My golden opportunity! My chance to shine! My time to show my family that I'm a warrior, a champion, a real sportsman, uh, sportsdog!

I'm sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Mr. Dogwood, but my friends and family call me Woody. (Sometimes I'll hear "Dogwood" if I've made a knucklehead decision or if my parents are trying to get my attention.)

Anyway, I'm a black and tan miniature wiener dog who lives in the great state where I was born - Kentucky. That makes me "Woody, The Kentucky Wiener." Like any other wiener dog, I like mealtimes, chasing cats and digging. Unlike other wiener dogs, I have a job. That's right - a regular, set-the-alarm, carry- my-briefcase, get-a-paycheck job! My big sister Chloe (a redheaded miniature wiener dog), my human parents (Mom and Dad) and I travel around in The Woody Bus talking to kids and adults about being their best. We call it "Woody's Five Ways to Be Successful."

Mom, Dad, Chloe, and I hope we help others, all the while reminding ourselves, that with hard work, a positive attitude, respect for others and ourselves, we can accomplish great things. Mom and Dad tell Chloe and me every day that we can achieve all our goals and dreams. "Work and dream like a big dog, Woody!" Dad once told me. "It doesn't matter that you're little, just think big. That, plus a winning attitude and hard work will take you places!"

That was the best advice I'd heard. In fact, it's become my motto! Now, Mom, Dad, Chloe, and I travel all around and share that message with others. How great is that!

Where was I? Oh, my golden opportunity. It started while my family was watching our favorite TV show - a competition about surviving outdoors. During the course of the show, people live outdoors, participate in different challenges, and try to survive. The person who can stay in the game the longest by finding their own food, braving the elements and staying tough is the winner. The winner gets to brag to everyone how he or she survived - and goes away with a great big money prize!

Anyway, Mom, Dad, Chloe and I were watching as the competitors hiked 12 miles up a mountain and used a grapevine to swing across a river filled with crocodiles before they were safe. I made the comment that it seemed like a simple task.

"Simple?" Chloe asked, "It doesn't look simple to me. Besides, Woody, you get tired on our two-mile walk every morning. Do you really think you could hike 12 miles and fend off crocodiles?"

"Sure I could. If faced with the challenge, I would prevail every time!" I responded, puffing my chest out a bit.

I thought the conversation was closed until Dad said, "Hey, let's put you to the test! How about the four of us take an old-fashioned camping trip?"

"TerRUFFic idea!" I barked. "Can we compete like they do on the show?"

"Sure, your Mom and I will come up with challenges and you and Chloe can compete."

Secretly I smiled. Piece of cake! My sister was the smartest and prettiest girl I knew, but I was the guy, the man, the brute! I could hear it now, "Game over, Woody won!"

Mom must have read my thoughts because she said, "Remember, Woody, it's a friendly competition and your sister is tougher than you think."

"Yes ma'am," I replied. "What's the grand prize?" I asked.

Dad thought for a minute and said, "Since the winner of the show receives money, the winner of our version will receive money, too - a new, crisp $50 bill!"

I'd wanted a new bowling game for my WOOF system. Fifty dollars would do the trick!

I was getting ready to browse the Internet to find the game I was going to buy when Dad said, "Here's your first challenge: You and Chloe must each pack your own backpack of things you will need for the camping trip. You can only take one bag so make sure you pack smart, taking only items that will be useful. Get your bag packed because we will leave as soon as the sun comes up in the morning!"

"In the morning? At sun up? That's early!" I replied.

For some reason, Mom, Dad and Chloe laughed. I must have missed the joke but unfortunately, I didn't have time to ask what was funny. I had to get focused. I had a competition to win and my first challenge was getting my backpack ready. And for the life of me, I couldn't remember where Mom kept the blankets.

Who knew packing a backpack could be so challenging?

At sunrise, our family crawled into our trusty Woody Bus.  Though sleepy, I was excited about our adventure. I knew with the challenges of camping that I needed my strength.  "Dad, before we leave town, can we run through the drive-through?  I've a hankering for a bacon sandwich."  

"Woody, we haven't left the driveway! Besides, we won't be eating fast-food or stopping at restaurants. We'll be having picnics with the food we packed."

