“Hey Mom, landed another victory in Spencerville sports today; ran like a bullet train at Shih Tzu Stad. Celebrated with my fave snacks n’ accessories spree. Won more fur-parent hearts, but promise still your humble fur-baby. Another day, another playground claimed. It’s #SpencervilleLife. -Cassie Bear 🐕”

Listen to the story here.

Always a thrill, waking up here in Spencerville. The feeling is like the 5th round of a boxing match, you’re down but not out, tired but aware of the bells. Cassie was no exception to this. Her town, her turf, her sporting events which she didn’t just partake in, no sir, she owned them. Every single event from the 100m dash at Shih Tzu Stadium to the high jump at Maltese Meadows, that was Cassie’s domain.

“You talk about something hard to ignore, watch Cassie tear across the field, it’s like seeing a tank race a marathon.” Louie, that bird-connoisseur and owner of Whiskers and Wings, he’d always side-bet on Cassie. Always.

Never an early riser, she’d snooze through the warm-ups, but come event time, she was always primed. A quick walk around the block with her human, munching couple of his “secret recipe” cookies – Cassie couldn’t resist those. All the while, I’d engineer a game plan with her, like the seasoned coach I am. Cookie? Yes. Walk? Bullet-train-fast. Veggie avoidance? Like the plague.

Despite having her playdates with Raisin and her roughhousing with chew toys, the sporting events held a special place in Cassie’s joyful existence. “Remember Cassie, this is you versus them. Your backyard rehearsed tricks now apply in Shih Tzu Stadium! At the sound of the whistle, you run. You fetch. You don’t stop to socialize, or smell things, doesn’t matter what Bitty and Patch taught you.”

Post event, I’d take her to The Barking Boutique, Canine Couture Clothing, or The Canine Cafe – her favorite trifecta. The mountain of accessories she’d walk out with, unemployment seemed favorable. But that heartfelt sight of her exhausted yet victorious, sitting there, gnawing on her victory cookie, the look in her eyes as if saying “Told you I’d win, didn’t I?”

And, end of the day, when she’d lie down, splayed in full glory of her fawn coat, curled tail resting flat, the Spencerville skyline lighting up her tired face… I swear, it’s like watching a champion relax from the day she owned. That ‘look what I did today’ attitude that only Cassie can pull off. Yet, the humble champ never forgets her normal doggy days, for tomorrow, she knows, there’s another playground to claim.

Being with Cassie, each day feels like the World Cup Final, Wimbledon’s nail-biting last set, and SuperBowl’s final drive rolled into one. That ain’t exaggeration, it’s #SpencervilleLife. My larger-than-life Cassie, my precise whisky to an undiluted world. I swear to everything that is canine and compassionate, the only thing cooler than a sporting event in Spencerville, is a sporting event in Spencerville won by Cassie.

The End.