Dan the Scientific Dog

There was a brown labrador named Dan. He was your typical canine friend. He loved to run in his backyard, eat his dog bone treats, and play with his squeaky hot dog toy. Dan was a fun, friendly, well-behaved dog. John had adopted Dan about five years ago, when he was just a puppy. In a way, they had grown up together.

Little did John know, there was something about Dan that he didn't know. Once John left for work every morning, Dan would quietly sneak down into the basement and then it would begin. He wasn't a typical dog; he had a special gift. With a push of a little red button, out came a hidden table full of chemicals and beakers. Dan was also a scientist.

Once he took a break from his treats and toys, he would work in his lab, trying to make new discoveries that could change the world forever. There were constant experiences taken place, waiting for that one thing that would make the difference. Dan had friends in the neighborhood in the other pets, the dogs, cats, and a horse. They knew Dan's hidden talent, and they helped him keep his secret. If others knew, he was afraid of the changes that would bring. He loved Science, but he also loved being man's best friend.

Every evening when John came home, the red button was pushed again, and the table went back into the wall until the next day. The lab coat and safety goggles carefully put up, the collar went back on, and Dan became a typical dog again. He'd go back upstairs and play with his squeaky toys. Although he loved science, he was afraid of letting it be known. Dogs were man's best friend, not Nobel Peace prize winners. But Dan couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to be more.

One day after John left for work, Dan decided that he was going to go and find a way to meet his full potential. He climbed through the pet door with a bag of treats and food, and he was off. It was a beautiful spring day. The sky was a clear blue, the grass was green, and there were flowers of different colors all around. A sudden feeling of peace came over him as the wind blew around him. Anything was possible.

He walked for a while before he met a pig in the woods. "Hello," said Dan to the pig. "Hello, my name is Bob, Bob the Pig," he responded. Dan introduced himself. Bob was curious as to what a dog was doing so far away from any neighborhoods. Dan explained how he loved science but felt like he couldn't practice it properly at home. It turned out that Bob also had a secret. Bob wasn't just a pig, but also a gourmet cook. "Because I'm a pig, everybody thinks that I just like to eat," Bob continued, "but I also love to cook. I can make a mean lasagna. You have to try it." Dan was astonished. He never would have thought that this pig would be able to cook delicious meals, and after he tried the lasagna, he had no doubt. Dan thanked his new friend and continued on his journey.

After a few more hours, he came into a big city, full of lights and cars. "I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore," Dan said out loud with eyes so wide and tail wagging with excitement. In front of a large building, he saw a cow. But this cow wasn't like any cow, it was special. It was actually wearing a tuxedo. Dan's jaw dropped. "My name is Mr. Cow," the cow said. Mr. Cow told Dan about his career. He loved living on the farm, but he also loved music. After a previous successful tour, he decided to come back to Broadway, with a new one cow show called "The Return of Mr. Cow." "I would love to stay and chat, but the audience is waiting. Good luck, " he said and ducked inside the building with his fans screaming his name.

"Wow," Dan thought. On his journey, he has met a pig that cooked and a cow that was a Broadway star. Perhaps a canine scientist wasn't so absurd after all. He decided to go home to see his picture all over. John was so happy to see him. Dan barked and ran to John; outside he was a dog returning to his owner, but inside was a scientist. Who knew, maybe one day Dan would be the first dog to win the Nobel Peace Prize after all.