I’m back, bitches~

Sorry I was gone for so long. Hopefully that won’t happen again~ ❤
—

“You’re always so wet for me, Puppy.” She grinned as she ran her fingers between my thighs. It was true, my body had associated the sight of Ana with sexual attention, so I tended to get a little drippy (and even a little drooly) when she touched me anywhere. I whimpered and tried to roll onto my stomach, but she stopped me by putting her free hand on my belly. Since having sex with Boomer earlier this week, she’d brought at least one stud over a day. I’d become accustomed to begging and pleading for the feeling of a dog’s cock ramming into me. There had been a day that I’d had to suck off four –possibly five, I couldn’t remember– dogs before I could even orgasm. It had been nice though, because each one of them got a turn inside me after they’d gotten hard again. I’d become completely obsessed with sex. Most of my thoughts were centered around when I’d get to come again. Or what the next strange dog would look like. I hadn’t had the same stud twice. Jesus, it was a good thing I was sterile. That was also a part of the operation. All pets were rendered incapable of producing offspring. It’d be too difficult to figure out what to do with the puppies. Would they be raised as pets or humans? No, much easier to modify adults in a lab. Although there were rumors of some owners buying dogs to breed with, law enforcement hadn’t found evidence of it. Yet, at least.

“I’m bringing you a special treat today.” Ana touched her finger to my nose, still massaging me between my legs. I wasn’t as sex-crazed as I had been a few days before, but it was obvious that I was still in heat. Once I was touched, I needed to get off before I could have any rest. Usually that wasn’t a problem, but Ana did have a sadistic streak. She’d strapped me into the stocks before and gotten me right to the edge of orgasm, then left me alone for a few hours. Long, frustrating hours during which I whined and thrashed, not caring how much noise I was making. I didn’t know what her special treat was, but I didn’t much care either, as long as I got some intercourse out of it. “I hope you’ll like it.” I realized she was getting a roguish glint in her eye. That didn’t bode well for me. She pulled her fingers away and placed them in my mouth, expecting me to lick them clean. I’d gotten used to the taste by now, although I didn’t enjoy it. This was a rather common occurrence with Ana, though, so I didn’t protest.

“Good girl.” She smiled and wiped her fingers on a nearby towel. I whimpered and lifted my pelvis, hoping she’d pity me and finish me off even though I knew she wouldn’t. She laughed. “Puppy needs to be patient. Your treat will be here soon enough.” I sighed and lowered my hips. I was slick with sweat and I knew I’d be going crazy until this treat showed up. I didn’t know what it could be. My best guess was a dog with a massive cock, but I’d had those. Harper had been scarce for the past week. I couldn’t tell if he was jealous or scared. He was certainly uncomfortable around the male dogs, but none of them paid him any attention. They’d been too busy looking at me. I wasn’t sure if I liked that. The hormones made everything so confusing. I loved the way I made the boys drool and bark, but part of me also found it disgusting.

“Up, Puppy. Let’s give you a bath before your surprise gets here.” I got up carefully, trying not to rub my legs together too much. It made it harder to bear the more I was stimulated. In the bath, Ana teased me some more, giggling when I whined and moaned. The doorbell rang, but Ana didn’t leave the tub. Harper would get it anyway. He came into the bathroom a few moments later. “Miss Ana, Mister Norton is here.” She nodded. “Thank you, Harper. Have him sit in the living room, will you?” After rubbing my breasts a little more, she stepped out of the tub and dried off, then wrapped herself in her robe. “Hmm. Stay here, Puppy. And do not touch yourself, understand?”

I nodded, fully intending to comply. If I screwed up now, I might not orgasm at all today. I sat back in the tub, holding my paws on the edge, forcing my legs apart. I waited for at least five minutes, but finally Ana returned. Mr. Norton was right behind her, a leash in his hand. He was tall and muscular, probably thirty or so. I couldn’t see the dog on the end of his leash, but I was surprised that my surprise was only another stud.

