Chapter 128: Afflicted with Depression?

"You hit the nail on the head," Zhu Qingyan said, covering her mouth with a giggle. "The developer of Xingrong Residential Complex isn't Song Jiawei's actual father, but they are our 'boss'—our client."

Zhang Congwen blinked, confused. How could a real estate developer be connected to a dog training center?

Seeing his confusion, Song Jiawei explained, "Xingrong Residential Complex has been trying to build a pet-friendly community and has been looking for a dog training partner. I've been running around busy with this lately for that exact reason."

Zhang Congwen’s face lit up. "So, you closed the deal?"

Zhu Qingyan also looked at Song Jiawei, waiting for the final word. If they could secure this partnership, putting aside the money for a moment, the reputation of the Canine Language Dog Training Center would be firmly established.

Song Jiawei shook his head. "Only halfway."

"A deal is either made or it isn't. What do you mean by halfway?" Zhang asked.

Zhu Qingyan was equally puzzled.

Song Jiawei sighed. "The developer of Xingrong has big ambitions. They want to use Xingrong Number One as a pilot project; if it succeeds, there will be a Number Two, Number Three, and so on. That’s why they’re taking this collaboration so seriously. Our center hasn't been open for very long, so they didn't even consider us at first. But thanks to my silver tongue, their senior management finally decided to give us a chance."

"What kind of chance?" Zhu Qingyan asked immediately.

Song Jiawei said, "Training dogs ultimately comes down to results. In a week, they’ll pick four 'problematic' dogs from their residents for you to train. If you can fix all of them, they’ll agree to partner with us. If not, they’ll look for another training facility."

Zhang Congwen was reluctant. "How can anyone guarantee a hundred percent success rate in dog training? That condition is just too unreasonable."

Song Jiawei shrugged helplessly. "They're the client; what they say goes. It took a lot of effort just to get this opportunity. It's impossible to get them to make any more concessions. Congwen, you’d better prepare well this week. I doubt the dogs they pick will be easy to deal with. They could be real pieces of work."

...

A week later, at Xingrong Residential Complex.

To show how much they valued this partnership, all three members of the Canine Language Dog Training Center arrived at the complex.

Besides the trio, Aunt Liu had also tagged along. Song Jiawei was only able to get through to the management because of her help. Fearing that the management might intentionally make things difficult for Zhang Congwen and his team, she decided to come along.

The first dog they were tasked with training was a mix between a Husky and a native Chinese Tusu dog.

Huskies, needless to say, are high-energy and notorious for destroying homes. The Tusu, however, was different. Although it is an indigenous breed, few people know about it today. The so-called Tusu is actually the original Chinese Chow Chow. The fluffy, "meat-bun" style Chow Chows seen on the market are actually a breed re-cultivated by the West based on the original Tusu.

A Tusu’s temperament is stable. When standing next to its owner, it often looks more like the head of the household, while the owner looks like the unruly pet. Compared to the common market Chow Chow, the Tusu is less popular—not because it is inferior, but simply because, like many other native Chinese breeds, people unfairly look down on it because of the word "native" in its name. It is a tragedy of the canine world that people assume local breeds are inferior to foreign ones.

Through pre-recorded videos, Zhang Congwen had already learned a bit about this Tusu mix. The dog didn't destroy furniture, didn't bite, didn't guard its food, didn't bark incessantly, and didn't pull on the leash during walks. At first glance, it had no problems at all—only virtues.

Yet, that was exactly what made Zhang Congwen frown.

The dog was just over two years old, the age when it should be most lively and curious about everything. But in the videos, it looked completely listless. No matter how much the owner called its name, the dog wouldn't budge. Throughout the footage, aside from eating, it simply lay on the floor or stared out the window, looking spiritless.

Zhang Congwen’s first thought was that the dog might be sick, but later clips ruled that out. When the owner mentioned going out to play, the dog’s ears would perk up, looking full of anticipation.

Because this was a collaboration with Xingrong, professionals had filmed the outdoor walking footage. On video, the dog was no different from any other—curious about the world and clearly happy. Medical reports also showed the dog was in perfect health.

The more stark the contrast between its indoor and outdoor behavior, the stranger it seemed. According to the owner, she had adopted the dog when it was about a year old. It had previously been kept as a guard dog at a factory that later went bankrupt.

Zhang Congwen naturally wondered if the change in owners was the cause. However, watching the rest of the footage, he noticed the dog was warm and friendly toward everyone else, both indoors and out, but remained completely indifferent to its female owner.

"Could it have been abused by the owner?" Song Jiawei suggested.

Before Zhang could speak, Zhu Qingyan shook her head. "I don't think so. If it had been abused by her, it should show some aversion or fear. But in the videos, the dog just ignores her; it doesn't show any other signs of distress. Besides, the owner doesn't seem like that kind of person, and she clearly loves the dog."

Song Jiawei shook his head. "Hard to say. People don't wear 'I am a villain' on their faces, and many hide things when the camera is rolling. I’m just offering a possibility, not a conclusion."

Zhang Congwen laughed. "That's a nice thought, but let's not suggest it again. Does this dog look abused? When the owner walks past it, it doesn't even react—that’s not how an abused dog behaves. Also, it loves interacting with strangers, which proves it has no deep-seated fear of people."

"What does the owner say?" Zhang asked.

Song Jiawei chuckled. "She suspects the dog is depressed. A dog with depression? How is that even possible?"

Zhang Congwen replied seriously, "Who says only humans can get depressed? Animals do too. Parrots, for example, are very prone to it, and there are plenty of documented cases of canine depression. Based on its behavior at home, it does resemble a depressed state. But the probability is low. Let’s go see for ourselves."