Sasha

Special thanks toThe Happy Dog Grooming Parlour, Farnham

Table of Contents

Cover Page

Title Page

Dedication

Introducing…

One The Show’s tonight!

Two Busy Busy Busy

Three Mrs Lockett

Four Oops!

Five Swapsies

Six Cuddles

Seven Barking Mad

Eight And the Rosette Goes to…

Top tips from vets!

Dream Dogs NUGGET

Take home all of the Dream Dogs

Acknowledgements

Copyright

About the Publisher

Introducing…

Name: Sasha

Breed: Bichon frise

Age: 4

Colour: White when freshly shampooed

Likes: Bows, kisses, being pampered, winning rosettes

Dislikes: Hairdryers, muddy puddles, Silky

Most likely to be mistaken for: A cotton wool ball

Party trick: Licking people’s noses!

One The Show’s tonight!

The sand crunched under Bella’s school shoes, and the salty air blew through her hair. Even though she had lived in Sandmouth for a month now, Bella still felt a thrill whenever they went to the beach. And as the beach was on the way to and from school, Bella walked along it twice a day.

It was a bright, clear afternoon. Staring up at the seagulls in the blue sky, Bella was caught by surprise when a sand ball hit her on the back of her coat.

“Hey!” Bella shouted. She swung round. “Louie, don’t!”

Louie stuck out his tongue and aimed at Bella with his second sand ball. Bella looked over her little brother’s shoulder and grinned. A tall girl with blonde plaits was creeping up on Louie. In her hand was the biggest sand ball Bella had ever seen.

“Get him, Amber!” Bella shouted.

She cheered as her best friend Amber dumped the sand ball down the back of Louie’s neck.

“That’s not fair!” Louie complained, wriggling and laughing.

“Course it’s fair,” Amber said. “There aren’t any rules in a sand-ball fight.”

Louie threw his second sand ball at Amber. It missed.

“Tough luck, Louie!” Bella called as Amber caught up with her.

Louie shrugged, grinning. He ran down to the edge of the sea to kick at the waves.

“I still can’t believe you called your dog Snowy,” said Bella as they watched Amber’s jet-black spaniel splashing through the waves with Louie and Amber’s brother Joe.

“That’s me!” Amber grinned. She pulled a silly face. “Crazee!”

Snowy plunged into the sea, soaking Louie and Joe. Their shouts floated up the beach towards Bella.

“Snowy really needs a wash,” Amber said, linking arms with Bella. “He’s been in the sea so much lately that his coat feels like a doormat.”

“Mum loves it when the dogs get really dirty,” Bella said. “It’s really satisfying, she says, seeing all the muck going down the plughole.”

Bella’s mum Suzi had been rushed off her feet ever since opening her new dog parlour, Dream Dogs. Bella had lost count of the different kinds of dogs they’d washed. Big ones, tiny ones, hairy ones and ones with hardly any coat at all, puppies and old ones and licky ones and growly ones. Bella’s dog Pepper was used to it now, but for the first week he’d spent the whole time barking at the customers.

“It’s great that your mum can fit in Snowy today,” Amber said. “I know she’s busy.”

Bella nodded. “Mum’s booked eight dogs in to Dream Dogs today,” she said. “She usually does four!”

“Because of the Sandmouth Dog Show?” Amber guessed.

The annual dog show took place on the last Friday in February every year. It was held in the town hall, and had categories for everything, from proper pedigree dog competitions to funny classes for dogs that looked like their owners, or had the waggiest tale.

“Yes,” Bella said. “I think everyone in Sandmouth is entering.”

“Including Snowy,” Amber agreed.

Bella and Amber both looked at the soggy spaniel as he galloped along the beach.

“It’s hard to believe Snowy’s a pedigree, isn’t it?” said Amber.

“It’s hard to believe he’s a dog,” Bella giggled. “He looks more like a sand monster. He needs a lot of work to get him ready for the show tonight.”

They climbed the steps up to the road. Louie and Joe jogged up after them, followed by Snowy and Amber’s mum Claire. Claire was tall and slim, and her short spiky hair was the same colour as Amber’s.

“It’s a big help that Amber and Joe can stay for tea with you today,” Claire said. “I’ve got so much to do for Snowy’s class. The extra couple of hours will be a real help. Sometimes I think this dog show’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

“You don’t mean that, Mum,” said Amber. “You love showing Snowy off.”

“We’ll bring Amber and Joe to the show,” said Bella. “We’re coming anyway. Mum entered Pepper in the Most Obedient Dog class.”

Amber burst out laughing. “But Pepper isn’t obedient!” she said. “He hardly ever does what your mum tells him!”

“I know,” Bella sighed. “But he isn’t a pedigree, and the Obedience class was the only group which had any space left. As usual, my mum left it till the last minute.”

Bella’s dog Pepper was small and brown and very cute. But obedience really wasn’t his thing. Bella felt nervous as she thought about tonight’s show.

Would Pepper behave himself?

Or were they in for the most embarrassing evening of their lives?

Two Busy Busy Busy

They turned into Bella’s road. The bright pink Dream Dogs sign winked and shone at them above Dream Dogs’ window. With its bubblegum-coloured walls, grass-coloured floor and hanging plants, the parlour looked warm and inviting. Bella felt her tummy bubble with joy. She loved Dream Dogs so much. It had been hard work making it perfect, but now it looked as gorgeous as a birthday cake.

Bella pushed open the door. Pepper dropped the smelly bone he had been chewing and leaped out of his basket. He jumped up at Bella and Louie like he hadn’t seen them for days.

