Everybody who has a dog has a story - Oprah Winfrey reflects on 50 years of companionship
Oprah Winfrey is reflecting on a lifelong connection with dogs that began in childhood and has continued through every stage of her life, shaping both her personal journey and sense of comfort during difficult times.
Long before global fame, she made herself a promise as a teenager living in Nashville with her father, she would one day have a dog of her own, despite being told she could not. That early vow stayed with her until adulthood.
By the time she turned 20 and moved out, she finally kept that promise, bringing home an Afghan hound she named Kashmir.
That moment marked the beginning of a lifelong companionship with dogs that has continued ever since.
Over the decades, Winfrey, now 72, has shared her life with 21 dogs, describing them as constant emotional anchors through changing personal and professional seasons.
She recently teamed up with The Farmer’s Dog for a new mini series titled Life is Better with Dogs, where she narrates short episodes highlighting different dog owners and their stories, released on The Oprah Podcast’s YouTube channel.
Each episode focuses on a different bond, including one featuring Chad Brown, a U.S. Navy veteran who returned from Somalia struggling with PTSD.
His Labrador service dog, Axe, played a key role in his recovery and later inspired him to launch a nonprofit supporting veterans and at risk youth.
For Winfrey, these stories reflect something deeply personal. She says her own life has always been shaped by that same connection, describing dogs as steady emotional support through moments of instability.
Her first dog, a black cockapoo named Simone, came into her life when she was still living with her mother in difficult financial circumstances in Minneapolis.
As a child, she saved small amounts of lunch money over time to afford him, eventually bringing him home through what she now admits were childhood deceptions to convince her mother to keep him.
At a time when she was facing hardship and personal trauma, she recalls Simone becoming a source of comfort and stability. She describes him as her refuge, something she held onto when life around her felt uncertain.
Later, when she moved to live with her father as a teenager, Simone came with her but was not allowed inside the house. She remembers spending time sitting outside just to be near him, until the dog eventually passed away while she was still young.
Over the years, Winfrey says each dog has left its own imprint on her life, shaping how she views loyalty, grief, and companionship.
One of the most significant losses came in 2018 with her golden retriever Luke, whom she often described as her closest companion.
She has spoken about how deeply that loss affected her, saying it changed her spiritually and left a lasting emotional impact that still stays with her today.
Looking back, she keeps returning to the same belief, that dogs are more than pets in her life, they are companions that have helped her endure some of her most difficult moments.
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