Dog knew her pregnant owner had lost her baby before anyone else — and her quiet gesture both broke and healed her heart

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of miscarriage that some readers may find distressing.

Dogs are among the most emotionally intelligent companions, and this woman's experience proves it. After Amanda (@aman_duh2024) from New Hampshire suffered a miscarriage, her three-year-old dog Izzy stayed by her side, as if she understood exactly what her owner was going through. 

Amanda always dreamed of having a dog like Izzy. Speaking to Newsweek, she shared, "I've always wanted a Saint since I was a little kid because I loved the movie 'Beethoven.'" She welcomed Izzy into her life when she came across a few St. Bernard puppies. But it was her son, four at that time, who chose Izzy. Izzy has been described as a sweet dog who is a great walker and someone who enjoys swimming and chasing the geese that run around their family home. She is also among the three dogs Amanda owns, the other two being Max and George. Amid her playful side, Izzy also has a tender heart and an emotionally intelligent mind.

Calling her "very intuitive," Amanda recalls a particularly heartwarming incident that helped heal her. The overlay text in her TikTok video reads, "How my intact female dog acted with me while I was actively miscarrying my baby." In the clip, her dog is seen pawing her, following her, and never letting her out of her sight.  "She always makes me feel protected. During my saddest times, she will lay her head on my lap and just look at me with the most concerned eyes. I can tell she knows," she remarked. Amanda suffered a miscarriage, but it was Izzy who stood by her as a pillar of strength. Although she is grateful to her friends and family for helping her get through the tough times, it was Izzy who offered the comfort that she didn’t know she needed. "She never left my side (...) for days she followed me and laid her head on me. She's my best friend. I know she knew something was wrong," she explained.

Amanda's heartbreaking story drew massive attention from TikTok users who shared their heartfelt stories of being comforted by their pets during tough times. @mamatothebennettgirls wrote, "For years, my miscarriage was a secret between me and my dog. He laid on the bathroom floor and cried with me. He’s with my baby now until I get there." Meanwhile, @mckaylad1227 penned, "As I was lying (sic) on the couch miscarrying, my cat came and crawled on my stomach and didn’t move for hours. She knew." "My baby girl was so old that she couldn’t get up to the second floor in my bedroom anymore. I had a high-risk pregnancy, so I cried a lot. She found the strength to come up and kiss my tears away," @kalliakm recounted.

The responses from other users have "both broken and healed" Amanda's heart. "So many women deal with health issues and fertility problems and I just hope that other women will feel comforted in each other's experiences and know that they're not alone and there is hope, and also that animals can help and be healing and provide support," she said.

If you’re grieving the loss of a child or sibling and need help, please reach out to The Compassionate Friends at 1‑877‑969‑0010. compassionatefriends.org