Remembering Avery

July 21, 2026.

It’s a date we wish we didn’t know by heart.
On July 21st at 3:00 in the afternoon, we said goodbye to our sweet girl, Avery.
And now, somehow, it’s August 18th. Almost an entire month without her.

Almost a month without hearing her little footsteps through the house. Without seeing her in her usual spots. Without automatically looking for her when we walk into a room. Almost a month of learning that grief doesn’t simply disappear as the days on the calendar keep moving.

If you’ve noticed that Paws & Pinecones has been a little quieter lately, this is why.
We’ve been grieving. We’ve been finding our footing again. And we’ve been trying to figure out what life, and Paws & Pinecones, looks like while carrying a very Avery-shaped hole in our hearts.

Our Sweet Avery

Before Paws & Pinecones, before Murphy became our professional pinecone collector, there was Avery. Avery came to us as a rescue after spending the beginning of her life as a puppy mill mama. She had already lived an entire story before she ever became ours. When we adopted her around four years old, she was shy and reserved. She wasn’t the dog who wanted to be the center of attention or pose for every picture. In fact, she would probably be perfectly happy knowing Murphy took over the camera-loving responsibilities for the family. She was simply Avery. Gentle And a little Quiet. So incredibly Sweet. And so so loved.

We were lucky enough to spend years showing her that a home could be safe. That hands could mean pets and cuddles. That she could sleep peacefully. That treats were plentiful. That she never had to have another litter of puppies. That she was family, not because of what she could give us, but simply because she was ours.

We wish that could have lasted forever.

The Goodbye We Never Wanted

In May, our world changed when Avery was diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer. One word, and suddenly you start measuring time differently. The weeks that followed were filled with watching, worrying, loving, hoping and trying to make every decision with one question in mind:

What is best for Avery?
Eventually, loving her meant making the decision we never wanted to make.
On July 21st, we gave our girl one last beautiful day. There were cheeseburgers. Watermelon. Special treats. All of the things a very good girl deserved.

And there were pets. So, so many pets and so many cuddles and snuggles.
Her final night with us was filled with practically nonstop love and touch, because if there was one thing we wanted Avery to know before she left this world, it was that she was loved beyond measure.

At 3:00 PM, our sweet girl passed peacefully. We told her how much we loved her.
We told her to say hello to everyone in heaven. We told her to enjoy all the love, pets and treats waiting for her up there. And then we had to do the impossible. We went home without her.

Almost One Month Later

Grief is strange. The house keeps moving. Orders still exist. Laundry still needs folding. Dinner still needs making. Murphy still needs his walks, his toys and, obviously, his pinecones.

The world doesn’t stop just because yours feels like it did.There have been moments when we’ve laughed again, and then felt that familiar ache because Avery should have been here. There are routines that still make us instinctively think of her.

There are moments when the house feels just a little too quiet. And there are days when being creative, posting on social media or talking about products simply hasn’t felt important. So Paws & Pinecones became quieter.

Not because we stopped loving what we are building here. Not because we disappeared.
We simply needed some time to be a family that had just lost one of its own. We needed time to grieve our girl and find new ways to move forward while still bringing Avery with us. Because moving forward doesn't mean leaving her behind.

She'll Always Be Part of Our Story

Paws & Pinecones may have Murphy as its furry little face, but at its heart, this brand has always been about something bigger. It’s about dogs being family.
It’s about celebrating the ridiculously ordinary things that become some of our favorite memories, the walks, the muddy paws, the toys scattered across the floor, the treats, the cuddles and the little quirks that make each dog completely irreplaceable.

And it’s about rescue. Avery's life reminds us why that matters so much.
She didn't get the beginning every dog deserves. But we got to give her the ending she did. A home, A family, Safety, Soft places to sleep. More treats than she probably needed. And years and years of being loved simply for being Avery. She left this world knowing she belonged to someone. She belonged to us. And we belonged to her.

Finding Our Way Back

We're slowly finding our way back to Paws & Pinecones. There will be new things coming. There will be more Murphy adventures, more pinecones, more beautiful pieces for your pups and hopefully plenty of reasons to smile. But we're allowing ourselves to come back gently. Because behind this little brand is a real family.

And right now, that family is still learning how to live without one very special golden girl physically beside us.To everyone who has given us patience, kindness and grace while we've been quieter: thank you. And to anyone reading this who has ever loved and lost a dog, we know you understand.

They are never just dogs. They become part of the architecture of our lives. They are there through ordinary Tuesdays and Christmas mornings. Through hard seasons and beautiful ones. They know versions of us that no one else ever will.

And when they leave, they take a little piece of us with them. But they leave so much behind, too. Avery left us with years of memories. She left paw prints and fur and photographs. She left lessons about rescue, patience and unconditional love. Most importantly, she left knowing that after everything she experienced before finding us, she finally had a family who loved her forever. Almost one month without you, sweet girl.

We miss you more than words can say. We hope heaven has endless treats, the softest beds, warm sunshine and all the pets your heart could ever want. And wherever Paws & Pinecones goes from here, a little piece of you will always come with us.

Forever our Avery. 🤍
July 21, 2026