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Oct
30

Oso, the Shepherd

CATEGORIES: Allyson, Personal, Portraits

Oso, the Shepherd

For several reasons these past few weeks have been exceptionally difficult.  One is that our beloved dog Oso, has fallen ill.  We’ve probably been to the vet over 10 times.  He had had a 103 temp fever for 5 weeks; they thought he had Valley Fever, then double Pneumonia, 5 antibiotics later, he is still sick.

On Friday, I was leaving for a two day event in Montecito, and he wandered out of the open garage door, into the rain, and sat under the pine trees.  I went over to check on him, and he wouldn’t look at me, he was in a daze – even though I was literally 3 feet from him, calling his name loudly.  He looked peaceful, but completely zoned out.  I heard to take his photo, to which I responded in my mind “we have so many photos of this sweet boy.”

Over the weekend our dear boy has passed, only 3 years old.  As I got in the car this morning, dark and raining from Santa Barbara, to go bury one of the best companions of my lifetime, my mind went back to his hashtag – of all things.  #Osotheshepherd 

We got Oso only a year and half ago, from the shelter.  I’d always wanted a German (in fact I always thought I wanted two of them!).  When we rescued Oso, I was at a point in my life where I needed protection.  I was a single mom, living up on the hilltop with almost no neighbors.  I had been scouring shelter sites one night, and saw his face.  He was the one.  Pip and I couldn’t make it to the shelter that day, but called to let them know we’d be there first thing the next morning to visit him.   He was THE ONE.

Growing up I wasn’t a big dog fan, in fact I had to be pretty convinced to get Gunny ( #sgtgunnyhighway ) 10 years ago.  But Oso (while he kind of scared the bejesus out of me because I knew what he was capable of) was one of the best companion I’ve ever had (human or animal).  He was a faithful, by my side, a true SHEPHERD, the BEST dog.  He was so tolerant of Piper; he was her horse, her fairy, her bed buddy, whatever she needed, he was hers.

As we prepared to bury him on a friend’s ranch, we gathered photos that hang in our kitchen of all of us together, doing life, enjoying each other.  Photographs are so much more than a snapshot, they have this innate ability to transport us back to a moment, and a feeling.  Oso will always live in our hearts, but he also continues to live in our home, on our walls.  Each time we view his portrait, we are brought back to the love and security we felt by him, in our hearts, and that’s very powerful.

I will miss you dearly Oso boy, your brothers will miss you, Bryce will miss you, Piper, most of all, will miss your companionship; you were her rock through all this craziness we have lived through, and continue to live through.  We love you.

RIP  Oso 2013-2016  Our pup and shepherd

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