“Here she is.” Ana smiled at Norton, who nodded with a smirk. “Puppy, this is Mister Norton. And Charlie.”

It was then I saw the dog at the end of the leash. It wasn’t a stud. Rather, it was another female. A female that looked extremely familiar. Vivian. She recognized me at almost the same time I recognized her. “Camille?” She spoke without thinking. Mr. Norton cuffed her on the head. “Charlie!” He yanked at her leash. “Bad dog!” Ana laughed knowingly.

“It was bound to be a shock, Landon.” She smiled at Mr. Norton. “But I admit I didn’t know my puppy’s previous name. I just knew she and Charlie came from the same party.” Ana moved to the tub. “Come along, Puppy. Let’s get you reacquainted with your littermate.” I didn’t want to, but Ana was very rough with me as she pulled me out of the bath. I was still very aroused, but embarrassed to be that way around one of my old friends. I was glad the water hid my dripping cunt. I realized quickly, however, that Vivian was just as keyed up as I was. Her legs were tense from trying to keep them from rubbing together, and I could see the slick sheen on her inner thighs. I looked her in the eyes, trying to apologize as Ana pulled me closer to her. She looked just as sorry.

Her long red hair and freckles contrasted with her black ears and curled husky tail. She was beautiful and intimidating, just as she’d always been. We were never really close friends, but we’d had our share of classes together and had always hung out at parties. She’d always been so much cooler than me, though, so I’d kept my distance. My eyes kept straying to her snatch. I’d never thought of myself as bisexual, but I was so horny and she was here and… I just wanted to feel her tongue on my clit, wanted to take handfuls of her ample breasts. I blushed a bright red and hoped she couldn’t read my mind.

Norton unclipped her leash and nudged her toward me. She sniffed at my hair, her blue eyes staring me down. I sniffed back hesitantly, unsure of what she was doing. Her tail was wagging slowly, but held high. I tucked my tail instinctively, effectively handing control of the situation over to her. She was a little taller than me, and more athletic. She’d always been playing some sport or another. With the studs, I’d been comfortable because even though they fucked me, I was still in charge somehow. But with Vivian I didn’t even feel a little power over her. I could feel Ana and Norton watching, but I kept my eyes on Vivian, who was now sniffing down my back. “I gave her permission to use her paws, I hope you don’t mind?” Norton asked Ana.

Ana laughed. “Not at all. She doesn’t have a penis. Gotta use what she can.” I blushed a bright red and pressed my tail against my ass as hard as I could. Vivian ran her fingers across my pussy. I couldn’t help but moan quietly. She came up the other side of me and leaned her head near mine. “Didn’t know I was a lesbian, did you?” She whispered, almost so quiet I couldn’t hear her. “Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you. Much.”

She nudged me into the sitting position, then nosed her way into my chest. She ran her tongue around my nipple, then gently took it into her mouth. I whimpered. She growled and bit down briefly. I gasped and backed away, but she kept her mouth on me. “Her bio said she’d had some BDSM experience. So naturally, I chose her.” I heard Norton say to Ana. I glanced up at them. Ana nodded, “Poor Puppy is such a bottom, I’m glad you had Charlie.” She grinned down at me. I looked down at Vivian’s hair, then felt her fingers caress my snatch again. I began to pant and drool again, wanting nothing more than for her to fuck me whatever way she could.

The tile was cool, but I knew that my body temperature was rising from being aroused. Without warning and none too gently, Vivian slammed three fingers inside me. I yelped and leaned forward as she thrusted. She let go of my nipple and planted her lips on mine, kissing me and fingerfucking me at the same time. I shuddered in pleasure. This was different, more passionate and a little more human than all the males. I liked it more than I cared to admit, even though it hurt.

Her thumb pressed into my clit, rubbing it in circles even while she worked her fingers in and out. I wasn’t thinking any more, just reveling in the pure canine pleasure of it all, working my hips back and forth. She kissed my cheek, my jawline, then bit down hard on my neck. I whined, but didn’t move away. It made everything feel so much more intense, so much more real, somehow. It was while she was biting me that I came, vocalizing a howl as I saw white.

