And now it's finally time for the dog show to begin! And Penelope, in high spirits, is practicing with Angel.

At the stadium where the dog show was being held, Penelope was backstage practicing obedience with Angel.

Penelope: "Angel, sit."

Angel did as she was told and sat.

"Lie down." Penelope told Angel.

After Angel lied down, Penelope put her hand up and told her "Stay."

Angel stayed put for a good long minute before being told to come.

"Good girl, Angel." Penelope hugged her pup and pet her. "You've got this! Now let's work on our walk."

Just as Penelope was about to practice Angel's show walk, The Ant Hill Mob appeared.

Aww, look who came to see you and give you their support?

"Oh, hi fellas!" Penelope was no doubt delighted to see the Ant Hill Mob and she went to hug them. "What brings you boys backstage?"

"We down to wish you and Angel good luck!" Clyde smiled. "Are you excited?"

"I certainly am excited." Penelope replied with joy.

But then she gulped and felt her heart flutter a bit.

"I'm also a bit nervous." She said with a sigh.

"Penelope, what's there to be nervous about?" Zippy asked.

Pockets: "You and Angel seem well-prepared."

"Yes, we're very well-prepared." Penelope replied. "But I'm also a bit scared that something could go wrong when Angel and I perform."

Dum-Dum: "Uh, what do you mean, Penelope?"

"I'm confident that Angel and I will be successful in the dog show, but I'm worried that we'll mess up." Penelope told the mob. "Whether it'd be a little ole accident, or… because of the Hooded Claw. Knowing the Hooded Claw, he's bound to do something to me, even if it means interfering with my plans."

Penelope makes an excellent point, hiding right around the corner and unseen by everyone else, is the Hooded Claw right now.

While Penelope was talking to her protectors, the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers poked their heads from around a corner with evil grins.

Hooded Claw: "Who did you expect? George Washington?"

"Don't fret, Penelope." Clyde reassured Penelope. "If it makes you feel better, we'll stay backstage and keep our eyes peeled for that fiend."

He then turned his head to Snoozy.

"Snoozy, that includes you!" He told Snoozy in a stern tone of voice.

Snoozy: "(Snore) Right Clyde."

You hear that Claw? The Ant Hill Mob will be on the lookout for you.

"Why should I be glum? Those pint-sized parasites can't worry me." The Hooded Claw laughed. "When they come around, we'll be ready for them and Pitstop. Right, Bully Brothers?"

"Right Claw." The Bully Brothers replied in unison.

"Not to worry, Penelope." Softy sobbed. "You'll be in good hands."

"You boys are ever so sweet to look out for me." Penelope complimented her protectors. "It means a lot to me that you'll stay and make sure everything's safe."

The dog show host, a man with dark hair and a tuxedo came backstage.

"Time for the show contestants!" He announced. "Come straight to the ring!"

Penelope: "I do declare! It's show-time already. Luckily I'm contestant number 8, so there's still time to practice and calm my nerves down."

"You and Angel will do great, Penelope." Softy wept.

Zippy: "Just don't think about the Hooded Claw."

Dum-Dum: "If the Hooded Claw does come, we'll uh, uh…"

"Stop him, you dum-dum." Clyde reminded Dum-Dum.

"Oh yeah, stop him you dum-dum." Dum-Dum repeated.

"The most important thing of all, Penelope, is that you just simply be yourself and stay true to yourself." Clyde encouraged Penelope.

Penelope gave the mob a warm smile. It made her feel good that they were there to support her and to give her a pep talk before her and Angel's turn to perform.

"Thank you fellas." Penelope smiled in a soft voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Children of all ages!" The dog show host announced. "Welcome one and all to the annual New York City dog show! I'm proud to announce our wonderful canine participants and their handlers."

"That's my cue to go up." Whispered Penelope as she got up with Angel.

"Good luck Penelope." The Ant Hill Mob whispered back to Penelope.

"Before you go up there, Penelope, remember what we told you." Clyde reminded her. "Be yourself and stay true to yourself, and to Angel for that matter."

"Thanks again, fellas." Penelope blew the Ant Hill Mob a kiss before entering the ring with the rest of the handlers and their dogs.

There was a variety of dogs of different breeds in the show. A giant St. Bernard, a collie, a tiny Chihuahua, a shaggy mutt, a black poodle with a fancy haircut, a white Maltese with long fur with a bow, different breedless mixes and many more.

Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob were impressed by the other dogs and their performances.

"What a talented bunch of pups." Penelope thought to herself.

"And now, give a round of applause for contestant number eight: Penelope Pitstop and her Cocker Spaniel/Golden Retriever cross, Angel!" The announcer called out!

The audience and the Ant Hill Mob cheered as Penelope held onto Angel's leash as they walked onto the center ring and as the host examined Angel.

Angel held still and stayed patient as the host examined her appearance.

From there, Penelope whispered "Come" to Angel and led her for the show walk. The audience cheered as Angel stayed by Penelope's side and paid attention to her as they walked around the ring and back to where they started in the ring.

"Go Penelope!" Pockets cheered.

"She sure trained Angel well." Clyde thought.

"And now miss, Penelope. It's time for the test of canine obedience." The announcer told Penelope. "Are you and Angel ready."

"We sure are, Mr. Announcer, sir." Penelope replied happily.

"Glad to hear it, Miss Pitstop." The announcer smiled. "Show us what you've taught Angel, my dear."

Penelope: "Angel, sit."

Angel faced Penelope and sat.

Penelope: "Stay."

Angel sat still for one full minute as she had been trained to do.

"Come, Angel."

Angel came to Penelope.

Penelope: "Good girl. Now lie down."

Angel lied down again, still facing Penelope.

Penelope: "Stay."

Angel stayed down for another full minute until Penelope once again told her to come.

"Time for our own little ole tricks." Penelope grinned. "Angel, handstand."

Angel got up and started balancing on her hind legs. Penelope placed a dog biscuit on top of her dog's nose.

"Wait for it, Angel." Penelope told her dog. "Wait for it."

Angel stayed on her hind legs and balanced the treat for two minutes.

Penelope. "Now."

Angel flipped the treat off her nose and caught it in her mouth.

The audience cheered and applauded and the Ant Hill Mob was dazzled.

Announcer: "Wow! Now that was an impressive move, Miss Pitstop!"

"Nice work girl!" Penelope praised her pup as she pet her again. "Now for the last part of the first round. Shake."

Angel took out her front paw for Penelope to hold for one minute.

The audience cheered again.

"You did it Penelope!" Clyde yelled.

"Way to go, Penelope!" Cheered Dum-Dum.

"And that ladies and gentlemen, concludes Round One of the dog show!" Said the announcer. "In a few moments we will start Round Two, then we'll see who takes the prize in the Annual New York City Dog Show!"

"All that hard work made me a bit thirsty." Penelope took a breath. "Why don't we get some water and we'll meet the fellas backstage, then we'll practice for Round Two."

Penelope and Angel took off to the other backstage entrance to get some water. As soon as they got a drink of water, Penelope led Angel to the other backstage area to where the Ant Hill Mob was, but then they discovered that the Mob had disappeared.

Oh my! Wherever could the Ant Hill Mob be? They said they'd stay there!

"Fellas? Hey boys, where did y'all go?" Penelope called out as she and Angel went to look for them. "I'm so happy and excited! I have so much to say!"

"Hey, Penelope!" Clyde's voice called out. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Clyde." Penelope called back. "Where are you boys?"

What Penelope didn't know, was that it was the Hooded Claw impersonating Clyde's voice.

"We're in the back room, straight across!" He called out in his impression of Clyde.

Penelope: "Don't go away, fellas! I'll be right there!"

Penelope and Angel went to the back room straight across from them. After she closed the door behind her, Penelope gasped in shock and horror as she saw the Ant Hill Mob tied up and gagged by the Bully Brothers.

Oh no! The Ant Hill Mob's been captured by the Bully Brothers.

Angel Charged for the Bully Brothers but they muzzled her and placed her in a crate.

Now Angel can't defend her owner.

Penelope, horrified, tried to call for help, but the Hooded Claw, from behind her clamped his hand over her mouth and wrapped his other arm around her waist.

"Nice work, Bully Brothers. Now help me take them away!" The Hooded Claw gave a wicked smile.

This is not good at all! What does that foul fiend want with everyone, not just Penelope?"

Hooded Claw: "That? Oh, you'll see."

The Hooded Claw laughed evilly as he carried his hand-gagged victim out while the Bully Brothers led a caged and muzzled Angel and the bound and gagged Ant Hill Mob.