WATCH: Chris Lane Talks New Music, Family, And The Rescue Dog Who Stole His Heart

Chris Lane and his dog, Cooper, braved the cold winter air for a heartwarming Pupdate, ready to share stories and plenty of tail wags along the way.

Inside the JW Marriott Nashville, Lane and his four-legged best friend cozied up on a couch overlooking the bustling streets of Music City and settled in to discuss his latest set of powerful songs, family life, touring with Rascal Flatts and more. Chris had one hand gently resting on his four-legged friend as the both of them flashed the camera a smile, making for the perfect snapshot of the love and companionship between them.

Toys surrounded the floor below, but Cooper was more interested in sitting by his dad’s side and listening intently to everything he had to say. Before getting an update on the country star’s career, he made sure to properly introduce his furry family member.

“Cooper is five, roughly six years old. We got him in 2019. Him and his brother were actually tied up at a dog park when they were just puppies, just newborns. There was a sign that was right beside ’em saying, ‘Hey, can’t take care of these dogs, somebody take ’em.’ So then my wife got a call from one of her friends saying, ‘Hey, can you watch this dog until he can find him a home?’ And it only took two days and he was ours to keep,” he said with a laugh.

At the time, Chris recalls being out on the road, unaware of the four-legged surprise that was waiting for him at home. Cooper is also the first dog he and his wife, Lauren, got together and is now one of two dogs that their two kids will get to grow up with, the other being Chloe, who arrived just a few years later.

Balancing A House Full Of Kids And Dogs

He admitted they were hesitant at first to have two dogs around their first child, Dutton, but it turns out that their calm, gentle nature has made them the perfect pets to have around both of their kids.

“You would think he’s the most depressed dog in the entire world, but he is super happy and loves his family…he’s the best dog I’ve ever had and I’m super thankful that we were able to rescue him,” Lane sweetly shared.

Cooper, being an Australian cattle dog, beagle mix, is especially “mopey” and enjoys spending most of his days laying around and looking out the window, just as he did on this day. Chris even shared that his oldest son sees Cooper as his “best friend.”

“They were so gentle from day one. They’re very nurturing dogs and took to the boys quite well. Things have changed since then. A baby will just lay there and cry a lot, they can’t do a whole lot. Now, all my boys are three and two and very chaotic. So the dogs get a little nervous of them because it’s constant running and screaming,” Chris explained. “So Cooper and his sister Chloe get to spend extra time outside during the day so the kids don’t torture him to death…the kids love the dogs and sometimes Cooper sleeps upstairs with the boys at night and I think that makes him feel extra safe.”

Much like his dad, Cooper also knows what it’s like to live in the limelight as he made an appearance alongside Chris in PEOPLE Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue in 2019.

“Yeah, I like to use that as I was the guy who got picked for that, but unfortunately it was my dog who got picked for that. So yeah, I wouldn’t say it has gone to his head at all, but I think he knows he’s a very handsome young man. ‘Don’t you, Cooper? aren’t you? Are you a handsome young man?’” he asked the pup who happily came over to receive the compliment and some pets.

The Story Behind “What Am I Supposed To Tell The Dog”

Chris has made it clear his love for dogs is strong, so much in fact that he wrote a song called “What Am I Supposed To Tell The Dog” This powerful tune was penned by Chris alongside Seth Mosley, Jameson Rodgers and Lydia Vaughn. It is the country star’s favorite song he’s ever had a hand in writing as it conveys an incredibly deep story that was inspired by a conversation with his wife, who jokingly said that if anything were to happen to their relationship, she would get to keep Cooper. Chris’ first reaction was to fight to keep his dog if things ever came to that point, but then it got him to thinking about this on a deeper level.

“It is by far my favorite song I’ve ever written. I’ve never been more excited over a song than I am this one for multiple reasons. I had this song idea in my phone called ‘What Am I Supposed To Tell The Dog.’ I had it for two or three years, could never figure out how to write it,” he admitted. “I’ve never heard a song like that in country music before, but it feels like the easiest country title of all time.”

He continued, “This song just fell out so fast. It’s kind of an old school style song in the best way. And I don’t know, I feel like we nailed it. I played it out probably six, seven times just acoustic by myself and the response on this song, in particular, is the best I’ve ever had of any song in my entire career. So I said, you know what? I’ve got to record this song and get it out there.”

Falling In Love With His Current Single, “If I Die Before You”

This song follows the release of the North Carolina native’s current single at country radio, “If I Die Before You,” another heartfelt song that touches on the somber reality of losing a spouse and how the other person should carry on after their death. The entire time Chris reflected on is recent releases, Cooper was happily staring out the window, blissfully unaware of the heavy topics his dad was getting into.

“I felt like from the very first time I heard “If I Die Before You,” it had the potential to be one of those career type songs. It’s very hard to write, very hard to find. It’s one of those songs I wish I had written,” he admitted. “The very long story that goes with this, I had to wait two years, but I finally got to record it and put my own spin on it because the demo is actually of Emily Weisband singing on it. So kind of had to hear it with my own vocal on it. But lyrically I felt like it was an incredibly well-written song. I had never heard anything like that up until this point.”

Although the lyrics in this song are something no couple wants to ever think about, it’s also reality and it’s a conversation Chris says he and his wife have had many times throughout their relationship. Knowing that it hit so close to him, the singer/songwriter knew others would be able to relate as well.

“It feels like one of those songs that was appropriate. It’s different. I think it’s a very Chris Lane song, if you will, with a lot of the other songs that I’ve released, and I love the way it turned out. So it just felt like a no brainer to take to country radio,” he added.

New Album On The Way

With every new song release, Chris Lane is getting closer and closer to unveiling his next record, which he revealed is expected to drop sometime this year. Fans are eagerly awaiting a new album from Lane, as it’s been since 2018 since he last shared a full-length project.

“I took a slightly different approach and just try to put out single releases so I could get music out a little faster. But I think I’m going to go back now and go more for the album approach,” he revealed.

On The Road With Rascal Flatts

Fans can find Chris shutting down stages with his passionate storytelling and high energy while serving as a special guest on Rascal Flatts’ 25^th Anniversary Life Is A Highway Tour. Underway right now, the trek was a long time coming for Chris, who was originally tapped for the direct support slot for the trio back in 2020 before the tour was unfortunately canceled due to the state of the world at the time.  

“I toured with them back in 2017 and had an incredible time. So knowing that I was going to get to go back out with them was going to be super special. So to have that canceled, like I said, it really sucked. But to get this opportunity in 2025 to come back out and go on a reunion tour with them, I think is going to be even more special,” Chris said with pure excitement.

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There’s a chance that Cooper will also get to come along for the trek. The pup is no stranger to the road life as he frequently joined his dad on tour before their kids came into the picture, but now he tends to spend more time at home with them than touring with Chris.

This year is slated to be a big one for Chris Lane, and luckily, he has his family and their adorable dogs by his side through it all.

This series is created in partnership with Nom Nom. Nom Nom is here for dog parents, who are eager to add enrichment and excitement to their dog’s mealtimes (and lives) with vet-developed food that’s nutritious and delicious.