
Introduction[]
A show logo featuring Amigo is shown.
Announcer: Welcome to another exciting episode of “Pet Owner Whisperer.”
Amigo stands in the Reads’ living room. Arthur sits on the couch watching TV and eating chips.
Amigo: Taking care of a pet owner is a big responsibility. You must make sure your pet owner has a healthy diet.
He pulls the chips bag away.
Arthur: Huh?!
Amigo: Exercise is very important for them. They may resist you at first, but you must be assertive.
He pulls Arthur off the couch by his shoe.
Arthur: Whoa!
Amigo drags Arthur back and forth in the yard by his leash.
Arthur: (screams)
Amigo: And always remember you must reward your pet owner when they follow instructions.
He stops abruptly and Arthur falls down.
Arthur: Whoa... Oof! Amigo licks his face. (laughs)
Pal comes.
Pal: What are you doing?
Amigo: I was just showing the audience how to care for your pet owner.
Pal: But Arthur is my pet owner. Why didn't you use Alberto?
Amigo: He wasn't around and I just happened to be in your yard, so...
Pal: (barks angrily)
Amigo: (whines)
He runs away.
Pal: The most important thing, however, is to let your pet owner know who's in charge.
Title Card. Amigo and Pal in the yard[]
Alberto walks over to the Read house with Amigo and a bag. Arthur greets him.
Alberto: Thank you for agreeing to look after Amigo while I'm away.
Arthur: No problem. I'm sure you'll do great at the hockey championships.
Alberto: Thanks. Come on, boy. Let's try one more time. Let's impress Arthur.
He throws up a tennis ball which Amigo ignores.
Amigo: (whines)
He sits down.
Alberto: Ah. I've been trying to teach him to catch that ball for weeks now.
He waves and leaves.
Arthur: See you, Alberto! Don't worry about a thing! Good luck!
In Arthur’s fantasy, Amigo flies like superman to catch a high-flying tennis ball. He lands in front of Arthur and Alberto.
Alberto: Amazing! How did you teach him?
Arthur: What can I say? I'm really good with dogs. Up, Amigo. Amigo stands on his hind legs. One leg. No legs.
Amigo hovers over the ground.
Alberto: Haha, amazing!
The fantasy ends. Arthur notices that Amigo is gone.
Amigo: Huh? Amigo?!
***
Pal and Amigo walk through the house.
Pal: Welcome to our humble abode, old chap. Allow me to take you on a tour of Read Manor.
Pal shows Amigo an old dog bed in the living room.
Pal: It was my old dog bed. There might even be a few leftovers under there.
Amigo: Thank you, my friend, but the floor is fine for me.
Pal: Really? All right. Suit yourself.
Pal shows Amigo two dog dishes beside Pal’s bed.
Pal: Dry food is served throughout the day. Wet food is served only in the evenings. I think tonight is lamb and rice. Mm.
Amigo: Dry food and wet food?? ¡Increíble!
Pal sits under the kitchen table.
Pal: Over here. This is confidential information, but here is exactly where you want to sit at breakfast - the corner between Kate and Arthur. Neither of them can resist... the puppy face. He raises his forelegs and looks cute. (whines)
Amigo: Thank you, but I've been trained not to beg at the table.
Pal: Oh. Well, a-hem, oh no, it's not really begging. I simply show up at the right place at the right time.
Kate comes in.
Kate: Amigo! Has Pal been getting you settled? We're so happy to have you for the weekend.
Amigo: It is I who am honored to be your guest. Oh, I almost forgot. He runs out and brings in a flower. From our garden.
Kate: Oh, you shouldn't have. (smells flower) Oh, isn't he the perfect gentleman?
Pal taps his claws in an annoyed manner.
Pal: Yes, well, we mustn't dawdle. There's still more of the house to see. Come, come.
***
The next day, Pal lies in the yard when a tennis ball almost hits him.
Pal: (gasps) He brings the ball to Amigo. What's going on? This ball almost hit me.