When I finally came down, she pulled her fingers out of me, looking me fiercely in the eye and smiling. Ana clapped. “Very nice, Charlie. You even made her squirt! I think Puppy is more of a lezzy than she lets on.” I blushed and looked away, my tail wagging. I wasn’t sure anymore.

“Now, Puppy. You know how to say thank you. Why don’t you tell Charlie just how thankful you are?” Ana prodded. I looked up at Vivian, who was already leaning back on her elbows, legs spread. Yes, I did know exactly how to say thank you.

I positioned my paws underneath Vivian’s knees and began to lick. I was a good puppy, after all.

walk walk fashion baby

Work it, move that bitch crazy.

—

A week later, Ana decided that I was ready to really go out and see the real world. Also a week later, I was in heat for the first time. I hadn’t been expecting it, but Ana seemed to know it was coming. I woke up in my kennel one morning sweating profusely, clinging to shreds of my half-remembered dream. That dalmatian with the nine-inch cock. The pleasure and pain I’d get from having that inside me… I shuddered, half in disgust but half in desire. That was when I ran my hand down my stomach, fingers and pussy tingling in anticipation. I’d just started really getting into it when my owner came out of the bathroom after her morning shower.

“Puppy!” She snapped, flinging open my cage door and yanking me out onto the floor. “No! Bad Puppy.” She jerked my hands away from my crotch. I whined, standing up on all fours and trying to rub my thighs together instead. She bopped me on the nose, shaking her head. “No, Puppy. You’re not allowed to touch yourself.” She clutched my collar and put me in the sitting position. I saw now that this pose kept bitch dogs from pleasuring themselves. With my knees spread, I couldn’t rub at anything. “You stay right here. If you touch yourself, we’ll have to visit the stocks. You don’t want that, do you?” I whimpered and shook my head. The bruises from the first day were just fading. I’d received a few punishments since then: a skipped meal or a spanking, but I’d managed to avoid being strapped in and caned again.

She left the room. Immediately, I shifted my sitting position and started grinding my snatch on my heel. It didn’t help at all. It only made it worse. I could feel the sweat beading up on my skin. I even started to pant, my tongue lolling out, drool dripping onto the floor. I knew I didn’t have long until Ana came back, but I didn’t care. The more I humped, the more I needed to. I couldn’t stop. I whined quietly, eyes trained on the door. And there she was.

“Puppy!” She yanked me up by the collar and hair. “Damnit, I said no.” I whimpered and struggled, trying to get back into position. “No, Puppy.” She growled in my face, lowering me to the ground slowly. I writhed, trying to get out of her grip. I didn’t care what would happen, I just needed to come. Now. She let go of my hair and slapped me across the face. “No! Bad dog!”

I finally paused, the handprint burning on my face. I tucked my tail and flattened my ears, whining and looking at the floor. I still needed to come, but I knew that I would get worse than the stocks if I didn’t stop. I noticed Harper standing in the doorway, holding my mitts and knee pads.

“Harper, will you get the stocks ready, please?” She sighed, still holding onto my collar firmly. He nodded and disappeared. She lifted my chin and looked into my face. “Now. After Puppy gets caned, she’s going on a walk with me. And she will behave herself. Maybe, if Puppy is good, I’ll give her a nice little treat. Got that?” I nodded slowly. “Good.”

She led me into the next room, clipped me into the harness, and picked up her cane. Her heels (she almost always wore heels; Ana was meticulous about her appearance) rapped on the wood floor as she positioned herself behind my ass. “Puppy will count her strikes out loud, yes?” I whimpered and nodded. “And if she misses, I will start over.”

She tapped the cane against my rump a few times, then paused. “Puppy will never touch herself.” And with that, she thwacked the cane against my bottom. I yelped and pulled at the harness, but still shouted: “One!” The cane stung like a bitch. It felt like she was opening stripes, although I knew when she was done I wouldn’t be bleeding, just bruised.

“Five!”