I loved picnics, but it was hard telling my tummy to wait!  Thankfully, I'd packed some snacks, but I needed to save those for later. Needing to occupy my mind, I made a suggestion. "Hey Chloe, let's play I Spy!" For the next hour, we spied water towers, stop signs, cornfields, and even a brand new baby foal.

When we were tired from our detective work, Chloe said, "Let's play the Alphabet Game. We'll use things we packed for our trip." "Super!" Mom praised. "I'll start! A, Atlas."  

"B, batteries," Dad continued.

"C, compass," Chloe said. She always took the letter C since her name began with that letter. "Your turn, Woody."

"D - D - D..." "Uh, I'll take the next letter."

"D - drinking water," Mom helped.

"E - electric blanket!" I exclaimed! Once I said 'electric
blanket,' Chloe giggled, Mom turned around, and Dad hit the brakes and pulled over to the side of the road. Everyone stared at me. From the looks on their faces, I could tell what they were thinking. They were jealous!  They couldn't believe they hadn't thought about bringing an electric blanket. I was plenty of things, but I wasn't selfish. It was a big blanket. I would share.  

"Woody," Dad said, "Where will you plug in the electric blanket?"

"Plug in?" I repeated.

"Yes, Woody," Dad continued. "What do you plan on plugging the blanket into so it will get warm?"

My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't thought about needing electricity. Sure, there were times during a storm when the power went out, but that was only for a brief time. It was no easy task cramming the blanket and the cord into my backpack.  

Oh no, it just hit me! No electricity meant no television, no video games, no computer, no updating my DogFace Page, no microwave, no refrigerator, no...

"Woody," Mom interrupted, "What else did you pack?"  

There was no getting around it. I had to answer. I swallowed hard and began listing the contents of my bag.  "An electric blanket, my swimming trunks, my favorite art set, my WOOF, some microwave popcorn, and a few cherry pupsicles. Oh, I almost forgot. I brought my harmonica, too."

"PUPSICLES?" Mom screamed, "IN YOUR BACKPACK?"  Mom didn't wait for an answer. She found my backpack and began emptying it. My trunks were sticky from the melting treats. Mom was getting ready to throw the pupsicles out when I said, "Can't we eat them?" Mom and Dad had funny looks on their face. I offered a pupsicle to Chloe, but she was shaking too hard, trying to contain her laughter.

Packing our backpack was our first challenge and it looked like I had failed. How could I recover? "Dad, you may think what I have in my backpack is silly, but we don't know what Chloe packed." I secretly hoped Chloe had a hair dryer or computer in her bag. My sister opened her backpack and pulled out each item. Chloe's bag contained a compass, a rain coat, a first aid kit, flashlight, sleeping bag, jerky, trail mix, a radio, a cell phone, and a small book titled "Camping for Canines - and People, Too." I was getting ready to make a comment about the radio and cell phone when Chloe explained the radio was a battery-operated weather radio and the cell phone was charged to use only in the case of an emergency.

Mom and Dad complimented Chloe for her smart choices.  Dad explained that surviving in any situation depended on making intelligent choices and being prepared. I was curious how Chloe chose those items so I asked. "Well," Chloe explained, "I remembered reading a newspaper article once about camping. I knew the sleeping bag and raincoat would keep me warm; the flashlight, weather radio and first aid kit would keep me safe; and, the jerky and trail mix would keep me fed - and wouldn't spoil."  Chloe had based her choices on her most basic needs - like being safe and warm. It was obvious Chloe had won our first challenge. Thankfully, my sister wasn't selfish.  I had a feeling I would be borrowing things from her pack in the near future.

When our family travels, Dad drives, Mom rides shotgun, and Chloe and I sit in the backseat playing games, singing songs, and even watching DVDs from time to time. I never know where we are, where we are going, and how long it will take to get there, so "Are we there yet?" is my standard question. Usually, Dad answers, "Not yet, Woody. It's going to be another hour or so, just sit tight." This time, Dad surprised me. "Woody, I thought you'd never ask. Your next challenge is to study the map and navigate our course," Dad explained as Mom handed Chloe and me a map. There was one problem. How could I navigate when I didn't know what the word meant? Mom explained that navigate meant to direct, to guide, or to plot the course of the trip. Dad wanted Chloe and me to look at the map and direct him to our destination.

