Cuddles Read online

  For all the puppies who give the best

  cuddles when we need them

  CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  DEDICATION

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  PUPPY TIPS

  TEASER

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  OTHER STORIES BY ELLEN MILES

  COPYRIGHT

  “Hi, Misha, hi!” Lizzie Peterson squatted down to pet the wriggly, panting husky. The dog hardly knew her, but like most dogs, he was always happy to see a friendly person. She ruffled the thick white fur around Misha’s neck and gazed into his blue eyes. “How’s my handsome boy?” she asked.

  He grinned a doggy grin at her and wriggled some more, wagging his fluffy tail hard. Lizzie could tell that he was about to jump on her, so she distracted him by standing up. “Sit,” she told him as she gave a hand signal.

  Misha sat.

  Now his tail swept the floor as he wagged, still grinning up at her.

  Lizzie laughed. The best thing about her job was the happy dogs. Lizzie and her best friend, Maria, and two other girls — Daphne and Brianna — had a dog-walking business. They took care of dogs for people who wanted their pets to have a little extra attention and exercise. Lizzie loved to help with training, too; she was the one who had taught Misha how to sit, and she was planning to work more on his jumping-up issue.

  Every day — at least, every school day — her clients’ dogs waited patiently for her to arrive. And when she did, every single dog behaved as if she was the best thing that had happened all day. She was greeted with wags and wriggles, kisses and excited barks. It always felt great.

  “It’s so easy to make you guys happy,” Lizzie told Misha as she looked for his leash. “A few pats, maybe a treat, and you’ve made a new bestie. Now, where do they keep your stuff?”

  Misha was not one of Lizzie’s regular charges. Normally, he was on Daphne’s route. Lizzie was covering for Daphne, who wanted a few afternoons off because her aunt was visiting from Colorado. “Please?” Daphne had asked. “She’s my favorite aunt, and I never get to see her. She wants to take me shopping and to the movies and stuff.”

  Lizzie didn’t mind. She liked meeting new dogs and visiting with ones she had met before, like Misha. She just wished Daphne kept better notes on the dogs she walked. Lizzie checked the index card she had pulled out of her pocket. Misha, it said. Husky, six years old. Pulls on leash. Very strong. Likes to chase squirrels. All of that was helpful — but pretty predictable, if you knew anything about huskies. Lizzie also really needed to know what commands Misha had been taught, whether he was allowed to eat just any dog treats or if he was allergic to wheat or anything else, and … “And where is your leash?” she asked Misha.

  Misha pranced to a cabinet near the front door and put a paw on it. Lizzie laughed again. “It’s in there?” she asked. “Are you sure?”

  Misha took a few steps back, sat down, and woo-wooed, throwing his head back to let out a few soft, short howls. Lizzie loved the woo-woo huskies did instead of barking. Once she’d even met a husky who had been trained to say “I love you” in howls. It sounded more like “Wyyy wuuuuuvvvv woooooohhh!” and it was hilarious.

  Lizzie pulled the cabinet door open. “Yes!” she said. There it was, a handsome red leather leash hanging on a hook. “Good boy. You do know where your leash is, don’t you?” She took the leash out and snapped it onto Misha’s collar. “Great, now we can go.” She knew she had everything else she might need in her backpack: dog treats (she always carried wheat-free ones just in case a client’s dog did turn out to be allergic), a bottle of water, poop clean-up bags, and even a doggy emergency kit with bandages and other supplies.

  She had gotten the kit when she took a course on canine first aid at the community center. There Lizzie had learned to bandage paws, clean cuts, and even do doggy CPR, helping an unconscious dog with his breathing. Fortunately, so far she had not had to use anything she’d learned, except once, when her own puppy, Buddy, cut his foot on a piece of broken glass.

  Poor little Buddy. Lizzie pictured her sweet brown puppy looking up at her with the saddest eyes as he held out his bleeding paw. She smiled as she remembered how he’d licked her cheek in thanks when she was done cleaning and bandaging the cut.

  Buddy had first come to the Petersons’ as a foster puppy. Lizzie’s family had fostered many puppies before and after Buddy, keeping each one just long enough to find it the perfect home — but Buddy was the only one who had come to stay. The whole family — Lizzie, her parents, and her two younger brothers, Charles and the Bean —had fallen madly in love with the adorable mixed-breed pup. There was no question that Buddy was their favorite puppy ever.