“Fifteen.”

“Twenty…five…”

I was ready for twenty-six, but she rested her cool palm on my heated ass. I drooped in the harness, hanging my head and breathing deep. She stroked my back, scratched behind my ears…and soon the ache came back. All I could think of was getting fucked. Preferably by another dog. I felt disgusting, but it didn’t matter anymore.

I let Ana tie the mitts onto my hands, felt Harper sliding on my kneepads. She unhooked the harness and attached a leash to my collar. She wiped me down with a towel, soaking up the sweat and drool that I couldn’t control. “After walkies Puppy needs a bath, I think.”

Harper saw us out of the house, but I didn’t pay much attention to him. The smells outside were much more interesting. There were so many male scents on the air. I whined and tugged at the leash, unashamed of people seeing my dripping cunt. I was a bitch in heat, and I needed nothing more than some goddamn coitus. Ana laughed, “Puppy is so eager!” But she pulled back on the leash. “Heel, Puppy.” I reluctantly slowed my pace, returning to her side. She was walking slowly on purpose. I didn’t know where we were going, but I wanted to get there for the treat she’d told me about.

I didn’t pay much attention to the direction we were traveling. I sniffed at the ground, sniffed at the people we passed, strained at the leash and drooled whenever I saw a male dog… Ana and I both knew Camille had taken a back seat to Puppy’s needs. I knew she was very happy about this. For once, I was acting like a stupid dog almost against my will, wagging my tail when I caught the scent of cum.

We ended up at a dog park. My tail was wagging madly. The whole place smelled like puppy fluids. Puppy nectar. I could see bitches and studs copulating mindlessly, whimpering and whining, grunting and panting. I started pulling at the leash again, lifting my front paws off the ground anxiously. “No, Puppy, sit.” Ana said gently. I sat, my tail still wagging, my nose still sniffing the air. I watched wide-eyed, wishing I was that blushing corgi or that drooly doberman.

I heard her phone ring, but I wasn’t concerned with annoying human things. I watched the other puppies have sex, feeling myself trembling and trying to hump the air. “Yes, I’m here. Northwest corner. With the collie.” Ana flipped her phone closed and slipped it back into the pocket of her slacks. “Well, Puppy, you were rather well-behaved for the circumstances, I think.” She knelt carefully, scratching my ears. I heard her, but didn’t look. I was still busy watching my new brand of porn.

I saw the stud first. A muscly tricolor bull terrier. He was larger than me, but not by much. I didn’t pay much attention to his face, though. I was more concerned with his rather sizable dick. Not as big as the dalmatian’s, but much bigger than Harper’s. He was hard and ready, and I knew he could smell me. I lifted my tail and began to turn my ass toward him, but Ana stopped me as she stood up. “Not yet, Puppy.”

The terrier’s owner kissed Ana on the cheek. It was a woman, but details were unimportant to me. I barely glanced at her. My eyes were trained on the stud. And his cock. “She’s from the club?” I heard the woman ask. “Very pretty little bitch.”

“Isn’t she, though?” Ana patted my head. “Just a week old.”

“First heat?” The woman sounded surprised.

“Yep. First day, even. I thought you might like it if Boomer was her first.”

“You’re so sweet, Ana.” Boomer, the terrier, had been watching me just as intently as I was watching him, his stub of a tail shivering. Precum was glistening on his cock. “Shall we let them go, then?”

“Are you ready, Puppy?” Ana looked down at me. I barked and jumped again, waving my front paws. “I suppose that means yes, doesn’t it?” She laughed. “Go ahead, present your little doggy cunt.”

She didn’t have to ask me twice. I turned immediately, waggling my rump at Boomer. He mounted me quickly, shoving himself inside me in one fluid motion. I groaned and shuddered. God, it hurt so bad. But I couldn’t stop myself from thrusting my hips back and forth. He bit down on my neck, wrapped his paws around my front, forcing me farther onto his cock. I howled and rocked back, shuddering with every wave.

