Chad stared, as she said, "I said Chad, here now!" She patted the smooth countertop which usually had papers and equipment on top but today was completely cleared off. "Here Chad! Up on the lab bench!" She ordered.
Chad bolted from his seat sprinting on all four paws. His shoes were empty under his desk. As he ran up the aisle between desks, Chad lost his socks and jeans. Chad leapt up on the counter. The soles of his feet and the palms of his hands rested naturally on the cool countertop with his shoulders raised above his rump. Not soles and palms, paws. He was still wearing his shirt, and underwear. The leash tied to his balls hung between his shirt and underwear. It had been taut when he sat down at his desk, but now had slack. Chad was smaller than when he entered.
Chad heard Ms Sharpe say, "Rick, will you come up and assist me in preparing your best friend for neutering."
Then he realized that she hadn't said your best friend, but had said man's best friend.
Rick had said, "Sure thing, Ms. Sharpe." He quickly appeared behind the counter, and undid Chad's shirt. Then he pulled the underwear down and out from under his paws.
"Now I'll hold the leash, while you shave its balls, Rick."
She took the leash and held Chad on a short leash.
"Don't you mean him?" Rick asked picking up the razor.
Naked Chad wasn't concerned that he was naked in front of the classroom. He wasn't concerned that he was now a dog. It felt natural. He was concerned that he was having trouble understanding Rick and Ms. Sharpe's words. Neuter? Him? He turned his head to look from one speaker to the next.
"Not much longer," Sharpe said slyly.
Chad whimpered.
"Oh, neutral pronoun for neutered dog," Rick laughed.
Chad heard Rick's laugh, and took a deep sniff of Rick's scent. He calmed down. Rick was his best friend. He would take care of him.
Then he felt the razor on his balls. He tightened up, but Rick gently stroked his back and withers with one hand as he shaved the dog's privates with the other. He said some soothing words, but Chad only understood the gentle tone not the content of the now intelligible words.
Ms. Sharpe was explaining that dog's had a really limited vocabulary and could be taught to understand as many as two hundred words, but most were limited to 12-60 words. Mostly commands like fetch or sit or heel. To Chad she sounded mostly like one of the adults in the Peanuts' movies. Wah, wah, wah, wah. But he recognized some words. Chad tensed on each command word she said, but Rick was his master, so he stayed still as Rick shaved him.
"If you neuter him, how do you expect to breed him?" Rod asked.
"Yo u have heard of IVF, Rod? In vitro fertilization. We're not neutering him today. Rick is shaving him to make sperm collection easier and cleaner. By next week when the veterinarian comes to cut his balls off, Rick should have collected enough specimens for dozens of litters. And he will show you how the dog's sperm can be collected from the animals testicles even after removal. Yes, Meghan?"
"I thought you said the vet was coming today?"
"He is. To examine Chad and explain the procedure and options."
"Options?"
"Whether to remove the scrotum or fill it with prosthetic balls. But I will let him explain it."
Chad whimpered. Rick stroked his neck and said, "Good boy."
Chad was happy again. Rick was there. He balls felt cooler. He thought he smelled a dog in heat somewhere. He wagged his tail.