  “But I do like you, too, Misha,” Lizzie told the husky. He was prancing around now, still wearing that silly grin. She knew he was more than ready for his walk. “Let’s go, then,” she said as they headed out the back door together.

  “Misha, Misha!” Lizzie heard a girl’s voice. Misha heard the voice, too. He strained at his leash, towing Lizzie toward the sidewalk.

  He dragged her straight for a small wiry girl with her bright red hair done in two braids. She looked a little younger than Lizzie — probably a first-grader, Lizzie thought. The girl must have been playing in the yard next door, where Lizzie spotted a swing set. Her freckles and those long red braids reminded Lizzie of Pippi Longstocking, the feisty main character in one of Lizzie’s favorite books.

  Before Lizzie could even think of the best way to slow him down, Misha pulled her right up to the girl. The girl laughed and thumped him and petted him and stroked his long, fluffy tail. “Misha, Misha,” she said again. “Good boy, Misha.” She giggled as he licked her face.

  Then the girl stopped to stare at Lizzie. “Who are you?” she asked.

  Lizzie smiled. “I’m Lizzie. I’m taking over for Daphne this week. Who are you?”

  “I’m Poppy,” said the girl. “I know Daphne. I’ve gone with her on her dog walks. Can I come with you?”

  “If your mom says yes, sure!” said Lizzie.

  The girl grinned. “Really? I live right there,” she said, pointing to the big white house next door to Misha’s.

  “Okay, well, let’s ask her,” said Lizzie.

  Poppy’s mom came to the door when Poppy called for her. She had red hair, too, but hers was cut short, with bangs.

  “Hi,” Lizzie said. “I’m Lizzie Peterson. I’m the president of the dog-walking business your neighbor Daphne works for.”

  The woman looked surprised. “Funny, somehow I always thought Daphne was the president,” she said.

  Lizzie smiled. “That’s interesting,” she said. “Anyway, is it okay if Poppy walks with me? I’m just going around the block, and I’m used to watching kids.”

  “How about if I come along?” The woman stuck out her hand. “I’m Allie. Allie Bauer.”

  “Great,” said Lizzie. She checked the list Daphne had left for her. “Next stop is to pick up Ruby.”

  Allie shook her head. “Nope, next stop is Cuddles.”

  Again Lizzie checked Daphne’s sheet, with all her clients’ names and addresses. “I don’t see a Cuddles on Daphne’s list,” she said.

  “Oh, Daphne doesn’t walk her,” said Allie. “Poppy just loves to visit her. Poor little puppy, left all alone all day.”

  Before Lizzie had a chance to ask more, she heard noises. A bark, a whimper, a whine. The puppy was not far off — and she was not happy. “Let’s go,” said Lizzie.

  Lizzie and Allie walked down
the sidewalk toward a small green house. Poppy trotted along next to Misha, petting his head and talking to him as they walked.

  “Good boy, Misha,” the little girl said. “What do you smell?”

  Misha cocked his head from side to side, grinning up at her as she questioned him. He held his tail high, and his collar tags jingled a happy tune as he walked. Lizzie smiled at Allie. “Poppy seems to really love dogs,” she said.

  Allie sighed. “It’s more than that,” she said. “She’s totally dog-crazy. She’s dying for a dog of her own, but now is not the time. Our lives are just way too busy and full. There’s no room for a dog right now. Plus, I’m a bit allergic, so it wouldn’t be easy to find the right dog for us.”

  Lizzie nodded. “It’s a serious decision, to get a dog,” she said, echoing something she’d heard Ms. Dobbins say. “It’s definitely a lot of responsibility. Not every family is ready for a pet.” Lizzie knew about that from volunteering at her local animal shelter, Caring Paws, where Ms. Dobbins was the director. She knew of more than one pet who had ended up at Caring Paws when its family felt too overwhelmed with busy schedules.

  Allie shook her head. “Exactly. Maybe someday we’ll be ready, but not now.”

  The puppy noises had gotten much louder. Lizzie could hardly hear Allie over the barking, whining, and yipping that came from the screened-in porch of the green house.

