Jimmy Fallon Mourns the Death of His ‘First Baby’ in Emotional Post: ‘Miss You So Much’

“She was our first baby, a therapist, a pillow, a big sister, a schoolmarm, a comedian, a party girl and a rebel,” the ‘Tonight Show’ host shared on Instagram

Jimmy Fallon is mourning the death of his dog, Gary.

On Monday, Oct. 20, the Tonight Show host shared an emotional tribute to Gary on Instagram. “She was the last name we signed on every birthday card,” Fallon, 51, wrote of the English cream golden retriever. “She was our first baby, a therapist, a pillow, a big sister, a schoolmarm, a comedian, a party girl and a rebel.”

Jimmy Fallon/Instagram

He continued, “Definitely not a watchdog — she would have let burglars in and shown them where we kept the bacon and American cheese slices. Always smiling even when she slept. She loved a good scratch and would lean into you if she liked you, though ‘if’ is generous — she did this for basically everyone.

Jimmy Fallon with his dog, Gary.Jimmy Fallon/Instagram

“She would jump into the pool immediately after being shampooed and dried (noooooo!) then she’d do her laps (backstroke – jk doggie paddle) then lie in the grass on her back doing bunny kicks with her tongue sticking out. That meant summer to me. 13 and a half years we were lucky to have with you.”

Referring to his daughters Franny, 10, and Winnie, 12, and wife Nancy Juvonen, 58, he wrote, “Franny, Winnie, Mommy and I miss you. The house misses you. The house is so quiet. The quiet is so loud. But that quiet is slowly being filled with stories about you and laughter amongst the sniffles. Thank you for everything. Gosh, we miss you so much. Goodnight, Gary.”

The post also featured a carousel of photos of Gary through the years, including an image with Fallon and another with Juvonen and the couple’s daughters.

In 2017, Fallon opened up to PEOPLE about meeting Gary as a puppy.

“She came out on [Fallon’s late-night show] to do a bit. I think she was a political pundit. I was having a debate with her, and she was dressed in a suit,” he told PEOPLE.

At the time, he and Juvonen “were trying to have kids, so I think this was just a thing to kind of distract us while we’re working on that,” Fallon recalled.

As for the dog’s unusual name, it came directly from the comedy bit on the show, during which her “political pundit” name was Gary Frick Jr.

“It’s companionship,” Fallon said in 2017 of his bond with Gary. “It’s so much love. It’s unconditional love. I try to do everything with my dog.”