, whining slobber-fest ensued. It took him almost 5 minutes just to get down the front hall. =)

[Erin]

That is so cute! We don't have any pets, but that's such a touching video!

[alinka]

My husband had a Siamese cat. Now, Siamese cats are rather possessive, so I guess he felt really betrayed when my DH was suddenly gone. He decided to "adopt" me instead. That worked well until DH came home. I don't know if the Siamese was angry or jealous, but if my DH ever left anything (clothes, gear) on the floor, the Siamese cat would make sure to leave a souvenir on it. It drove my DH nuts but I found it rather amusing - and the house was also suddenly a lot tidier.

[Liza]

Oh,those dogs are so sweet! Want to have a pet also.

[SeabeeSeniorWife]

One of the best videos I've ever seen! Loved it!!
When my hubby was gone, our one cat missed him terribly. He would walk around the house and cry for him, then sit on the couch in hubby's spot and just pout. He was nineteen years old and I didn't think he would make it until hubby returned but he did and was so happy to have him home. We lost him two months after hubby returned but I know it meant the world to my hubby when he returned.

We also have a dog that acted just like these two dogs upon hubby's return. Gotta love the loyalty of a pet.

[Lyn/Army wife]

That video just melted my heart! My husband just deployed today but has been gone for 90 days training out of state, our animals, cats and dogs miss him dearly, almost as much as me. Each time he came for leave they did that. I can hardly wait for him to come home in 12 mo. for them to see him. Then me and the kids will get to see him. lol Welcome Home Soldier!

[germany bound]

First of all, these dogs are so cute. I love the video. Our dogs are like family as well.

We had a yorkie when my husband left for a year back in '94. When my husband first left, our dog would wait at the door for him. I did daycare for other Air Force families, everytime our dog would see someone in BDUs he would go nuts. When my husband did come home, Teddy went nuts like these dogs.

[Margie Dominach]

That was the sweetest video I've ever seen. Thank you for sharing it with us. It is a perfect example of unconditional love. It was touching to see how much your husband loves his dogs also. It made us cry happy tears.

[Lori]

Absolutely one of the sweetest videos I've ever seen. I'm laughing and crying at the same time!

[Wanda Felt]

My husband was in the military for 20 years, and our dog loved it when he came home. This video really made me cry. I love dogs and I love and respect our military.

[Shawnee456]

Thank you so much for sharing that video. That was probably the best homecoming a soldier could ask for. The love between the three of them reallly filled my heart.

God Bless all our soldiers. They should all be welcomed home with that much enthusiasm!!!

And, thank you for your service to our country

[hawaii friend]

that just made me cry my frickin eyes out. welcome home. dogs rule!

[A grateful civilian]

Fantastic! Welcome home and thank you so much and to each and every one of you that have actively served and protected our country and also those of you that have patiently waited to welcome them back home -- four legged and two !!!

[kenny]

dogs unconditionally make us better people.

[mary]

that was a great video. i have a border collie too. they are so smart and never forget. That me me laugh and cry as well. Thank you soldier for serving our country

[Carol Gilmore]

I just wanted to say "thank you" to this wonderful man. What a great homecoming. Thank God he is back home.

Thank you and may God bless you.

[Jan]

I love how the black dog put its front paws around the soldier's neck to hug him...I am so thankful for our military men and women.

[Denise McKellar]

Wow! Made me cry and laugh too! We have paets but husband is not in the military anymore. Our dogs do that EVERY time we come home from even short visits. I can imaning how this soldiers dogs felt after a LONG deployment!! Gos bless our troops and kepp them safe so there will be may more reunions like this!!

[MARY CLEVELAND]

This is such an expression of love between this soldier and his dogs!
We just lost our little 16 year old cat last week and it is certainly a hard thing to go through. A little boy who lost his dog asked a priest if he would ever see his little pet again. The priest replied: "whatever you loved in this life .... will be there!

[Sue Thompson]

I am tearing up as I watch this. My husband just got back from Iraq at the end of September and I really though our shar-pei would wag her tail off when she saw him at the airport. She was shy with him for a few days but now, I've become chopped liver. LOL... God bless our troops!

[Rob]

We owe so much to our military and we thank you all for everything. It's so good to see this serviceman reunited with his family.

[Second Chance Barnyard]

This is awesome. Our founders son is leaving on his 4th, yes 4th, deployment to Iraq. I hope this is what he comes home to everytime! Thank you sooooooooo much to our soldiers. What a hard, emtional job you have and thank you for keeping us safe.

[Jaclyn]

You are one lucky family to have such great companions like those two. Dogs really are family

[karen johnson]

Wow that made me cry and laugh too, it was a great video it just shows that dogs never forget, thought it was lovely the way both dogs greeted him and the way the black dog put its front paws around his neck to give him a big hug.

[Megan]

I'm now sitting at work with tears in my eyes! Please thank your husband for his service!

[Melyssa]

That is the sweetest thing I have seen.... bout made me cry..lol Glad your husband came home safe.

[Nancy Key Pearson]

Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us...I watched it on Thanksgiving, and it made me cry with happiness,..sincerely, Nancy Key Pearson, Lake Jackson, Texas

[Cary Waggoner]

Thank you for the video. May God bless you and your husband!

