Remembering Ozzie

I first met Ozzie on December 6, 2008. He was sitting on death row at an area shelter and his shelter walker asked us to consider him because he was such a "good boy". Ozzie was a good boy. He spent the last year of his life living with us. Ozzie had a few oddities. He would dig huge craters and stand over them and bark down into them for hours. He had a fetish for digging up tree roots and he would stand over his food bowl and bark at it. He never tried to escape his large fenced yard which was nestled around a series of tall pine trees. Ozzie loved to chase squirrels. Seldom did he retire to his dog house. In the summer he loved to stretch out under the trees and stars. As I was making the rounds a few weeks ago I noticed Ozzie was missing. Nothing in his yard seemed amiss so I searched the grounds for him - calling his name repeatedly to no avail. In the meanwhile, Billy searched the perimeter of Ozzie yard to find the breeched spot. Then Billy caught Ozzie's large brindle head slowly poke out of his house and watch me....at this point, there is no doubt in his mind that I am looking for him! He just watches me....knowing I am searching for him! He finally catches Billy's movement and pops his head back in his house like a turtle and crouches in the back of it! So I walked to his gate and said you are so busted you might as well come on out. So, he strolls on out like okay but it sure was funny watching you look for me! A few days before Christmas Ozzie was barking with delight and chasing a tree squirrel. Of course, the squirrel was in the trees and Ozzie was running along the ground but he was having a high ole' time. Christmas eve was cold and rainy and Ozzie retired to his hay packed dog house and slumbered the night away waiting on Santa. Christmas night, he barely touched his dinner and again he retired to his dog house. The next day, he came out of his house and stretched out on a pile of fresh hay to sun himself. As he napped, he drifted away. Ozzie just never woke up. I guess if you have to go, that is the best way to way. I wish he could have stayed awhile longer though. I miss you, my big brindle buddy. Enjoy your craters, roots and squirrel chases until we meet again.