Destination? That was my second problem. Where were we going? "We're going to the Daniel Boone Campground," Dad informed. "Daniel Boone?"

I looked at Chloe. She was studying the colorful map. I knew this was a challenge, but I needed help. "Chloe, can you help me get started." "Sure Woody. First, turn the map around. It's upside down." No wonder I was confused! Ah, that was better! "Chloe, how about another clue?" "I'd love to help, Woody, but I'm confused, too." Chloe pulled out her compass. It showed we were traveling east. "The sun also tells us we are traveling east," Mom said. "The sun rises every morning in the east. If the sun comes up in the east, and we're driving into the sun, we must be traveling east." Moms are so smart!

"But how can I find east on the map?" I asked. Mom told me to look at the legend. First navigate, now legend. I sure wish I'd packed a dictionary. Seeing my confusion, Mom continued. "The legend is the chart on the map that explains the symbols." I found the chart. I saw N at the top, S at the bottom, E on the right side, and W on the left side. "E for east! We are traveling to the right side of the map!" I said, as my paw traveled toward the right side of the paper. "But where?" As I was asking my questions, Chloe said, "Look! I found Daniel Boone Campground!" I asked Chloe to show me. She pointed to the right corner of the map. "Woody, do you see the green trees and the little green symbol that looks like a tent?" I squinted at the tiny drawing and saw what looked like woods. In little letters, I saw the words ’ÄòDaniel Boone Campground.' "I see it too! And look, we're close. Slow down, Dad! We're only about three inches away!"

Everyone laughed! It was clear I knew nothing about maps so I swallowed my pride and asked for help. "Dad, I know navigating is a challenge between Chloe and me, but just this once, can Chloe and I work together?" I was expecting Dad to tell me to keep trying, so I was surprised when he said, "Great idea, Woody. A rule in surviving is working together to accomplish a task. So yes, this time, instead of competing with Chloe, the two of you can work together." "Wow! I thought you were going to tell me not to give up!" Dad explained I wasn't giving up; I was just changing my game plan.

With the help of the legend, Chloe and I discovered that the large, colored lines were major highways, the broken lines were little roads, the little blue lines were rivers, and the numbers were the highway numbers. "Woody," Chloe said, "Why don't you look out the window to see if you see any road signs that will give us clues as to what highway we are on? "Sure!" I said. "Hey! I just saw a sign that looked like a reindeer walking across the road. How silly! A reindeer should know this is a bad place to cross the road!" Dad explained the sign wasn't for deer, but so drivers would know to slow down because deer are in the area. "Ah! That makes sense!" Right after the deer sign, I saw US HWY 80. "Chloe, we are on United States Highway 80!" The moment I said "80," Chloe said, "I found it! I found it!" We now knew where we were, where we were going and following the colored line we now knew how to get there. But wait, this tiny little road looked like it could be a shortcut...

What should have been a two-hour trip took four hours! The path Chloe and I chose looked like a shortcut on the map. We didn't take into consideration that the shortcut was a one-lane gravel road that had a speed limit of 35 miles an hour. I was getting restless! "Dad, we have been on this road for an hour and haven't seen one single person, much less a police officer! Can't we drive faster, say 50 miles an hour?" "Dogwood, the speed limit is 35. That's the law and a rule that we will follow whether anybody is looking or not. Besides, the 35 mile speed limit is for our safety." "Yes sir, I'm sorry. I guess shortcuts don't always mean faster!" Dad agreed and told me to relax and enjoy the scenery. While we looked at the trees, the streams and the occasional houses we passed, I entertained by playing my harmonica. We tried to play Name that Tune, but I kept stumping my family! They couldn't name one single one!

Finally, after four hours, three games of I Spy, and at least 50 times asking, "Are we there yet?" we finally arrived at the Daniel Boone Campground! Everything about it was awesome! While Dad paid our camping fee and talked with the Park Ranger, Mom, Chloe, and I stretched. I looked at Chloe who looked serious. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Nothing, Woody, I am just soaking it all in - the sight of green trees around us, the smell of honeysuckle, the cool way grass feels under my paws, and the warm sun on my ears! Don't you feel it too?" I stopped and closed my eyes. "Yes, I feel it too!"

