The Doggy Divas: Roxy’s Rules

by Lauren Brown

  Georgia showed up just in time for the show. She stood in the doorway taking in the scene, her eyes wide with confusion. For the first time in her entire life, she was speechless—but only for a fleeting moment.

  “Are there hidden cameras here?” Georgia asked in shock. “Is this a practical joke? Are we going to be on TV?”

  Roxy ran over to stand by Georgia. She couldn’t decide if she was more alarmed that Mrs. Pierce was about to lose her robe in front of everyone or that no one else in the Pierce family shared Kim’s love of dogs. Roxy had just assumed it was a genetic thing. And then she realized that Kim was probably an outcast at home too.

  The Chihuahuas were jumping on Izzy’s back and trying to eat bubbles off her fur. Still soaking wet, Izzy kept attempting to shake herself dry. This, of course, splashed the Chihuahuas. They ran down the stairs to get away from Izzy—and to take refuge under Mrs. Pierce’s robe.

  “Kim,” her mom said calmly. “Where did these Chihuahuas come from?”

  “I’m sorry, Mom, but Izzy got into the garbage on our walk home from school, and that’s where these Chihuahuas were hiding and, well, they recognized me from school. Izzy smelled like spaghetti so I decided to give her a bath, and the Chihuahuas just aren’t used to the house yet…”

  “Kim, these dogs will not have the opportunity to get used to our house. No more dogs!” her mom said while squeezing water out of her robe like a mop. “We’ll talk more about this later.”

  The Chihuahuas nipped at the bottom of Mrs. Pierce’s bathrobe—making it rather difficult and potentially embarrassing for her to stand up straight.

  “Come on, guys,” Kim said quietly. She snapped her fingers, and the dogs followed her up the stairs. Roxy and Georgia went right behind them.

  “I can’t believe this place!” Georgia mouthed to Roxy as they walked up the marble stairs and down a long, picturesque hallway filled with artwork to Kim’s room. The bathroom—which was strewn with towels and wet doggy footprints—actually had a loveseat. And Kim’s room was double the size of Roxy’s parents’ room.

  Don’t they have a maid? Roxy wondered as they sat down. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and noticed that Georgia did the same.

  Kim’s room reeked of dog treats, and every inch of the black, shaggy carpet was covered in dog hair. Kim’s walls were a collage of posters, charts, news clippings, and photographs about anything and everything to do with canines. She had more dog toys, dog beds, and dog food displayed than most pet stores had in stock. Roxy sat on a dog pillow shaped like a bone, while Georgia grabbed one that was shaped like a candy bar. Kim snuggled up with the dogs in her bed. Izzy was already curled up in a tight little ball.

  “Kim, you have not one, not two, not three, but four showerheads in that swanky bathroom of yours, and you can’t take a shower every morning?” Georgia asked. “I mean…”

  “Georgia!” Roxy shot her a look. “You don’t have to say everything that instantly pops into your brain.”

  “I’m sorry. I just…well, I just really thought that everyone in Kim’s house was a dog freak too,” Georgia said quietly. “I was half expecting Lassie or Snoopy to answer the door.”

  Even Kim couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Yeah, well, my mom doesn’t think that dogs are a very ladylike hobby,” Kim said while giving the Chihuahuas a cue to jump through her belt like a hoop. “But dogs have always understood me and accepted me. Most people don’t.”

  As soon as Kim said that, Roxy felt really bad about all the times during the previous year when she and Liz had tortured Kim because she smelled like kibble or spent lunchtime rescuing strays.

  “Well, then, that’s why you’re the perfect vice president of specialized doggie care, nutrition, and customer service,” Georgia said sincerely. “I have a dog and don’t know a thing compared to you!”

  Kim blushed so deeply that her face, neck, and arms turned crimson.

  “Okay, let’s get down to business then,” Roxy said. “Item Number One—Liz Craft.”

  “Where are our agendas?” Georgia asked as she took out her knitting bag and started working on a sweater. The Chihuahuas immediately started trying to grab the needles from her hands. “I thought they were a nice touch.”

  Kim got up and placed all the dogs in a playpen filled with even more toys.

  “Well, with just two items—Liz and our dog-walking schedule—I was trying to be eco-friendly!” Roxy said in an annoyed voice. She didn’t like it when Georgia made her feel like she’d done something wrong.

