Duane 'Dog' Chapman's New Girlfriend Francie Frane: What to Know

How they met

After Dog and Frane went public with their relationship last month, the bounty hunter's daughter, Lyssa Chapman, opened up to The Sun about their chance meeting. At the time they announced their relationship, the couple had already been dating for a few months, Lyssa revealed, after first meeting when Dog called to ask Frane's husband to do some yard work on his Colorado home.

When Frane revealed her husband had passed away due to cancer recently, Dog revealed he had also lost his wife, Beth, due to cancer in June. The two then began to talk on the phone regularly, sharing with one another their feelings about becoming widowed.

Shared tragedy

It's this mourning process that helped bond the couple together. "They are both lost their spouses to cancer so they know what it's like to go through that and they are helping each other through it," Lyssa explained to the publication.

"But at the same time they are being very respectful of each other's grieving process and they're not trying to replace each other's partner," she continued. "Beth would approve - I honestly believe that Beth sent Francie for my dad - I feel like Beth and Bob are up there watching down over them."

'Head over heels'

As their relationship has progressed, Lyssa revealed her dad is "head over heels" for Frane and that she "couldn't be happier" for both of them.

"They are both so happy together and they are good for each other," she added of the couple's relationship moving forward. "Francie has been very respectful to all the kids - and to Beth's memory - and my dad is the same way with Bob and their children."

Positive Changes

Frane has even been influencing Dog to make some positive changes with his mental and physical health after he was hospitalized in September for chest pains that were determined to be due to stress and high blood pressure.

Lyssa revealed, "They go to church three times a week and dad is trying to give up smoking - she is a good woman for my dad. He's the happiest I've seen him in a long time - he's so in love and wants to spend the rest of his life with Francie."

Family approved

While Dog and Frane have been facing some criticism from people who felt he moved on too quickly from Beth, the reality personality's family has stood behind him all the way when it comes to this new relationship. Even Beth's daughter, Bonnie Chapman, hopped in the comments to defend the romance back when the two first went public.

"Everyone who's judging my father should sure pray that they never have to lose their loved one and get judged for trying to fill the void," she wrote. "Your opinion is invalid. My mother would've wanted him to be happy. Now please shut up and let me my dad live in peace."

Creating smiles

Dog has certainly made his feelings for Frane clear, sharing a solo photo of his lady on Instagram on April 25. "I scream & Cry Beth where are you why did you leave me then I look up & see you Francie & the pain turns to a smile," he captioned the photo. "I LOVE YOU WOMAN !!"

'I love you'

Frane clearly feels the same way, sharing a photo of her journal on April 28 with some seriously sweet thoughts about Dog.

"You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have! So you cling to God & to His word with all your might because it's all you know to do. Then one day I looked up from the ashes and there you stood. Wow God!" she wrote in reference to her relationship. In the caption, Frane shared a reading from the Bible's Isaiah 61:3 and tagged her beau writing, "I love you!"