It occurred to me I had spent so much time indoors playing my WOOF game that it had been a while since I had played outside. I'd been missing out on some really great sights, sounds and smells. Closing my eyes like Chloe, I was imagining that I was a great frontiersman like Daniel Boone blazing a trail or Davy Crockett fighting off a bear! I was adjusting my imaginary coonskin cap when Dad arrived and announced we were all set.

"Where should we pitch our tent?" Chloe barked. "PITCH our tent? Chloe, if we throw away our tent, where we will sleep?" Looking at Chloe, I saw her shaking her head and giggling. "Really, Woody," Chloe said, "If you're going to be a survivor, you should at least know camping terms. Pitching a tent doesn't mean we are throwing it away, it means we're assembling our tent, or setting it up." I thought about playing it cool and saying, "I knew that. I was checking to see if you did," but Chloe knew better. Besides, she was right - I did need to know the lingo.

Mom was always saying that having a hefty vocabulary was part of being successful. "Woody, if you know the meaning of a lot of words, you can better communicate with people, understand others more clearly, read a variety of books, learn about various subjects, and survive in most any situation." Once again, Mom was right. My limited vocabulary had just made it difficult to communicate. I was learning that a good rule of survival was being able to communicate with others - and a good vocabulary was important. I made a note to self: Find my dictionary and get to know Mr. Webster as soon as we returned home.

As I was pondering my resolution, Chloe barked, "It says in my camping book that choosing a spot for the tent is important. We need to make sure that we are on high, level ground. That way, if it rains, water and mud won't slide down on us." "What else does it say?" I asked. "Well," Chloe continued, "We need to be close enough to a stream so we can have easy access to water. We need to have trees around us that will provide shade and limbs to hang things on, but we have to watch out for dead branches. We wouldn't want to take a chance on them falling on us.

One more thing - which way should our tent face?" This was a question I could answer. "How about east? That way, the sun will wake us up every morning!" Taking all those things into consideration, we finally found a large piece of ground that we all agreed on! As Dad pulled the tent out of the box, Chloe and I couldn't believe the name of our tent...

The Dependable Pup Tent! If there's a perfect name for our camping home, it was a pup tent! "Woody," Dad explained, "A pup tent refers to a shelter that doesn't have floors or windows. It's also a tent we have to assemble, so let's read the directions." "Directions?" I barked! "We're smart. We don't need directions." "Woody, this is our home for the next several days. I think we should read the directions and get it right. A survival rule is taking the time to do it right the first time." Mom does always talk about the importance of reading and following directions. "Besides," Dad continued, "I would hate for the tent to collapse while we were trying to sleep."

Thanks to directions and teamwork, we had our home. "Let's go fishing," I suggested, grabbing my pole. "Not yet, son," Dad answered. "We have to gather wood and kindling for a fire later." "With the trees around us, that shouldn't take long! Can I borrow your knife, Dad?" "We can't cut off branches of a perfectly good tree," Dad said, "It could destroy it. We also want to find wood away from the campsite so we won't use up all that's here. We need to respect the land and not use all its resources." I hadn't realized that. "Anyway, Woody, we all remember what happened the last time you borrowed a knife," Chloe said, reminding me of the silly mistake that meant a trip to the vet last month.

"Dad," I asked, "May Chloe and I walk down the hill and find firewood?" "Sure, but don't get out of sight and stay together. Remember," Dad instructed, "be respectful and don't bother any rocks, animals or trees. This is their natural habitat and we have to value that." Chloe and I promised to obey. As we went in search of firewood, we sang, "Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro? Can you... Chloe, why have you stopped singing? The part where we tie our ears in a knot is my favorite part!" "Woo-dy," Chloe whispered, "Don't move. There's a snake in front of us." I saw it! My heart began pounding out of my chest. I didn't want Chloe to know how scared I was! I was the brother, the protector. Even though I was scared, I was determined to play it cool. "Don't worry, Chloe. I'll protect you," I said, sounding cool as a cucumber. "Thanks Woody. I read in my camping book that snakes are more scared of people than we are than them. Besides, I can tell by looking at it that it's not venomous. It is all one color and it has a spoon shaped head, not a flat head. It shouldn't bother us, but I still have the willies! Let's quietly leave." That was the best idea I'd heard. To be honest, it didn't matter to me if it was venomous or not. And how did the book know the snake was more afraid than we were? Did the author interview snakes? I hoped the snake didn't know where our tent was pitched! Chloe and I left. Walking back to the tent, we found enough dead branches lying on the ground for kindling and were back at the camp within a short time.