  “What are we going to do about Liz?” Kim asked. “I mean, do we really have to take her on as a client?”

  “Yes,” Roxy said confidently. “We shouldn’t really turn anyone away. It’s not fair. But we can’t let her think we’re worried. If we drop her as a client, we’ll look like she got to us and we care what she thinks.”

  Georgia let out a snort as she clacked away on her latest doggie sweater. She had ten to finish by the end of the week. So far, her sweaters were the most requested service from the Doggy Divas besides, of course, dog walking.

  “So what do we do?” Georgia asked. “Liz Craft will do anything to get her way.”

  “We’ll have to train her—like a dog,” Kim piped in. “Dogs are very responsive to repetition. They learn by hearing the same command or doing the same trick over and over. We’ll just have to be nice and emotionless every day, the exact same way, when she’s around. As mean as it sounds, we have to treat her like a dog.”

  Okay, one of these days, we’re going to have to get Kim to a mall and introduce her to the two-legged species, but for now, she’s got a point…

  Roxy was shocked at the endless knowledge Kim had about dogs. She herself loved clothes, but she barely knew a thing about the fashion industry. Listening to Kim was impressive—and overwhelming sometimes!

  “If we’re training her, then let’s get a muzzle to put over her yappy mouth,” Georgia suggested.

  The girls burst out laughing.

  “Okay…let’s move to our final order of business. Dog-walking duties begin tomorrow morning, bright and early!” Roxy exclaimed.

  Kim and Georgia groaned, but Roxy ignored them.

  “Girls, we have to start our day at 6 a.m. We have fifteen dogs to walk before school and fifteen to walk after school,” Roxy dictated. “I think five dogs each should be fine, but we need to split it up based on the dogs that are closest to our houses.”

  They each picked their five dogs, and Roxy had no choice but to take little Roxie. The Crafts lived closest to her, and one of Liz’s “special” requests was for Roxy to be her walker. For now, at least, Roxy was willing to go along with whatever Liz wanted so they could get this business off the ground without Liz ruining it more than she’d already tried.

  “You guys, please be easy to reach after I pick up little Roxie!” Roxy begged. “What if Liz puts a video camera in her—like one of those nanny cams or something? I may need you guys to inspect her!”

  “Don’t worry. There’s nowhere inside a dog that she could fit such a thing…” Kim started to explain. Roxy and Georgia rolled their eyes, and Kim trailed off.

  “Oh, wait! I almost forgot!” Kim jumped up and ran over to her closet. She pulled out a box and handed Roxy and Georgia each a sack with plastic bags to scoop up dog poop, hand sanitizer, and dog treats.

  “Think of these three things as your ‘canine kit.’ Use them for every walk,” Kim said. “Leaving poop on the street is against the law, and you want to make sure your hands are clean at all times. Treats are a way of earning a dog’s trust and rewarding him for good behavior, but don’t use them as bribes. Dogs are very smart creatures.”

  Georgia sniffed one of the treats and made a face. “Are we going to get a lecture from you about the proper care of dogs every time we meet?” she asked.

  “Yes, we are,
” Roxy jumped in. “I think we need Kim to teach us because I really don’t know all that much about dogs—at least you guys each have one—so yes, Kim will be teaching us.”

  Kim beamed with pride. Roxy realized that Kim must not get many compliments on her dog knowledge—especially from her mom.

  “Okay, girls, we have a big day of dog walking ahead of us. I say this meeting is adjourned so we can go home and get some much-needed beauty rest!”

  DOGGY CONFESSIONAL

  IZZY

  Was Kim adopted at the local shelter like I was? She sure is a different breed from her parents. Kim is sort of...well, like a mutt. And her mother is a regal top breed!

  So what if Kim isn't perfect. Like all mutts, Kim has a heart of gold. She takes exceptional care of us and never gets mad when we do things like poop on the couch. We don't mean to-sometimes we can't help ourselves!

  Kim has to put up with so much from the bullies at school that we don't want anyone else making her feel worse-like her parents. We like to protect her whenever we can, just like she protects us.

