Jessica Alba appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show where they discussed her Honest Company’s 10-year anniversary. Before they got to the boring corporate stuff, though, they talked about fun stuff: puppies! Just over four years ago, Jessica suffered the loss of both her dogs in a two-week time span. One of the dogs was Cash Warren’s first dog that he had when he and Jessica married. Jessica was pregnant with her son Hayes when the pups passed away and the loss took such a toll, she needed to mourn before she could open her heart and home to another. Her kids, however, have been asking for dogs for years, including poor Hayes who has never had a dog in the home. So Jessica and Cash adopted two Bernedoodles, which are a cross between a poodle and a Bernese mountain dog. They choose the breed because one of their daughters has a dog allergy, but this breed doesn’t upset it.
On her puppies
They’re Bernedoodles, one’s a miniature and the other one’s a normal size. My daughter is very allergic, Honor, and these dogs she can be around. It teaches [my children] responsibility.They’ve been asking for four years. Four years ago we had dogs and they passed and it was so traumatic. We had to wait until we all healed from it. My son never had dogs before so he’s very jealous. Whenever we pet the dogs he turns into a puppy [and whines like a dog]. We have to cuddle him and ignore the dogs. He goes into the dogs’ [crates]. Lucille and Delores [are the dog’s names]. My kids have weird names: Haven, Honor and Hayes. We need basic, old school, old lady names [for the dogs].
Reading up on the breed, they are also known as Bernese mountain poo, which is what my kids would call them, you can be sure. The first thing listed on several sites is these guys need constant attention, so Jessica having younger kids is good, especially if she has a big backyard. She can set them all outside and let them wear themselves out before bed. This story is hitting me right in the feels. When our dog got terminally sick, I promised my kids an adoption to help them cope as our pup declined. We adopted within a month of his death. I adore my dogs and can’t imagine not having these two particular dogs, but I should have taken a mourning period because I still haven’t grieved properly. I think mourning a pet teaches kids about grief as much as owning a dog teaches them responsibility. But I am thrilled the Alba-Warren family has these ladies to bring them all kinds of fluffy joy.
I also love their names: Lucille and Delores, or Lucy and Dolly as Jessica wrote on her Instagram. Jessica went on to say she wanted names of little old ladies, “who knew some stuff.” My dogs were named after people, but they ended up with old names. I love people’s faces when I call my girl, “Dorothy!” Doofy Dorothy doesn’t know anything… but she sure is pretty.
OMGsh – look at these ladies!
Speaking of adopting dogs: look at Eden who just flew into LA last weekend. He’s almost two years old, friendly with folks and gets along with other dogs. And he’s available for adoption, if anyone is looking to expand their households
Photo credit: Instagram and Avalon Red
Cute dogs and kids. One of my neighbors has 2 of these dogs also and still struggles trying to train them after two+ years. I’m still mourning my Aussie who died in January of old age. My loyal companion for 14 yrs was first my son’s for 2yrs then when he died in a car accident she became mine. So it’s a double whammy, losing that tie to him. I miss terribly the daily affection between us.
I am so sorry for your loss.
Please accept my condolences, @ Southern Fried.
Terribly sorry for your loss
Lots of love your way
Many thanks to you all. It felt good today to acknowledge my loss here since it’s been difficult to talk about.
We waited nearly 3 years after our beloved beagle mix passed before getting a new pup- it honestly would have felt like desecrating his memory to adopt sooner. Like Alba, we got a bernedoodle- she is the absolute best. Full of charm and personality, doesn’t shed or bark, endless energy, loves snuggles and attention.
I only made it ten days after my beloved Sue Ellen died- she was a rescue with some feisty terrier in her. I lived alone at the time and coming home to silent stillness after the joy of a daily doggy love greeting was too painful for me.
Found Jones at the spca 10 days later, also a feisty 12 terrier mix. And he’s been with me for ten years. Sleeping up against me as I type this.
And last year we got an elderly rescue, Walter. He’s having surgery on a low grade cancer tumor on his fuzzy little shih tzu face on Friday. He had a crappy life and for the last year has been getting used to human love and affection, sleeping on the bed all day, lots of treats and walks. He’s just a big pile of fluffy love.
I know losing them will be awful. But it’s worth it to have their love and make them spoiled, doted on creatures who want for nothing – except more access to the cat food bowls.
I am sorry about you loss of Sue Ellen. Please accept my condolences.
I have lost so many cats, dogs and a research rat named Larry. I grew up with this beautiful ranch dog, Negro. I was 16 when he disappeared one night and he was with me for my entire life at the time. We lived on a street in Houston that looked to be a through street, and he would lie in the street just outside of our driveway to keep people from driving too fast down the street. We looked for him for 6 weeks. They say some dogs will go off to be alone when they pass but it was so heartbreaking.
People grieve differently. My first dog died when he was fourteen and I went into a tailspin emotionally. I was shocked at how badly his death hit me spiritually, mentally and physically. It was over a year before I got a new dog. She was the best dog I’ve ever had. It probably sounds stupid, but it was an honor for me to call her mine. She lived for 8 years and was killed by a car. I was staggered by the loss. This time, I made it for just over two months before the huge hole her death left me in became unendurable. It’s really amazing how important they are to our lives and happiness.
I feel this on so many levels. I was overdue with my first baby when I suddenly lost by beloved Boston Terrier. She was only 10, I adopted her when she was 2. It was like someone ripped my heart out. I then had a difficult labor/delivery that turned into a emergency c section and a NICU stay. Everyone is ok now, but man….I struggled so so so hard with her death. My daughter is almost 6 now and I almost feel ready to open my heart again to another dog.