I wasn’t sure how long it took. It felt like seconds and hours. I was unaware of everything but his body against mine, inside mine. Nothing else had ever been so important. I came first, my white-hot explosion making me shake and push harder. He came soon after, grunting and quivering violently. We disentangled and flopped onto the grass, both sopping wet from sweat and spit and cum. He licked my nose gently, his eyes almost apologetic.

“Say thank you, Puppy.” Ana nudged at my leg with her shoe. I leaned in and licked his nose. He smiled and while my face hid his from his owner’s view, he mouthed, Thank you. I wasn’t surprised to see that he was a thinking dog too. I was sure many of us here at the park were. I nodded slightly and sighed.

After a short nap with Boomer, Ana and I left the park. By the time we passed the gates, I could feel that my refractory period was over. I was ready to go again. And again.

This was going to be a long week.

chapter one?

I yawned and stretched my arm above my head. But it didn’t get very far before thumping against…what was that? I propped myself up on my elbows. A low metal ceiling gleamed above my head. My stomach turned. I sat up slowly, but I couldn’t sit up straight. I had to stoop my neck in order to fit. I’d heard of this happening, but I never thought… Isn’t that what they always say? “I never thought it would happen to me.” God, I hoped I was dreaming. But this kennel felt far too real.

Through the wire mesh door of my cage, I could see a dimly lit, narrow hallway. Across the hall and on either side of me were more cages. Most of them seemed occupied, but I was the only one awake, it seemed. I was naked, my head was throbbing dully and my body felt sore, but other than that I felt okay. That was good.

The pet squads had raided a party. That happened all the time overseas, but apparently it could happen here too. Most pets were criminals with a life sentence, but some were volunteers. And a few were kidnapped and sent all over the world. I wondered where I would be sent. Hopefully somewhere where people spoke English. I’d have a fighting chance there. Maybe I could convince the doctors to release me before they made the necessary changes to my body.

I’d seen pictures of biodogs and -cats. But they were long gone. People had kept them as pets years ago, but a virulent rabies-like outbreak had wiped most of them out. The rest had been killed as a precaution. That was when human pets were created. They were quite easy to spot. Every pet underwent extensive body modification in order for them to live comfortably. Fully functioning ears and tails were attached, musculature and joints were adjusted for crawling on all fours, body hair below the neck was permanently removed, and finally, all pets received a lobotomy. Pets had no sense of self-awareness, could not speak, and had no desire to walk upright. All memories were removed. Some pets underwent more mods. Breast augmentation, skin pigmentation, corruption of the hormonal balance so they were constantly in heat… There was no social stigma attached to having sex with your pet, so some owners really enjoyed having their pets constantly “ready to go.”

I adjusted my position, lying down on my stomach instead. Something brushed against my rump. I yelped and lifted myself from the floor. Was there something in here with me? I glanced behind me, then spotted a fluffy black and white thing resting at the base of my spine. It didn’t register at first. I thought it was a ferret, but it wasn’t heavy enough. I reached back and tried to brush it off. It didn’t move. So I tried to lift it up and toss it away.

But it wasn’t a ferret. It was my tail. I had already been modified? A wave of nausea rolled over me. There was no way I could escape now. Even if somehow I got out of here, anyone who found me would just turn me into an animal shelter. But maybe if I got away I could disappear into the mountains. Maybe I could hide. I wasn’t lobotomized yet, so there was still that hope.

I began running my fingers over my body. My skin was impossibly smooth. I had never really liked body hair in the first place, but now that it was gone forever, I missed it. Lacking that hair meant that I wasn’t seen as human anymore. I buried my hands in my hair, tugging slightly. “Oh Christ.” I murmured. It was beginning to sink in. I would never ever go back to what I was. I couldn’t. The ears on top of my head flicked when my fingers brushed against them. I pulled at one, repulsed by the soft fur. Why hadn’t they already cut into my brain? I’d never heard of pets being modified before their lobotomy. It was unethical.

