I Hear A Noise
They heard scratching at the door. It was Jenna that noticed that whimpering first. It was definitely the dog. He hated being locked up
They couldn’t let him out just yet. Jenna wanted to let him out for a little bit but he said no.
The scared dog continued to whimper and eventually, it stopped. There was silence.
Growing
Darren and Jenna had always wanted to expand their family, and after a few years of trying, they were blessed with a beautiful daughter named Holly.
They were thrilled to be parents and wanted to provide their daughter with everything she needed.
They talked about whether they would be able to manage everything and agreed to go ahead.
A Companion
Holly was a quiet child and her parents wanted to give her a brother or sister.
They had a large home with plenty of space for her to play and grow, but they knew they wanted to expand their family even further.
Darren suggested getting a dog, and they both agreed it was a great idea. At that time they didn’t know the role he would play in the family.
New Member
After a lot of research, they headed to the local shelter. That’s where they met Franco.
He was a friendly pitbull with a big heart. He was a beautiful dog with a shiny coat and a wagging tail.
The family was excited to welcome Franco into their home, but they quickly realized that he had a mind of his own. He was extremely playful and interactive, he always wanted attention.
Frisky Pup
Darren thought that there was something strange about the dog. He would always want to be around humans.
Jenna thought that he just needed some time to get accustomed to being in a new environment.
They knew he was the perfect addition to their family, and Holly couldn’t wait to bring him home. The little family had no idea what was in store for them.
What A Delight
They enjoyed playing with Franco and bought him little dog toys to occupy himself. Franco made himself at home sleeping wherever he was comfortable.
At first, they tried to teach Franco obedience and get him to sleep in his dog bed in the kitchen.
He was a good boy and listened, it was around the third night when Darren noticed something strange.
Checking Up
Darren was sure that he had locked the door, but was surprised to find it slightly ajar.
He walked over to the kitchen and Franco was nowhere to be seen. He called out for him but the little dog did not come running.
Darren thought the worst. Where could he have gone? Darren thought. “Franco, Franco!” He was gone.
Find Him
Jenna was startled by what happened and tried to look for him too. He wasn’t anywhere in the house. Just then, Holly woke up. “What’s going on mommy?” she said in a sleepy voice.
Jenna ran over to her baby girl and put her to bed. “It’s fine sweety, just go back to bed, okay, it’s late.”
The worried mother carried her sleepy child back to her bedroom. As she turned into the hallway she got a huge fright.
Right Here All Along
Right there, in the middle of the hallway was Franco. He was wagging his tail, as happy as can be. “Franco! You naughty boy, where were you? Darr, he’s here” Jenna shouted in relief.
Darren was happy to see Franco, he thought it was irresponsible to lose track of him so soon. The dog’s dad hugged his pooch and led him back into the kitchen.
This time he made sure that the door was definitely locked.
Getting Adjusted
As the happy couple went to bed that night they ensured that Franco was safely in the kitchen once more.
Jenna heard him whimpering again in the night, but Darren told her to just let him naturally quiet down.
Eventually, he stopped crying. They were glad he was safe inside and tried to get some well-deserved rest.
Happy Times
The next day Franco was his usual chirpy self. He was happy to be already playing with Holly.
The two seemed to be getting on very well. The doting dad was happy his baby girl was smiling.
Darren gleamed as he watched his daughter and his dog. His heart felt full and he knew his family was growing well. He didn’t know what he would eventually discover about his family.
Special Night
That night, the couple followed their usual routine. They tucked Holly in and read her a chapter from her favorite book “The adventures of TinTin”. The sweet angel quickly fell asleep.
Darren continued to lock up the windows and the doors and wanted to spend a few hours relaxing with his wife.
They sat down to watch a romantic movie but were immediately interrupted.
He’s At It Again
It was a scratching noise. Franco was at it again. “Oh come on boy!” Darren yelled, “quiet!”. But the pestering pooch wouldn’t stop.
He started barking. He wanted out of the kitchen now.
Darren got up and shouted at his dog. He whimpered and kept quiet. The couple wondered why Franco was still being so jumpy. They were about to get their answer soon enough.
Up And At ‘Em
In the morning Darren was awakened by the sound of Franco’s loud barks. He opened his bedroom door to find his pooch running up and down the hallway.
He was confused. He was sure that he had locked the kitchen door.
How did the dog get out? He walked up and down the kitchen, there were no other doors or windows open and nobody went into the kitchen. Holly was still sleeping. It was strange.
Other Problems
The tired father thought that he was seeing things. “Perhaps I’m overworked,” he thought and he put the groceries away.
Things had been rough at work recently and he was strapped for cash.
