Our pets hold special places in our hearts – even after they’ve moved on. We often grow up with a special pet that in some ways, defines our childhood. Throughout their whole life, they give us love and never ask for anything in return (well, maybe a treat or some cheese now and again).
Growing up with a pet is an amazing thing, so we rounded up some of the best “before and after” examples of people with their furry friends. Beware, this might get emotional!
1. “My 8th Birthday present, Kimba, is now 16 years old.”
This cat used to hate being picked up, and judging by her expression she still does now! This grumpy old girl has been best friends with her owner since she was eight years old, so they’ve well and truly grown up together. The pair must have such a special bond.
2. “My cat and me 14 years ago and today”
How sweet that this super-sassy kitten grew into, well, a super-sassy adult. Fourteen years later, and we love that this pair still cuddle up together for a nap. There’s really nothing more precious than taking a nap with your pet.
3. 10 Years Goes By Fast
Can we just talk about how this dog doesn’t seem to have aged at all? Aside from his face becoming a little more orange, (which could just be a trick of the light) this gorgeous boy has stayed pretty much exactly the same! Does anyone know what anti-aging cream he uses?
It’s so sweet that his owners still have the same collar and leash for him. Some things never change.
4. “My Connie: 6 weeks old and 9 years old”
She might be much bigger now, but this springer spaniel is still game for cuddles. We love how her beautiful markings have stayed almost exactly the same. Nine years later and her owner still loves her just as much as the day she brought her home.
5. “From the first day to the last day I ever saw my boy Toby”
We love to see how this pooch transformed from a nervous little pup to a happy adult dog who had truly lived his best life. That’s exactly what happens when a dog grows up in a caring family, and we can tell this fur baby was well-loved. How beautiful that he was still smiling in some of his last moments here on earth.
6. ‘Still his favorite spot after 7 years!’
Forget romance, we want a dog who looks at us the way this sweet pit bull looks at his owner. After seven years together, he still has his favorite spot and his owner knows better than to not let him have his way. No matter how heavy your dog gets, if they want cuddles, then they get cuddles!
7. 15 years apart
Fifteen years is a good lifetime of snuggles and love, and the original poster reassures us that, “I know she’s not ready to leave me any time soon!”
We love how as the girl has grown, so has her kitty! He’s always been the perfect fit for snuggling up in her arms, and their bond is clear for everyone to see.
8. 1998-2018
This squishy floof started off big and fluffy, and twenty years later, she’s still big and fluffy! Cats are known for living into their late teens and early twenties (why else do you think they have nine lives?) but we’re amazed at how youthful this kitty is still looking at twenty years old. If we had a cat that fluffy, we’d never stop cuddling her.
9. ‘Lil guy wouldn’t let me hold him this year, but here’s another year later!’
The fully grown pooch clearly was thinking about his dad’s back when he refused to be picked up for the third photo. Despite growing over three times his size, this pooch has aged like a fine wine and is still looking as beautiful as ever! Believe it or not, this big guy is only just over two years old. Next year, the dog will be holding the guy.
10. “Our dachshund, Roofus, is 11 years old now and still the goodest boy.”
The thing with dachshunds is that they’re quite a small breed of dog, meaning that not much growing is required from when they are a puppy. That’s certainly the case with Roofus, whose name we’re obsessed with by the way. This little guy has barely grown at all, and the only obvious changes are the hints of gray in his fur. But you know what they say: He may be grayer, but he’s a stayer!
11. Recreating a 15 Year Old Picture To Say Goodbye
It seems like the bigger this dog grows, the happier he gets. Look at that sleek fur! It’s heart-breaking that his owners had to say goodbye to him, but it won’t be goodbye forever.
12. ‘The First And Last Night With My Pup. Rest In Peace.’
How sweet is it to look at this first pic and see the little boy and his pup with their whole lives ahead of them. That journey may now have come to an end for this sweet pooch, but he lived a rich and happy life with his owners. We’re not crying, it’s just our allergies.
13. ‘This is Brandy and I on her first birthday, and 14 years later on her fifteenth.’
We don’t know about anyone else, but the first thing we noticed about these two pics was how the pair seemed to swap facial expressions for the second photo. Most people feel a little sad about growing older, so it melts our hearts to see that that fourteen years later, this sweet pup has only become happier! There’s so much joy in these pictures.
14. 3 years of friendship
The dog’s facial expression in the first pic seems to say, “it’s hard work raising kids,” but the obvious love shared in the second snap makes it all worth it. If this is the pair’s bond after three years, we can’t even imagine what it will be like in years to come. Dogs really are one of the best companions.