Amigo: Don't look at me. He threw it.
Arthur walks up.
Arthur: Ti-poo-patch-de-mall, Amigo.
He takes the ball and runs with it.
Amigo: What does he want?
Pal: I think he wants you to catch the ball.
Amigo: Why? It's dirty.
Pal: Who knows why humans do anything?
Arthur throws the ball and Amigo jumps and catches it.
Arthur: He did it. He did it! It's only the second day and I taught him the trick!
Pal: Ah, the simplest things make them happy. They're just like puppies.
Arthur: Ice-bob! Who-packed-a-mall? Good boy, Amigo. Good boy.
He gives Amigo a treat. Amigo follows him.
Pal: (gasps) What? But I was the one who told him what to do.
Amigo catches more balls.
Arthur: Good boy! Good boy! Good boy! Good boy! Good boy! Good boy!
Pal lies in a corner of the yard looking annoyed. Eventually, he catches the ball in mid-air when Arthur throws it to Amigo.
Arthur: No, Pal. That's Amigo's ball.
Pal: (whines, gasps)
***
Pal paces in D.W.’s room while Kate plays with building blocks. Amigo’s flower is in a small vase beside her.
Pal: It was terrible. Amigo got 47 "good boys" and I didn't get one. And for what? Playing catch! Oh, any dog can do that.
Kate: It sounds to me like you're a little jealous.
Pal: Jealous?! (laughs unconvincingly) How absurd. Why would I be jealous of Amigo?
Kate: It could be because he's so strong or polite or generous or the fact that...
Pal: Okay, okay. That's enough. I can see that you've fallen under his spell as well.
Kate: Oh, Pal, don't be silly.
Amigo comes in.
Amigo: Oh, I am so tired. That game is fun, but Arthur never gets bored of it.
Pal: (coldly:) How nice for you.
Amigo: (gasps)
***
A little later, Pal bounces a ball off the back wall of the garage and catches it.
Pal: Nice catch, Pal. Good boy. Nice catch, Pal. Good boy.
Nemo sits on a tree branch.
Nemo: (mean laughter) Oh, I knew it would happen sooner or later. The little rag doll has finally lost his vittles.
Pal: Oh, be quiet, Nemo. I'm not in the mood.
Nemo: Well, I haven't seen you this down since I buried your ham bone in kitty litter. What's wrong?
Pal: (sighs) Arthur likes Amigo better than me.
Nemo: I can't imagine why. Perhaps it's because Amigo's so strong or polite or generous or...
Pal: Okay, okay, I get it.
Nemo: Well, cheer up, mopey. There's an easy solution.
Pal: There is?
He wags his tail. Nemo starts hunting a butterfly.
Nemo: Of course. Just make yourself look better. Oh, wait, that's impossible. You'd better make Amigo look bad instead. That's what I would do.
Pal: But... that's so devious.
Nemo: I know, that's why I like it.
***
That night, while Arthur is asleep, Pal comes into his room. He pulls a sneaker out from under Arthur’s bed.
Arthur: (moans)
His hand drops down.
Pal: (gasps)
Arthur remains asleep. Pal pulls the sneaker out of the room.
On the staircase, Pal shakes the sneaker violently.
Amigo is asleep in the living room. Pal sneaks up to him and puts the ruined sneaker between his paws.
Pal returns to his dog bed.
Pal: Heh heh heh. Oh, we'll see who's a “good boy” now.
Pal imagines himself in a British courtroom with Arthur, Alberto and Amigo. Amigo has a ball and chain round his neck.
Judge: For destruction of footwear, I order you to the pound.
Alberto hugs Amigo.
Alberto: Goodbye, Amigo. I'll send you rawhide every week.
Pal visits Amigo in jail. Amigo has a “Mom”-tattoo on his shoulder and sits behind a glass screen. Nemo stands guard.
Pal: Hello, boy. How is it in there?
Amigo: All we eat are vegetables and there are baths three times a day.
