Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey are mourning the loss of their beloved dog Blue, just over a month after announcing the death of their other pup Kingy, the first they adopted together.
Blue – who the Ozark actor adopted in 2018, four years before meeting and starting a family with The Big Bang Theory actress – is the third dog the couple has had to say goodbye to in the past year.
Both of them took to Instagram with lengthy tributes to the German Shepherd, with Tom first looking back at the moment Blue first became a part of his pack.
"I got Blue on [Christmas] Eve, 2018. Blue had been at a rescue for over a year, and in that time had been adopted and returned at least 3x, fostered and returned at least as many. He was living in a kennel and 'too aggressive' to have a home," he first recalled.
He continued: "I knew this was my guy. Blue and I got to work [on] Day 1... long walks, training sessions, stability, repetition. Love. A lot of love. He was the most beautiful dog I've ever seen," adding: "I wasn't sure if I would be able to have people to my apartment ever again – I didn't care."
After revealing how the woman who handled Blue's adoption cried when Tom confirmed to her he would be keeping him, he went on to reflect on how he became his true partner.
"Blue went everywhere with me. I stopped flying for work – I drove to every job with Blue. All over the country and back. In our years together I often wondered if he even thought we had a 'home' – we were constantly on to a new job and a new city. The only constant was that we were always together. ALWAYS. He was my home. And I was his," he shared.
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He then detailed how "everything changed" the moment he met Kaley, for the better, further writing: "We had a family! We settled into a home. And the fearsome, snarling Blue became the most gentle 'Shepherd.' He came into a family full of small dogs 1/10 of his size, and he was patient and loving with all of them. He played ball with our baby girl Matilda… he played more gently and softly with her than the most cautious parent."
In Kaley's own tribute to Blue, she confessed: "I have cried harder over the loss of this gorgeous creature than I have in a long time. We have had to put down three dogs in the last year and this one has made me reflect."
"Honestly my first year with Blue was rough to say the least. He didn't love me the way he loved Tom. I had never experienced this before. All dogs love me!" she shared, before adding: "Then I finally understood because I felt the same way about Tom. My love is so deep for him sometimes I didn't want to share him with the world either."
Like Tom, she looked back on the change she saw in Blue when he "finally realized we were a family," writing: "He was amazing. Protective of me and the rest of our pup crew, always on guard. I felt so safe home alone with him and when anyone came to the door I would put Blue on the leash and have him sit right next to me. No one dared mess with us!"
After noting how gentle and loving he was with the couple's daughter Matilda as well, Kaley called back to her own, similar relationship with her beloved dog Norman – who passed away in 2021 – emphasizing how lucky we are "to be loved by animals." In response to her tribute, Tom wrote back in the comments section: "Love you so much – this is so beautiful. 'To be their voice and to teach our children how to love them.' An honor and a responsibility indeed."
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