There is no doubt that I truly feel that we learn some of our life' s lessons from our pets. From Ozzie I learned Patience, Trust and Love. The biggest lesson to me was when things get out of control and you are nearing the end of your rope, help someone who is in worse shape, then you can take your mind off yourself. This was what happened to me when Ozzie was sick. I had many problems at that time, but I focused on caring for Ozzie, and it helped me release a lot of stress and worry when I was not thinking about myself.
I took some vacation time from my job and made Ozzie as comfortable as I could. After all we had been through a lot together and he deserved it.
On February 1, 1991 Ozzie died. He was 16 years old.
I had picked him up and was whispering to him what a brave and wonderful companion he had been, but it was okay if he had to leave me. I promised him I would be okay. With that he weakly barked his goodbye.
I had him cremated and his ashes scattered under a beautiful tree on the Pet Cemetery grounds.
At the time my boss viewed a loss of a pet the same as the loss of a family member and gave me some time off.
My heart was broken in a million pieces. I said I would be okay and I had made a promise so life went on. I still miss Ozzie and it' s been 10 years! He made a lasting impression and impact on my life so deep that it has taken me this long to write about it.
I feel he is always with me, and will always hold a special place in my heart that has had time to heal since his passing.
A few months after Ozzie' s death I had fallen asleep and had a dream about Ozzie barking very loud in my ear. I woke with a start to the smell of smoke. I had left a pan on the stove, and Ozzie woke me up!
So, for all you animal lovers remember your pets are with you for a reason. Sometimes you discover it while they are with you and sometimes not until they are gone. Enjoy your time with your pets you will be surprised what life lessons you can learn.
I am very honored and grateful for having Ozzie in my life.
About a year after Ozzie' s death, I was sitting at the kitchen table. It was a rainy day and I was sorting through papers.
I heard a very loud "bark" at the back door.
Ah!That' s another story...
我养了一辈子的狗。记得很久以前，我家就一直养狗。因此，我对狗的喜爱也与日俱增。那些总带给我感动的狗，有的是别人送的，有的是自己跑来的。我觉得那些自己跑来的狗很特别，他们总是让我惊喜万分，而且从他们身上我也学到了很多珍贵的东西。
当我对未来充满迷茫时，奥齐走进了我的生活。那时，不到30岁的我还不愿为自己的行为负起责任，内心充满了消极想法，也不愿相信任何人。
后来，在发生的一连串事情中，我认识了两个盲童。他们拥有两只漂亮的导盲犬以及你猜得到的，是奥齐！
他们告诉我他叫奥齐，大约两岁，是被从前的租户抛弃的。尽管他们一直尽力照顾他，但依然觉得那里的环境对奥齐来说不够舒适。长久以来，奥齐已经和他们形影不离，但他们真的希望他能有一个好去处。
我当时并不想养宠物，因此这是我最不愿做的事情。但为了哄这两个男孩，我走进了奥齐的房间。我叫了他，但并没有得到回应。于是，我试探说：“奥齐，你愿意跟我回家吗？”一只漂亮的黑狗从床底钻了出来，他有着一双我所见过的最大的眼睛。
他走到我身边，汪汪地叫了几声。我理解他所说的意思：“还等什么呢？我们走吧！”他抓住了我的心，完全打动了我。我们持久的关系从此开始了。我们安定了下来。可以说，时至今日，每当想起我们在一起的那些时光，我都会惊异于自己学到了那么多东西。