  Chapter Ten

  The next morning, Roxy popped up out of bed almost a full hour before her alarm clock rang. She was so anxious about managing five dogs—including little Roxie—that her dreams during the night had been filled with images of ten-foot-tall Yorkie-Poos that all looked like little Roxie.

  She stretched her arms over her head and tried to decide on the perfect dog-walking outfit. At least she didn’t have to worry about running into Jessica dressed in anything similar. And there was no way that Jessica would be out and about before the sun was up.

  Roxy was trying hard not to think about showing up at Liz’s house in about an hour. She could picture the smug and satisfied look on Liz’s face when she opened the door and saw Roxy, the “hired help,” standing there. Liz had the same superior look plastered across her face whenever she tormented her housekeeper by forcing the poor woman to make Liz’s grilled-cheese sandwich over and over until she got the crust just crispy enough. Roxy was nervous enough about walking five dogs; it would be a lot easier if little Roxie wasn’t one of them.

  She glanced at the clock. It was now 5:30 a.m., and she was expected at the Goldman household by 6 a.m. to pick up Tyler, a St. Bernard. Roxy looked at the rest of the carefully organized and printed-out schedule she had made for herself and the rest of the girls. After picking up Tyler, Roxy had to retrieve Chloe the Pomeranian, Precious the cocker spaniel, Horton the corgi, and finally little Roxie.

  Guess I’m saving the best for last today, Roxy sighed as she pulled on a pair of cropped, hot-pink yoga pants, a gray hoodie, and sneakers. She didn’t have any experience in dressing for dog walking—even with all the time that she had spent with little Roxie. Liz did very little to take care of little Roxie, other than dressing her in ridiculous outfits, toting her around, and loving all the attention the tiny dog attracted.

  Roxy grabbed Kim’s canine kit and was about to head out the door when she decided that, as vice president of public relations, it was her duty to update the Doggy Divas Twitter feed first thing every morning.

  @MissDoggyDiva: Just out for our morning walk! What R U waiting for? Call us! Ur dog will thank u!

  Then Roxy flipped open her cell phone to text her business partners and pump them up in honor of their first official morning of dog walking.

  To: Georgia cell, Kim cell

  From: Roxy cell

  “Good morning, divas! I can feel it—this morning will put the Doggy Divas on the map! But, if U want to walk little Roxie for me, I’ll pay you $1,000. XO, R”

  Roxy quietly shut the front door behind her so she wouldn’t wake anyone. She had casually mentioned to her mom that she was helping out the neighborhood by walking dogs during the strike. Eventually her mom would realize that her daughter was a full-fledged business owner, but for now Roxy didn’t want to have to explain her new friends and the lack of her old ones.

  Maybe I’ll wait to tell her when we make the cover of Entrepreneur magazine or Warren Buffett buys a stake in the Doggy Divas! Roxy laughed to herself as she ran up the walkway of the Goldman house and tried to stop from shaking with nerves. Tyler started barking before she even rang the doorbell.

  “Tyler, quiet!” Mrs. Goldman commanded. She was wearing a yellow-and-blue kimono that was too short. Roxy tried to keep her focus on Mrs. Goldman’s face. “Roxy, you’re a lifesaver. He’s been going nuts ever since Carla decided to strike. The whole thing is just a mess!”

  Roxy stood there paralyzed with fear. Standing on all fours, Tyler was almost as tall as she was and probably weighed twice as much. Her dream seemed to be coming true as a real-life nightmare. This dog was going to drag her all over the neighborhood!

  “Um, no problem, Mrs. Goldman,” Roxy said brightly and hoped Mrs. Goldman couldn’t hear her heart pounding through her chest. “I’m going to pick up the other dogs for a nice little walk, and I’ll bring him back as soon as possible.”

  “Roxy, dear, is Chloe one of the dogs you’ll be walking this morning?”

  Roxy nodded but couldn’t understand why in the world Mrs. Goldman would care.

  “Okay, well, no problem, but just make sure that they’re separated. Don’t let them walk side by side, and you’ll be fine.”

  Roxy’s eyes widened as she grabbed Tyler’s leash. He was sweet at first and actually let Roxy take the lead. But when they approached Chloe’s house, Tyler began whimpering in fear and refused to budge. Finally Roxy managed to drag him up to the door, where she knocked lightly.

  “Who is it?” asked a high-pitched voice.