My ears swiveled, startling me. I realized I could hear someone else moving around. “Hey!” I whispered, pressing my face as close to my door as possible. A groan. Then a scream. “Oh God. Oh god oh jesus oh god. Help! Help me!” It was a male voice, followed by the rattling of a kennel door and what sounded like a lot of thrashing. I retreated, my ears laid back and my tail tucked. He kept screaming. Now others were waking up, it seemed. Most stayed mostly quiet and subdued, trying to figure out what had happened to them. Some began screaming and flailing when they felt their modifications. None of them seemed to be lobotomized either. I felt sick again.

A door at one end of the corridor slammed open. I could hear heavy boots on the concrete floor. Two men passed my cage, not even glancing in my direction. A cage door was opened, and the first male voice I’d heard raised intensely. “No! No, God, please!” Suddenly, he shrieked. Then he was quiet. The others in the kennels had fallen silent as well, watching and listening. I wasn’t sure what had happened, but somehow he’d been subdued.

The two men carried him out. He was limp, probably drugged. Hopefully drugged. After they left, someone else entered the room. I leaned forward to look out my cage. A man in a lab coat. A doctor? I almost cried out to him, begged him to let me go. Then I realized how stupid that would sound. Obviously he knew what was going on. I kept quiet.

“Anyone else?” He asked coldly, walking past my cage to the center point of the corridor. No one spoke. “Good. We don’t want to have to lobotomize you. Sentient pets can be so much fun.”

And with that, he left.

“Sentient?” A small voice piped up as soon as the door closed behind him. It sounded like a girl, probably only a few cages down from mine. “But that’s illegal…”

“So is kidnapping, dipshit.” I could see the owner of this voice. He was right across from me, lying on his stomach in his kennel. His tail was curled up over his back, his ears were triangular and erect. An Alaskan malamute, perhaps?

“Oh, shut up, Max.” The male in the cage next to his thumped their shared wall with his fist. This one was a cat. His long tail curled up around his legs, swishing from time to time. Max just grinned and rolled onto his back.

“Erm.. Have you been here long?” The same small voice asked. Persistent, she was. Max rolled back onto his stomach, looking a little surprised that she hadn’t just stayed quiet.

“I suppose so. A few weeks.” He shrugged, then slapped the wall. “Rum Tum Tugger here has been around longer.” The cat rolled his eyes.

“Not Rum Tum Tugger, thank you. No one enjoys musical theatre as much as you do, Max.” The cat licked the back of his hand and smoothed his hair back. “It’s Clarke. And I’ve been here a month or so. I think.”

I didn’t understand. Why had they been here so long? I shifted in my kennel, bumping into the wall in my search for a better position. Max looked over at me, then smiled. I blushed and smiled back, then finally asked. “Where are we?”

“It’s a private club for sickos.” He shrugged. “You’re up for rental or adoption, depending on what they want. Clarke and I are permanent fixtures of the club, though. No adoptions for us.” He paused, then knocked on his wall again. “Hey Clarke, I bet she’ll be adopted within the afternoon. Whaddya think?”

I bit my lip. The cat narrowed his eyes at me, then nodded. “I think you’re right. She is kinda cute. I guess.” His tail swished. “Sorry, girls aren’t really my type.”

I heard the door begin to rattle. Max sighed. “Don’t speak.” He whispered. The door creaked open, and two pair of heels clicked smartly down the hall.

“We received a new shipment just last night, ma’am. I think you’ll be happy with them. What are you looking for?” The women stopped near my cage. Neither could be over the age of thirty.

“A bitch this time.” The second woman nodded, squinting at Max. He wagged his tail and winked, knowing he wasn’t at risk of being taken. The first woman was rather large although nicely dressed. Obviously a representative of this “club.” She headed down the hallway, toward the small voiced girl. “We have a beagle down here, Miss. Or perhaps you’d like a setter?”

The second woman followed the club worker, but shook her head. “No, too small. I don’t like these fragile things.”

“Hrm. Perhaps a border collie then?” The worker came back toward me. Was I a border collie? I didn’t have time to decide before she pointed into my kennel. The buyer crouched down in front of my kennel, looking straight into my face. I blushed again, terrified but unable to move.

