Growing up I didn't have any pets that weren't fish. My mom is not a huge animal person, in fact she really doesn't like them at all. She has a weird fear of cats and prefers her dogs to be stuffed (her words not mine). So when I finally settled down enough to have what one could actually call a permanent address I decided it was time for a dog. Lacking motivation and the finances for an expensive dog the idea sort of just floated around inside my head.
In the summer of 2007 I was working at a photo lab, and on one particular day a roll of film I was developing was full of adorable puppies. I gooed and gawed over them, and then went for my break. Well when I came back the other girl I worked with handed me a flyer that said the puppies were for sale, and they were only $50. Perfect. I went home, told Len "hey you want a dog right?" and called the number. A very sleepy and confused young man answered the phone and said he had no idea what I was talking about. I hung up and tried again the next day, same kid, less sleepy more confused and angry. So I though "oh well". The next week the same lady came into the photo lab, and told me, her sister had accidentally mixed up the phone number, and sleepy kid had got a lot of confusing phone calls. Anyway, she still had seven of the eight pups and I could come pick one out that night.
That night Len and I drove out to Berkley and when I got out of the car, seven rolly polly puppies came running toward me. They were adorable and so soft and fluffy. Now the father was a white german shepard and the mom was a blue heeler/beagle cross, needless to say the puppies all looked very different. some were white, some were amber, some were black and some were multi-coloured. Ozzie came and curled up in my lap and little black ball of fur with a white tuff on his forehead, like Harry Potter, I knew he was mine. He was so calm and gentle, a fact that later seemed like a ploy on his part to win us over, as he is quite an overexcited pup at time. Len had wanted a girl and a blonde (so like a man) but this black little man was definitely it.
 |
| Ozzie's first night with us |
We packed him up and took him home to the tiny apartment we were living in at the time. He was just pup for about twelve hours, I had always thought I wanted to name my dog Dante but it just didn't seem right. So I went out to get some dog supplies and driving home I just thought Ozzie. Len liked it too, and so our little man had a name.
The first night I felt so bad for him cause he seemed sad, probably missing the warm pile of siblings he used to sleep with, so I slept next to his crate with my hand in there so he wouldn't be scared (yes I realize I am a sucker). He wasn't a little pup for long, though he didn't grow as big as we had thought, he is a svelte 50 pound dog now. Len has always been an animal person and animals seemed to love him, he always teased me that the dog would love him more, but that first night we bonded, and it is obvious to everyone that despite loving Len a lot... He loves me a little more :)
 |
| Ozzie at the new house |
At a year old, I noticed his eye weeping a lot and it turned out he had a cataract. Options were given and we choose to do the surgery now in hopes of saving his eye. Now I have heard it all, He is just a dog, Why spend all that money? Are you crazy? The answers are he is MY dog, He needs the surgery, and crazy? well maybe but that has nothing to do with this.
I have been very lucky in my life, I have a great family, awesome friends, and a very loving partner. But no one has ever loved me the way Ozzie does. His love is unconditional, and overwhelming. He follows me around, he cuddles with me, when I am happy, sad, mad or indifferent he loves me. He wants nothing more than my attention and love. When we go hiking he runs around but always waits to make sure I am not too far behind, or if he can't see me, he circles back to check. When we are swimming he circles me to make sure I am ok (although I confess that is sometimes quite annoying). When I come home he is utterly joyous. He is perfect, despite the jumping, despite the barking, the devious chewing of random things and stealing the occasional bit of food, I wouldn't trade him for the world. He has even managed to melt my mom's heart, he can come inside, he even got to sleep on her bed one day after a long day of swimming. "well he looks so tired" said my mother the dog hater, and I see her sneak him some her food.
 |
| Ozzie and Vouka |
smartie wrapped in saran wrap, the initial plan was to remove the smartie and replace it with a fake. However once they started it became clear that Ozzie's saran wrap was all wrinkly, so even with a fake smartie he couldn't see. Luckily my vet is amazing, and he did some fancy work and not only is Oz's eye good, he can totally see with it!
 |
| Ozzie on a hike, making sure I am keeping up |
So that is how Ozzie came to be mine, and just as luckily how I came to be his.
No comments:
Post a Comment