Power Pets: Chase Rice Says His Dog Jack Has ‘Made Me a Better Man’

Mewow! Billboard’s Power Pets is a new feature focusing on musicians’ best friends — no, not the humans — but the furry (and some scaly and feathery!) ones who bring extra joy and companionship to artists. Celebrities will be sharing sweet details about their beloved pets and how their furbabies enrich their lives. For the second story in the installment, we talked to country artist Chase Rice.

Chase Rice may sing “you’re right there in that bench seat next to me” in his emotional tune “Bench Seat,” but nowadays, it’s Jack – his beloved dog and best friend – who sits next to him on the concert stage during his performance of that song. 

“[‘Bench Seat’] was the reason I got Jack,” the country artist tells Billboard of his black Lab and the track about the healing power of dogs that was inspired by a friend’s mental health struggles. As the songwriter previously shared, Rice’s pal’s own dog saved the friend from a very dark moment by simply laying its head on his lap to create an unbreakable connection during that difficult time.  

“[Jack] was originally supposed to be the puppy in the video, but it took us a year and a half to get it together, so he’s the middle-aged dog in the video,” Rice explains of the visual for “Bench Seat,” which reveals that the track is from the pooch’s point of view. “That song is the very reason that I got him. I knew the day that I wrote it that it was finally time for me to get a dog.” 

Rice says that he’s always wanted a duck dog since childhood, so that’s what he looked for when he began his search. “I met a guy who works with Mossy Pond Retrievers in Georgia, and he said if you want a duck dog, get a black Lab, so we made a plan.” Now, shares Rice, Jack is “certified as a master hunter and he’s my best buddy.”  

And a much-loved friend at that. “Before every meal, I have him sit and I hug him and tell him, ‘I love you and you’re the best dog I’ve ever had.’” the singer-songwriter says. “He has no clue that he’s the only dog I’ve ever had, but I’ll keep telling him that all the same.” 

Rice says Jack has taught him about love and responsibility as well: “I know he’s made me a better man.” 

Read on to learn more about Jack from Chase Rice.