Woman takes beloved dying dog on adventure of a lifetime

Lauren Watt calls Gizelle, her 160-pound English mastiff, her best friend. So when the veterinarian told Watt that Gizelle had incurable bone cancer, the 25-year-old decided to make the most of the time they had left together with a bucket list adventure.

Gizelle came into Watt's life when the two met at a farm in her home state of Tennessee seven years ago.

"I just fell in love with her immediately," Watt told ABC. "It was one of those situations where you just go to look and the next thing you know you're coming home with a new puppy. She's kind of been my best friend ever since."

The two were quickly inseparable so when Watt finished college, Gizelle made the move with her to New York.

"It's a big deal to bring a dog of that size to your New York apartment," Watt said. "But it work rout and she came and she really was my companion the entire time I lived here."

So late this summer, when Watt noticed that Gizelle had started limping during their runs and the veterinarian discovered the cancer, she was crushed.

"I was so upset," Watt said. "But she's a really sensitive dog, so I kind of had to try and be strong for her and not let her see me upset because she's the type of dog that could just know when I was and I didn't want her to be sad."

But rather than spend their remaining time together already mourning Gizelle's death, Watt decided to live in the present and make it a celebration of their friendship. Over the weeks that followed, they hit the road, traveling to Maine for lobsters, going for canoe trips and indulging in treats like donuts and ice cream.

"At that point, all the 'oh, my dog should be on a diet' just goes out that window and you're just like 'have a steak!'" Watt said.

Gizelle made it far longer than the vet expected, making it through Christmas before passing on Jan. 7. Watt shared their story online in hopes that it would resonate with other animal lovers. The response has been overwhelming, with thousands of people emailing her stories of their own relationships with their pets.

"I want to help people deal with losing something import an to them and how to embrace living and dealing with something you know you're going to lose and how to live in the moment with it."

Watt says she is working on turning the story of her and Gizelle's adventures into a book. Follow her on Twitter or go to her website for more information.

Photos used with permission, courtesy of Lauren Fern Watt.