I wanted to utilize this space to honor our faithful dog, Ozzie, he joined Dax in heaven yesterday. It’s been a very emotional week anticipating possibly having to say goodbye to our family dog of almost 9 years. Ozzie has been battling some health issues for about a year and a half now, including: 3 seizure episodes, having a collapsed lung, a bad back… and lastly, left side heart failure…
Ozzie had a great weekend outside; Bodie had friends over and Ozzie thoroughly enjoyed being around the kids and being apart of the fun. He got a lot of extra hugs and snuggles that day. And then he steadily declined all week; no longer eating, barely walking, and to the point of Tyson carrying him from the house to the yard to go potty and having to carry him back in. He was also having difficulty getting up from his doggy bed.
We adopted “Easy” at just 8 months old. A family posted him on Craigslist desperately wanting to get rid of this dog that they couldn’t potty train. The owner was getting ready to have a baby and she couldn’t handle the stress of this dog, he was living his life in a travel kennel. We adopted him and with a couple of strict months of training and name change, “Ozzie” was potty trained and beginning to relax and find his place in our home. He was the protector on the patio, letting the neighborhood always know who’s boss. He enjoyed chasing fireflies in our backyard, loved snuggling on our laps on the couch, he loved ice-cream, hated pickles, and was a polar bear in the winter. He LOVED rolling around in the snow. We’re so very grateful for the winter we had, Ozzie could experience the joy of the snowfall and roll around and play (Tyson and I watched Ozzie roll with excitement as we both talked about how it could be his last winter). In the warmer months, Ozzie loved playing in the waves in Lake Michigan, I have never quite witnessed the zoomies like I did the day that Ozzie saw Lake Michigan for the first time. Lastly, he wanted to be included in just about everything – whether it was hanging out and watching a Chiefs game in the basement, or enjoying a warm spring day on the patio, Ozzie just wanted to be there. He had a serious case of FOMO.
In the early years, Ozzie went everywhere with us; we would specifically look for dog-friendly restaurants so Ozzie could join. He enjoyed many patios and breweries in Kansas City, he also had a short phase of a dog-park obsession. Ozzie brought joy to everyone he encountered. And Ozzie’s life is another testament to God always being in control. We needed Ozzie just as much as he needed us. We trained him to be a Pet Pal at Children’s Mercy, he volunteered there for a few months, then we had a son with special needs. Ozzie was so in tune to Dax. Ozzie would wake up in the morning, and the first thing he’d do is go look for his buddy, Dax.
The bond we formed with this dog is so special, we truly relied on him for support through some of our most difficult moments and milestones. He was very in sync to the emotions in our home. He clung close to us in moments where the tears just wouldn’t stop. And he always kept a close eye on me – Ozzie and I were home together for almost 5 years (with Covid shutting down the world and me being home with Dax) – he stayed up all hours of the night with me to feed and care for Dax. Ozzie would always wait for me at the bottom of the stairs and we would walk up to bed together. He was in every room I was in. Ozzie tried his best to keep up with Bodie’s newborn phase, but the old pup was exhausted most days. He’d stay up in the night and watch me as I fed Bodie and Dax, and then he’d sleep until almost 11 am. He spent many afternoons on the couch with Dax, and on the floor with Bodie while he did tummy-time (apparently not enough because the kid still needed a helmet).
He lived such a full life with so much love. His paws touched ground in Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. He has seen the Grand Canyon, has climbed mountains, he’s hiked trails in Colorado and Utah, he’s been to the farm, and the Missouri State Fair. Ozzie has touched water in Lake Michigan, the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America?), and the Atlantic Ocean, and has spent warm days poolside. Ozzie’s loyalty, joy, comfort, and support helped carry us through almost 8 months of fragile grief – and he was with us at the cemetery for Dax’s birthday.
I think over the last couple of months, Ozzie has assessed both Tyson and I (and Bodie) – and he felt ready to be with Dax again. Tyson and I have both praised Ozzie this week before we had to say our goodbyes. He knows we are so proud of him. And it absolutely broke me to ask Ozzie to find Dax and give him kisses from us. We know dogs will always do what they can to please their owners, but in our eyes, Ozzie did so much for us, he didn’t have to do any more.
The vet came to our home, and we shared stories with her about Ozzie. Her and I were both crying and Ozzie tried his best to walk over to sit right by the vet’s side to try to comfort her. Ozzie was in his cozy dog bed, with Tyson, myself, and Bodie by his side. He drifted into a deep peaceful sleep, with no pain, snoring, and ran toward the rainbow bridge.
That evening, we were greeted with a vibrant rainbow in our backyard, and there were double rainbows over Overland Park – so we got our sign from Dax, and Ozzie; we know they are reunited again and Ozzie greeted him with those kisses. After losing our son, and now losing Ozzie, it has stirred up so many raw emotions within – just picturing Dax and Ozzie being together again, and feeling more emptiness in our home. But we will hold on to the peace of knowing that Dax has his sidekick again, and they are running side by side in fields that never fade, with joy in their steps, chasing dragonflies, butterflies, and fireflies.
[And I know Dax and Ozzie will find the best beaches to explore].
The Story of Dax Wilder 