"Mom! Dad!" I barked when we arrived at the tent, "You're never going to believe it. Chloe and I saw a huge snake. It was about 10 feet long and Chloe was scared to death. She was crying and growling and barking. I thought I was going to have to pick up the snake and move it myself." "DOGWOOD!" Chloe responded! That didn't happen. Woody, tell Mom and Dad the truth." "Maybe the snake wasn't 10 feet long," I said, knowing it was wrong to fib. Chloe rolled her eyes and Mom and Dad laughed.

Once our tent was ready, firewood gathered and food put away, our parents explained fire safety. "Pups, campfires are fun, but they're a big responsibility. We must keep the fire small and never leave it unattended. We also must have water with us at all times in case the fire gets out of control. "

Once we understood the rules, we gathered around the fire and sang some more camp songs. I wanted to sing every verse of "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt," but my eyes were heavy. "Tomorrow's a full day, pups. You two go to bed and Dad and I will stay up for a while to make sure the fire is completely out," Mom instructed. I knew I would be asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Chloe and I walked in our pup tent and I pulled back my sleeping bag. "Mommm! Daaad! Help!"

Already, I'd learned valuable lessons. Preparation is essential, shortcuts aren't always shorter and rubber snakes look real! When I pulled back the cover and saw the creature, I almost fainted. Imagine my surprise when Chloe grabbed the snake, kissed it and asked if we could keep it! Score one for Chloe - joke on me! My first instinct was anger, but I realized it was a prank. I had learned one lesson long ago - to laugh at myself! Besides, I'd been the prankster before! I chuckled and wrapped the snake around my neck. After changing my pajamas, I crawled back into bed.

In what seemed like minutes, Mom called my name. "C'mon, Woody, time to eat." I stretched and looked outside. Mom was cooking oatmeal over our campfire. Birds were singing, squirrels were gathering breakfast, and a baby deer was lapping from a brook. My usual breakfast was a bacon sandwich in front of the TV, yet nothing compared to eating outside with my family. The scenery was more exciting than any WOOF game, and my food was scrumptious! My family must have felt the same as we paused to give thanks.

After cleaning our mess, we gathered our fishing gear and fishing licenses, lathered ourselves in sunscreen and journeyed to the lake. Mom explained that we'd be fishing from the bank, but we still had to wear life preservers at all times! "You know Dad, we haven't had a challenge since the backpack contest. Let's see who catches more fish." Dad agreed and Chloe and I began the friendly competition.

We cast our lines and waited... and waited... "Woody, this isn't Pirate Pete's where we get the fisherman's platter in three minutes." Mom whispered, sensing my frustration. "A rule in surviving is patience, knowing the outcome will be worth the wait." Just then, my bobber went under water, indicating a bite. "I've got one!" I shouted. "Reel it in!" Everyone cheered. Together, Dad and I struggled to capture the gigantic creature. I was certain it was a 20-pound largemouth bass! "Way to go, Woody! Looks like a one-pound bluegill!" Well, I may not have caught Baby Beluga, but it was cause for celebration!

While celebrating, a park ranger named Ranger Ralph appeared and asked for our fishing license. We introduced ourselves, showed our license and explained the contest. "Remember the rules - you can catch only a certain number of fish depending on the species. You can always catch-and-release; catch the fish and then toss them back into the lake," Ranger Ralph explained. "Enjoy fishing without removing the fish from the water. You can use what you catch to count toward the competition." As we caught fish, Ranger Ralph identified the species, then we released them. We learned the difference between carp, bass and catfish. Chloe and I counted our catches. I'd caught four fish, one turtle, two sticks, and a smelly sock. Chloe had reeled in three fish, a soda can and a shoe. I'd won! Though Chloe had lost, she was gracious. I realized a rule in surviving was being a great sport whether I'd won or lost. Besides, we were tied. Chloe had won the packing challenge; I'd won the fishing challenge.

