Hello friends and welcome to Sleep Tight Stories. Blinky is a young snuggly German shepherd. He has a great family who loves him, but Blinky has a problem. Blinky has bad breath, really bad breath. His breath is so bad that people avoid his house and even the flowers are starting to lean away. Blinky's friends notice that the other dogs are not as willing to play with them now and they are wondering what they can do to help Blinky. Blinky has stinky breath, part one. The white house nestled snuggly on the quirky and quaint Halitosis Lane was not unlike any other house you might see nearby. The house, with its slightly crooked shutters and a cheerful red door, had a fenced-in front yard full of wildflowers and bright green grass. From the sidewalk, its winding path made of mismatched stones collected from various family trips led to the front door. It was lined with all kinds of flower pots, some chipped, but all bursting with colorful blooms from all sorts of different flowers. What set the white house apart from all the others on the street was the stinky breath smell. The smell was so bad that it became the talk of Halitosis Lane, a street no stranger to peculiar sense. One neighbor once had a pet pig. It was so stinky that neighbors would walk by and pinch their noses to avoid the offensive smell. Even the local mail carrier, who prided herself on never missing a day, started leaving the mail in the mailbox at a speed that suggested she was setting a new personal record. Once standing tall and proud, the flowers in the front yard now seem to lean away slightly, as if trying to escape the pungent aroma wafting from inside. The neighborhood dogs, usually keen on marking every mailbox and tree, would give the white house on Halitosis Lane a wide berth, their noses twitching in disbelief. Everyone knew the source of the smell. This was where Blinky lived, a young German shepherd who was as snugly as any dog. Except, no one except his owner would dare come close enough for a snuggle. He smelled that bad. Blinky didn't always have stinky breath, at least no more than usual. Most dogs don't eat breath mints, so you can expect some bad smells from time to time. He was born on a farm known for raising wonderful pups. He tumbled and played with his siblings, always the first to dive into a new game, or explore a hidden corner of the yard. As a bright-eyed pup, Blinky was quick to learn tricks and also quick to often add a clumsy tumble or two. As Blinky grew from a playful puppy into a graceful, if somewhat goofy adult dog, his breath started to change. What was once just puppy breath turned into something more potent, and no one knew why. His family loved him very much and tried everything to make the smell go away. They brushed his teeth, fed him different food, gave him special dog biscuits, and even took him to a special doggy dentist. No one, not even their veterinarian, knew what was wrong. He was healthy, so everyone concluded he just had super stinky breath. Over time, his family had grown surprisingly accustomed to the aroma. They'd make light of the situation, joking that they no longer needed an alarm system. Blinky's breath was guard enough. Visitors, however, were not always as prepared. The family kept a stash of scented candles and fresh sprigs of mint at the ready to help the uninitiated cope with the fragrant greeting from Blinky. Despite the smelly situation, Blinky, unaware of his contribution to the local air quality, continued to be a happy, tail-wagging, goofy dog his family and friends adored. But Blinky's friends, the gang, as they called themselves, were concerned. Since he developed his condition, they hadn't been able to play with other dogs as much. Blinky had noticed, but he had such a cheerful disposition that he didn't realize that even many dogs found the smell too much to bear. Meeting at the nearby dog park, Doodoo, a beagle with very floppy ears, led a discussion about the problem. Look, guys, I know we have grown accustomed to Blinky's problem, but I think it's called olfactory adaptation, interrupted Chewbacca, a shih tzu who considered herself the intellectual of the group. Okay, because of olfactory adaptation, we have grown somewhat accustomed to the smell. But every time we try to play a game of volleyball, soccer, or a good healthy rumble in the dirt, the other team disappears. They just can't stand his stinky smell, Doodoo said, as he scratched his ears. It's affecting our fun, said Captain Sniffer, a dog of indeterminate origin. Blinky is a great wrestler and helps us beat that team of uppity dobermans whenever we play. We need our German Shepherd back, said Tank, a Chihuahua, and the toughest dog in the gang. Well, what are we going to do? I heard that his family has tried