Hey Mom, 😊

Just wanted to let you know that I’ve been helping the humans in our story track down some hidden treasures and solve a few mysteries along the way. All in a day’s work for your favorite four-legged detective! 🐾

Love, Doccy

There ain’t a day goes by in Spencerville that ain’t been filled with just about as much chaos and clamor as a dog can handle. Name’s Doc, if you ain’t met me yet. I’m an English Bulldog, mostly white with these fancy brown spots, and I’m the president of the Ruff Riders, a motorcycle club that’s got one simple aim—keeping peace in the perfect pet paradise of Spencerville.

The sun cracked open the day like a fresh egg over Poodle Pond. I had a habit of sunbathing there, ’cause ain’t nothing finer than the warmth swaddling your back like Mom used to do when she’d wrap me in a blanket. Today, though, my relaxation was bound to be short-lived with a little scuffle brewing over in the Eastern White Westie Woods.

Harper—and let me tell y’all, he’s a Chihuahua with enough fluff to look like he’d float off in a good breeze—trotted my way, his fur a curly white cloud as he skidded to a halt in front of me. “Doccy,” he panted out, “there’s some commotion in the woods. Feathers flyin’! Dogs milled up with squirrels again over who’s got right to that big ol’ acorn stash.”

“Dog gone it, Harper,” I replied, squinting against the rising shine. “Ain’t we sorted that out last week?”

“Yessir, but them squirrels ain’t quick to learn. Well, less so than me and you, anyhow.”

I grumbled an agreement and rose up, shaking loose the dust of the morning’s sunbathing. Days like these I missed my family somethin’ fierce, especially my sweet bulldog gal Abby, who already crossed into these parts. At least I weren’t alone, what with Harper and other pals keepin’ things lively.

I roared my motorcycle, a bike custom-fit for a bulldog’s paws, and together me and Harper wound our way through the town square. We passed ‘The Fetching Deli’; you couldn’t find a bagel better anywhere than at ‘The Doggy Bagel Deli’ too, but that’d have to wait. We cruised past The Howling Husky Hardware Store, its door creakin’ a welcome to all passin’ by, like a good friend on a crisp mornin’.

As we hit the woods, I noticed right off there was more quiet than usual. A kind of tense calm, like the world holdin’ its breath. We found the herd soon enough—squirrels and dogs both lined across each other like two old tribes stewing over some ancient grudge.

“Listen here, folks!” I bellowed, my voice carrying easy through the trees. My stern look silenced the fur and fluff same as when a pup hushes at a mama’s scold. “These woods are big enough for us all, ain’t no need in squabblin’ like fools.”

A shiny-eyed squirrel on a branch twitching his tail spoke up first. “But, Doc, them dogs tried to claim our acorn grove!”

With an indulgent sigh, I turned my gaze to Tug, a hearty Labrador known for his fierce game of tug-of-war and equally stubborn spirit. “Tug, you let them critters have that grove. You got The Berry Bush all to your ownself, ain’t it?”

Tug lowered his ears and nodded mighty slow. “You got it, Doc. I s’pose those acorns ain’t worth feudin’ over.”

With that, a nod from me and a wave of a paw, the tension melted like winter snow under a sunny spell. Riders and squirrels intermingled, and if there’s a lesson to reckon by, it’s that kindness and good sense go long ways in settlin’ all kinds of discord.

As evening cloaked Spencerville, and me and Harper rode back under the starlit driftwood sky, I found my heart as full as the valley below the South Siberian Summit. Tomorrow’d be another day, sure, but for now, peace settled throughout our near-perfect town like a sweet soothing lullaby. And just like the day, I knew my folks and Abby were waiting somewhere down the line for me—until then, I’d keep things rollin’ steady like.