[Chris Corcoran]

I pray as much as I can for our military people,may God keep you safe. I love the dogs,verry sweet!

[Melissa Lambert]

It just brought tears to my eyes! I'm a dog lovertoo. God bless your family and all of our troops

[Grateful]

Thank you for the unselfish sacrifice this soldier and his family have made. We are forever in your debt. You and all your military brothers and sisters are in our hearts and prayers. This video is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. God bless you and your family.

[Jacki May]

O my Gosh I am still crying as write.When children and animals love we know it is true love. Thank God for our men and women that protect us. God Bless you.

[Edie Sherman]

At the end of an often long and frustrating work day, I look forward to seeing my dog, Ricky, so much. He gives me kisses and love everyday.
The video was spectacular. The dog who put his paws around the soldier's neck melted everyone's heart.

[Patricia]

Beautiful video - thanks for sharing it! We adopted a new dog just 10 weeks before my husband was killed on active duty. I know that he must have found a way to tell her that she had to take care of me because she greets me like the black dog in this video does - whether I'm gone 15 minutes or a couple of hours. She also seems to know when I'm hurting because she crawls into bed with me, and it's very comforting.

[Twila]

that was wonderful. I have a great son in law in Navy and their little dog is the same way when he comes back from deployment. He is so wonderful everyone loves him. Thanks to all the soliders.

[Elizabeth]

I am no part of the military, but I can imagine how dogs will always remember their owners. Whether they are in the military or not. They have the remarkable memory of who has been in their lives, and out of their lives. My dog, Sammi, whenever I go to my dad's house and back to my mother's house, she goes crazy, and is hopelessly lost without me.

And for a friend, her dog does not eat when the family goes on vacations without her, she has to be supervised to eat in order for her to not starve, and it's the greatest love that a dog has.

No matter what happens to the dog, the dog continues to love their owner even more and more, and will always love them. That is true loyalty and love right there. (:

This video is so cute. And heart touching.

[Tamdeen]

A friend's son, who has a Golden Retriever named Happy, was sent to Iraq. The son and Happy were/are very close and while the son was in Iraq, he would send home sweaty t-shirts to give to Happy. Happy put them in her bed and slept with them.

After his tour of duty, the son returned home and when he walked through the door, Happy looked at him, took one sniff and fainted. Everyone thought Happy had died, but soon Happy woke up and got so excited she hyperventilated and fainted again.

[Carla Air Force Mom]

Loved the video, made me cry and laugh. When our son came home from AIT (Airforce) both our dog and cat followed him everywhere he went. Hunter our Siberian Husky talked to him which got the cat meowing all night long. When we got up the morning after he came home, Hunter was laying right next to him and the cat right on top of him. I don't think Jake minded at all. It was great to see. Jake is now in Japan and we all miss him terribly. I want to pass on my thoughts and prayers to all of you and your loved ones around the world. God Bless!

[V]

why isn't the wife that happy?

[Wanda]

All I can say is Priceless....and glad you made it home safely....and thanx for all you do for our Country..its so appreciated!!

[Elena]

We all should greet our soliders with that much love! Well, maybe not jumping on them and I guess the licking isn't a good idea. But,it sure makes dogs look smarter then us!

[Sue]

I just love the video of the pups welcoming the airman back.
The dogs expressed their thanks and love in a way that we humans never could. This video is fun to watch over and over. It makes me want to give another "Thank You" for all of the men & women who work to keep our country free.

[veteran USAF wife]

This should come with an official tissue alert! Thanks for sharing it with the world and a thank you to you & your soldier for all he's done to serve. (remember ladies, behind every great man...your guys...stands a great woman! Thanks for serving our country in your own way by supporting and loving your men in uniform! You rock, too... :0)

[Nana in Florida]

Absolutely wonderful homecoming video!! My eyes are filled with tears and my heart is bursting with happiness watching this reunion. Love and prayers to Dave and all his family -- God bless you all.

[dee]

"Daddy's Home!" "Daddy's home!" There's nothing like the love of a dog. That brought tears to my eyes. Great video.

[Myriam]

This is so beautiful I am still crying, thanks for share this with the rest of us,more I know people more I love my dogs

[Long Way From Home]

7 more months until I can see my 2 dogs again. My wife knows I miss them more than her (but not by much). Last time I got home was like that. One of them was so happy she peed herself.

[Faith Gawryluk]

That was so precious. My husband was Korean Veteran and I lost him last March. Our dog Dusty missed his daddy for weeks. He still sleeps on Steve's side of the bed. Thank you for this video and thank you all for your service.

[Jayne]

Awww that was so sweet. To watch those dogs greeting him with love like that brought tears to my eyes it was so touching.

[JEAN]

THAT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES DOGS ARE WONDERFUL REALLY THE BEST FRIEND YOU CAN EVER HAVE

[Carol]

Thank you for sharing this special video. Thanks too for your service and sacrifice on our behalf. God's blessings to all of you!

[Linette]

I live with a Marine and a German Shepherd, so this hit very close to home for me. Wonderful video! Thanks for sharing. :)