 SCHMUTTSby Heather Robson Kathy worries about the pedigree dog show she's organising and makes the mistake of slagging off its organiser in front of Laxo - it's his auntie! Laxo has agreed to mind his aunt's pedigree pooch, so long as Theo can come too, Theo isn't keen. Frank the pensioner breezes into the CLC in his dressing gown - he's secretly camped out in the school overnight, making an unsuccessful bid for a microwave on an auction site. Lucy and Jenny set up "dog blogs" for Lenny and Rory as part of their point-scoring war - whichever dog gets the most hits is the best. Jake is shocked when Jenny announces she's giving Rory back to the dogs' home, saying she no longer has any time for him. Lucy goes for the sympathy vote in her blog, claiming Lenny was rescued as a puppy. Jenny can't find anything nice to say about Rory, instead she takes film of him dressed up. This gets Rory's blog far more hits than Lenny's. Lucy cries foul - she and Jenny agree to bring their dogs in after school so the pupils can decide for themselves which is best in an anti-dog show. Theo and Laxo want to film the showdown, thinking they'll get some footage they can send into a TV show for big bucks. Theo knocks up some flyers for "Schmutts", as he calls the show, and passes them round. Lucy is at home giving Lenny a crash course in disobedience, while Jake worries about the conditions in the dogs' home and he hopes that a win for Rory will make Jenny change her mind. Laxo's highly strung aunt dumps her prize pooch, Chiquitita, on Theo and Laxo as the playground fills up with everyone's dogs. Chloe and Andrea are on parking attendant duty - but the "charity collection" they are making is heading right for their own pockets. They fail to get the better of Frank who takes back his donation, so Chloe plots to borrow a dog to increase her takings. Andrea finds one - Chiquitita! As the real dog show breaks for half time, the Schmutts rope in Frank, who thinks the pedigree show is elitist, to be their judge. Frank stuns Kathy when he grabs the mike and announces the pupils will now show their dogs. Rory gets top marks in the disobedience round when he swipes a man's sandwich. Kathy and Mrs Archer are powerless as the pupils' show progresses. Laxo realises Chiquitita is missing, he wants to look for her but Theo wants to film Schmutts. Chloe spins tales about Chiquitita having cataracts to get more money; Andrea wants her to give him back but quickly hides the dog when Laxo comes looking. For once, Andrea defies Chloe and decides to return Chiquitita herself but he's gone missing from under their noses. Back at the show, Rory marks his territory against Chiquitita's toy rabbit, then tears it apart. Laxo is about to tell his aunt her dog is missing when Chiquitita wonders back in a state. He is soiled when Rory knocks the chocolate fountain over him - so Frank declares Chiquitita the winner of Schmutts! Rory beats Lenny by one point to be the runner-up. Far from convincing Jenny to keep him, Rory's bad behaviour has strengthened her determination to give him back to the rescue centre - much to Jake's amazement. Rory's final act of naughtiness is to sniff out Chloe's money - Mrs Rawlinson spots her and Chloe is forced to hand it over to Frank, so he can get a new microwave for his old folks' home. One last guilt trip by Jake finally convinces Jenny to change her mind and keep Rory. |