Pal: (gasps)
Amigo: I don't know how much more I can take. I'm innocent, Pal.
Nemo: Time's up, liver lips. Move along or it's the cone for you.
He points to a pet cone. Pal’s eyes fill with tears.
The fantasy ends.
Pal: Oh, I can't go through with it.
He takes the sneaker away from Amigo.
When Pal pulls the sneaker back into Arthur’s room, he knocks over a toy robot. It makes an electronic noise and the light goes on.
Arthur: (groans) Who's that? He puts on his glasses and sees Pal with the sneaker. (gasps) Bad dog!
***
While Mrs. Read works in the garden, Pal talks to Kate who is playing in the sandbox.
Pal: It was the worst scolding I've had since the Thanksgiving incident. Oh, and sneaker doesn't taste half as good as turkey. Never take the advice of a cat, Kate. May I stick my head in that hole?
Kate: Be my guest. Pal sticks his head in the hole Kate has dug. But why did you want to get Amigo in trouble in the first place?
Pal: Because I thought it would make Arthur like me better again.
Kate: Oh, Pal, of course Arthur likes you better than Amigo.
Amigo comes and overhears them.
Pal: No, he doesn't. Ever since Amigo arrived it's "good dog, this," and "good dog, that." All I ever get now is, "Heel! Sit! Stay!"
He cries and Kate pets him.
Kate: Oh, poor Pal.
Amigo looks sad and walks away.
***
That night, Pal sits on Arthur’s bed while Arthur is asleep.
Pal: (sniffles, whines) Goodbye, old boy. I wish you and Amigo all the best.
He pulls the blanket up to Arthur’s chin. Arthur smiles in his sleep.
***
Pal walks out the dog flap carrying a stick with a bundle tied to it. An owl hoots as he passes the Molinas’ driveway.
Amigo: Oh, be quiet, you silly owl. Hoo-hoo-hoo. Who cares already?
Amigo is lying in front of the Molinas’ door using the welcome mat as a blanket. Pal walks up to him.
Pal: Amigo? What are you doing here?
Amigo: I decided to come home a little early.
Pal: But why?
Amigo: Because I have upset you. I don't want to come between you and Arthur. He likes you better.
Pal: But you can't leave. I'm running away.
Amigo: No, don't run away. Go home.
Pal: Absolutely not. I insist you go back.
Amigo: You are too late, my friend. I have already left.
Thunder rolls and it starts raining.
Pal: Oh, dear. Maybe neither of us should run away tonight.
They both run to the Reads’ house.
***
Pal and Amigo shake in the kitchen.
Amigo: ¡Mira! Look at the floor!
Pal: Amigo, relax, we're dogs. They expect us to make a mess every now and then.
Amigo smiles.
***
Amigo and Pal run over the furniture.
They play tug of war with a pillow and rip it in two.
Amigo+Pal: (growl, laugh)
Pal stands on Amigo’s back and reaches the dog treat jar. They fall to the floor.
Amigo+Pal: (laugh)
***
The next morning, Amigo and Pal lie asleep in the trashed living room. Arthur comes in in his pajamas and rubs his eyes.
Arthur: (gasps) What happened in here?
Amigo and Pal point at each other.
***
That afternoon, Alberto pats Amigo.
Alberto: Hey, boy. Did you have a good time? He wasn't any trouble, was he?
Arthur: Er, well, no. At least not until the end. Hey, I've got a surprise for you. Hey, Amigo! Let's impress Alberto!
He takes out the tennis ball and runs with it. When Arthur throws the ball, Amigo ignores it, but Pal catches it in mid-air.
Arthur: Huh?? What?? But...
Alberto: I know. I know, Arthur. Pal is talented. You're a lucky guy. Come on, boy, let's go home.
He leaves with Amigo. Amigo winks at Pal. Pal walks over to Kate.
Pal: Oh, I love having guests over for the weekend.
Kate: You do?
Pal: Oh, yes. They always bring out the best in you.
Arthur pets him.