Chapter 123: Even Dogs Know How to Manipulate People Emotionally

After leaving Zhou Yingying’s home, the filming at the other locations proceeded quite smoothly.

In particular, when Zhang Congwen arrived at Sun Zimu’s house, he was surprised to find that Sun Zimu’s father, Sun Zhong, looked much slimmer than when they had first met. Even his paunchy belly had vanished, making him appear far more lean and vigorous.

A few days after all the filming concluded, Zhang Congwen and his team received the edited video. The professionals lived up to their reputation; both the cinematography and the editing were superb. The only slight drawback was that Zhu Qingyan was so eye-catching on screen that she inadvertently overshadowed the content regarding the dogs. However, Song Jiawei was extremely satisfied with this initial cut, primarily because Julie Xie also made an appearance in the footage.

As for whether this version would be used as the promotional video, that was no longer Zhang Congwen’s concern, as he was currently busy training a dog for another client.

The dog Zhang Congwen was to train this time was a Golden Retriever. It was a classic-looking specimen with soft, beautiful fur. According to the owner, the dog was incredibly friendly toward strangers but would either bark at or attempt to bite its own owners. Furthermore, the Golden Retriever was the type to bully those within its own home; when out for a walk, it would be terrified and hide behind its owner even upon encountering dogs much smaller than itself.

From the videos provided earlier, Zhang Congwen noticed that the Golden Retriever was highly resistant to being touched by its owners. Any attempt to touch it would turn the household into a battlefield between human and beast. In the footage, Zhang Congwen also spotted a very interesting detail: the dog would not allow any family members to touch the television. The moment an owner reached for the TV, the dog would display clear aggressive tendencies. It was evident that the Golden Retriever had claimed the television as its own property.

Before Zhang Congwen arrived, the owner, Jiang Ping, had intended to put a muzzle on the dog to prevent it from biting him. Unexpectedly, as soon as she brought the muzzle out, the dog attacked her. Fortunately, her husband, Geng Qiufei, was holding the leash tightly from behind, preventing the dog from actually biting her.

Yet, merely scaring the mistress did not satisfy the dog. Before Geng Qiufei could react, the Golden Retriever suddenly whipped around and lunged at him. Fortunately, Geng Qiufei’s experience prevented a serious injury; he only ended up with a bruised calf from the bite.

When Zhang Congwen arrived, the Golden Retriever was incredibly enthusiastic, acting as if it desperately wanted to be petted, fawning over him completely. After observing for a long time, Zhang Congwen realized the dog was exceptionally clever; it hid its true nature perfectly in front of a stranger. Had he not seen the earlier videos, he might truly have been deceived.

After discussing the basic situation with Geng Qiufei and Jiang Ping, Zhang Congwen began his tests. He had Geng Qiufei hold the leash while keeping a distance, and then Zhang Congwen approached the television—the object the dog considered forbidden.

To his surprise, no matter how Zhang Congwen handled the television, even when he turned his back to the dog, the Golden Retriever showed no reaction at all. Then, Zhang Congwen asked Jiang Ping to touch the television. As expected, the predictable happened: the dog immediately began to bark furiously at her. Before Zhang Congwen could say a word, Geng Qiufei pulled the leash taut. It was a technique he had learned online, but to his dismay, this simple action only served to expose the dog’s true nature completely. It stood up on its hind legs, leaping repeatedly in an attempt to bite the hand that held the leash.

While struggling to control the leash to avoid being bitten, Geng Qiufei murmured, "Good boy, Helder, good boy..." There was no need to ask; Helder was the dog's name.

Zhang Congwen quickly stopped him. "Don't speak, and don't try to soothe it. Just hold the leash and stay quiet. Wait until it calms down, then release the tension."

Guided by Zhang Congwen, Geng Qiufei followed the instructions immediately. Within five minutes, the dog finally grew slightly calmer. Zhang Congwen then asked the couple to go into another room and out of the dog's sight. The moment the door closed, the previously aggressive Golden Retriever became instantly docile in front of Zhang Congwen. The speed of its behavioral shift was faster than that of a master of traditional face-changing.

The Golden Retriever not only flashed its signature smile at Zhang Congwen but also voluntarily rolled over to expose its belly, inviting him to pet it. In this submissive state, no matter how Zhang Congwen prodded it, it didn't let out a single bark, nor did it even offer a symbolic snarl.

Once the tests were complete, Zhang Congwen called the couple back to the living room to learn more about the dog. The response he received left him at a loss for whether to laugh or cry.

Geng Qiufei said, "Every time this dog finishes throwing a tantrum, it becomes very obedient. It always gives me the feeling of being hit with a slap, only to be offered a sweet treat afterward."

Zhang Congwen almost couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't expected the Golden Retriever to be clever enough to train its owners. This behavior was, in fact, a classic example of the gaslighting effect in psychology—manipulating a victim into losing their self-esteem and doubting their own reality so they cannot escape the controller’s grip. In modern internet parlance, it was a form of PUA (Pick-Up Artist) manipulation. The Golden Retriever was using this very method to get what it wanted.

It seemed this Golden Retriever was not only an expert at biting but perhaps also an expert in psychology.

With a general understanding of the dog, Zhang Congwen began the training. Because of the risk of being bitten, the dog had to be muzzled first. Zhang Congwen instructed, "During training, you must hold the leash firmly. Do not let it break free. If it manages to escape the leash, its confidence will soar."

After giving his orders, Zhang Congwen held the leash and signaled Geng Qiufei to muzzle the dog. Unexpectedly, as Geng Qiufei approached with the muzzle, the Golden Retriever suddenly lashed out with a ferocious roar. Having seen this scenario too many times, Geng Qiufei’s muscle memory took over; he recoiled in terror the instant the dog barked.

Seeing this, Zhang Congwen immediately pulled the leash taut and tried to force the dog into a corner to exert spatial pressure. He hoped to force the dog into submission this way. However, the Golden Retriever was far too clever and would have none of it, struggling violently. In the ensuing struggle, the man and the dog drifted back to the center of the living room.

Zhang Congwen gripped the collar with both hands, trying to lift the dog off the ground to rob it of its leverage. But the dog thrashed so wildly that Zhang Congwen struggled to maintain a firm grip. With no other choice, he changed tactics, intending to use his own weight to pin the dog down. To his surprise, the Golden Retriever seized the moment and bit down on Zhang Congwen’s hand. Blood instantly began to flow from the wound.

Even so, Zhang Congwen did not give up his suppression. He knew that to give up now would mean the dog had won the battle, and any subsequent attempts to control it would meet with even fiercer resistance. Enduring the pain in his hand, Zhang Congwen finally managed to pin the dog down.

Seeing his chance, Geng Qiufei rushed forward, hoping to take this opportunity to muzzle the dog.

"Get back!"

To Geng Qiufei’s shock, his well-intentioned attempt was met with a thunderous shout from Zhang Congwen, forcing him to retreat.