Oscar was adopted in February 2007 when he was 6 years old. I saw his photo on a ‘free to good home’ poster and I thought to myself, what an adorable puppy! Oscar looked and acted younger than his age. The first year with Oscar was full of challenges, especially when it came to discipline and obedience, but his older brother, Oreo, taught him well before he passed away.



Oscar was wild at heart and he had many nicknames – Tigger, Crazy O and Oscar Wild. Oscar was an escape artist who loved to break free at any opportunity. In January 2010 he escaped from the front door and ran into the street where he was hit by a car, but luckily, he made a full recovery. Oscar had a lot of energy that he devoted to accomplishments such as jumping over the fence into the neighbour’s courtyard, digging a tunnel into the (same) neighbour’s courtyard, uprooting rosebushes and potted plants, chasing anything that moved and destroying any toy that came his way, especially if it squeaked!



Oscar’s soft side became more apparent when, in September 2011, I gave birth to baby Kai. It was a time of joy and distress for all of us in the house. As Kai developed into an active toddler, Oscar became protective of him and tolerated his screaming and tail-pulling like a gentle giant. I respect and admire Oscar for always being gentle, patient and quiet with Kai.



In January 2012 Oscar had a melanoma removed from his belly. He recovered well and seemed to be in optimal health when, almost a year later, he developed a brain tumour. It was heartbreaking to see Oscar’s condition deteriorate and I wanted to make his last days as special as possible for him. I gave him a bath; he had his nails trimmed; he wanted to go on a walk so we went on a short walk together; he got lots of extra treats and of course, all the food he wanted to eat. Oscar passed away peacefully in my arms on 10 December 2012. I didn’t want him to suffer anymore and even though I knew it was the right thing to do, emotionally it was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. I’m missing Oscar terribly; he was my dear and loyal companion and part of our family. I hope he is happily running with Oreo in heaven.