“Good day, kids?” Suzi said, straightening up from the parlour’s special dog bath which was raised up on a platform.

“Fine,” said Bella, Louie, Joe and Amber all together.

“Thanks for picking up Bella and Louie, Claire,” said Suzi, turning to Amber’s mum. “I’ve been run off my feet today.”

A very soggy white West Highland terrier scrambled out of the bath and shook himself. Suzi caught the drops in a towel.

“Only two more to go,” she said as she rubbed the little Westie. “No offence to Snowy, Claire, but I’ll be pleased when today is over!”

“Mum?” said Bella hopefully. “Have you been practising the obedience stuff with Pepper today?”

Pepper started jumping madly all over Snowy.

“Down, Pepper!” Suzi ordered, wiping her forehead and leaving behind a trail of soapsuds.

Pepper took no notice.

“I guess not,” Bella sighed.

“Give me a hand, will you, girls?” asked Suzi. She waved two towels at Bella and Amber. “Time’s moving on. I need to make a start on Snowy.”

Amber cheered and threw her school bag down in the corner. She loved drying the dogs, especially when they used the big dog-dryer. Pepper had hated that dryer for the first two weeks. Now he was used to it, and just sighed and stuck his nose under the woolly blanket in his basket.

Bella and Amber dried the Westie, and Louie took Joe upstairs to the flat to see his monster collection. The two mums chatted about the Sandmouth Dog Show as Pepper went back to his bone.

“You wouldn’t believe how seriously some people take it,” Claire said. “I don’t usually go to dog shows with Snowy, but I do this one because it’s local. It’s supposed to be a bit of fun. But some of the other dog owners…Well!”

“I know what you mean,” Suzi agreed. She tested the temperature of the water in the shower attachment. “One lady wanted to book the last available slot before the dog show to make sure her dog was groomed as close to the judging as possible. She was ever so fussy about it.”

“What kind of dog, Mum?” Bella asked, still towelling the Westie.

“A bichon frise,” said her mum, smiling.

“Oh!” Bella gasped, picturing a little fluffy white bichon frise dog. “They are just so cute!”

“I know!” Suzi agreed. “Their fur is so soft and curly. They’re like little teddy bears.”

Claire frowned. “Who’s the owner?” she said.

“Mrs Lockett, she said her name was,” said Suzi.

Claire started laughing. “Look out for Helen Lockett!” she said. “She’s terrible!”

“Mr Boswell is worse,” Amber pointed out.

“Brian Boswell has a bichon frise as well,” Claire explained as Bella and Suzi looked puzzled. “He and Mrs Lockett are arch-enemies. Especially during the Sandmouth Dog Show.”

“Thank goodness he hasn’t booked an appointment, then,” Suzi said.

The parlour’s phone rang. Bella left Amber with the Westie.

“Hello, Dream Dogs,” she said into the receiver.

“I need an appointment for my dog this evening,” snapped a voice.

“I’m afraid we haven’t got an appointment—” Bella began.

“You’ll have to find one,” said the voice. “It’s most important. My usual salon has let me down at the last minute, and I’m entered in the Sandmouth Dog Show. I usually win, by the way. I am also very influential with Sandmouth’s dog owners. If you don’t find me an appointment, then you will be making a big mistake.”

Bella covered the receiver. “There’s a grumpy man on the phone who wants an appointment tonight, Mum,” she said.

Suzi had just got Snowy up the steps and into the bath. She groaned. “Take his name, and I’ll try to fit him in,” she said.

“That’ll be nine dogs today, Mum!” Bella gasped. “That’s more than twice as many as normal!”

“Dream Dogs is a new business,” Suzi said firmly. “I can’t turn anyone down.”

Bella took her hand off the receiver. “What’s your name, please?” she asked.

“Boswell,” said the voice. “Brian Boswell.”

Bella’s heart fluttered. It was the other bichon frise owner. The one Claire and Amber had just warned them about!

“Um,” she said nervously. “We’ll do our best. But I really don’t think—”

“I’ll bring my dog in at six o’clock,” Brian Boswell interrupted. “It can be your last appointment of the day. I’ll make it worth your while. Goodbye.”

The receiver buzzed in Bella’s ear as Brian Boswell hung up. Bella stared at it. He hadn’t left his number, so her mum couldn’t call him back. Bella checked the phone’s screen. Number withheld.

The last appointment? Mrs Lockett had asked for the last appointment. And Mrs Lockett was booked in at five. Bella had a really bad feeling about this!

Three Mrs Lockett

The West Highland terrier’s owner was an elderly lady called Miss Waldicott. Miss Waldicott was delighted when she came to collect her dog.

“You’ve done a lovely job with Angus, Suzi, dear,” she said to Bella’s mum.

“Thanks, Miss Waldicott,” said Suzi, raising her voice over the noise of the dryer as she worked on Snowy. “Bella and Amber dried him for you. I’ve never been so busy!”

Miss Waldicott patted her Westie on the head. “Will you be at the show tonight?” she asked Bella.

“We’ve entered Pepper in the Obedience class,” Bella said.

“I’ve entered Angus for that as well,” Miss Waldicott said, sounding pleased. “He’s such a good little fellow. Aren’t you, Angus? Show the nice people how you shake my hand.”

The Westie sat obediently and lifted his little white paw into the air.

“Aah,” said Amber as Miss Waldicott gave her dog a little treat.

Bella smiled bravely. Pepper didn’t do that. Pepper didn’t do anything you told him, really. He just liked to cuddle her by wrapping his paws round her neck. And chase white vans. She had a feeling they wouldn’t count.

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