DJ knelt down, pressing his face into Bozo's scruff, inhaling the musty fur smell one last time.
"We'll only be gone four days." Penny put her hand on her hip, the other hand holding Chris' car seat.
"But I'll miss dis good boy so much!" DJ rubbed Bozo's ears, the dog breathing heavy, an open smile allowing his tongue to loll to the side as DJ pet him. As Penny rolled her eyes Bozo licked DJ's face. "Bozo!"
"You know he does that." Penny pat DJ's shoulder. "Come on. Raymundo will take good care of him."
"I know." Bozo wagged his tail as DJ stood up. "You be a good boy for Raymundo." Bozo did a quiet woof as DJ followed Penny out the door.
Bozo walked up to the closed door, sniffed around, and then lay down.
He liked laying in front of the front door, because he could hear car doors slam. Bozo would get up, sit on the edge of the mat, look up, and wag his tail continuously while the person opened the door.
Bozo could tell as soon as the door cracked open it wasn't DJ or Penny, but he liked the smell of Raymundo too.
Bozo greeted Raymundo with even more enthusiastic wagging, a couple yips, and standing on his hind legs trying to lick his face.
"Bozo!" Ray tried to keep the dog jumping up while removing the key from the door and shutting it. “Calm boy.” Bozo did stop jumping, but his tail continued to whip back and forth. “Better.” Ray muttered as he reached for the leash.
The blue retractable leash was a signal for Bozo to bark excitedly and run around Raymundo’s legs. The man sighed as he bent over to clip the leash to the squirming dog. Jingling from the handle was a small container full of treats. Bozo sniffed at it before Raymundo stood.
“You know the drill,” he pat the dog on the head, “do your business, get a treat.” Bozo tugged the leash as Raymundo opened the door, to the front yard.
It wasn’t peeing outside that earned the dog a treat. Raymundo had to walk and wait for the dog to go number two, enjoying trying to give the dog a treat and prep for picking up the mess. Especially as Bozo tended to prance around, showing off, and begging for the little bacon flavored bite.
“I can’t believe DJ has decided to pamper you like this.” Ray grumbled. Though he had head the many complaints of his friend about Bozo making messes in the house when they brought baby Chris home.
Once Bozo was finished reliving himself, all the dog wanted to do was run, and Raymundo usually obliged when he was tending to the dog in DJ’s absence since Bozo wouldn’t get as much indoor playtime. “Good,” Raymundo huffed as he tried to unlock the door again, “boy.”
Bozo returned to his spot on the mat as Raymundo left.
Word count: 496