“Bring her out for me.” She stood up. The worker grimaced slightly. “She’s brand new, ma’am. I’m not sure how she’ll react.”

The buyer set her mouth and stared at the worker. She glanced down at me. “Don’t do anything stupid, bitch. You don’t want to be punished.” I nodded hurriedly. She looked back up at the worker. “Now do as I asked.”

The woman nodded nervously and took out a ring of keys. She chose one and unlocked my kennel, then grabbed the back of my neck and guided me out of the cage. I crawled out, shivering slightly. The floor was cold on my hands and feet. My paws.

“Sit.” The buyer pointed at me. I hesitated. The floor was so cold. “I said, sit.”

I sat, whimpering slightly. God, I was such a coward. I should have run for it, or at least refused. But no, here I was, trying to keep this woman happy. I’d seen the way dogs sat, but I didn’t know how to replicate it. The buyer seemed a little displeased. “She needs some training.” The worker nodded. “She just came in last night–”

“I know.” The buyer cut her off, raising her hand. She knelt in front of me, looking straight into my eyes. “Don’t you dare try anything stupid, bitch.” I swallowed. She was frightening. She lifted my ears, peering into them and tugging slightly. She opened my mouth and put her fingers inside, touching my teeth and tongue clinically. I coughed, and she withdrew her fingers in a hurry. “No, bad dog.” She slapped my cheek. I frowned.

“I don’t have control over a cough.” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I had a chance to think about what I was saying. Immediately, she brought her hand back and slapped my cheek again. It knocked me over. Tears came to my eyes.

“Be respectful, bitch. We all know you can talk, the trick is not doing it.” She pulled me back into a sitting position, holding my chin in her hand. “Do you understand? Bark if you do.”

I pulled my chin back, but barked once. She stood up. “This one is just fine, I think.” I hung my head, feeling cowardly and ashamed. A braver person would have refused, would have screamed, would have tried something to get away. But that would have meant a lobotomy. Thinking of a lobotomy felt like thinking of death. Unawareness, no memories… No. I would rather be a coward than be dead.

The worker clapped her hands. “Perfect, Miss. I’ll retrieve a collar and leash for you. Would you also like a transport kennel to take her home?”

“The kennel won’t be necessary, thank you.” She looked down at me. “Puppy needs to learn how to walk.” The worker left the kennel room, and the buyer — my owner, now — moved a few paces down the hallway. I looked down at my hands — paws — then up at Max. Told ya. He mouthed, then wagged his tail.

“Puppy.” My ears perked and flicked in her direction. I turned toward her awkwardly. “Come.” She put out her hand. I could see she was holding something. A treat? My stomach growled. I was starving. Cautiously, I crept toward her. I felt so flexible. It was easier than I expected to walk on all fours. “Sit.” She commanded when I was a step away from her. I did, still awkward, but I tried. She popped the treat into my mouth.

It tasted like beef jerky. Not unpleasant at all. The worker came back now, holding a collar and lead and heavy leather mitts and kneepads. Walking outside was hard on paws. The mitts kept them protected. It also inhibited the use of fingers. The worker handed the things to my owner, who immediately crouched in front of me. I kept my eyes on her face as she placed the plain leather collar around my neck. It was snug, but not bothersome. She clipped the short lead to the collar, then readied the mitts.

“Make a fist with your paw, Puppy.” She ordered, demonstrating with her own hand. I held out my hand, balled up as she asked. She shoved the black mitt on, then buckled it tightly around my wrist. “Other one.” She held out the second mitt.

I didn’t want to admit it, but the kneepads and mitts were actually quite comfortable. My owner tugged at the lead. “Come along now.” I fell into step behind her, casting one last glance at Max. He actually gave me a double thumbs up. Really? Honestly, did he know something I didn’t? I shook my head and faced forward again.

I was no longer Camille. I was no longer human.

I was Puppy. And I was a dog.