15. Then and Now.
Isn’t it adorable that like humans, animals can also go gray when they age? We think his gray fur makes him look like a distinguished old gentleman, and we love how this old boy still has time for kisses with his owner. You can tell that they’ve been friends for life.
16. Best Friends Since 1997
These posts are making us believe that dogs really do become even happier as they grow. This old boy looks like he learned how to smile from his owner! These are truly pictures to be cherished.
17. True Love, 13 years later.
We love the fact that thirteen years later, it’s clear that the little boy has grown into a man – but meanwhile, the pup remains as cute and fluffy as ever. Have you ever seen a more adorable dog? We could cuddle up with this little floof for hours!
18. ‘My Dog And I, 1998 And 2012’
What’s funny about these two pics is that while the girl’s hair ended up darker, her pooch’s fur began to get lighter! His smile also grew bigger, which once again confirms our theory that dogs get happier as they age. How are dogs so darn photogenic? We need to take some tips.
19. ’11 years makes a big difference’
We love how this guy was so committed to recreating the same picture that he even dug out the exact same pair of shorts for the snap. He’s finally grown into his shorts, just like his sweet pooch who has finally grown into those ears! If we had a dog that fluffy, we would cuddle him all day.
20. ‘Someone dear to me passed away today. This is my best friend Genevieve, on the first day we met, and the last day.’
Boy, it is getting emotional in here. It seems painfully unfair that humans can live on until their eighties, nineties, or even hundreds, whilst dog’s life spans are significantly shorter. But nevertheless, it’s amazing to see just how much these fur babies enjoy the short time that they have. We have no doubts that Genevieve had a great life.
21. “17 years with my beautiful pup”
He might be an old boy, but he still loves his basket and his owner with all his heart. Although his mom is unable to fit in his basket anymore, she’s always close by for cuddles or petting. The family is hoping that he lives a little longer, but not for reasons that you may be thinking of!
‘We’re hoping she makes it to 18, then she can move out and start contributing to society! Haha’, the OP joked.
22. Best Friends Since 1999
Over 20 years later, and this cat still has the exact same opinion on being picked up. According to the owner, this kitty lived a full and happy life until twenty years old, so she really did make the most of those nine lives! What a beautiful little ball of floof.
23. ‘Same boy, same dog, same couch… 16 years apart.’
Like the couch, some things don’t need an upgrade, and this pup was staying close by his owner’s side for life. They say that owners start to look like their dogs, and that’s certainly the case for this pair. Those luscious locks that the man is sporting in the second pic have a strong resemblance to his pooch’s fur, and we’re living for it!
24. ’17 years later, Dodger the doxie is on his way to outlive the whole family.’
Why does it look like if anything, this adorable pup seems to get smaller? We have to give this guy some credit for successfully recreating that outfit as well – who knew that 17 years later, he’d still have the same fashion sense?
25. ‘…and in between, 13 years of the best dog a kid could ever have.’
This is meant to be a cute pet pic, but all we can think about is that guy’s hair. How is it so shiny? Is there a special kind of shampoo to give it volume like that? We need answers.
But also, the dog is totally adorable.
26. ‘First moments and last moments with Bluto, 15 years apart.’
These two pictures really caught us right in the feels. After fifteen happy years, how beautiful that this fur baby was surrounded by such love in his final moments. Dogs are truly a big part of the family.
27. 16 Year Difference
The only obvious change in these two pictures is that the OP got herself a pair of glasses! Her little guy may not have grown, but the grey patch around that sweet little tongue shows that he’s now a mature gentleman. He’ll always be the perfect size for cuddles.
28. ‘My daughter and our dog – 12 years later.’
This old guy has just turned fifteen, and next to his owner he looks as if he’s shrunk! How adorable that these two had such a close relationship even when his owner was just a little girl. A dog’s love really is eternal.
29. ‘The day we got our puppy, and 11 years later’
The fact that these three sisters still kept their helmet is the best thing in the world. We have to say, the pics where a lot of effort has been put into recreating the old one are our favorite of them all. The facial expressions and the outfits are on point!
30. ‘My dog and I, 11 years apart.’
This picture is special in more than one way. Not only did the pair grow up together, but this guy’s puppy helped him through his transition into becoming the person who he was always meant to be. Now they’re rocking identical beards, and we’re living for it!
31. ‘She’ll bite they said…9 months later still only kisses.’
Nine months is a relatively short period of time, but for a baby, it’s the time where they do a lot of their growing. Just look how the picture has transformed from the dog cuddling his human brother to the little boy cuddling his dog. Who says you shouldn’t let your dogs be around babies?
