My name is Lexie.  I am a 4 year old Shihtzu and I live with my owner in freshwater.  I go everywhere with her, until she has to work!! That’s when I come to my second home Scoobydooz.  I’m here every day and I have a very important role.  I’m the PA (pawsonel assistant). 

On my average day I pull up into the Scoobydooz car park in my gunmetal grey chariot.  The window is down. The wind in my hair.  Life is good.  She lifts me out of the car as if I’m a delicate flower and to the chorus of dogs barking my name I make my grand entrance through the front door.  I’m still very surprised they haven’t employed a doorman.  I better get on to that.  I’m placed on my throne (humans call it a reception desk) and then humour the staff by wagging my tail and turning my head gently to the side to look cute.  The pats and cuddles start to flow in.

BUT WAIT...I remember what happens next.  My heart starts pounding and sure enough ‘owner’ begins to walk away.  STOP. DONT LEAVE ME. She can’t hear me.  I puff up my chest, lick my lips and begin to take my sad desperate stance.  Ears back, tail down, eyes drooping sadly.  “WAIT” she says in a stern voice and suddenly she’s gone.  I hear the distant brum of my chariot as it disappears down the street.

I know what you’re thinking.  Why an earth would she bring me to a dog daycare centre when I am clearly not a dog!  She tells me that “it's good for me”.  Tut. Humans. If only they had a brain!

I turn to see a vast array of dogs in the main area.  Staff are busy with mops and water bowls.  Dogs are running around and getting very excited.  I notice a staff member heading this way.  Quick. Lie down. Close eyes. Resume snoring.  I feel a hand on me, they’re lifting me up. This calls for fake flopping. Pretend sleeping.  It’s not working.  Their putting me in there...with them!!  Don’t they know who I am?  My dad is a show champion!

“Go and play Lexie” says one of the staff.  Play!  PLAY!!!... I never play.  Certainly not in front of the other dogs.  They may think I actually want to touch them!!

Zoom. “What was that?” I worry as a brown flash runs past me? That’s not a dog, that’s a horse. Zoom. Another horse runs past.  This time it's black and white.  I stare at the staff hoping they will realise their mistake in putting me in this area but they are busy walking over to the red and blue bins.  Oh no.  It dawns on me.  Ahhhhh I scream as a blue and black ball come screaming past my head.  I close my eyes, put my head down and run for the safety of the grooming room door. 

From here I watch as the dogs chase balls, catch frisbees, play tug of war and generally have a great time.  Why am I not joining in?  Aren’t I going to have fun? Well, you see.  I love to play ball and I love squeaky toys but I certainly can’t play with these balls and squeaky toys.  Imagine the germs!!!  Speaking of balls, one’s rolling this way.  Ahhh.  It touched me. GERMS!!

Finally after what seems like an age the play session looks like it’s over.  I know what comes next and sure enough the staff arrive with pink platters.  Morning tea.  What will it be today? Pig’s ears, slow roasted beef or fresh steamed chicken.  A staff member is walking towards me and leaning down to hand me something that smells like...FRUIT.. AND VEGGIES.  This is an outrage!  I will not tolerate it.  I’m walking away.  They don’t even give you a fork to eat with.  I AM DISGUSTED!!  I can’t quite believe the other dogs are eating this rabbit food but thank goodness there is now some peace and quiet.

I take myself over to the grooming room door and lean against it in a ray of sunshine when suddenly the door opens and I tumble back through.  It’s the groomer.  “Come on Lexie” I hear her say and I turn my head as if I can’t hear her.  Maybe she’ll go away.  She doesn’t!

I am carried, rather than glided, through and placed into a large blue bath. I hear the sound of the tap. Cough. Splutter. Shake.  I run from one side of the bath to other and back trying to dodge the water.  I feel a hand placed gently on me. I can’t go anywhere.  Eek it’s going up my nose!!  Where are my nose plugs and swimming goggles!  As the water is turned off I feel a trickle of cold down my back and the massage begins.  That’s is more like it.  I am much more accustomed to this and do I enjoy a good back scratch and the smell of shampoo.  But then it happens again! Cough. Splutter. Shake. Water up my nose.

Finally it’s over and I am wrapped in a towel.  It certainly doesn’t feel like it’s a very high quality one but it does the job I guess.  I am placed on the bench.  A large whirring sound starts and a blast of warm air hits me.  I begin trying to run from side to side again and then remember that it’s much easier just to sit here and let the humans have their fun for a while. I’m brushed and preened and now I feel great.  My collar is placed back on me and my pretty pink bows are placed in my hair.  This is more like it. 

I’m carried back out to my throne and given a liver treat.  After a short while humans start coming through the front door.  I know that one of them will be my owner but for now I play along with these humans, wagging my tail before turning my nose up at them and hoping they will go away.  Can’t they see that I’m tired!  Some of these humans are very silly.  They jump when I move, call me a “stuffed toy” or “battery operated”.  I’ve even had one human try to put money in me.  They’re meant to be the intelligent species!

Yay... I hear the roar of my chariot arriving.  I’m so excited.  The door swings open and like a beam of light my  slave walks through the door.  She spends ages talking to the staff but eventually i manage to get her to notice me and take me away.  I’m placed gently back in my chariot.  I’m so tired.  Don’t tell her but I secretly enjoyed today.  It’s so busy and there’s always something exciting going on.  I just don’t want her for one moment to think I’m becoming a dog!  Eyes closing. Can’t keep them open. A hand gently stroking my head as the hum of the car sends me to sleep.