everything, and Blinky has been given a clean bill of health, Doodoo said. I've been thinking about this problem since the crack of dawn this morning, and after reading the latest issue of K9 queries, a journal of pause and science, a real tail wagger of a read, by the way, I think I might have an answer. Apparently, a new treatment is just coming on the market, meant to cure the toughest cases of stinky breath in dogs, Chewbacca said. That's great and all, but how is that going to help us now? It's not like his family could fly off to some K9 research institute, replied Buddy, a collie with one ear that stood up straight and another that flopped down over his eye. You didn't let me finish, Chewbacca said, with a somewhat offended look. A new pet store just opened across town, and they advertise this very treatment. It's very simple. He just has to eat this big blue bone connected to a machine, and voila, no more stinky breath. The only problem is, there is a year-long waiting list. I guess stinky dog breath is more common than we might believe. We can't wait another year, Buddy replied. Neither can all the people who mistakenly walk by their house every day. Yesterday, I heard one child turn green from the smell, Captain Sniffer said with a gag. Maybe we can take him there at night. It's not like they would listen to us anyway. Every time I talk to my family using their language, their eyes gloss over. They just don't seem to understand, Dudu said. We could sneak in at night, Tank said. Blinky would never agree. He needs to be made aware of how serious the problem is. It's not like he can smell his own breath, Captain Sniffer replied. We will just tell him we are going on a nighttime adventure. I'm sure he will agree, said Buddy. That's great, but one, we have to get there, and two, we have to get in when we arrive. I'm not very good at opening locked doors, Captain Sniffer said. I've got an idea. I've been there already with my family. There's a doggy door at the back for the store owner's pup. It's small, but I think I can fit through and unlock the door from the inside for the rest of you, Buddy said. Great, once we're in, we need to find the miracle breath freshener. It should be in the dental care situation. Let's use it and get out without making a mess, Chewbacca said excitedly. But what if we get caught? We don't want to cause any trouble. Doodoo said getting worried that his initial desire for a plan was getting them all sent to the pound. Don't worry, Doodoo. We'll be quick and quiet like ninja dogs. Our mission is noble. We're doing this for Blinky. We'll leave no trace behind except for fresher breath, Tank said, standing at attention. And remember, no barking. We need to be stealthy. Captain Sniffer said, got it. Stealthy, like a big, quiet elephant? More like a mouse, Buddy. Alright, let's assemble tonight in Blinky's front yard. Tank, can you give Blinky a heads up that we will meet in his front yard tonight? Doodoo said, trying to be the leader. Sure, no problem. I'll just go out the cat's entrance at the back of my house. But he is going to want to know why we are meeting so late. If we don't want to tell him where we are going, what should I say? Yeah, I don't want to hurt his feelings by telling him it's to cure the world's worst breath, said Captain Sniffer. Just say we are going on a special mission, which we are. I'm sure he will want to go. He hasn't been out to play for days and days. Blinky was lying in his bed in the living room when he heard the secret bark from outside. The gang had developed a special signal so there would be no confusion when they wanted to meet outside. Blinky's family didn't know just how resourceful he was. The back door was very easy to open, so he went through the kitchen to the door and quietly, to not disturb his family, opened the door and ran around to the front. What's up, Tank? It's a bit late to organize a game at the dog park, right? We aren't going to the dog park, Blinky. We have a special mission tonight. You up for a little adventure? Tank asked, hoping that he was. Of course, Blinky replied, starting to get excited. What is the mission? I'll let Do-Do explain when he arrives. Just as he finished talking, the rest of the gang appeared down the street, heading towards Blinky's house. Hi, Do-Do. Captain Sniffer, buddy, Chewbacca? Tank was telling me that we have an adventure tonight. I am always up for adventure. So, what are we up to at this hour? It's a noble mission, Blinky, one that is going to require a certain amount of stealth. But first, why don't you sit down? I have something to tell you. Do-Do said nervously. Blinky sat down, unaware of what was going to be said next. And that is the end of this part. Good night. Sleep tight. Good night.
