The Dotty Dalmatian by Anna Wilson

Author:Anna Wilson [Wilson, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781447230335
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

‘It’s all right,you two,’ Minx told them, as they quivered on their leads in front of the huge, slathering beast baring his teeth at them. ‘He’s cool, he only looks fierce.’ And she put her hand gently on the Alsatian’s neck and stroked him as if to show he wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Then she led the shivering terriers over to let the Alsatian have an inquisitive sniff. Once all the dogs were calm, Minx rewarded them with some of her treats and within seconds the three dogs were scurrying around each other, tails wagging happily.

‘How did you get them to make friends like that?’ Mrs Fudge asked, in awe.

‘Amazing,’ agreed the dogs’ owners.

Minx looked bashful. ‘’S just that sometimes different breeds don’t read each other right,’ she said. ‘Like – even humans think Alsatians look rough, don’t they?’

Mrs Fudge nodded.

‘You know why? It’s only cos their ears are always pointy, their tails are always up and their eyes have a sharp, alert look about them. It sends out this signal that they are aggressive.’

Pippa was sceptical. ‘How?’

‘Well, to dogs, if another dog has pointy ears, it means “I’m the top dog”. It’s all down to how dogs would behave if they were still in packs – in the wild, I mean,’ Minx explained.

‘She’s right,’ Dash said, sidling up to Pippa and sitting quietly at her feet.

Pippa scowled. She made sure Minx was busy with customers and beckoned to Dash to follow her out to the kitchen.

‘Listen,’ she said. ‘I think there’s something really weird about Minx.’

‘Oh, Pippa,’ said Dash sadly. ‘You can’t say that after everything she’s done today! Look how amazing—’

‘Just listen!’ Pippa repeated in exasperation. ‘She’s not all she seems, I’m telling you. For a start, look at all that metal in her face. No normal person goes around stuck with pins like that. Maybe she’s got some wacky trick with magnets that makes all the dogs do what she wants, and she controls them with her stupid earrings. And then there’s that horrible necklace thing. Anyone would think she was trying to look like a dog herself! And this is the oddest bit – when Mrs Prim told us about the Dalmatian, Minx went all . . . weird,’ she finished lamely.

Dash was looking very doubtful. It was clear to him that poor Pippa was clutching at straws. She was so desperate to get rid of Minx and be Mrs Fudge’s Number One Assistant again, that she was finding problems with the new girl where none existed.

Pippa was looking thoughtful. ‘You were going to go out and look for the spotty dog yourself this morning, weren’t you? Did you go?’

The dachshund shook his head, sending his silky ears flapping. ‘No.’ Pippa let out such a frustrated sigh that Dash added quickly, ‘But now you come to mention it, I have been picking up some unusual scents recently.’

‘You and your scents,’ Pippa said, looking up at the ceiling. ‘Sometimes it’s better to use your eyes, you know. I

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