"Really, a collie," said Sally with an odd curiosity in her voice. "I would never have guessed."
Sally, ignoring him, kept typing on the computer. Jeff, who had already been too self-conscious to request a small breed, was now starting to become self-conscious about whatever she might have meant by that.
"Why?" he asked after a moment. "What's wrong with collies?"
"There's nothing WRONG with them. Is there? It was just a surprise to me that you'd want to be one, and a rather small surprise at that."
"... How--how so?"
"I don't know. They just never crossed my mind while I was listing your options, I guess. And ... don't you agree that the breed is a bit ... feminine?"
"WHAT! No! ... Is it?"
"Well, ... yeah, I mean, don't YOU think so? The sleekness, the elegant coat, the smart but playful reputation, you know."
Jeff decided he agreed with Sally. He wasn't sure he wanted to agree with Sally.
"Is this just because the only collie we know about in the whole neighborhood is a girl dog?" he asked.
"Hm. Yeah, that probably DOES have something to do with it..." answered Sally with a shrug.
"Is it ... because you have a CRUSH on that lonely girl collie?"
Jeff felt no particular qualms in asking about Sally's doggie crushies, even those of a homosexual nature. The whole family knew she was a bi dog (in her original dog form), there was no denying it. They'd all had to take her for walks and try to keep her from humping the other bitches in the park. It was as hard as trying to keep her away from the neighbor's male bloodhound at times.
"Yeah, that probably has something to do with it, too," answered Sally with a sly smirk. "But you have to admit I'm right."
"So, you're saying you think I want to be a girl dog."
"Well... do you? The chronny can easily do that, you know. Neither of us has tried out the sex change feature..."