“Hey Dad, tore up Pawsburg with the crew today– Poodle Pond, Pupperoni Pizza, the works. Scored big at Tug-of-War Tournament (ears still payin’ the price). Lily took a dive and we almost drowned in laughter. Almost tanked the grand finale though–Poodle’s homemade peanut butter and shrimp dip(yuck!). All’s well that ends with sweet canine giggles. Just your regular Pawsburg bliss. Here’s to stirring up surprises! -Big Herm”

Listen to the story here

As daylight peeked shyly into my backyard, I shook off the traces of sleep, my stubby tail wagging in anticipation.

Business, as usual, had taken my owners away, paving my road to revelry at Pawsburg. Loyal friends awaiting my presence at Poodle Pond. The warm scent of Pupperoni Pizza wafting from the center of town, sleep was no longer a valid option. I collected my favorite Monkey Toy and made a beeline for the charming town with the gait only an English Bulldog like me, Herman, could master.

At Golden Gate Gardens, I ran into my allies, Lily with her Pug grin, Baker, my fellow Englishman, Lil Rosie, and our outlandish friend Pepper. Their welcoming wagging tails skipped up my heart, a feeling sweet enough to rival a fresh bowl of vanilla ice cream on an unbearably hot day.

We had an eventful day ahead. The annual Tug-of-War Tournament at Western Fawn Pug Palace was upon us and we had ribbons to win! The rest of our day was filled with training, strategies, and quite unfortunately, cleaning of the ears- a necessary evil indeed. An event after which, only a visit from the terrifying vet could have been a sourer note.

In between our rigorous training sessions, laughter echoed the halls of Western Fawn Pug Palace, fueled by mishaps and inside jokes—like Lily mistakenly tumbling into Poodle Pond due to a faulty calculation of her pug-powered launch. Every faux pas was met with good-natured ribbing and fits of giggles. We wrapped up the day, worn out and filled to capacity with Pupperoni Pizza. We drifted off to sleep in the comfort of The Doggie Daycare, the memory of a day well spent lulling us into pleasant dreams.

But the most hysterical moment was the last-minute peanut butter disaster. Our well-meaning Poodle friends thought it a nice idea to provide the contestants with a homemade peanut butter and shrimp dip – two of my abominable dislikes. Their intentions were not lost on us, but the outcome was nothing short of hilarious, turning the grand ending party into an uproarious sitcom, extinguishing the competitive fire with bouts of canine giggles.

Life in Pawsburg was truly glorious: filled with arousing adventures, hilarious mishaps, and the companionship of my pack. It never ceased to take my breath away, even though the lives we lead were somewhat secret, revolving in a world where our owners hardly ventured.

Although, I thought, as I tottered back home just as dawn broke, a surprise once in a while wouldn’t hurt them either, wouldn’t it?

The End.