"Bye Max, I'll see you later!" Katie called out as she walked by. Jolting awake, her Jack Russell terrier Max practically threw himself off the couch. The small dog raced his owner to the front door, beating her to it. Jumping up and down, he barked repeatedly. Laughing at his antics, Katie kneeled down as she instructed, "Okay okay, sit."

Max sat.

"Spin."

Max spun in a circle.

"Speak."

Max barked twice. Smiling, Katie gently ruffled the fur on the top of his head as she spoke, "That's my good boy. I'll see you tonight Maxie." The Jack Russell terrier woofed again as he pawed at the air. But his attempts to get his owner to stay were futile as she left the house. Sighing heavily, he sat down on the floor as he whined, "Oh I miss her so much."

The doorknob shook slightly.

"Oh my god! She's back!" Max barked, delighted. He jumped around with joy as the door opened. Reaching out towards the nearby table, Katie snatched something off of it as she remarked, "Forgot my phone." With that, she shut the door again. Pausing his jumping long enough to notice his owner had left again, Max woofed angrily, "Oh come on!" Laying back down, he mumbled, "Oh I miss her so much."

Near the back house there was the familiar sound of the dog flap opening and closing. Lifting his head, Max's ears perked up. Someone had entered his house but who? He soon got his answer when a fluffy white Pomeranian entered the living room. "Hey Max!" she yipped in a friendly manner. Standing up, Max replied, "Hey Gidget."

"Ready for the session today?" Gidget asked as she hopped up onto the one end of the couch, conveniently the end closest to Max's seat. Max's seat happened to be Katie's favorite chair. Jumping up onto that, the Jack Russell terrier spun in a circle three times before finally getting settled down. Sitting neatly, he declared, "Always am. And the others should be arriving at any moment..."

"Morning Max!" Mel's friendly voice called out. The pug had entered through the dog flap, followed by his best friend Buddy the dachshund. The pair turned around then and proceeded to drag the fat tabby cat through. Her paws crossed over her chest as she was dragged across the floor by her scruff, the feline meowed, "I don't see why I have to be here. I don't have a problem."

"Chloe, I hate to break it to you but you do have a problem. But don't worry, we can get through it together," Max reassured the cat as everyone got settled in their spots. The final two members, Sweetpea the parakeet and Norman the guinea pig, arrived via the parakeet express through an open window. His eyes scanning the room, Max couldn't help but feel a rush of pride surge through him. He was helping everyone in this room deal with their insecurities and issues about their lives. They were counting on him, just as much as he counted on them to help him through his own problems. They had a system and it was perfectly balanced.

"Oh great, I think he's monologuing in his head again. Right, who's going first?" Chloe grumbled from where she was lounging on the armchair across from Max. The terrier himself was shaken out of his thoughts. Right, he needed to focus right now. Mel was waving his paw wildly in the air. "Mel, you go ahead," Max spoke softly. Reclining further back in her seat, Chloe muttered, "Oh boy..."

"Get this! I saw a squirrel on my way here!" Mel yipped, jumping in place on his end of the couch. Laying next to the hyperactive pug, Buddy nodded his head and confirmed, "This did happen." Most of the pets gasped and stared at their friend. "That must've been terrifying, considering your fear of squirrels," Gidget remarked. His whole body shaking with excitement, Mel replied, "I know! I was scared! But I stood my ground this time and yelled back at the squirrel!"

"This is also true," Buddy chimed in. His curly tail wagging happily, Mel turned to Max and stated, "Your advice really helped. Remember? You told me I should tell that squirrel who's the boss. That squirrel ran for the hills." Overjoyed to hear his advice had worked, Max's tail wouldn't stop wagging for even a second. Puffing his chest out proudly, the Jack Russell terrier stated, "Why of course! A wise man once said the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. By yelling at the squirrel, you are conquering your fear."

"Eh, I wouldn't say I conquered it. Consider this part two of the story," Mel stuttered. Everyone fell silent and listened as the pug explained, "You see, Buddy and I were so busy celebrating my victory that we didn't realize the squirrel had come back with its friends. They pelted us with acorns all the way to your house. One of them is actually waiting outside so we might need an escort home later." All heads whipped around towards the front window where a lone squirrel sat with a menacing grin on its face. Nodding his head solemnly, Buddy stated, "This is also true." Sweetpea chirped and facewinged.

"Well," Max murmured with a heavy sigh, "You're making progress which is good. We just need some practice... a LOT of practice..."