Kenny Chesney Mourns Loss Of Beloved Dog After 15 Years: 'You Were One Heaven Of A Dog'

Kenny Chesney is mourning the loss of his beloved dog, Poncho.

Chesney posted photos and a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. He shared that he lost Poncho at 5:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning (October 28).

"Fifteen years ago a friend showed up at my doorstep and said here Kenny, you need to learn to attach to something. That's the day Poncho entered my life," Chesney wrote. "I've heard a dog enters your life when you need it most. And not just any dog, a specific dog just for you. To help you, to heal you, to show you how to accept unconditional love and give it back. Poncho did all that and more. He brought so much joy, energy, light, and fun into mine and Mary's life. He was a constant companion, very curious, had swagger, and smarter than the average human.

"He loved being on the boat, the bus, backstage with Jill and the production team. He loved the smell of the ocean and the islands like his dad and loved all the smells walking down the streets of Key West, Florida," Chesney continued. "One of his proudest moments was prancing on stage at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2024. I thought it would scare him but he loved feeling the energy of the crowd and refused to leave the stage. Instead of being timid, he was a show off a lot like me. That was a favorite moment in 15 years of favorite moments.

"We lost Poncho at 5:15am this morning and my heart is broken but yet so full cause I know he gave us all he had," the country star posted. "We went down a lot of roads, lived a lot of life, and saw a lot of sunsets together. Poncho, my friend was right. I needed you and I thank you. Our connection and our bond will live forever and I'm gonna miss you. Say hello to [Da Ruba Girl] for us."

Chesney lost Ruby , Da Ruba Girl, in 2022, and released a song in her honor to benefit Stray Rescue of St. Louis. He said at the time that "Ruby's life gets to mean something. …Ruby's life is gonna pay it forward, if you will, through this song. …I'm very, very proud of that." Chesney said last year that losing his dog "was as terrible as any friend I've ever had that has passed," when he appeared on Anderson Cooper's CNN podcast, All There Is.

"Goodbye Poncho," Chesney wrote on Instagram. "You were one heaven of a dog."