Hey Mom and Dad,

Just surfed a MONSTER wave at the Shores and totally nailed it! Didn’t just fetch a stick today, I fetched some big-time courage. 😎🌊 And even though I missed my couch snuggles, I showed Pawsburgh this little Beagle’s got a huge heart. Surfing into adulthood like a pro! Catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Bella Baby Girl 🐾🏄‍♀️✨

Oh my dog, have I got a tail to tell you! Warm sunbeams cascade through my dreams, and, like every day in Pawsburgh, I wake with the exuberance of a puppy on its first outing. Yeah, this pocket-sized Beagle named Bella has stories lined up like treats at the Puppy Patisserie. So, where do I even start? Obviously, with the annual coming-of-age day at the Shar-Pei Shores.

This isn’t your regular frolic-on-the-beach day. In Pawsburgh, it’s when us younger pups show we’ve got the chops to dig deeper than any treasure-seeking Saluki and the bravery to face the big, splashy waves – without any human holding our leashes. It’s serious business.

Like, my niece Mya with her muscly pitbull physique was all, “Girl, you’ve got to surf a wave that will make the Retriever boys howl!” And Misty with her squeaky chihuahua voice was chirping away, “Do something thrilling, Bella, like bark at the seagulls and chase your tail!”

But that’s not quite my style.

Before paddling out into the deep blue, there’s, of course, the obligatory Pawsburgh meetup at the Pearl Papillon Promenade. My friends are all wagging tails and yips, but underneath, I sense the anxiety of stepping into the next chapter of our lives. Will we just be chasing our tails, or will we find our true calling within Pawsburgh’s magical bounds?

The Doggie Daycare crew buzzes with excitement, bustling around like we’re in a rom-com montage, fitting for someone with Mindy Kaling’s wit. I overhear an overeager dachshund yammering about trying to set the record for most sticks fetched in a minute. “Dude, that’s totally rad but also… totally not what this day is about,” I offer, trying to sound as cool as the ocean breeze, but probably failing. I mean, come on, this day is about sniffing out the essence of our canine souls, not about stick stats.

With my tummy tingling from nerves and Pumpkin treats from Tail-Twitching Treats – seriously, those things are like little bites of Autumn – I approach the Shore. The water looks ginormous. I take in the salty air, strange yet familiar, kind of like when you smell the Blue Diamond snacks but realize they’re the lite version.

Mya bounds beside me, her goofy grin impossible to resist, even though I secretly wish I was slipping back to my fluffy belly heaven on the couch. But, as the first waves lap against my paws, I remember that being small doesn’t mean my spirit isn’t as vast as the ocean.

The climax? When I take my stand atop the surfboard, it wobbles more than Misty’s conviction to stay out of the cat’s litter box. The water roars like a thousand vacuums, but I decide to be the Beagle who’d surf the vacuum noise instead of hiding from it. I paddle. I feel the ocean lift me. For a moment, I’m not just a pocket Beagle. I’m as grand as the Great Danes!

I ride the wave, paws steady, heart wild. The crowd of pups on the shore barks in amazement. Maybe it’s the wave or perhaps the realization that growing up isn’t about changing who you are, but embracing it, no matter the size of your surfboard, or the splashes you make.

And when I tumble back onto the sand, soaked in sea and pride, Misty is first to rush over, tail whipping like a propeller, “Bella, you absolutely crushed it! Francine, the French Bulldog, faceplanted right before you!”

And that’s how a wee beagle like me made her splash at Shar-Pei Shores. Growing up in Pawsburgh? It’s all about wagging through your woes, leaping through hoops, and learning that every dog – no matter how pint-sized – has their day in the sun. Literally.

Stay furry, my friends.

The End.

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