Walking Dead's "Best Boy" Seven, who played Dog in the series has died

Fans and cast members of The Walking Dead are mourning the loss of Seven, the Belgian Malinois who portrayed Daryl Dixon's (Norman Reedus) "Best Boy" Dog. The Walking Dead's official pages conveyed the news of Seven's death via social media, and the fandom responded with posts memorizing the beloved canine.

Several Walking Dead cast members responded to the announcement, including Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays Negan, who responded with three hearts. Lynn Collins, who portrayed Dog's first owner Leah Shaw, responded: "Oh nooooooooo 😭." Other actors who responded were Sabrina Gennarino (Tamiel), Khary Payton (Ezekiel), and Ethan McDowell (Washington). Angel Theory (Kelly) posted #ForeverAGoodBoy.

For years, Reedus begged the show's creators to give Daryl a dog in the series. The request was always denied because of the difficulty of actually keeping a pet in an apocalypse. The actor, who was finally given his wish in season 9, posted a heartfelt tribute to his "best TV buddy" via Instagram stories, which included several photos of the pair.

The Walking Dead - Seven

Dog, who appeared in 25 episodes, was introduced in season 9 after Rick Grimes' (Andrew Lincoln) "death." Daryl had spent years living in solitude searching for Rick's body and, during that time, adopted a pet, who was simply named Dog, that accompanied him everywhere. He is seen throughout the remainder of the series.

In "Find Me," one of the episodes in the bonus 10c season of the series, Dog's origin story is told as a secondary storyline. Years earlier, Dog escaped with Leah and her son Matthew, who would die of a walker bite. Soon after, Dog, still a puppy, would discover Daryl at his camp and then runs off. A year later, Daryl would encounter Dog once again, and Daryl followed him and mets Leah.

Daryl and Leah spent many months together, and one day, Daryl returns to the cabin to find it trashed and Leah missing. Dog is still in the cabin and becomes Daryl's constant companion.

The Walking Dead concluded its 11-season run in 2022. In the final scene of the last episode, the care of Dog is turned over to Judith Grimes (Cailey Fleming), who promises Daryl she will take care of him.

Rest in Peace, Seven.

Follow Undead Walking on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for the once-daily Undead Walking newsletter to avoid missing out on everything in The Walking Dead universe.