Our 10 month old Great Dane puppy keeled over and died in our kitchen in June 2020. I can’t even begin to describe how devastating this was for our entire family-made worse by being so locked down during Covid. We made plans to get another puppy last summer-and I got cold feet. We still have a 6 year old lab mix and an ancient cat who runs our house-but Mr Contrary and the kids are begging me for another Great Dane puppy. I still don’t feel ready. It’s been almost 2 years and I just want Lucy back.
We are still mourning our 17 yo miniature doxy that passed away last fall. We have two older dogs left and it’s not going to be good when something happens to these gals. One is a 13 yo golden retriever and I might have to take a week off work for that one – she is the best. It’s so hard!!!
Eden looks so much like my girl, Bailey! She’s a mix of we-don’t-know-what; we adopted her from the city shelter almost a year after our Lab, Max, passed. I gave Max to my then-boyfriend for his birthday as a tiny puppy and he asked me to marry him later that day. Max was our first baby and was just amazing with our kids. I was a wreck when he died at 12.
Fast forward about 10 months; my kids were on vacation with my parents and my husband said, “let’s just go look” at the shelter, because we’d decided we wanted to adopt a dog that needed a home when it was time. I told him I wasn’t ready, but went along. Lo and behold, Bailey was the very first dog we saw walking in the door, and I just fell in love with her sweet face. She’s currently laying on the doormat in the front hallway sleeping and keeping me company while I work.
Love to all the pet people; they are the best and we don’t deserve them. Shortly after Max died I read a quote to the effect of “Dogs will give you the very best days of your life, and then one truly awful day.” It’s true, but opening your heart to a new furry friend does help.
I lost my 14 yr old poodle in Dec. My husband and I got her just before we got married and she was our “baby” for 7 years until our other dog joined the family. She was so sick on that last day and I put her on my lap and she turned so she could look at me and I snapped a pic because it looked like she was smiling. A couple hours later she was gone. Someone asked me when we’re getting another dog and I don’t know that I’ll be ready for a long time. Right now we’re just enjoying the time we have with our other one.
In 2008 I rescued a pair of lab puppies who were littermates. One died in 2019, a few months after both my grandma’s died a week apart. The same weekend we had to say goodbye to her, we found out my favorite in law was terminally ill. She died 8 weeks later.
Sweet Boo was on pain meds the last 18 months of his life and the day after I got my second covid shot (4/8/21), we had to say goodbye to him. We just picked up a 3-4 year old rescue lab three weeks ago, and it’s been wonderful.
The only reason it took us a year was because rescue groups have been turning me down weekly since September. Either my kids were too young (5 & 8), or I’m not sure, but it was incredibly frustrating. People would send me posts about specific dogs where the rescue was begging someone to get them, and then when I would get in contact I had to send essays and they would turn us down. I just…. We own our home, I’ve successfully had rescue dogs, my kids grew up around big dogs, I work from home. So frustrating.
Anyway. Cheers to them for getting puppies, my 5 year old is still in the puppy stage herself, which is why we got a young adult 😂. Cheers to all the dog lovers!
I only made it about 2 weeks when my beloved 18 year old kitty passed – a friend contacted me, a friend of hers had rescued a litter of kittens. I went from a single, calm, 18 year old cat to 2 insane kittens, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Everyone has to go at their own pace, but it does help heal.
I wish I waited. My Aussie heart dog passed away in November at 13.5. She managed to survive almost 2 years after an osteosarcoma diagnosis and a rear amputation but the cancer came back full force in her pelvis and spine. I was and still am devastated. I got another Aussie about four months later and he’s my first boy. When I say I regret it, I REGRET it with my whole heart. I was swayed with the fact he’s related to my heart dog. He’s just wild and leash reactive.
My dog passed away right before lockdown started at 17 years old. I was devastated and definitely needed to mourn him. Soon after and up until this day people keep telling me when I am going to get another one. It’s always awkward for me to say I still need some time and I am free to do some traveling and projects that would have been difficult or impossible with a pet. One day yes but in the meantime I am still mourning my little love.
I was about 10 years old when we got him without parent’s consent, bought with economies from my little brother, sister and mine. He was a terrible dog/we didn’t know how to educate him well, but he was the smartest dog, knew all the tricks and had a larger than life personality. Sometimes I see him in my dreams, I still cry my eyeballs out. He lived with us 15 years and another 15 years would pass before I got a new one. He is in my thoughts still so regularly even after all this time.
I agree that everyone mourns differently. My parents were shocked and a little horrified that I adopted a dog so soon after one of our dogs Bruce passed away. They had watched me sob endlessly over him and I told them I could keep putting my energy into grieving or I could open my heart to another dog that needed home and put that energy into training. I still get weepy when I talk or type about any of my dogs because I love them all so much and will always miss them.
But I have zero regrets getting my Angel Rhoda. She was our first girl dog (I live with my husband and our two boys) and she is our first dog that prefers me. She’s a super mutt that was born without knee ligaments and I have paid for one expensive knee surgery and am saving up for the other. I needed her to heal my heart and she needed an owner that was not going to give up on her because of her medical needs. My sister just had to put her rescue down and said she cannot bear the thought of ever adopting another dog. I respect her choice and would never try and push her towards what made me feel better.
I love when dogs have people names
We lost our girl 3 weeks ago, and I’m still raw. She was my baby girl. Having her brother is a comfort, but he’s also an old guy and I know we won’t have him around forever.