  “It’s Roxy Davis with the Doggy Divas!” Roxy sang. “Is Chloe ready for her walk?”

  The door swung open, and a tiny Pomeranian bounced outside. Her owner, Mrs. Rogers, scooped her up before she got too far.

  “Oh, look, Chloe! Tyler is here—you have a friend for your walk!” Mrs. Rogers cooed.

  Tyler whimpered, and Roxy started to panic. Tyler was a giant in comparison to little Chloe, so why was he so scared of this little puff of white fluff?

  “Roxy, you take good care of my sweet little princess!” Mrs. Rogers begged. “Chloe, you be a good girl for Roxy, and Mommy will have a treatie-weatie waiting for you when you get back!”

  The minute Mrs. Rogers closed the door, angelic little Chloe turned into an evil little devil—with her sights set on tormenting poor Tyler. Chloe growled and nipped at Tyler’s feet. At first, Roxy thought it was funny to watch such a little dog intimidate a giant one. But when she broke a nail trying to keep them apart, she stopped laughing.

  Roxy barely managed to drag them along to pick up Precious and Horton. After that, it was better having two dogs between to keep Tyler and Chloe separated. But the next stop was Liz’s house, and Roxy couldn’t let Liz see that she was having any problem controlling the dogs. Roxy needed Kim’s expertise and texted her in a panic. How was she going to get Tyler and Chloe to follow her commands before arriving at Liz’s house?

  To: Kim

  From: Roxy

  “SOS! Dogs won’t behave!. Can’t let Liz see! Help!”

  Roxy waited a few minutes, but there was no response from Kim. Closing her eyes, Roxy let her mind go blank. Then she inhaled deeply from her belly—just like she had watched her mom do when she practiced yoga in the living room.

  I need to get zen—stat!

  Roxy opened her eyes and pretended that a pair of invisible hands were pushing her up the front walk to the Crafts’ mansion. Roxy was overwhelmed with pangs of nostalgia. She had spent so much time there over the years that the house had practically become her second home.

  And now, she and Liz were like strangers, Roxy thought sadly as she rang the doorbell and prayed Mrs. Craft would come to the door instead of Liz.

  The Crafts’ doorbell played a high-pitched melody that lasted until the front doo
r swung open. The noise was too much for Chloe, Tyler, Precious, and Horton to bear, and they all started howling and crying while trying desperately to run away. Roxy had officially lost control.

  “Stop it, now!” Roxy begged.

  Without missing a beat, Tyler lifted his leg and peed all over the Crafts’ front mat.

  “Tyler!” Roxy screamed. “Bad dog!”

  As if on cue, Liz flung open the front door with little Roxie nestled in her arms. Liz looked Roxy up and down, but her eyes went wide with shock when she noticed the growing puddle under Roxy’s feet.

  “Um, wow. Isn’t it your job as a dog walker to make sure the dogs don’t pee on the house?” Liz scoffed without even saying hello. “There are paper towels in the kitchen.”

  Roxy stared at Liz as if Liz had just told her that little green men were cooking breakfast in there. “I can’t leave all these dogs here to go get towels—unless you want to watch the dogs?”

  Liz stomped off to get the paper towels and threw them at Roxy when she returned. “I’m already docking $5 off your pay. You just destroyed my personal property.”

  Roxy wanted to slam the door shut and tell Liz she could just shove it. Wasn’t the mat her parents’ personal property? Roxy managed to clean the pee up with no stain left behind and remembered what Kim said yesterday about “training” Liz.

  “Well, if that’s what it’ll take to give you a satisfactory experience with the Doggy Divas, then okay,” Roxy said as she took little Roxie from Liz’s arms. “Is there anything special I need to know about little Roxie before we get going on her walk?”

  “Just know that I have spies, and I know everything,” Liz raged with her blue eyes lit up in anger. “Every mistake you make—everyone at school will know all about it. And don’t think I won’t dock another dollar for every minute you’re late to bring her back. You have fifteen minutes.”

  Liz slammed the door in her face, and Roxy stuck her tongue out in a fit of rage. She walked so angrily that she wasn’t paying attention to the dogs when Tyler stuck his big nose in her pocket and pulled out all of the dog treats. Immediately, the dogs tackled them—and pulled Roxy down in the chaos.