Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Proper Way to Begin

The plot of land Zhang Congwen pointed to was right next to Manager Ding’s kennel, a bit lower than the surrounding area, overgrown with weeds, and seemingly untouched by human hands. If not for the wire fence enclosing it, anyone would have thought it was just a piece of abandoned wasteland.

“It belongs to me. Sometimes I let the dogs from my kennel out here to exercise,” Manager Ding explained.

“That makes things much easier,” Zhang Congwen replied.

Zhang Congwen then began instructing Manager Ding on setting up a training ground. First, he had him place a basin of water on the plot, then move a stool there.

Next, he asked Manager Ding to bring out the Tibetan Mastiff. As before, Zhang Congwen kept his distance, while Manager Ding walked the dog, and Zhang Congwen slowly followed behind.

This walk didn't last long, because Zhang Congwen made a move that seemed quite bold to Manager Ding.

He had Manager Ding approach him slowly with the Tibetan Mastiff, let the dog sniff him, then handed the leash over to Zhang Congwen and quickly stepped aside.

This step could only be called daring.

During this process, if Manager Ding made even the slightest wrong move, it could easily provoke the Tibetan Mastiff to attack Zhang Congwen.

If the dog did attack him, the consequences would be completely different from before.

Dogs with sensitive temperaments like this Tibetan Mastiff are unlike others—if it attacks someone out of hostility, it essentially puts that person on its blacklist. Once marked, no matter what that person does, the dog won’t easily remove them from that list. Most importantly, whenever the blacklisted person appears within its sight, it will immediately attack again.

If something like that happened, it would not only mean that all of Zhang Congwen’s previous training with this dog was wasted, but also that his entire training plan for it had failed.

If the owner of this Tibetan Mastiff were someone else, Zhang Congwen would never have risked such an approach. But Manager Ding was different.

Having worked with dogs for years, Manager Ding knew them well, so he would handle the process far better than most people.

Yet, to Manager Ding, the situation still felt like being pushed into something reluctantly. He could do better than others, but that didn't guarantee the Tibetan Mastiff would behave accordingly.

Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened.

Zhang Congwen carefully held the leash and walked the dog.

At first, both man and dog seemed somewhat stiff and unfamiliar, but as time passed, their movements gradually relaxed, and the Tibetan Mastiff even started to walk close to Zhang Congwen, following his steps.

Manager Ding opened the gate to the plot, and the Tibetan Mastiff seemed to know what to do, pulling Zhang Congwen toward the open space.

Even more remarkably, at the entrance, without any guidance, the Tibetan Mastiff led Zhang Congwen into the enclosure.

Throughout the process, Manager Ding did not follow.

The Tibetan Mastiff behaved this way not simply because it was familiar with the area, but mainly because it no longer felt any wariness toward Zhang Congwen.

Once inside, the dog immediately began sniffing among the weeds, excitedly pacing back and forth.

At that moment, Zhang Congwen made another move that Manager Ding considered decidedly bold.

He closed the gate.

If anything were to happen now, Manager Ding wouldn’t be able to intervene in time.

Yet Zhang Congwen seemed oblivious to the potential danger, sitting down on the stool and nonchalantly scrolling through his phone, occasionally glancing at the dog.

Manager Ding’s worst fears did not come to pass. The Tibetan Mastiff seemed unconcerned about sharing the space with Zhang Congwen. After tiring itself out, it drank from the water basin and lay down to rest.

Zhang Congwen smiled slightly and sent Manager Ding a message: “It should be fine now.”

His actions were actually a way of signaling to the Tibetan Mastiff—showing it that no one meant it harm, and that Zhang Congwen’s presence was to be a friend, not a disciplinarian.

Many dogs with sensitive dispositions warn strangers not to approach. What Zhang Congwen was doing now was accepting and respecting their signals, responding in a natural, relaxed manner.

Simply sitting nearby and passing the time—scrolling through his phone or reading—was the most natural way to interact. The key was to remain quietly beside the dog, letting the moment unfold with calm. Dogs like this would then lose the urge to attack.

This, truly, is the proper way to befriend a dog with such a sensitive temperament—not by petting or offering treats at first sight.

Zhang Congwen then suggested some modifications to the dog’s kennel.

Since the dog was now used to living outside the kennel, he recommended adding more coverings to reduce contact with strangers, especially on weekends when crowds were heavier, and to guard against those who might provoke or scare the dog.

He also advised reinforcing the kennel for safety.

Zhang Congwen added, “During my time with him, I’ve noticed he’s especially fond of you and shows a strong desire to protect. So you really should bring him around the kennel more often, rather than confining him in the cage. Just let him follow you as you walk. That’s a form of companionship for him.”

With those words, Zhang Congwen’s training task came to an end. Any further socialization walks would require Manager Ding to find others for assistance.

Just as Zhang Congwen was about to leave, Manager Ding called out, “Next week, could you come to the kennel again? Our litter of puppies will have finished their vaccinations in a few days. You can see if any are suitable. If not, I’ll look for buyers.”

...

Not long after returning to his rented room, as Zhang Congwen was preparing to rest, Song Jiawei came knocking.

“Come with me to the office tomorrow morning,” Song Jiawei said, getting straight to the point.

“Can’t I have half a day off?” Zhang Congwen complained. “Even the lowliest deserves a break.”

“The lowliest might deserve a break, but not you,” Song Jiawei retorted, sending Zhang Congwen some files via phone.

“What’s this?” Zhang Congwen asked.

“Just open it and see for yourself,” Song Jiawei replied with a glance, but still explained, “We've had a few clients in the company lately. One of them is urgent, so I want you to help them first.”

Zhang Congwen opened the files.

The case involved a couple who kept three dogs at home: a German Shepherd, a Miniature Greyhound, and a Miniature Doberman. Under the same upbringing, the German Shepherd and Miniature Greyhound had no issues, but the Miniature Doberman loved to chew its front paws.

“You helped our landlord with a paw-biting dog not long ago, didn’t you? This should be a breeze for you,” Song Jiawei said to Zhang Congwen.