My beloved beagle, Oscar, is 15 years old today! I’ve had him since he was 8 weeks old. He came into my life 2 months after I bought my house, his arrival being the major reason why I bought the house in the first place. I figured a dog needs a yard.
It took me 2 weeks to name him, but his distinguishing characteristic of always getting into the garbage led me to his name (from Sesame Street, Oscar the grouch who lives in a garbage can).
The photo above was taken with hand-rolled film and developed in my own bathroom, which should explain the image quality.
Oscar saved my life once. Well, I cannot be sure he saved my life, but he certainly saved me from a terrible injury. He was about 3 years old at the time and was trained not to step off the sidewalk or outside the lines on a crosswalk. He’s always been good at that one. One day we were going across a crosswalk at an intersection when he suddenly darted out into oncoming traffic! I was totally shocked that he did this, the traffic was all slamming on their brakes and skidding to avoid him. He was across the first lane and, on the other end of the leash, I was pulled about 3 feet out into the lane of oncoming cars. It was then I felt this burning heat on my back leg and looked back to see a huge truck that was pretty much on top of me after barreling through the crosswalk we were on. I had just enough room to hit the hood of the truck with my fist when he stopped. If Oscar hadn’t pulled me out, I would have been hit by the truck. Oscar was in no danger of being hit by the truck since he was 6 feet in front of me going across the crosswalk, he did it all to save me.
Oscar has spent all of his days sleeping at my feet. Since I worked at home, we would always curl up under my desk or in his bed beside my desk and we would always go for a long walk at lunchtime. He loves camping and boating.
It was hard the year he was 10 years old and had to have knee surgery. So many people told me I shouldn’t spend $2000 to fix such an old dog. I had to spend 6 weeks doing physiotherapy and exercises with him 6 times a day so he would heal properly and not hurt the opposite knee compensating. He recovered from that with flying colours.
These flowers were sent to Oscar from my mother!
Last year I had to stop taking him boating with me since it is hard for him to maintain balance on the deck with his aging bones. I really miss my buddy on the boat.
He’s old, limpy, lumpy, has a white face, and it a little grouchy himself in his old age, but I love that guy. His nose hasn’t suffered in his aging, he can still smell a single cheerio hiding under a piece of furniture.
I worried about taking him on this trip and am still worried that he might not make it to the end. But I figured that he doesn’t want to stay home and wait for his last day to come. He probably wants to go and smell some national parks too. So this adventure of mine is also Oscar’s retirement.
I took this photo of Oscar on a red sand beach on Prince Edward Island. He loves the beach, and this was my present to him. That and an A&W baby burger, he always get a baby burger on his birthday.
Here are a few more of my favourite photos of Oscar:
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
I’m glad you took him with you on your trip, just so he could spend the days roaming new lands. Amazing how much these little furry guys become part of the family. Here’s to you and Oscar!
Thanks Chris, he is definitely my baby 🙂
Anne, that is beautiful. You and Oscar, “a love story”. Sam and Sara speak often about Oscar. Of course you would bring him on your journey!! Where else would he be. So, HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY OSCAR!! Xoxo
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Hi Ruth, nice to see you here! Thanks for your comments. I will always remember how Sam and Sara would come by when they were young and Oscar was just a puppy and they would ask if he could come out to play. Now they are all teenagers!
Great post Anne! It’s always a little sad seeing pets grow old, but who would miss having such a friend for his entire lifetime? Great photos too!
Hi Jackson, thank you for your visit and your comments. Oscar is my first dog and I keep telling him he has to live forever. It would break my heart to be without him. It’s too bad they don’t last for our entire lifetime. I’ll have to be happy knowing that I was a good friend to him for his lifetime.
Oscar looks to be doing pretty good for 15. That is also a great name for a Beagle. Growing up we had a few beagles. One of them was so insistent on getting into the garbage we had to put those child proof locks on all the cupboard doors!
My parents have a spaniel border collie cross that is 17. She has slowed down a lot but can still bound around the kitchen like crazy when its time for dinner!
Happy Birthday Oscar!
Hi Michael, I had to put my garbage in the cupboard and then I put a big magnet on the door to be sure it always closed tight. It is amazing how much their disposition changes at dinner time, isn’t it? When we go for walks he needs a ton of encouragement and a little dragging for the first half, until we turn to head back home, and then suddenly he can go twice as fast!!
Anne I love this post. Oscar is beautiful and I think that he’s very happy you took him on this adventure with you. And I don’t think you’re crazy paying for the surgery. I would with my dog…a very lovable King Charles Cavalier named Brady!
Hi Edith, awww, I bet Brady is beautiful too. I haven’t seen too many of those type of dogs. I’m so glad he got the surgery for his knee, I dont think he would have lasted this long without it. Because of his body shape (more like a basset with long legs) he didn’t take to walking on 3 legs like some dogs do.
LOVE Oscar!! Happy birthday buddy!
Thanks Heather!!