Military reunions between soldiers and their dogs are some of the best things that we can see. They are so heartwarming and sweet to watch since they perfectly demonstrate how much of a solid bond can be formed between dogs and their people. Unfortunately, sometimes life means that owners and their dogs have to go their separate ways for a little bit. Deployments can be so taxing on both the dog owners and their dogs, who typically don’t understand why their human is leaving them for so long.
For one soldier, the tender moment that he came home to his dog was extra special because of the pandemic. When Staff Sgt. Matthew Books went on his deployment, it was September 2019. He was originally only supposed to be deployed for six months. However, things took a turn and the world was suddenly facing a global pandemic. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the soldier’s plans to return home change. Rather than a six-month deployment, Books found himself facing an extended nine-month deployment.

The homesick soldier was ready to come home to his family and friends – who also missed him quite a lot. But no one was as upset by the deployment as his dog. But Book’s homecoming was a little late in the day. But none of this mattered to his family, who was just happy to have him home.
Given the fact that the soldier hadn’t been home in a while, the dog was quite excited to see Books come home. Books arrived home late in the evening, so it was the perfect time to pull a surprise on the dog. When his pup went outside, the dog assumed that it was just another late-night bathroom break – nothing special. But the dog was wrong. There, waiting outside to surprise his beloved pet, was Books. The dog immediately ran to him and the two shared a very tender moment.
Watch it unfold in the video below:
What do you think of the surprise? Let us know!