Julianne Hough pays tribute to her dogs Lexi and Harley - five years after they were tragically killed by coyotes tram

Julianne Hough has paid tribute to her two beloved dogs, Lexi and Harley, five years after they were tragically killed by coyotes.

She shared photos of the two adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniels throughout their lives as well as a bittersweet snap of the funeral she had for them.

'September 28th, 2019. I love you Lexi and Harley ❤️,' the star, 36, captioned the post.

'Hard to believe it's been 5 years without you in this 3D world,' she added.

The Dancing With the Stars pro also shared a picture of herself surrounded by her family including her brother Derek Hough and his wife Hayley Erbert, her parents Marianne and Bruce Hough and her ex-husband Brooks Laich.

 
'Having my entire family fly out in support was the greatest gift of love,' she wrote in a comment, tagging her brother, her ex-husband, and other family members. 

Lexi was 11 and Harley was eight when they died in 2019, but Hough only recently shared how the two pups met their end.

The professional dancer appeared on the Jamie Kern Lima Show in August and told the heartbreaking story. 

'I woke up before my phone even rang and I knew, and I picked up the phone and my assistant at the time was just, like, screaming,' she said, explaining how she got the news. 

At the time, Hough was struggling in her then-two year old marriage to Laich. 

'I had asked for a separation,' she recalled. 'And then 10 days later my dogs were killed by coyotes.'

'My dogs that represented unconditional love and safety - gone,' Julianne said. 'They went together. I'm so grateful that they went together.'

She noted that she was 'grateful that usually how it happens is very quick and that we got their bodies. But at that time I was like: "Oh that was the unraveling of the absolute safety of like unconditional love."'

Julianne explained that she was in Lake Tahoe at a bachelorette party when she got the news.  

'I don’t even know how I got from Tahoe to L.A.,' she said. 'I blacked out completely.'

'When I had got [back], they had cleaned [the dogs] up, and they made an altar,' she said.

'I was able to be with them and their bodies at least for like a day and a half before I went and cremated them.'

In 2018, Julianne revealed that she had adopted a new puppy and named her Sunny.

She was sure Lexi and Harley would approve of Sunny and mentioned that in the caption on her Instagram post celebrating Sunny's first birthday in July.

'Sunny, you have brought so much love and literal sunshine in to my life ☀️,' she wrote.  

'I can’t remember a time without you. Lexi & Harley would have loved and played with you everyday and I know that they sent you to me, only when I was ready to open my heart and love again - you cracked me open sweetheart. Thank You. Happy 1st Birthday my sweet angel. I love you.'