Some mornings, Abbi knows exactly what’s up. The leash comes out? Walk time. The grooming table goes up? Time for her spa session. But this morning… she wasn’t so sure.

No leash, no bath, no Christa packing up the van — just Dad grabbing his keys, coffee, and saying, “C’mon, Abbi, you’re riding with me today!”

Her ears perked up, but her face said it all: “Wait, what are we doing? Is this a vet trip? Are we going to the park? Why does Dad look so casual about this!?”

She hopped in the passenger seat like a good girl, tail wagging just enough to cover her bases — not too excited, but not refusing either. The first few minutes were all head tilts and side-eyes. She watched every turn, trying to sniff out clues like a furry little detective. By the second stoplight, she gave up trying to figure it out and decided to roll with it. Window down, nose out, soaking in every smell between Richardson and Rowlett. You could almost see her brain switch from “What’s going on?” to “This actually isn’t so bad.” The rest of the day, she rode shotgun like a champ. Whether we were checking on supplies, grabbing lunch, or just driving between jobs, she made herself right at home. She’d stick her head out for a few minutes, then curl up and nap until the next adventure.

Everywhere we went, people smiled and waved. “Is that your helper?” they’d ask. And honestly, she kind of is — moral support, mascot, and head of quality control all rolled into one very fluffy package. By the end of the day, when we finally pulled back into the driveway, she looked up at me like, “That was it? That’s all? We were just hanging out?” You could almost see the light bulb go off — sometimes, it’s not a trip to the groomer or the park. Sometimes, it’s just Dad and Abbi having a day together. She hopped out, stretched, and trotted inside like she’d just had the best day ever. And honestly? She probably did.

We believe every pup deserves a little extra love, whether it’s a full grooming session or a surprise adventure riding shotgun. Life’s better with a little fur in the front seat.