32. ‘My dog Midas and myself after a decade together’
This chonky boy has always been a struggle to carry, and even now that his owner is a fully grown man, things haven’t got any easier! You have to have arms of steel to hold a dog of that size, so it’s no wonder his expression is a pretty serious concentration face. We love how the painting of the papaya made it into the second pic as well.
33. ‘My best friend for the past 15 years.’
Here’s another pup who eventually grew into his ears! Dogs really are creatures of habit, and fifteen years later he still sleeps in the exact same spot. What a sweet old boy.
34. ‘I had to put my first dog down last week after 14 years of wonderful companionship, RIP Docker.’
14 years later, and this old guy still loves to read a book with his owner. When your dog passes away, they leave a dark and empty space in your heart for a while. But knowing that they were truly loved and that they had a long and happy life with you makes things just that little bit easier.
35. ‘I saw the 9-year friendship, decided to share my 15-year friendship! Meet Monty!’
Same shorts, same shirt (almost), same backyard and same dog, fifteen years later! Although his pup’s health is sadly deteriorating, the original poster says ‘I will adore looking back at the 15 years of memories.’ How precious! We’re glad they’ve had so many good years together.
36. ‘We recreated our favorite photo with him’
Childhood photos are always difficult to recreate. You’ll look at your former self and wonder why on earth you were pulling that facial expression, or who decided to dress you in that bright yellow dress. So it’s safe to say that these sisters did a brilliant job of recreating their childhood pic – though of course, the dog was the star of the show!
37. ‘My best friend and me 10 years ago and now.’
Old or young, one thing will never change about dogs: they will always want to eat your snacks. His old man belly is the proof he did manage to get a few of those Cheetos in the last 10 years. A life well-lived, we’d say.
38. ‘The Day We Said Hello And The Day We Said Goodbye’
Someone’s being chopping onions again, because this post is making us feel all the emotions. You can tell from the guy’s expression in the second photo just how much his fur baby means to him. How beautiful that he managed to capture those special first and last days on camera, though.
39. ‘Me and my weenie 13 years apart.’
Thirteen years later, and this dachshund’s loyalty to his owner never wavered. His fur may be going gray and it may be harder to walk as far as he used to, but he will always be able to give good cuddles.
40. ‘This is my old dog Lucy. The first photo is the first day we met, the last photo was a couple weeks before she passed away at 16.’
This old girl is here to show us that a dog’s love never dies; it only grows. The pic was taken just a couple of weeks before she passed, but this fur baby still looks so happy. Dogs will always do their best to get as much enjoyment out of life as possible – something us humans should try and live by!
41. ’20 years later and still going strong.’
This guy is so lucky to experience twenty magical years with his dog, and doesn’t he still look so healthy! There’s nothing like the bond that you form with your first pet. It’s something that he will cherish for life.
42. ‘My lifelong companion and friend, Wicket, turns 13 this week. Pics taken in 2001 and 2014.’
Out of all of the pictures we’ve seen so far, we’d say that this gorgeous pair have certainly changed the most! The sweet little Yorkie has never been too good at looking at the camera, but luckily, he’s totally adorable so he gets away with it!
43. “My Very First And Very Last Day With My Dog, Coco”
This adorable before and after shows just how much things can change. From little kids with their furry friend, to teenagers with and the passing of a friend. It’s never easy, but the memories are worth it.
44. ‘On The First Day Together, And On The Last. He Was A Real Homie’
In the first, we see the dog asleep while keeping his friend warm and safe. In the second, we see a man keeping his dog warm and safe while he sleeps. The roles reversed, but the love is the same.
45. ’18 Years Apart’
Eighteen years is a very long time for a dog. This man has been with his friend for quite some time. Look at how much things have changed, while some things haven’t.
46. ‘My Dog And I, 2007 And Today’
The best part is that this was years ago, but the facial expressions are still the same – dog and human alike! They both look like they have wizened and grown, but are still fast friends.
47. ‘Our Dog Kendall And Daughter Kaelen’
From sitting the kennel as a baby, to walking him down her down the road. Is there anything cuter than baby and animal friendships? I didn’t think so.
48. ‘Same Girl, Same Dog, Same Shirt. 2004 And 2016’
A good shirt is a good shirt, right? Apparently, a good dog is a good dog, too! Even after twelve years, some things never change.
49. ‘4 Years Apart’
Four years and a lot can change. A beard, the camera, quality, and style all seem to have changed in this photo. That dog is still preoccupied with something to the left though!
Did you make it through without crying? I sure didn’t. Let us know your favorite one!
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