"Time to clean up, fisherpups," Dad said, handing us garbage bags. "Let's pick up all the trash, whether it's ours or not." We threw away the shoe, sock, soda cans, candy wrappers, fishing line, and plastic bags. "Woody," Chloe yipped, "do you remember the documentary we watched that said plastic bags, fishing line and other trash killed wildlife?" I remembered seeing images of animals being suffocated by plastic bags and birds tangled in fishing line. "If everybody picked up their trash, the lake would never be dirty. And wildlife wouldn't die." "Terrific point, Chloe!" Ranger Ralph said. "Think about how smooth life would be if everyone contributed." I made another note to self to do my share!

We thanked Ranger Ralph, gathered our belongings and walked toward our tent. While walking, I pulled out my harmonica. "Better put it away, son." Dad said, looking at the sky. "It'll be raining soon." "Raining?" I asked, shoving the harmonica in my backpack. "Yes," Dad said, "Do you see the cloud in the west moving closer? There are other signs too. The crickets are louder and the tulips have closed. Being aware of nature's signs can make the difference in surviving." Just then, the sky opened, pouring buckets of water. We ran like lightening and didn't stop until we reached the tent! After drying off, I decided to play my harmonica. I opened up my backpack. Wait! Where was my instrument? Oh no, I must have dropped it...

My harmonica had to be here somewhere. I had it before we arrived at the tent. It was raining cats and wiener dogs! I should have worn my raincoat, but I didn't know I would be gone so long. Oh no! I hadn't told my family I was leaving. When I realized I'd dropped my harmonica, I thought I could walk outside the tent and find it. I had meandered off in the pouring rain without telling anyone. I was in trouble - in more ways than one! I had a strong suspicion the doghouse was in my future. My goal was to locate my instrument and return to the tent. Think, Woody, think. If I were a harmonica, where would I be?

Our family had played so much "I Spy" lately that surely I could discover a musical instrument in wilderness. While digging feverishly behind a row of bushes, I felt something under my paw. Could it be? Yes! My beloved harmonica! I played a note. The note bubbled and gurgled. It sounded like I was playing my harmonica underwater. I tried to shake the rainwater out, but it was tough since water was pouring from the sky. Once it dried, it would be as good as new. I had to get back to the tent pronto! The rain in my eyes made it difficult to see. Where was the tent? I thought it was this way. Maybe it was the other way. What direction was I going? The sun sets in the west, but how could I tell where west was without sunshine? Maybe I should go farther this way. Wait - I don't remember seeing that dogwood tree before. It's the one tree I know since it's my name. One thing for sure - I was lost. I was lost, wet, cold, scared and hungry. I remembered Mom and Dad talking to Chloe and me about getting lost. "If you're ever lost, find a man or woman in uniform - like a police officer - or find a store clerk wearing a nametag. Don't ever leave with a stranger and don't panic. If you're alone, stay put, stay positive and we'll find you." Those words kept playing in my head - "stay put, stay positive, and we'll find you." It was hard to stay positive when I was terrified. At least it wasn't storming. It was just a hard rain. I was glad it wasn't lightning since I was holding a metal harmonica. Mom and Dad had taught us about storm safety. One thing they stressed was never be around anything metal during a storm. I also knew being under a tree could be dangerous in case lightening struck a tree or limbs fell. I decided to return to the bushes where I'd found my harmonica. I could sit under the bush and not be in danger of falling limbs. Maybe Ranger Ralph would show up!

