"Oh, it's not that I don't like dogs," she quickly replied, "I just am more into ...... poodles."
"I see," he said. "Perhaps you could trade Jingles in for a poodle then. We have a fine pet store in this mall."
That was enough. Jingles...err.. John was getting tired of this bantering. He had to do something, and he had to do it quickly. That wand was his only chance. Maybe the wand could understand dog language, or something like that. He admitted he was grasping for straws, but there was no way that he could remain someone's pet, let alone be "traded in" for something else.
He pulled at the collar and yanked Katie forward. The wand was almost in his reach. One quick burst of energy and he would have it in his jaws. Unfortunately, Katie recollected herself and pulled back on the leash again.
The yanking of the collar set him back on his haunches. So close! he though to himself. "But so far away?"
What!? John thought that he was hearing a voice in his head that wasn't his own. "You are hearing a voice that is not your own, Jingles."
Who is this? he thought back at the stranger. "Oh, I am no stranger my young fellow. You already have tried to attack me twice and failed. I believe your owner is quite correct that you are far too much to manage in your current state. I believe that I must make you more appropriate for her fancies."
John then felt himself become queasy again. That odd shimmer grew around his form, as it had before. The world was getting yet larger than it had the first time. By now though, John knew that this meant that he was shrinking. He looked down at his legs to see the black fur lighten. Then he noticed it rearranging into a clearly groomed set of "poofs" at the feet followed by sheered legs going up to a central larger explosion of hair at the chest. He turned to see that his tail also now had the typical "poof" of hair at it's tip. But something was wrong. He was still getting smaller.
"Oh, I know that you heard her say that she loved poodles, but I think that a toy poodle is clearly more suitable for apartment living anyway, don't you, Princess?"
That bastard was getting annoying. John had to think! How could he find a way to reverse this situation? There had to be some way of getting a hold of that blasted wand and then... wait... Princess?