“Hey Dad, good ol’ Hermie here. Had a magical night journey to Pawsburgh! Chow at Sniff ‘n’ Snack, adventures at Westie Woods, even uncovered a pop-up Doggy Donuts. Lilly got shrimp-PB donuts (yuck!). Ended the day at Dapper Dog Salon. Sleeping monkey-toy pillow satisfied. Night pops. – Big Herm”

Listen to the story here.

In the comforting darkness of night, with all human eyes in the household blissfully shut, Pawsburgh opened its gates and Herman, that delightful, waddle-y joy that he is, answered its call. It wasn’t every day, you see, that dogs could waltz off to an entire universe tucked away in the patchwork quilt of night.

With a shake and a shudder that shifted his wrinkles into a different configuration, Herman was off. Destination: Sniff ‘n’ Snack, of course. It was what I like to call the pre-adventure feast. As the early morning beams of sunlight refracted through the crystals hanging in cozy, little Dog-gone Good BBQ, Herman could be spotted, a burger in paw, striking an idle chat with Baker.

“Fancy a cow ear, Baker?” he asked his bulldog friend while meticulously rotating his chewy bone in his mouth, his eyes fixated on the TV showing ‘Puppy Bowl’ at Shih Tzu Stadium. Baker, forever lost in the BBQ’s tantalizing aromas, just mumbled a noncommittal reply.

“Such an ignoramus, this one,” retorted Herman, while showering his love on his prized monkey toy.

Post the light breakfast, or what Herman called “the small eating,” it was off to the Westie Woods for our band of merry canines. Herman, Lilly, Baker, Rosie, and Pepper, their wits united as they schemed and planned their much-anticipated escapade. Only Pepper seemed a bit lost, staring enigmatically at the vast expanse of Lower Dalmatian Desert. She probably was contemplating an existential question or perhaps she just saw a sand-flea.

One adventure-followed-the-other as our heroes stumbled upon a pop-up Doggy Donuts shop, which had mysteriously materialized out of nowhere in the heart of Westie Woods. Their dubious expressions mirrored mine the first time I had a salad. To eat or not to eat? That is the question. An ice-cream wagon thrown into this mix and, well, there we were, in the middle of Lord of the Rings: The Two Treats.

Of course, not everything was smooth sailing. What’s an adventure without a dash of drama, eh? Turns out, amidst all this revelry, Lilly had, quite unforgivably, brought along some peanut butter-shrimp flavored donuts. A collective “blech!” echoed through the woods. Some tastes are just not meant to be meddled with, and Herman’s was one of them.

As the stars unveiled themselves across the canvas of the night sky, the gang returned to The Dapper Dog Salon, their fur laden with twigs and leaves, carrying with them the secrets of the Westie Woods, the laughter of shared jokes, and the satisfaction only a day well spent can bring along.

I watched Herman, with a soft sigh escaping his lips, fall into a deep slumber, his beloved monkey toy now serving as his pillow. Pawsburgh, you beautiful mysterious town you, had once again worked its magic.

The End.