Jake Owen Mourns the Sudden Death of His German Shepherd: 'Losing a Dog Is Like Losing a Family Member'

Jake Owen is mourning the sudden loss of one of his beloved dogs.

The country singer, 39, revealed in an emotional Instagram post that his German shepherd, Slash, died suddenly Saturday night after an unexpected medical emergency.

"I lost one of my best friends last night unexpectedly," Owen wrote Sunday. "The drs said his stomach had 'flipped' and even with emergency surgery, it wasn't enough to save him…I didn't even make it home in time to say goodbye."

Slash was the youngest of the musician's German shepherds. Owen called him "the sweetest most loving dog I've ever had" and said the pup "was more like a human than a dog."

"Losing a dog is like losing a family member," he added. "It was hard for me to even put this post together and share. Go love on your family. Go love on your dogs. See ya up there in [heaven] Slashy. Love ya buddy. 😢"

Owen received an outpouring of support from the country music community following his announcement.

"So sorry buddy! 😢," said Chris Lane, while Chuck Wicks added, "they're for sure family members."

Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town also commented with, "So sorry Jake!!!" Added Jon Pardi, "Sorry bud! That's a tough one."

"Man I am so sorry. I know what that feeling is like. Sending love yalls way," Travis Denning wrote.

It has been a roller coaster year for Owen. In December, the singer proposed to longtime girlfriend Erica Hartlein after three years of dating.

"It was after I was divorced, and I remember looking at her. I was just intrigued by how beautiful she was and how she was holding court in that store that day and telling people what they needed to do. I was like 'Wow, she's got a lot going for her. She's confident,'" he recalled in 2019 on the All Our Favorite People podcast.

In April, Owen and Hartlein's daughter Paris Hartley spent her second birthday at Monroe Carrell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville after suffering an asthma attack and allergic reaction related to her eczema. The musician wrote in an Instagram post that he "never imagined" she would spend her birthday that way.

"Thanks to everyone at @vumcchildren for being so helpful and caring for her," Owen wrote. "She seems to be doing a lot better and Erica and I are very thankful and overwhelmed by the kindness and support that so many of y'all out there have shown to us."