‘A puppy. I thought I could take you for a walk. Maybe we could go to the off leash park?’
‘Okay. That could be fun. I’ll get Jaspar’s (Sonya’s unfortunately deceased old dog) leash. I know where it is. Sonya was back within a minute holding a dog leash. ‘I assume you are happy to stay as you are?’
‘No….er… Yes. I can stay as I am’ Derek some somehow felt compelled to say that.
Sonya then removed the collar from around Derek’s neck and handed it to the 7 year old girl. ‘Remember we must be back well before Mum gets home or else she will wonder who you are’ She knelt on the ground so Derek could reach up and put the collar around her neck.
Once it was fastened Derek commanded Sonya ‘So you are going to become a small white long haired dog. You will be very obedient’
‘Why a little dog?’ asked Sonya as she began to feel herself shrinking
‘Because I’m a little girl and I couldn’t control a big dog’
Before Sonya could respond she had become a little white ball of fluff amongst the clothes she had just been wearing. She could no longer reply.
Derek picked up the clothes and took them to Sonya’s bedroom. The fluffy white dog followed her eagerly. Whilst there she removed the collar which was around the little dogs neck and placed that on Sonya’s dressing table.
‘You’re such a cute little puppy Sonya! Do you understand me?’
The little dog gave a series of yaps.
‘Good! Then let’s go for a walk’
………..
Anyone watching might have thought it slightly unusual that a parent would allow such a small girl to take a puppy for a walk by herself. The little girl was not exactly keeping the dog on a tight rein. The puppy was darting around excitedly in all directions, absorbing the smells which were confronting her enhanced olfactory senses.
Sonya was indeed having an amazing time. The scents were overwhelming. Her nose was able to distinguish so many different smells. She could determine that at least half a dozen dogs had peed by this pole in the recent past. She could somehow distinguish that three had been bitches, two had to be neutered males and one must be an intact dog. From the height of his scent that dog must have been quite large. She couldn’t help herself and squatted to add her own mark as a recent visitor.
‘Come on Sonya, it’s clearly very interesting but it will take us forever to get to the dog park. I was counting on a 10 minute walk. At this rate it will take an hour’
Sonya was very aware of what Derek was saying but her excitement was overwhelming. She commenced once more to heel at the little girl's side, only to pull at the leash when the next interesting smell overwhelmed her 5 seconds later. This time she recognised a scent that she somehow recognised as that of a cat.
It took 20 minutes to reach the dog park. Derek was very glad that she had made Sonya a small dog. Any larger and she would not have been able to control her. Sonya had quickly learnt how to dig her claws into the ground and make herself immovable every time she encountered an interesting smell. Derek had to use all her strength and a lot of verbal coaxing to move Sonya along. Sonya’s concentration span had clearly diminished.
The dog park was fenced and Derek could see that there were several other dogs already running around. A black poodle and a small, short haired, white and tan dog, perhaps a Jack Russell were chasing each other around in circles apparently having a great time. A middle aged couple and an older woman were chatting, Derek could only assume they were the owners.
‘Do you want to go in there and play with the other dogs?’ Derek asked Sonya ‘I think you will be safe. They are only small dogs’
Sonya replied with a couple of enthusiastic sounding yaps.