“I’m sorry,” said Suli. “Maybe you could be a sniffer dog, or a search and rescue dog.”
“I only want to be an assistance dog,” wailed Pip. “What’s wrong with me, Suli? Why can’t I stop myself from chasing balls?”
“Well, it’s good news for us,” woofed Star. “We need you in the pawball final next week. Come on, Pip, we’ve got to run. Gruff Barking and the other teammates are waiting for us on the field.”
Pip followed Suli and Star. He didn’t feel like joining in, but all that changed the moment he saw the ball in the middle of the pawball field.
It was waiting just for him.
PPPHHHREWWWWW! Gruff Barking, the Puppy Academy sports teacher, blew his whistle for the training to begin.
Pip was off even before the whistle finished sounding. He dribbled the ball between his paws, in and out of the cones. Ahead he could see Star racing into the goal. Star was a border collie pup with lightning feet—and one of the best goalies in the academy. Pip knew he had to get in close before he tried to score.
Left paw … right paw … left paw … right paw … Pip took the ball forward, looking for an opening. Nosey, a Jack Russell terrier, dived for the ball, and Lulu, a poodle, tried to tackle, but Pip skipped past them both and knocked the ball into the air. Star jumped for it, but Pip’s nose reached the ball first, sending it flying into the goal.
PPPHHHREWWWW! “Well done, pups, well done.” Gruff Barking called all the pups together. “Great practice session. You’ll need to play like that next week when we’re up against the MadDogz in the pawball final.”
The five pups of the pawball team looked at one another. The puppies of the MadDogz team were the unbeaten champions. They were young guard dogs from the Security Dog School on the other side of town. They all looked big and scary. It was rumored that Exterminator, their goalie, wasn’t even allowed out without a muzzle.
“Do we have to play them?” asked Suli. Suli was a saluki pup. What she lacked in strength, she made up for in speed and in her midair turns.
Gruff Barking looked slowly around at them. “MadDogz have been beaten before,” he said.
“That was ten years ago,” said Lulu. “They’ve held the Golden Ball in their trophy cabinet ever since.”
“They can be beaten again,” said Gruff Barking. “You’ve gotten to the final, so you have a chance of winning. Come on, pups, you can do this. Don’t forget who you are!”
“Give me an S,” woofed Star.
“Give me a D,” barked Suli.
“Give me a P,” yapped Lulu.
“Give me an A,” yipped Nosey.
“Who are we?” The pups high-fived one another and barked, “We’re the Sausage Dreams Puppy Academy!”
Pip joined in, but he couldn’t help thinking that they didn’t sound very tough compared to the MadDogz.
PPPHHHREWWWW! Gruff Barking blew his whistle again. “Right, pups,” he said. “Let’s try some nose balances.”
Pip was just perfecting balancing the ball on the tip of his nose when Major Bones arrived on the playing field with Pip’s mom and dad.
Pip dropped the ball and stared down at his feet. “I’m sorry I didn’t pass the test,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter,” said Pip’s mom.
“But it does matter,” wailed Pip. “I can’t take the test again.”
Pip’s dad sat down next to him. “How much do you want to be an assistance dog?”
“More than anything,” said Pip.
Pip’s mom and dad looked at each other, and then at Major Bones. “Well, if that’s really what you want,” said Pip’s mom, “Major Bones says he will let you take the test again.”
“Really?” asked Pip.
“Really,” said Pip’s mom.
“That’s right,” said Major Bones. “But before you take the test, we must be sure you are ready. We have to stop you from chasing balls or playing any ball games.”
Pip stared at Major Bones. “Even pawball?”
“Yes.” Major Bones nodded. “It’s the only way.”
“No!” gasped Pip.
“He can’t leave us,” woofed Star.
“We’re playing against the MadDogz next week,” wailed Lulu. “We need Pip!”
Major Bones shook his head. “If Pip really wants to be an assistance dog, he’ll have to give up pawball.”
“For good?” whispered Pip.
Gruff Barking’s whiskers bristled. “Can’t it wait until next week? We need Pip in the final.”
“I’m afraid not,” said Major Bones. “I’ve just heard that a place has opened up at the training center for assistance dogs. Pip has been invited there for a trial period on Monday.”
Pip looked around at his teammates. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“You don’t have to go,” said Star.
“But I do,” said Pip.
“You don’t have to be an assistance dog,” said Lulu. “You’re so good at pawball; you could turn professional. You could be famous and travel the world.”
Pip shook his head. “I love pawball, but I don’t want to play it forever. I love people more. One day, I want to make a difference in someone’s life. One day, I want to wear the Paw of Friendship on my collar,” he said. “I’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means putting my pawball days behind me.”
* * *
“WELCOME TO ANOTHER FRIDAY AWARD CEREMONY,” woofed Professor Offenbach. “PLEASE SIT!” Professor Offenbach was the head of the Sausage Dreams Puppy Academy for Working Dogs. She was a small dog with a big voice. Even Major Bones sometimes had to tie his ears beneath his chin when she was talking. “IT’S BEEN ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WEEK AT THE ACADEMY, AND I HAVE SEVERAL AWARDS AND WORK PLACEMENTS TO GIVE OUT TODAY.”
Pip sat with his friends and watched other pups climb onto the giant sausage podium to collect their awards and badges.
“CONGRATULATIONS TO DUCHESS FOR HER CATTLE HERDING LEVEL-ONE BADGE,” woofed Professor Offenbach, hanging a badge around Duchess’s neck. “DUCHESS IS VERY LUCKY AS WE’VE JUST HEARD THAT SHE WILL BE VISITING THE ROYAL COWS FOR HER LEVEL-TWO BADGE.”
The corgi pup puffed out her chest in pride and readjusted her tiara. She was from a long line of royal corgis.
“AND FINALLY,” boomed Professor Offenbach, “I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE FOLLOWING PUPS WITH THE RESIST TEMPTATION BADGE.…”
Roly leaned across to Pip. “I’m sorry you didn’t pass the test.”
“That’s okay, Roly,” said Pip. “Don’t worry about me.”
“It’s me I’m worried about,” whispered Roly. “Gruff Barking’s making me play in the pawball final in your place.”
“You’ll be fine,” said Pip.
“Fine?” said Roly. “Have you seen the size of the MadDogz team? They’ll eat us alive … literally.”
Star gave Pip a nudge. Professor Offenbach was glaring right at him.
“IT SEEMS THAT PIP CAN’T RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO TALK AS WELL AS PLAY BALL GAMES.”
Pip tucked his tail between his legs.
He watched his friends climb onto the podium and receive their badges. He wished he could join them up there too. Maybe he would one day. He hoped so. But he knew he wouldn’t be joining them on the sports field next week. He sighed and tried not to think about the final. It felt as if part of him had gone. His pawball days were well and truly over.