It was c-c-c-cold. I wish I'd worn that raincoat. Now I knew why Mom made us dress warm when we went outside. If only I had Chloe's cell phone or weather radio. I was alone, sniff, shivering, scared, and starving. "Stay positive, Woody," my inner voice kept saying. I had to keep my mind off my troubles. I guess I could practice my harmonica. I played all my favorite songs - "The Ants Go Marching," "Eating Goober Peas" and the "Song that Never Ends." That one took forever! My paws were exhausted and cold from playing so long. They needed a break. It felt like they were almost numb. Maybe I would sing. I needed something happy - a song that always made me laugh, even though I didn't feel like laughing. I knew the perfect one. Pretending I was at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, I cleared my throat and started to sing. "On top of puh-sketti, all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball..."

You know, singing about food might not have been such a great idea. I was so hungry that I almost felt sick. I thought about eating some berries but I remember Dad telling us that we couldn't eat berries or mushrooms since they could be poisonous. I guess I would go back to singing about food.

"I lost my poor meatball, when somebody..."

What was that? I listened for it again. All was silent. It must have been my stomach. I was so hungry and singing about my favorite pasta dish didn't help matters. I started singing again.

"When somebody ..."

Why couldn't I remember the words? This was my favorite song and I couldn't remember the words. Just then, I heard rustling in the woods. It was coming closer and closer...

Where could my brother be? When he realized he'd lost his harmonica, he left the tent before we could stop him. Dad immediately went to find Woody. "Don't worry, Chloe," Dad reassured me. I'll find your brother. You and Mom get warm clothes ready for Woody. I'm sure he's one chilly dog now!" While Dad was gone, Mom and I gathered up towels and blankets so Woody could get dry and warm. Gathering up the towels, I saw Woody's backpack. The pupcorn, electric blanket, and art supplies were still stuffed in the bag. Even though I was sad, the backpack made me giggle. Nobody made me smile like Woody!

While we worked, Mom started singing. At the sound of her first note, my heart sank. Mom had always taught us that music could help calm the soul. Mom sang when she was happy, but she also sang when she was worried or sad. My stomach churned and my eyes burned. I'd been suffering from allergies all week, but these tears had nothing to do with dandelions or clover. Mom caught a glimpse of my face and scooped me up. "It's OK, Chloe. Dad will find Woody. Just be positive and have faith." "I know, Mom, but Woody is alone. I know he's starving because he talked about food all day! And he didn't have a raincoat!" Mom wiped my tears and held me tight. "Don't worry, honey. Woody can be goofy and silly, but he's a really smart pup. He has great instincts and has learned lots of skills since we have been camping! And his big sister has taught him a thing or two." Mom always knew how to make me smile. We returned to our chores, trying to pass the time. Finally, after almost an hour, Dad walked back into the tent - alone.

"Bad news. I couldn't find him. I searched all around, called his name, but didn't see him." Mom and I began to sob. "Don't be scared," Dad gently said. "I'm sure he found shelter and is so protected that he couldn't hear me calling." The three of us were all thinking the same thing - Woody had been gone too long. The weather was nasty and we only had about an hour of daylight left. "I know! I'll use my cell phone to call the campground office. Maybe Ranger Ralph will be there." I grabbed my phone while Mom retrieved the number. My paws were shaking so much it was hard to dial. It rang, and rang and rang. Finally an answer. "Thank you for calling the Daniel Boone Campground. Our office is currently closed. We're open from 9 to 5 each weekday. Please leave a message after the beep." After the beep, I began to speak. "This is Chloe. My brother Woody is lost. We were hoping Ranger Ralph could help us find him." Feeling defeated, I hung up the phone.

"I think we should all go look for Woody," Mom cried. Dad suggested that he and I look for Woody while Mom stayed at the tent in case Woody returned. "But what if Chloe gets lost?" Mom argued. I assured Mom I would take my compass, map, flashlight, and even cell phone. Mom still wasn't convinced I should go. Trying to reassure her, I remembered something I had read in my camping book. "I could mark a trail!" I said. "I'll mark trees all along the way so I can find my way back in case I get confused." "Excellent idea, Chloe!" Dad said, patting me on the head. "But how will you mark the tree?" I giggled to myself, knowing exactly how Woody would mark the tree. "I can use the paint from Woody's art set he packed." Mom and Dad looked at each other. "Brilliant!" Mom said.

