Luke Bryan's recently adopted dog died suddenly according to his wife

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Luke Bryan opens up on taking in orphaned nephew

Country star keeps faith, family close after tragedy

Poochie, the 18-year-old dog recently adopted by Luke Bryan and his family, has died. Bryan's wife Caroline shared the sad news on Instagram on Wednesday (Feb. 20).

"If the kindest souls were rewarded with the longest lives, dogs would outlive us all," writes Caroline Bryan, sharing a photo montage of Poochie enjoying his final days at the Bryans' home. "My heart is sad but full to post this ... our sweet Prince Poochie has passed away ..."

The Bryans adopted Poochie from the Nashville-area animal rescue Proverbs 12:10 just a few weeks ago. According to the rescue organization, Poochie was abandoned after a member of his former family became allergic to dogs. Animal Control brought him to Proverbs 12:10, and the organization had assumed that he would stay with them until he died, because finding senior dogs new homes is a difficult prospect.

However, after the Bryan and his family saw Poochie in social media photos, they applied to adopt him on Feb. 9 and officially made him a part of their family shortly thereafter.

"My kids especially loved to hear him snore when he slept!" Caroline Bryan adds in her social media post, proving that the senior pup found a place in their hearts even though he was only with them for a short amount of time. "Thank you @proverbs1210animalrescue for giving our family the opportunity to love this sweet dog ... Poochie loved you all."

Caroline Bryan founded Brett's Barn, which provides animal therapy to children, in 2017, following the death of her niece, Sadie Brett Boyer, who was just seven months old. The barn is on the Bryans' family property and includes, among other animals, alpacas and kangaroos.

Of course, the Bryans' big hearts extend beyond animals: Luke Bryan and his wife took in their nephew, Til, in 2014, after his father died unexpectedly (Til's mother was Bryan's sister, Kelly, who died in 2007). They're also the parents to two sons of their own, Bo and Tate, and are close with Til's two older sisters.