Country superstar Carrie Underwood has long been known as an animal lover, surrounded by a furry family that includes dogs, horses, and more. But in a new confession that’s surprising even her biggest fans, she’s naming the ONE animal she loves above all the rest — and the reason why might melt your heart.

When she’s not selling out concerts around the world or judging “American Idol” hopefuls like she once was, Carrie Underwood can typically be found on her family’s sprawling “EH-OK Farm,” located just outside of Nashville.

The country superstar lives there with her husband, former NHL player Mike Fisher, their two boys, 10-year-old Isaiah and six-year-old Jacob, and almost too many animals to count. She regularly features them on her social media accounts, which led one fan at the official Carrie Underwood Fan Club Party, held at the Grand Ole Opry in early June 2025 and broadcast on SiriusXM, to ask Underwood if she could choose a favorite.

Although Underwood didn’t choose one individual animal, she surprisingly admitted that she’s partial to her sheep. But she then went on to adorably describe many of her beloved animals like a proud mom.

Carrie Underwood Says Her Sheep Sweetly Come Running Whenever They Hear Her Coming

At the Opry fan event hosted by popular country radio host Cody Alan, Underwood told the fan who asked about her favorite animals, “I do love my sheep. I get to go down there every morning, every evening, and they’re always happy to see me again.”

She added, “But sometimes they’ll be, like, at the end of the orchard, and when they see me or hear me coming, they just start running. And it’s just the cutest thing.”

On May 21, Underwood revealed that on the day Jamal Roberts was crowned the winner of season 23, a baby lamb was born back home on the farm, so they named him Jamal. Their family now calls him Baby J, and Underwood has frequently shared pictures of him growing in her Instagram Stories.

Underwood also explained to the fan club gathered at the Opry that her family has three dogs in the house and one “sheep dog,” Sugar, who lives outside with the sheep.

She explained, “We have three dogs in our house … Penny, who’s 15, and Charlie, she’s two, and Tank, who’s like, seven months old. And he’s like, they’re a mess! Sugar in the orchard is mine. She’s my dog,
so I get to be with her.”

When Cody asked how Penny is doing at 15, Underwood said, “She’s good. She can hear mostly, I think. She can see pretty good still. But she sleeps with Isaiah at night and is kind of his. So I’m like — you know, it’s gonna be (hard when she’s gone). She’s been with me before anybody else in my life.”

Underwood had the crowd laughing when she said she also loves her chickens, “even though they’re mean to each other, and they’re clique-ish. The boys, I feel like I’m always throwing stuff at them because they’re just fighting or something!”

Carrie Underwood Has Had Horses, Donkeys & Cows on Her Farm

In the past, Underwood has also said their farm included horses, cows, and donkeys, but she didn’t mention them as being among her favorites at the June fan event. In April 2023, she excitedly shared on Instagram that they’d welcomed a family of donkeys from Louisiana to the farm.

She wrote at the time, “We’ve got a (pregnant) mama, a daddy and a little dude! In a little bit, 2 of them will go live with some friends down the road, but we promise to have lots of family reunions!!!!”

In 2020, she told ET Canada that Fisher’s Christmas present to her was exactly what she asked for: two cows.

“He got me cows, which is what I wanted,” she told the outlet. “They’re my favorite animal. I love them, they make me so happy. I don’t want them for any purpose, just to love them.”