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bath session had washed away Ellie’s butterflies, too! There was no time for nerves now. She and Rascal stood in the middle of the hall, ready to show what they could do.
    “Sit!” Ellie smiled as Rascal sat beautifully. “Good boy, Rascal! Down! Down, Rascal!”
    Slowly, Rascal lowered his tummy to the ground.
    “Stay.” Ellie moved a couple of steps backwards.
    Rascal looked up at Ellie, and wriggled after her on his tummy. Ellie tried not to laugh. “Stay.”
    Rascal laid his nose on his paws.
    “Good boy!” Rascal sat up again, and Ellie gave him a treat. She gazed down at him sitting there so nicely. He looked so clever… It was time for his special trick.
    She took another treat and balanced it on his nose. Rascal’s little tail thumped the ground, but he didn’t eat the biscuit. He watched Ellie, his eyes hopeful.

    “Eat it! Good boy, Rascal!” He finally gobbled down the treat, and Ellie threw her arms around him. She couldn’t believe he’d done it!
    “That was great, Ellie!” Jo said, and even the judge smiled. “OK, Rascal was our last dog today, so now we’re going to give out certificates to everyone, and Anne has chosen the winners. So, can you all come and stand in a line.”
     
    Ellie cuddled Rascal, and beamed over at her family, who were all clapping.
    “Third place, Jack and Hugo!” Anne announced.
    Jack gasped.
    “Jack’s done so well learning to control such a big dog,” Jo commented, as she handed Jack a yellow rosette.

    “Second goes to Amelia and Goldie.”
    Amelia didn’t look happy, as she was given a red rosette. Obviously she’d thought she would come first.
    First place went to a lady with a retriever, from one of the other classes. Ellie knew he had been the best dog in the show, and she certainly hadn’t expected to win first prize, but she still felt a bit sad. It would have been so nice if Rascal had won something .
    “And we also have a special award – we don’t give this one out every time. It’s Most Improved – and this is for Ellie and Rascal. Ellie’s worked so hard with Rascal, and Jack Russells aren’t easy dogs to train. So well done, you two!”
    Ellie and Rascal came to the front, and Jo handed Ellie a green rosette.
    “Oh, Rascal, you little star!” Ellie hugged him, and clipped the rosette on to his collar. He was so little that the ribbons trailed on the ground, and he turned round to try and nibble them. Ellie couldn’t wait to show Christy. Hopefully, there would still be some rosette left by the end of school tomorrow.

    “Well done, Ellie!” Mum hugged her. “Shall we sign up for the next set of classes? You’ve got three weeks before they start.”
    “Yes, please! Jack and Hugo are doing them, too.”
    “Do they teach emergency baths?” Lila whispered. “You’d be good at that.”

    Back at home, Mum went to make something for a celebration supper. Dad took off his trainers and frowned at the shoes lined up by the door. “You haven’t seen my other slipper, have you?”
    “Rascal?” Ellie looked down worriedly as she took off his lead. He stared back at her, wrinkling his nose. His eyes were sparkling naughtily, as he trotted off across the hallway. He burrowed under the shoe rack, one of his favourite hiding places, and came out with the slipper. He held it up to Dad, like the most perfectly trained slipper-fetching dog ever.

    “Good boy, Rascal!” Dad said in a surprised voice. “You’ve done so well today.”
    Ellie grinned. She decided not to point out the pattern of little teethmarks round the heel.
    Like Grandad said, perfect could be a little bit boring!

About the Author

    Holly Webb started out as a children’s book editor, and wrote her first series for the publisher she worked for. She has been writing ever since, with over sixty books to her name. Holly lives in Berkshire, with her husband and three young sons. She has a pet cat called Marble, who is always nosying around when she’s trying to type