居于首位的就是无条件的爱。无论我心情如何，奥齐总会像读一本书一样来理解我。
我觉得这实在令人惊奇。
他会用自己的方式让我知道他理解我，并安慰我，以便很快治疗我受伤的心！
当我悲伤时，他会待在我的身边，凝视着我。如今，想起那种姿态，我依然会感动地落泪。他会伸出爪子，温柔地抚摸着我的脸。无论之前多么烦恼，但你可以想象得到那一刻世界会变得多么美好。
我们第一次共同经历了地震。多么难忘的回忆啊！我们被地震晃得东倒西歪，于是我抓紧奥齐躲在了门框里。我对他说，大自然母亲在打嗝，和我一样恐惧的他似乎明白我在尽力安慰他。
地震过后，我将一些行李装进袋子，放到车里。看我忙着，奥齐似乎知道我要做什么。当我准备离开时，他跳进袋子，汪汪地叫着。我明白他的意思：“嘿，不要丢下我。”当你经历了这些时刻，就会明白那是多么特别。因为他象征着包含肢体语言在内的特殊感情纽带的形成，而且更令人无法忘怀的是，这一切居然发生在一只狗的身上。
我一直认为奥齐有理解某些话的特异功能。早晨起来，我会大叫：“吃早饭了。”奥齐会马上跳下床冲向厨房。而我会假装回去睡觉。我会这样逗他两次，第三次才会说：“吃早饭了。”这时，奥齐会停下来，看着我，仿佛在说：“不！我知道你在人！”
一直以来，奥齐都很健康，也从不挑食。如果我喂的饭不合他的胃口，我就会说：“吃点儿吧，我下次再也不会买了。”惊奇的是，他真的吃了！我给他洗澡，他很乐意。
奥齐15岁时，也就相当于人类的105岁，他确实老了。他得了西特斯综合症。对公狗来说，这是一种致命的疾病。如果得不到治疗，他就无法排泄。于是当他发病时，我就必须马上带他去看兽医。就这样过了几个月，兽医才给了我有效的药，治好了他。我要确保他吃了药，并好好地照看着他。兽医说，像奥齐这样的年纪，就不要抱什么希望了。但他康复得很好。
我们居住的地方只有奥齐一只狗。说实在的，他也是唯一的宠物，因此就成了吉祥物，在邻里间很受欢ó。每当他去串门，邻居们都会很高兴地用他最爱吃的肉来招待他。
奥齐生病大约一年后，渐渐丧失了视力和听力，肠道功能也失调了。我不得不跟在他的身后清理卫生，用点滴器喂他。我明白他已经时日不多，我想让他在熟悉的环境中离去。
我们一起走过的路是那么长！生命中能够拥有奥齐，我深感荣幸。
毋庸置疑，我的确认为我们能从宠物身上学到一些东西。我从奥齐身上学到了耐心、信任和爱。当事情万分严重，你处于崩溃边缘时，帮助更艰难的人会让你忘记自己的困难。奥齐生病时，我就是这样做的。当时真是祸不单行，但我全身心地照顾奥齐，便不再总想着自己，我的压力和担忧也随之减轻了。
为了能让奥齐过得更加舒适些，我休息了一段时间。我们在一起经历了那么多风风雨雨，我理应为他做些事情。
1991年2月1日，奥齐去世了，当时他16岁。
我将他抱起，轻声地对他说，他是一个勇敢的好伴侣，如果他必须离开我，也没有关系。我答应他，我会好好的。伴着我的许诺，他汪汪地叫着，虚弱地向我道别。
我将他火化了，然后把骨灰埋在了宠物公墓里一棵漂亮的树下。
那时，老板看到，失去一只宠物对我来说就像失去了一位亲人，于是便给我放了几天假。
我的心碎了。但我说过我会好好的，也作过承诺，因此我会继续好好生活。转眼10年过去了，我依然想念着奥齐。他给我的生活带来了深刻而持久的影响，因此我花了这么久的时间写下了这一切。
我感觉他从未离开过我，而且会永远活在我的心中。自从他去世后，我不得不花时间来疗养心伤。
奥齐去世几个月后，我在睡梦中听到奥齐在我的耳边汪汪地大叫。我醒来便马上闻到了烟味。炉子上的锅着火了，是奥齐将我叫醒的。
因此，所有爱动物的朋友们请记住，能与你们的宠物相伴正是因为某种机缘所在。也许，与他们相处时你就会领悟到这一点，但有时只有在失去他们时你才会明白。尽情享受与宠物们在一起的美好时光吧，你会惊奇地发现，从他们身上，你可以学到许多生命的真谛。
生命中能拥有奥齐，我感到万分荣幸，万分感激。
一个下雨天，我坐在餐桌旁，整理着资料，这时奥齐已经去世一年了。
我听到了很大的“汪汪”声从后门传来。
噢！那是另一段故事了
万般牵挂
Innocent Homeless
洛里·S. 莫尔 / Lori S. Mohr
The hastily scrawled sign on the crumpled cardboard read: BROKE—NEED DOG FOOD. The desperate young man held the sign in one hand and a leash in the other as he paced back and forth on the busy corner in downtown Las Vegas.
Attached to the leash was a husky pup no more than a year old. Not far from them was an older dog of the same breed, chained to a lamppost. He was howling into the brisk chill of the approaching winter evening, with a wail that could be heard for blocks. It was as though he knew his own fate, for the sign that was propped next to him read: FOR SALE.
Forgetting about my own destination, I quickly turned the car around and made a beeline back toward the homeless trio. For years, I' ve kept dog and cat food in the trunk of my car for stray or hungry animals I often find. It' s been a way of helping those I couldn' t take in. It' s also what I' ve used to coax many a scared dog off the road to safety. Helping needy animals has always been an automatic decision for me.