That night, Darren was ready for Franco. Before he went to bed, he made sure the kitchen door was locked with the key. There is no way that he can get out there.
Escape Artist
When the couple woke up the next day they got the shock of their life. Franco was out! Running up and down the hallway.
Darren was in awe, “can my dog open door handles?” he thought.
How could he manage to turn the key? Darren realized there was no possible way to explain his escape. It was a mystery.
Hide And Seek
This time the couple left the door open. They thought that they should just let him be free and see what happens.
When they went to tuck Holly in they saw the little dog hiding under the bed. He was playing games.
Jenna let out a sigh of frustration and hoped he would get accustomed soon. They were all losing sleep over the new dog.
It Happened Again
The next few nights were the same. Franco was always running about and Darren hoped he would get used to the house so he could keep him in the kitchen every night.
After a few more nights Darren started locking Franco back in the kitchen. He made sure the door was locked.
But to his surprise, the next morning, the same thing happened. How did the dog get out?
Leave Me Here
Every night, they would catch him under Holly’s bed. They couldn’t figure out how he kept escaping from the kitchen, but they were determined to keep him there for his own safety.
Despite their best efforts to teach Franco obedience, he kept escaping from his dog bed in the kitchen. They caught him under their daughter’s bed a few times, and they were puzzled as to why he kept going there.
They thought it might have been because he was trying to protect Holly, but they weren’t sure.
A Solution
Even with locking the kitchen door at night, they would still catch Franco under Holly’s bed.
It was a mystery they couldn’t solve. Was the dog really that smart?
Darren and Jenna were at their wit’s end. And they decided to install a video camera to check what was happening in their house during the night.
I Can’t Believe My Eyes
Darren couldn’t shake the feeling that something strange was happening, so he had cameras installed in their home the next day.
He watched the footage every night to make sure Franco was safely in the kitchen, and that’s when he saw it.
It took some time to set up but it was worth it. When they watched the video playback they were in awe. What the concerned couple found on camera changed their lives.
Look At That
Jenna started crying, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was at about 2:30 AM.
A small little figure was seen running through the corridor and opening the kitchen door.
It was Holly, she was letting Franco out. She had been opening the door for him the whole time. The little girl was so quiet that her parents never heard her wake up.
Found The Culprit’
That was when they noticed that Holly would wake up in the middle of the night and look under her bed, she was checking for monsters.
Sometimes, when she felt brave enough, she let Franco out from under her bed.
Holly would wake up in the middle of the night and let Franco out of the kitchen. They walked together to her room and snuggled together.
A Friendly Escape
They were touched by this, and they realized that Holly was scared and wanted the dog to sleep with her.
Franco was an understanding dog, and he would stay by her side all night, keeping her safe and secure.
The parents were happy to see the bond between their daughter and the dog, and they let Franco sleep with Holly every night.
The Daring Duo
Darren and Jenna were both amazed by their daughter’s love for the dog.
They knew she was scared at night and just wanted Franco to be close by. And Franco, being the understanding dog he was, was happy to oblige.
That’s why he was barking, he just wanted to protect his little girl. He was a good dog.
We Give In
They decided to let Franco sleep with Holly every night. And it was the best decision they ever made.
Holly slept soundly, knowing her best friend was by her side. And Franco slept peacefully, knowing he was protecting his little girl.
The happy couple also got to have some peaceful sleep for the first time in weeks. All seemed to be in order for now.
Too Close For Comfort
Although Holly and Franco were the best of friends, the parents began to worry when they noticed that Holly was becoming more and more attached to Franco.
She would cry and throw tantrums whenever he was taken away from her, even for a short time.
They decided to take her to the doctor to see if there was something wrong.
Medical Mayhem
The doctor had some surprising news for his patients. He noticed that Holly had monophobia, a fear of being alone.
She had been using Franco as a comfort object to help her sleep at night.
The parents were relieved to know what was causing Holly’s behavior, and they were glad that Franco had been there to help her.
Family Fight
They decided to take Holly to a therapist to help her overcome her fear of being alone, but they also continued to let her sleep with Franco.
He had become a part of their family, and they couldn’t bear to separate him from Holly.
It wasn’t becoming healthy with him sleeping in her bed every night. What could they do to help the little girl grow up and be brave?
Things Get Better
As time went on, Holly and Franco’s bond grew stronger. They were inseparable, and Holly would even bring Franco with her everywhere she went.
Holly even took Franco to school for show and tell once and she got great marks for her speech.
The two were like peas in a pod, and Darren and Jenna couldn’t be happier.
Too Much Too Soon
One day, Holly came home from school with a note from her teacher.
