Photo courtesy:  peoplepets.com

For the first time in his adult life, Kenny Chesney can finally say he has a dog. 

"A friend gave it to me and said, 'Here, Kenny, you have to learn to attach to something!' God's honest truth!" Chesney tells PEOPLE. "Now, I love the guy." 

The newest Chesney is Pancho, a goldendoodle that joined the country star – who is currently on the Brothers of the Sun tour with Tim McGraw – in January. "Next thing you know, next day at PetSmart, I'm buying stuff, buying things and I have no idea!" he says. "That's just a dog! I can't imagine having three kids [like McGraw has]." 

A dog will do plenty for now. "That little guy, he'll eat everything in sight – whether it's edible or not – and he loves the water," Chesney says. "I took him down to my boat, and he jumps right off." 

When he's not out on the waves having fun, Pancho may become Chesney's newest roadie. "The plan is to take him on tour," he says. "We'll see if he's got what it takes."