“Crushed it at Pet Survivor in bizarro Pawsburg – Fetcha-thon with coconuts, steak temptation at The Fetching Deli, Fido’s over-groomed strut, Poppy’s sushi fix, and conspiracy for my disqualification! Never knew sushi could taste victory, but hey, all’s well that ends well. Guess who’s the champ now? Life’s a sitcom here, wouldn’t change it for the world though…ok, maybe for a steak, hold the peas. 😉🏆 – Samillva the Survivor”

Listen to the story here.

Probably one of the craziest things about living in Pawsburg is the weekly ‘Pet Survivor’ challenge at Brown Boxer Beach. Last Tuesday, it was my turn to go against Fido and Poppy. Not gonna lie, I was as giddy as a pup with a new chew toy.

The first challenge of the day was ‘Fetcha-thon’ at Black Bulldog Bay. No sweat for a toy enthusiast like me, but having my squeaky yellow ball replaced with a slippery coconut? Completely threw me off. However, as an English Bulldog, I had a clear advantage; my sturdy, muscular build came in handy when it was time to plunge into the water and fetch that damnable fruit.

As I approached the finish line, the wind miraculously carried the delightful aroma of steak from The Fetching Deli. Now don’t get me wrong; I usually don’t condone bribery, but a good slice of steak can really tempt even the most morally upright of canines.

The hustle and bustle of The Dapper Dog Salon invaded the afternoon air as Fido, just out of his grooming session, righteously pranced to the second challenge site. We had a good laugh at his overly pompous gait but decided to call it even after he offered us a bone from The Pawsome Pet Pharmacy in exchange for our dented pride.

We were near Husky Hill when Poppy suggested we take a detour to The Cat’s Meow Sushi for dinner. My stomach churned at the thought; eating food intended for Tom was the last food-relatable abomination I could tolerate. But, has anyone successfully talked Poppy out of her sushi cravings? No.

And just like the smell of peas buried in my treat, I smelled betrayal. There, under the dim light of the deck, Fido and Poppy were hatching a plot to have me disqualified. They thought they’d replace my steak craving with that infernal sushi roll for the final ‘Eat and Run’ challenge.

Lo and behold, as we approached the final leg of our jamboree, a plate brimming with sushi sat ominously in front of me. But little did they know, personal preferences only become adversities when you allow them to. Without haste, I shrugged off the sushi aversion, finished the plate, and dashed towards the victory line.

As the sun dipped into the horizon painting Pawsburg in hues of victory, I was declared the ‘Pet Survivor’ of the week. My loyal companions cheered, forgetting our intense rivalry seconds ago. That’s the thing about Pawsburg – it’s competitive but strangely harmonious, just like living in a TV sitcom. I would never trade it for anything else…well, maybe for a steak, minus the peas.

The End.