“Hey Mom, living the queen life in Spencerville. Still can’t stand broccoli, having epic battles with a tennis ball and scoring tons of burgers. Rainy days are for cuddles, and adventure days are for leading my pack up the South Siberian Summit. Basically, still loving every dog’s day moment here! Miss you! Woof, Chlobo.”

Listen to the story here.

Ahem, if you’d excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, I’ll have you journey briefly to the grand, mischievous land of Spencerville, where a certain full-figured Pug named Chloe reigns supreme. Here, away from the glossy plastic pools and thumping city hubbub, Chloe is the canine queen of her own idyllic kingdom.

Just picture it: Chloe, trotting the bustling lanes of Spencerville, her nose high proudly in the air despite the occasional lip-smacked hum of conceding “I shouldn’t have eaten that last slice of ham.” Our roly-poly heroine stubbornly ignoring my attempts at shoving broccoli into her diet, her little gray-muzzled face furrowing in disgust. You had to admire the aversion to vegetables. That type of disdain can be achieved only through years of stubborn persistence!

In her free hours, Chloe could be found battling for dominance over her most formidable adversary – a slobbered-on, slightly deflated tennis ball. Let me tell you, those battles rivaled the grandeur of Shih Tzu Stadium, despite the perplexed looks of the chicly-dressed poodles from Canine Couture Clothing.

On less adventurous days, you’d find her waddling towards Bark Burgers or the Waggle n’ Wok, her stout little legs carrying her hefty figure comically, like a toy soldier set in motion. And oh, don’t get me started on ear-cleaning days! Ever noticed how a drama queen’s theatrics peak when she finds her flow? That’s Chloe. Her squirms and tantrums could rival the most formidable telenovela star!

Her abhorrence for rainy days is another chapter altogether. There she’d sit, a ball of golden brown and grey, peering sadly at the window, her longing gaze missing nothing but the solitary ducks that braved the Poodle Pond during these gloomy days. These instances would, invariably, conclude with us sharing a cozy cuddle, somehow making the dreary day brighter.

But Spencerville had a way of blinding the rain. For Chloe, it was her many friends. Amongst the hustle and bustle of doggy deeds at the Pooch Playhouse or shared meals at The Barkery, a bond was formed – a testament to the grandeur of friendships, canines, and otherwise.

With her motley crew, she’d traverse the South Siberian Summit, her unyielding bravery leading the pack, a determination so fierce it would put a lion to shame.

So here she was, our Chloe, the beloved ruler of Spencerville (in her mind at least), living grand adventures beyond our mundane, human scope. After all, isn’t all of life simply a ‘dog’s day’—a string of endless, exhilarating moments punctuated by lounging and snacks?

So, for those of you who’ve had the privilege of sharing a moment, a meal (hopefully not a steak) or a walk with Chloe, remember, remember our dame. Remember the stubby tailed, grey-faced, ham-loving queen of Spencerville and smile. For it’s not every day one gets to live around such unadulterated doggy royalty!

The End.