Max's Story — Sarah Hawkins

Olivia is delighted when her parents take her to Battersea Dogs Home to choose a puppy -- and when she is introduced to Max the golden Labrador retriever she falls head over heels in love with him! Max is incredibly cute, with his big brown eyes and big paws, but when the family bring him home they soon realize that he is also incredibly clumsy. His wagging tail knocks over glasses, he skids on the spilt water and goes flying across the kitchen, upsetting the trash can -- he's a doggie disaster! Mom and Dad begin to lose their patience, but Olivia protests that her puppy doesn't mean to make such a mess. And when Mom's wedding ring is taken from the window ledge by a magpie and presumably hidden in a nest, it is clever Max who has watched the action unfold and knows he is barking up the right tree, like a true retriever should! Dad climbs up and rescues the ring -- and Max is finally made to feel like one of the family.