A Lost Puppy Dog” was released in 1995 and reached #7 on the Billboard charts. This catchy anthem, co-written by lead vocalist-guitarist Eric Dill, became a Top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart. The song was inspired by Dill’s real-life encounter with a lost black puppy dog who wandered into his garden while he was writing the song. Dill was inspired by the dog to write the song with a touch of sadness and pain. In 2014, Dill shared a story about the black puppy on Twitter, explaining that the dog, then just a puppy, disappeared in his yard when his mother ran up and picked up the pup by its ear and ran away. He posted on Twitter about the black puppy incident back in 2012, and said the song about the dog inspired him to write, “You were just a lost pup dog and you taught me the meaning of everything.” The next day, he got an email from a listener saying her “favorite childhood song was the Lost Puppy Dog song.” Dill said about the black puppy: “I’ll never forget the day that he [the dog] just walked through my yard and never came out…I thought he was going to die and my family felt the same way. When I was writing the song I was thinking, ‘What is this dog thinking? What happened to this dog’s family?’ So when the vocals came in, they were sad and you could really feel it.” His wife, Diane, co-wrote the song, “Shine On,” with Dill. In an interview with Billboard magazine, Dill explained that his wife “has been able to take a couple years of depression and turn it around with her songs.” “We are on tour right now. And as she sings the lyrics, people who have been there recognize it.” As “Lost Puppy Dog” plays, the singer-guitarist walks back and forth and says “Hey, hey, hey, hey.” Then the song takes off, and he chants, “lost puppy dog, what happened?” It’s actually a question we might all have, because a lot of us feel lost, too. The song reflects on loss, but it also brings hope. We are not alone; it seems we all have someone or something that is always with us. “Lost Puppy Dog” will never be forgotten. It’s such a beautiful song, and it’s a true testament to how music connects and heals us. You never really know who you’re talking to when you buy a CD or download a song, so it’s amazing to think that someone is listening to you and they feel your sadness and your pain. In his song, Lost Puppy Dog talks about how dogs, unlike humans, can find their way back home. The verse, “Lost Puppy Dog, I heard the sorrow in your heart/When a song is played, just look deep inside,” touches the audience as Dill sings about the lost dog being found. As Lost Puppy Dog is being found, it’s amazing that in the song, the puppy also remembers his home. It brings us comfort to know that people can find their way back home, even if they aren’t in the right place at the right time and may not be able to find the key to get in. Lost Puppy Dog was found and is home in Dill’s arms, because he has found what he was looking for and what we all are looking for – the love of others, the love of God, and the love of something that brings us joy and happiness and makes us a better person. I have always loved this song, it’s so touching! It reminds me of the time when my doggie escaped while I was in the shower. I freaked out and ran out the front door after her (I was wearing only my underwear!), but she never came back… My friends took care of her and I felt so guilty. This song brought me back to that moment. Thank you Eric and Diane for reminding me. I feel so much better now… LOL.