Tina cuddles with Benji, her 4-month-old Shih Tzu. Tina recently bought another Shih Tzu, Archie, who is 11 weeks old. Tina said they provide unconditional love, which was needed in the house.

“They have been a really nice addition to our house,” Tina said. “We needed some puppy love and some four-legged friends.”

Andrellea said Tina is putting her time into her puppies to distract herself from Mary’s worsening condition.

“I think if she didn’t have the puppies to worry about and she’s sitting there watching her mom deteriorate, and then her dad is in his urn on the little side table, that would make her extremely depressed,” Andrellea said. “None of us live our lives expecting to bury our parents or having to deal with the death of a loved one. I don’t even think there is any kind of preparation anybody could do to get prepared for that transition of life.”