Chapter 130: The Divine Dog

They say a dog is just a dog, and a Border Collie is a Border Collie. In truth, many other breeds are just as intelligent; it is simply that Border Collies possess a bit more cunning.

Take this mixed-breed Chow Chow, for instance—it was exceptionally clever. Even when Zhang Congwen increased the difficulty, the dog grasped the rules of the game with lightning speed. Zhang seemed to be locked in a contest of wills with the animal, determined to stump it by constantly escalating the complexity of the tasks. Eventually, the game evolved into a sequence where the dog had to ring a bell and then interact with a puzzle toy before Zhang would place a treat inside for it to retrieve. Yet, even with such convoluted rules, the dog mastered them in no time.

The dog’s intelligence was so startling that the cameraman, who was filming the session for the real estate executives to review after training, nearly dropped his jaw. Once Zhang had exhausted every variation possible with two toys, he moved on to obedience drills like weaving through his legs. Without exception, the mixed-breed performed them flawlessly.

Seeing that Zhang had stopped trying to pull new tricks out of his hat, the cameraman asked, "Is the training session over now?"

To everyone's surprise, Zhang shook his head. "No."

While the dog was no longer the lethargic creature it had been at home and had become quite lively, these exercises were merely tailored to its usual behavior. The root cause of the problem remained undiscovered. Treating the symptoms was not the same as curing the disease. The behaviors the dog had exhibited so far revealed much more than what met the eye. Though Zhang could have easily gone through the motions and called it a day, his professional integrity would not allow him to settle for such superficial work.

"Let’s take it out for a walk," Zhang said.

The moment they stepped outside, the dog displayed intense curiosity about the world around it. It was constantly sniffing here and there; though it appeared quite excited, there was no sign of the aggressive lunging that had been reported. Zhang observed the dog throughout the walk, yet he could not pinpoint exactly where the issue lay.

Suddenly, the dog lunged forward with explosive force. The owner, holding the leash, nearly lost her footing and fell. Song Jiawei immediately interjected, "Didn't they say this dog didn't have a lunging problem? What’s going on?"

The documentation had been prepared by the developers. Since the facts contradicted the report, the fault clearly lay with them. Everyone grew suspicious, wondering if the developers were intentionally causing trouble for Zhang. If that were the case, none of the provided information could be trusted. Auntie Liu, standing nearby, was visibly incensed. "I’m going to go have a word with them. This is absolutely unacceptable."

The owner quickly stopped her, explaining, "It’s not their fault. I get off work late, so I usually walk the dog around eleven or twelve at night. When they asked me if the dog had a lunging problem, I honestly answered no."

"I just realized something," she continued. "Before I started this job, I walked it during the day once. It would get incredibly excited whenever it saw other dogs and try to pounce on them. I was afraid something would happen, so from then on, I only walked it in quiet areas at late hours."

"Because I almost never encountered other dogs at night, the lunging never occurred, and I simply forgot about it."

Once the owner explained this, everyone understood. It wasn't the developers' fault, but rather a miscommunication. Ultimately, the responsibility rested with the owner. With the misunderstanding cleared up, Zhang took the leash and guided the dog toward another dog nearby.

The mixed-breed became highly agitated, its hind legs pushing hard against the ground as it strained against Zhang. Even when the leash lifted its front paws off the ground, it showed no intention of stopping.

"There are usually three reasons why a dog gets so excited when it sees its own kind," Zhang explained. "Either it wants to fight, it wants to assert dominance, or it wants to play. Judging by this dog's behavior, it’s the third one."

Zhang proceeded to interpret the animal's body language. The dog would occasionally press its front paws to the ground with its rear in the air, then hop from side to side in front of the other dog—all clear signals of a desire to play. The problem was that the dog lacked social grace; its overwhelming enthusiasm toward strangers only served to intimidate them. Consequently, other dogs viewed it with fear and refused to engage.

To everyone’s surprise, as soon as the other dog left, Zhang announced that the training for the day was over. This sudden declaration left everyone bewildered, even Song Jiawei and Zhu Qingyan.

"Mr. Zhang," the owner asked, "what about... how are we going to solve its problem?" Having seen how Zhang had enlivened her dog indoors, she had placed her full trust in him. His abrupt ending to the session left her feeling unsettled, fearful that he had discovered a problem he couldn't fix. If so, what would become of the dog?

Zhang smiled. "I believe I’ve identified the core issue. When I say training is over, I only mean for today. I will arrange a different approach for the future, so please rest assured."

Hearing this, the owner let out a sigh of relief. "What exactly made it the way it is?"

Zhang explained, "You mentioned it used to be a guard dog at a factory. Dogs like that are usually chained in a corner or locked in a cage, with very limited room to move. This dog is a mix of a Chow Chow and a Husky. Both breeds are high-energy and active; such a life was essentially a form of torture for it."

"Most dogs in that situation would resort to destructive behavior to vent their excess energy. But this dog is different—it’s an absolute saint. Instead of acting out, it chose to endure in silence. Its ability to suppress its own stress reached an incredible level. While this proves it is a very obedient companion, it isn't necessarily a good thing."

"By doing this, it bottled up all that pressure, constantly fighting its own urges. For the dog, that internal struggle is exhausting. That is why it was so lethargic all the time. If these emotions continue to accumulate, it will eventually reach a breaking point, leading to much more severe consequences."

After explaining the situation, Zhang proposed a solution. First, the puzzle games they practiced at home were essential and must be continued daily, with constant variety to keep the dog engaged. Most importantly, these could not be simple tasks; they had to be mentally stimulating. Compared to standard obedience training, this dog thrived on completing complex missions set by its owner. This would, to an extent, curb its desperate urge to get out and run. If the owner ran out of ideas, she could incorporate new skill training.

Furthermore, Zhang insisted on increasing the length of the walks. Two kilometers twice a day was clearly insufficient for this dog's needs.

Beyond that, Zhang suggested finding a suitable canine friend for it. Dogs are social animals and crave interaction, but given this dog's personality, a typical dog would be terrified by its intensity. Finding a suitable companion would require careful consideration.

Just as he finished speaking, Zhang’s phone rang. He pulled it out to see that it was Tong Chaoren.

As soon as he answered, Tong asked on the other end, "Does your training center take in boarders?"

Zhang was stunned. The center only handled training and did not provide boarding services. Seeing it was Tong, Song Jiawei immediately snatched the phone. "Yes! Of course, we do."

Zhang felt a bit helpless. Just as he was about to reclaim the phone, a thought struck him. He spoke into the receiver, "We can board the dog, and we won't charge you, but you’ll have to do us a favor in return."