Ozzy was an amazing pet. I wish I could be so happy no matter what. I'm sure even now he has his giant, goofy, dog smile. The only time it ever went away was at the mention of a bath. We'd tease him with it occasionally because seeing him react was such a silly thing.

My mate and I were not expecting that day to be the last one we had with Ozzy. It was about as great a day as you could imagine. It was wonderful, really, to not know, even though I wish we had the opportunity to say goodbye.

I had a bad feeling that night when he was being so restless but he got like that sometimes so I didn't really think about it much.

That next morning I got up to let the pups out, Ozzy didn't get up with his tongue lolling out, ready to run and play like he was the day before.

I knew before I reached down to pet him that he was gone. I hoped he wasn't, I hoped I was wrong.

How do you tell the love of your life that his best friend had died just fifteen feet away and nobody was awake to send him off with love the way we should have been. It took me a while to re-enter the tent and sit next to my sleeping mate. I took his hand in mine and squeezed it trying to wake him up still trying to figure out what words to use. Nothing seemed right about anything that was happening. Ozzy wasn't supposed to be dead, I wasn't supposed to be the one to find out, we shouldn't have been asleep when it happened. I wasn't supposed to have to say those awful words to my love.

But I do, I don't recall which words I used, it didn't matter, nothing was right anyways. Not like the day before. Dobie hardly reacts outwardly other than to roll over, pull the blanket over his head and moan. I know it's just about the worst possible way a day can start, but that's how that day did start.

I made this plaque for Ozzy, to help make the world a little less wrong for us. It can't possibly begin to fill the void he left, the pain in our hearts when we think of him, but maybe with it we will have something to focus ourselves on when we do think of him and we can use it to help bring back the memories of the days before, when things were more right and complete.

This photo was taken before I put the picture of Ozzy in the space, I had intended on putting Polly's and Merageshu's project (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9095061/) into the gap but it' didn't fit so I'm making a separate plaque to hang it on.