Jenna was concerned and hoped it wasn’t because Holly brought Franco to school so often.
He was her emotional support animal and she really needed him to cope. “Perhaps it was time to have a serious meeting with the school headmaster,” she thought.
Something To Look Forward Too
As usual, Jenna overreacted. The school note actually was of a different nature.
It said that they were going to have a pet show and that each student was allowed to bring one animal. Holly knew exactly who she wanted to bring – Franco.
Jenna breathed a sigh of relief, but she still wanted to schedule a meeting with the school.
Does He Have What It Takes
When Darren and Jenna heard about the pet show, they were hesitant. They knew that pitbulls didn’t always have the best reputation, and they didn’t want anything bad to happen to Franco or Holly.
Would the frisky boy be able to keep his cool during the competition? Only his trainer could know.
But Holly was insistent. She knew that Franco was the best dog in the world, and she wanted everyone else to see that too. Hopefully, the little girl would be able to tame her wild pup in public.
Let The Training Begin
They practiced every day, teaching Franco tricks and commands. At first, he had a problem listening.
He wanted the treats before doing the trick. But Holly was kind to him, he understood her.
With her parents guiding her she was confident to teach her new dog old tricks. Holly was a natural at training him, and before they knew it, they were ready for the pet show.
Show Day
When the day of the show arrived, Holly was beaming with pride as she walked out onto the stage with Franco by her side.
The happy family was a bit intimidated by all the prize-winning breeding dogs.
Surprisingly Holly was extremely excited and it didn’t put her down. “Franco is the cleverest shelter dog around” she gleamed.
That’s A Good Boy
They showed off their tricks and commands, and the audience was amazed. They had never seen such a well-behaved pitbull before.
Darren was excited to see how he would perform and was also proud that the audience loved him.
Hopefully, they would get good results in all the activities and go to the final round.
On Point
The competition was fierce, and all the dogs were well-trained and obedient.
Holly and Franco waited patiently for their turn to perform.
Finally, it was their turn to show off their skills. Holly led Franco to the center of the arena, and the audience watched in awe as he executed one trick after another flawlessly.
The Final Test
The highlight of the performance was the pageant walk on a plank over a pool of water.
As Franco was doing the trick, a little bulldog accidentally fell into the water and couldn’t climb out. The audience gasped in shock, and Holly panicked.
The water was too deep and the dog’s short legs couldn’t keep him afloat. He couldn’t get out. The lifesavers ran over but they couldn’t get to him in time.
Daring Dog
But Franco didn’t hesitate for a moment. He sensed the danger.
The clever dog immediately ran to the edge of the pool, jumped into the water, and pulled the little dog out of the water.
What a sight it was! Franco became a hero at that moment, and the audience cheered and applauded his bravery, “Hoorah!”
Outstanding Performance
The judges were impressed with Franco’s performance and his heroic act of rescuing the little Bulldog.
They awarded him first prize in the dog show, and Holly was ecstatic.
She had never been so proud of her furry companion. But that wasn’t all the lovely family had won, they were in for a big surprise.
Holly’s Day
As the winners were announced, Holly’s heart raced with excitement.
She knew that if Franco won, they would receive a cash prize, which they desperately needed.
Holly could barely contain her excitement when the announcer called out Franco’s name as the winner. They had just won $5000!
A Treasured Part Of The Family
Holly jumped up and down with joy, hugging Franco tightly. They had won first prize, and she couldn’t believe it. It was a dream come true, and it was all thanks to Franco’s bravery and talent.
With the cash prize, Holly and her family were able to pay off some of their debts and treat themselves to a much-needed vacation.
But most importantly, they were grateful for Franco, who had not only won the dog show but had also proven to be a true hero.
Winners All Around
From that day on, Franco became known as the bravest and most talented dog in the town, and Holly and her family loved him even more for it.
At the end of the show, the judge announced the winner – Holly and Franco! Holly was overjoyed, and Franco barked happily in agreement.
She had conquered her fears too.
A Girl And Her Fur Baby
Holly and Franco were known throughout the neighborhood as the dynamic duo. Everyone could see how much they loved each other, and they were an inspiration to others.
As the years went by, Holly grew out of her fear of being alone, but she still loved Franco and would often cuddle with him on the couch or take him for walks.
Franco had become an important part of their family, and they were grateful for the love and comfort he had given Holly.
Natural Healing
Darren and Jenna often looked back on those early years with fondness, remembering how Franco had helped their daughter through a difficult time. They were happy to have expanded their family with a furry friend who had brought them so much joy and love.
Everything was finally just right and Jenna had some big news to share with her husband. She was just waiting for the right time.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.