Missy Elliott delayed her plans to tour to care for her dying dog

She told People magazine: "I stayed home a lot because I didn't want to go out on the road, and something happened.

"He was 17 and lived a long, happy life.

"[He was] so pretty and lived a very long time."

After Hoodie's death, Ciara encouraged Missy to get back on stage.

She added: "So I said, 'Okay, now I can leave the house without having to worry about anything.'

"So Ciara and my dog played a big influence in me making the decision to go out."

The 'Work It' hitmaker will be accomanied on tour by her other dog, Miss Fendi Dior.

She said: "She's six years old. So [she's] got her clothes ready to go out on the road with us. [It'll] be fun, fun."

Missy claimed the dog is "excited" to wear matching outfits with her on the road.

She said: "I know people sometimes be like, 'Why y'all dressing those dogs?'... But she likes clothes. She really [does] like clothes. She [sees] me pulling out the outfit [and] she's running. She knows that means."

Missy has been working hard ahead of the tour, which starts on Thursday (04.07.24) evening.

She said: "It's full days, then I go home, and the work continues. But I feel good. I'm super excited."

The singer has struggled with autoimmune disorder Graves' disease - which can cause anxiety, fatigue, and weight loss - and depression over the years but she recently revealed she is feeling "so much better" now.

She told People magazine: "Every day I wake, I'm blessed to be here and in good health.

"I'm feeling so much better now. That was a run. Every now and then you get a little ache in the leg or the knee, but outside of that, I feel good."