We unzipped Woody's backpack and retrieved the art set. It was still sticky from the pupscicles. We decided I would mark the stump of every few trees with hot pink paint. Dad took along the bright purple paint to mark his trail. We also took high-pitched whistles in case we needed to alert each other. Dad and I decided that if we needed help, we would blow our whistle three times over and over until the other one arrived. If we found Woody, we would blow our whistle four times to signal "Hip, hip, hooray!"

Mom made sure we were dressed warmly and had all our supplies. Before leaving, Mom, Dad and I reviewed our plan. Mom hugged and kissed Dad and me and told us to be careful. Dad rubbed my head and told me he had complete confidence in me. With that, we left the tent and braved the elements. As I trotted away, I could hear Mom singing.

Right after I left the tent, I began marking the tree stumps with pink paint. I looked behind every bush and under every rock I saw. I was so scared when I moved a rock and a snake scurried away! I hoped Woody hadn't encountered any snakes. I called Woody's name over and over, but he didn't respond. Continually marking the stumps, I tried to constantly be aware of my surroundings. I spotted a Dogwood tree and smiled. That was my brother's favorite tree! Maybe I would bring Woody back to see it after we found him. Finally, I heard something. It sounded like singing. I listened. It was singing - Woody's singing! It was the sweetest voice I'd heard! Unfortunately, I still couldn't see Woody!

I tried howling. Dogs know that howling is a form of communication - a way of saying, "Hey! I'm here," yet Woody didn't answer. I kept following the sound of Woody's voice until I saw him under the bushes. Once again, I howled, but Woody didn't respond. I knew I would have to go get him. But before I got to Woody, I tripped and fell into a patch of clover - the very thing I'm terribly allergic to - and sneezed the biggest sneeze ever! You could have heard it all over the state!

My brother heard it, too! I saw him peek his head out from behind a bush! I ran to Woody and we hugged. He was shaking like a leaf! I blew my whistle four times like Dad had told me, and following the tree markings, I helped my brother back to our tent. When we arrived, Woody was still trembling. I thought he was scared but Mom said he had gotten too cold and wet. Mom said that even though Woody was safe, he was in danger of hypothermia. "It's when people or animals get really cold and body temperature drops below normal level. It can be very serious - even deadly." I was worried about Woody. "Why do you think Woody has hypothermia, Mom?" "Well, Chloe, for one, he's shivering. That's a big sign. He's also mumbling a bit. Sometimes people can mumble, stumble, or grumble when they are hypothermic. He was outside in the cool rain and didn't have his hat, gloves, or boots. He lost a lot of body heat through his head and paws. We have to help Woody get warm again." I looked at my brother. His teeth were chattering and he was quivering. Mom and Dad dried off Woody and wrapped him from head to paw in warm dry blankets. Mom held him tight so he could feel her warmth while Dad heated some broth over the fire for my brother to drink. Mom said it was important that we warm Woody without making him too hot since that could be just as dangerous. As Woody slowly drank the warm broth, he calmed down and his eyes brightened. It was as if we could see Woody warming up before our eyes!

After Woody started feeling better, he began to talk. At first he was still mumbling and it was hard to understand him. All we could make out was "life." Finally, as he warmed up even more, we understood what Woody was saying. "You saved my life, Chloe! If you hadn't found me, I could have died! How will I ever repay you for saving my life? You're a hero!" As my brother talked, he cried a little. Mom wiped Woody's tears while Dad spoke. "Chloe is a hero, Woody, but you're a survivor!" "I am?" Woody asked. "Sure, Woody, you made some poor choices that could have been extremely dangerous, but you certainly were a survivor." "How?" said Woody. Dad explained that once Woody knew he was lost, he sought shelter in a safe place. He also didn't continue wandering around trying to find his way. He stayed where he was. "And," Dad continued, "You were smart to play and sing the entire time. We could hear you and therefore could find you. A rule in surviving is staying calm and thinking smart when you're in a tough situation." "Dad's right, Woody, you are a survivor!" "Thanks Chloe, but you're still my hero! There has to be something I can do for you since you saved my life." I didn't feel right about asking my brother to do something for me, but I could tell he wasn't going to feel better unless I agreed he could help me. Finally, I gave in. "Well, Woody, if you insist. There is one thing I would love." "Anything, Chloe, just say the word!"