WOOF! Molly wants to be let outside. SCRATCH! Dan wants outside. Dan and Molly are two dogs that live in luxury at the Garcia house. The frantic sounds from them begin around six o’clock in the morning. WOOF! SCRATCH! Each sound repeats numerous times until the mother of the Garcia Family lets them out into their kingdom. The backyard of the house is spacious, contained by a chain-link fence. There are no trees in sight, just a couple piles of mulch and a storm sewer. Dan and Molly call this home and are surely the rulers of the land. So what is it that these two canines partake in while roaming their kingdom?

Dan is a twelve -year- old Beagle Terrier mix. He scratches at the sliding glass door every time he wishes to check on his territory. First, he inspects his land for differences, and for any foreign visitors. Dan loves to chase squirrels, illegal immigrants, away from his precious domain. The storm sewer is Dan’s next point of attention. After all, the sewer is the perfect place for unwanted raccoons to hide from the four legged rulers of the Garcia’s backyard. Dan acts as a hunter against other animals that visit, using his hunting Beagle blood. On the days that thunderstorms plague Dan and Molly’s kingdom, Dan performs his “Thunder Dance.” He runs in circles and barks ferociously at the thunder, threatening it and daring it to come further onto his turf. Everything about Dan’s kingdom is a treasure, and he does all he can to protect and enjoy it.

Molly is a black lab and Border collie mix. David, the oldest child in the Garcia house, rescued her from the Kirksville Humane Society when she was two. This lovely fur ball is the power house in the dynamic doggie duo. As soon as the sliding door opens, she bolts out into her backyard habitat. Working as the security chief, Molly quickly sprints around the perimeter of the yard making sure everything about her yard is perfect. After the lightening fast perimeter check is complete, Molly runs straight to her pile of mulch and begins frantically digging through the dead wood chips. Molly acts as the household five year old the way she frolics and leaps around the barren, green, grassy knoll. Her expressive topaz eyes are vivid with the joy and pleasure of freedom.
Then, the door from their canine Narnia is opened and the Garcia Mother beckons for her furry babies to return to the house. Molly is eager to return to her loving human family. Dan, on the other hand, is hesitant. He adores his backyard kingdom, free from cats and teenagers who pick on him. The maternal side of Molly shows as she lovingly herds him inside by placing her mouth over his scruff. The bond between the dogs is apparent as they show their affection towards each other. After a long day of commanding their kingdom, the dogs just want one thing, to lie on the floor and have their family rub their bellies. These dogs truly are man’s best friend, but they also are each other’s best friends. Watching dogs frolic around their yard, chasing squirrels, and sunbathing on their grass is so peaceful. Everything about their warm eyes, alluring ears, and soft fur is magical. Dan and Molly truly are the rulers in the Garcia house, and tomorrow, they will go once more through the sliding glass door and enter into their own little Narnia world, a world where they listen to nobody but themselves.