This was no ordinary trip to the vets. I'd figured that much out the moment they'd put me in that flying machine.

But I would give anything in the world to be on that cold metal table with the vet poking and prodding me for whatever he thinks I had. This wooded place has a bad smell; it smells sort of like…well, if it had a smell, hopelessness. And the noise! What IS that? I haven't seen it, but I've heard and smelt enough not to want to see it. It smells like the woods…hopeless.

I quickly realised that my job was to look after my boy. The new guy, kept shouting at him, and although they both smell sort of similar, it's annoying. But I've always loved the beach, so it's not all bad.

A few weeks past and me and my boy had some fun, and I made some new friends. The big guy is really nice; he plays fetch with me most days. Hooded guy is pretty cool too. He sounds kind of weird, but he has a really nice voice. I tried to sing along with him once, but he took it as an insult and left. I tell you, I'll never understand humans.

Then my boy and the new guy left on the floating thing they'd been making. I tried to swim after them, but they were moving too fast and I had to go back. I felt really depressed as they slowly drifted out of sight first, then scent…what had I done to make them leave? The blonde girl tried to make me feel better, but it was no good. I smelt my boy everywhere, it was overpowering…but I'd let my nose play tricks on me before, like the infamous possum incident that I won't bark about here.

Then she took me out for a walk with her mate, they both smelt of each other. Not much gets past my nose. They both seemed really worried, and I kept hearing them say my boy's name, though I couldn't understand what they were barking about. Maybe they knew why he had left me?

Then it started raining. Now don't get me wrong, I love the rain…usually. But the rain in this place tastes different, and smells bad…like it's not really rain or something. Crazy, I know, but I smelt my boy everywhere, like he was right next to me. I heard him! He's there, playing a game, he must be!

I tried to get the blonde girl to hurry up, but she just let go. Never one to pass up an "off-leash" opportunity, I ran off after the scent. I got to a clearing and sniffed the ground…nothing. It was like he'd just gone. I tried to find the blonde girl again, but I heard a firework and took off in the other direction. I remember what those kids in the concrete place had done to my friend Misty up the road with a firework…she never saw out of that eye again…

I got back to the beach and looked for the blond girl and her mate, but they weren't there. I wasn't worried though; I saw the big guy and went over. He smelt different somehow…like metal and cobwebs. And of static, the same smell my boy's mother would get when she used that metal box with the letters that make the clicking noise.

Then all these new friends arrived on the beach for me to play with! It was like it was my birthday…I should have been happy, but I wasn't…my boy wasn't there for me to share it with.

Then the new guy came up the beach! I knew it! They'd come back for me, my boy would be behind him and we could get back to having some fun.

It soon became clear that my boy wasn't with the new guy…I couldn't see him, or smell him. Where was he? I gave the new guy a kiss and welcomed him back to the pack.

I'm sure my boy will come back soon, and then we can go and play in that new pool I found.