“Dad, spent the day as Agent Hoagie, double-0-dog! Saved Pawsburgh from feline domination (again). Dusted in desert, donut crumbs and cat secrets. Rewarded with extra chicken kibble. PS: Houndstooth is the new black! Love, your Spydog-son, Hoagie.”

Listen to the story here.

I woke up to the usual panting. It was Hoagie, my sturdy English Bulldog, his chest rising and falling with considerable enthusiasm. He had that look in his expressive brown eyes, and I knew it was that time again. He was about to sneak off to the magical world of Pawsburgh.

He bounded off, his muscles rippling under his glossy chestnut coat and disappeared around the corner. I knew well he was heading for an adventure in Pawsburgh, specifically towards Collie Canyon or the Silver Siberian Summit. There was no way to know for sure.

In what seemed like an eternity later, he lumbered back, coated in desert dust and donut crumbs. No bonus points for guessing he’d been to the Tan Dalmatian Desert, and the crumbs around his mouth? Well, that was evidence of a sneaky indulgence at Doggy Donuts.

Hoagie’s day was far from over, after a change of clothes at The Tail Wagger’s Tailor, he came back sporting a spiffy houndstooth outfit. A quick glance at an inconspicuous gadget from The Pawsome Pet Pharmacy revealed something in the wind. Hoagie had a mission.

Hoagie has this charming way of sniffing out trouble. I only had to think of the last stakeout which started at Ruff-n-Ready. Not the most clandestine place for a meetup, but then again, who suspects dogs of being spies? After a quick nose-to-nose communication with Whisker and Biscuit, they were on their way, their tails wagging a distinct Morse code.

Their target? Kit, the suspiciously wily cat from next door notorious in Pawsburgh as Agent Catastrophe. The mission was simple, find out what Kit was up to and snag any feline intelligence they could find.

After an evening of espionage – involving covert trailings and nerve-racking near-catches – they finally deciphered Kit’s plans, saving Pawsburgh from another feline domination attempt. All in a day’s work for Agent Hoagie – double-0-dog!

Arriving back home, the hero wore an artful look of innocence as he chewed on his beloved rubber ducky. Pawsburgh was safe yet again, all thanks to their silent (not so much when it comes to bodily sounds) gutsy Bulldog with a heart of gold. Who’s a good boy? Hoagie, our Pawsburgh savior! And yes, he gets an extra helping of chicken-flavored kibble tonight.

The End.