  At first Lizzie didn’t see a dog. Then she saw a fluffy little head pop up as a dog jumped high enough to peep over the porch railing. She heard scrabbling noises, and then the head popped up at the other end of the porch. The dog ran back and forth, bouncing up and down so it could peek out.

  “Hi, Cuddles!” Poppy said.

  “Whoa, that is the most adorable dog!” Lizzie said. She grinned at Allie, then turned back to catch another glimpse. Lizzie thought she knew all her dog breeds — she studied the “Dog Breeds of the World” poster in her room every night — but she’d never seen one quite like this. It looked sort of like a Pomeranian: small, with fluffy reddish-brown fur. But instead of a pointy nose, this dog had a broad one, and its shiny round black eyes were more widely spaced. The dog’s furry face and cute ears looked familiar, and suddenly Lizzie realized why. It looked exactly like Bosco, the Bean’s favorite teddy bear. She turned to say so to Allie. “She looks just like a — ”

  “Teddy bear!” said Poppy. “That’s what she is. I looked it up online. She’s a teddy bear dog. It’s a mixed breed, what they call a designer dog.”

  Lizzie raised her eyebrows. She didn’t meet too many people who knew more about dogs than she did. “Interesting,” she said, nodding.

  Poppy pointed to the bouncing puppy. “I don’t know if they’re all as bouncy as this one, but I guess she can’t help it. She’s all cooped up on that porch.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Lizzie.

  “She’s only lived here for about a week,” explained Allie, “but she’s out there all day every day. I don’t know what Mrs. Bennett was thinking. She’s never home. Why did she get a dog if she can’t spend any time with her?”

  As Allie and Lizzie talked, the dog began to calm down a bit. Misha was calm, too. The husky stood quietly on the sidewalk as Poppy stroked his back.

  “It’s okay, Cuddles,” said Poppy. “We’re your friends.”

  Lizzie laughed. “Cuddles. It sure suits her. I’m sure everyone who sees her wants to cuddle with her. How do you know her name, anyway?” she asked.

  “I heard the lady yelling at her to stop barking,” said Poppy.

  Lizzie felt her heart thumping. She wanted to run right up to that porch and take Cuddles along with them on their walk. She hated to see a dog left alone like that. Dogs just wanted to be with people and other dogs. It wasn’t fair to get a dog if you didn’t have time to spend walking and playing with it.

  Allie must have seen the look on Lizzie’s face. “I know,” she said. “Poor dog, right? But there’s not really anything we can do.”

  Lizzie frowned. “Maybe there is,” she said. “What did you say her owner’s name is?”

  “Mrs. Bennett,” said Allie.

  Lizzie shrugged off her backpack. “I’m going to leave her a note,” she said. “Maybe she’d like AAA Dynamic Dog Walkers to help her out with Cuddles.” She rummaged for a pen and paper, then dug one of her business cards out of the backpack’s side pocket. She showed it to Allie and Poppy. “See? There’s Daphne, and also Brianna, and my best friend, Maria. We take care of lots of dogs.” Lizzie loved the picture of all four of them with some of their favorite clients: dogs of every size, shape, and color. In the picture, Lizzie was holding one dog in her arms (Maxx, a mini Doberman pinscher) and two on leashes (Pixie and Pogo, a pair of poodles). Maria sat on the grass with three puppies trying to get into her lap at the same time while Brianna wrangled a high-spirited golden retriever. “Look, Daphne’s holding Misha in the picture!” Lizzie pointed out the handsome husky, and Poppy smiled.

  Lizzie scribbled a note to Mrs. Bennett. Then she glanced at Poppy. The girl was small, but she looked strong. “Can you hold Misha’s leash for a second?” Lizzie asked.

  Poppy nodded eagerly. She took the leash and carefully wrapped it around her hand. “Sit, Misha,” she said. Misha sat.

  Lizzie was impressed. This girl had a way with dogs.

  “Okay?” Lizzie asked.

  “Okay,” said Poppy.

  Allie smiled and winked at Lizzie.

  Lizzie walked up to the door of the screened porch and knocked. The puppy went wild, but that was it. Nobody came to the door or called out, “Who’s there?”

