"Are you ready for the next step?" Meredith substituted a new leather collar for the old one.
"The next step?" Nicola answered.
"The first collar gave you the ability to act and think like a dog and made the people around you--but not the dogs, as you noticed--believe you were a dog. And you don't seem to think that's enough anymore."
"So this collar. . ." Nicola trailed off.
"Will completely transform you into a dog. Both people and other dogs will see you as a dog, because that's what you'll be."
"But I won't be able to take it off."
"No, you won't, no more than any other dog. But will you really want to?"
Trembling, Nicola knelt before Meredith and bared her neck. "Please, master."