  “Nobody home,” said Lizzie. She stuck the business card and her note into the screen door. Cuddles yipped louder than ever until Lizzie shushed her with calming words. Lizzie put her palm against the screen, and Cuddles snuffled at her fingers. “It’s okay,” Lizzie told Cuddles. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you out of there one way or another.”

  Lizzie called Daphne as soon as she got home.

  “I can only talk for a minute,” said Daphne. “My aunt and I are baking cookies and they’re just about to come out of the oven.”

  “What’s up with Cuddles, that little barking dog on the porch of the green house?” Lizzie asked, getting straight to the point.

  “Exactly!” said Daphne. “What is up over there? Poor thing. I’ve been knocking on the door every day, but nobody’s ever home. That dog needs some training to learn how to keep quiet.”

  “Almost any dog would bark if they were left alone like that,” said Lizzie. “She’s bored and frustrated and lonely. It’s like dogs who are tied out all day on a run. A lot of them bark, too. But if they’re treated right and have time with their humans, they don’t bark at all.”

  “Okay, whatever,” said Daphne. Lizzie could tell she was probably rolling her eyes. “Anyway, I have to go. The oven timer just went off and those cookies smell gooo-oood.”

  “Wait, I wanted to tell you that I met Poppy today. She said she knows you.”

  “That pest?” Daphne asked. “What a know-it-all. She thinks she knows more about dogs than I do.”

  Lizzie stifled a giggle. She had a feeling that it could be true. Normally, she might have felt the same way as Daphne — but there was something about Poppy that Lizzie really liked. She said good-bye and hung up. All that evening as she did her homework, ate dinner with her family, and played hide-the-biscuit with Buddy, Lizzie listened for the phone, waiting for a call from Mrs. Bennett. But the phone never rang.

  * * *

  The next afternoon, everything happened just the way it had the day before. Misha met Lizzie at the door again, with wags and grins. Lizzie asked where his leash was, and he put a paw on the cabinet door. “Good boy,” she said as she clipped it on.

  Poppy called out again as soon as Lizzie and the husky stepped out the door. “Hi, Misha,” Poppy said. She fell into step next to Lizzie as she and Misha reached the sidewalk. “Mom said I could go with you today,” she
said, “as long as we don’t cross any streets and if I listen to what you say.”

  “Great!” said Lizzie. It was always nice to have company on a walk. Lizzie could already hear Cuddles whining and barking. The sounds grew louder as she and Poppy approached the green house. Soon Lizzie could see the little dog racing from end to end of the porch, popping up to peer out at them. Cuddles was frantic! Lizzie felt so sorry for the adorable puppy.

  “Hi, Cuddles,” Poppy called softly.

  The barking did not let up. Lizzie wondered if the poor dog had been on the porch all night. Did she ever get walked at all? Lizzie asked Poppy to hold Misha again, then marched up to the house and knocked loudly on the porch door. She noticed that the business card she had left was gone. So Mrs. Bennett must have at least seen them.

  Cuddles barked and barked, but nobody came to the door. Lizzie peered through the screen. For a moment, she thought she saw movement inside, just the twitch of a curtain at a window near the front door. “Hello,” she called, knocking again. “Mrs. Bennett?” But there was no answer. Everything was still again — except for Cuddles, who bounced and barked and scrabbled at the door.

  Lizzie clenched her fists. “That’s it,” she said as she rejoined Poppy on the sidewalk. “We’ve got to do something about this. That dog needs our help.”

  Poppy nodded. “But what can we do?”

  Lizzie sighed. “I don’t know,” she said. “But I’ll think it over while we walk. And maybe your mom will have some ideas.” She and Poppy walked around the block, letting Misha sniff every bush and tree along the way. The sound of Cuddles’s barking faded as they got farther away, but it grew louder again as they completed their walk and ended up back on the sidewalk in front of the Bauers’ house.

  Poppy’s mom was out front, watering some big red flowers that grew along the front walk. “Hi,” Allie called. “Did you have a nice walk?”

  “Misha peed seven times!” Poppy reported. “No, eight,” she added. “I forgot about the time he went on that mailbox.”

  “Well, it all sounds very exciting,” said Allie, giving Lizzie a wink and a smile.