Chapter 19: It’s Not Easy for Anyone

That morning, the same training exercise was repeated three times. Each round took longer than the last, and by the third time, even Aofeng was starting to lose focus. Though his nose was sharp, the scent trails became increasingly chaotic, and after sniffing for so long, it was starting to wear on him. Still, from start to finish, his movements remained the fastest.

While resting on the grass near Zhang Meng after finishing early, Aofeng took the opportunity to observe the other trainers and their police dogs. After watching for a long while, he finally figured out why their breakfast portions had been reduced. Apart from what Dezi had said about not eating too much after intense exercise, the main reason was to ensure the next phase of training could proceed smoothly.

Repeating the same task over and over like a machine was exhausting for both humans and dogs. The difference was that humans could self-regulate, using willpower to suppress fatigue and push through. Police dogs, on the other hand, would show different emotional reactions to resist.

That was when the trainers needed to use various methods to rekindle the dogs’ interest. The most common and effective method was food rewards.

As mentioned before, trainers usually carried small treats during training. When a police dog performed well, they would be rewarded to reinforce good behavior.

If breakfast had been as plentiful as before, the dogs would have felt full, and food would lose its appeal as a motivator. So, to ensure the dogs cooperated better during training, their daytime food supply was reduced. If they wanted to eat their fill, they had to earn it through effort.

Once Aofeng figured it out, he let out a long sigh. If he were a trainer, he’d fully support this method. But as a police dog, he couldn’t help but want to flip his food bowl in protest at this blatant rationing.

After training ended, Zhang Meng announced the morning results. Aofeng took first place with an overwhelming lead. Unfortunately, there was no prize for the champion.

Dezi led Aofeng and Shan Dian to the Police Dog Canteen, and sure enough, lunch portions were also reduced. Aofeng ate until he was about eighty percent full¹. He wanted to protest, but noticed that Dezi had seemed out of it since morning, distracted and absent-minded, as if something was weighing heavily on him.

After the meal, Dezi brought them back to the kennel. Aofeng walked in and curled up in his little nest, ready for a good rest. He closed his eyes, but didn’t hear the sound of the door being locked.

No way. Did Dezi forget to lock the door? Could he be heartbroken or something?

Aofeng opened his eyes in surprise and saw that Dezi hadn’t left. He was standing outside the kennel, looking at him with a strange expression.

“Woof?” Aofeng stood up and barked at him, confused.

Dezi walked into the kennel, took a pet grooming brush from the shelf, and patted Aofeng on the back. “Good boy. Come on, lie down.”

So it was grooming time. Aofeng obediently lay down, letting Dezi brush him gently. Being brushed was clearly a pleasant experience. For Aofeng, it was probably as enjoyable as a full-body massage was for humans. Usually, this kind of pampering only happened once a week. But this week, Dezi was brushing him for the second time. Jackpot. Aofeng lay in his nest, eyes half-closed, tail swishing contentedly. He was one hum away from humming a tune.

But after a while, Aofeng sensed something was off. Something wet was dripping onto his back, cool like water.

Curious, he opened his eyes and turned his head, only to be shocked to see Dezi crying, his teeth clenched.

He knew Dezi was an emotional guy, but crying while brushing his fur? That was a new one. Aofeng didn’t know what else to do, so he licked Dezi’s hand, trying to offer some comfort.

Dezi had been clenching his teeth, trying hard to hold back his sobs, but Aofeng’s lick broke his defenses. He hugged Aofeng tightly, murmuring over and over, “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Sorry for what? Aofeng was baffled. He racked his brain but couldn’t figure out what Dezi had done that needed an apology. Was it the reduced food portions today? But everyone got less, not just him.

Or was it handing him over to the assistant trainer during practice? But what choice did Dezi have? Shan Dian was so territorial, there was no way Dezi could train both of them at the same time.

Wait a second!

A sudden realization flashed through Aofeng’s mind. He looked at Dezi, a hint of questioning in his eyes.

Dezi’s emotions, which had been bottled up since yesterday, finally spilled out. Gradually, he calmed down.

“Aofeng,” Dezi began, “I’ve always felt like you could understand what we’re saying. Whether you can or not, there’s something I have to tell you.”

Aofeng looked at him quietly. Based on Dezi’s behavior and tone, he had a pretty good idea of what was coming.

“Yesterday, Director Li came to me and said I had to choose between you and Shan Dian. After the puppy stage, the training becomes much more difficult and intense. A trainer can only handle one police dog.”

“Last night, I thought about it for a long time, but I just couldn’t make a decision. So I told myself, if I worked harder than everyone else, spent more time, maybe I could train both of you on my own.”

Dezi’s voice grew heavy. “But what happened this morning made me realize that one person’s ability is limited. The rules won’t bend just for me. I have to make a choice.”

Aofeng felt a strange mix of emotions. He understood, but being the one left behind still stung. He turned his head slightly, ears perked up, still listening.

“At first, I chose you,” Dezi said. “I brought you back personally from the breeding base. I felt responsible for you.”

Aofeng jerked his head toward Dezi, as if trying to see whether he was telling the truth. But soon, he realized Dezi was being sincere. He remembered that during the morning training, when the assistant trainer came to help with the scent work, it was Shan Dian that Dezi had pointed to. And it was Shan Dian the assistant approached first.

No one had expected Shan Dian to be so resistant to others.

“Shan Dian was trained by Zhu Cheng. He’s a newly recruited Trainer this year, young and energetic, and seemed really passionate about training police dogs. At first, he treated Shan Dian very well, personally handling everything and quickly forming a close bond with him. But the repetitive daily training wore him down. During that period, he was always on his phone whenever he had the chance, and he stopped taking dog training seriously. Director Li even reprimanded him twice. Actually, the injury he sustained was intentional. He deliberately skipped the protective sleeve during bite training with Shan Dian. It wasn’t until he was lying on the ground clutching his arm that everyone realized he’d been bitten, and the wound was deep.”

Aofeng’s eyes widened in shock. Zhu Cheng was a real piece of work! Shan Dian was a Rottweiler, one of the strongest breeds in terms of bite force. An adult Rottweiler could crush a human thigh bone in a single bite. And this guy dared to let Shan Dian bite him without any protection? Thankfully, Shan Dian was still a puppy at the time, with limited bite strength. Otherwise, losing an arm wouldn’t have been out of the question.

“He used the excuse of possible long-term complications to file a transfer request and left the Training Base. Rottweilers tend to have aloof personalities and are loyal only to their handlers. After biting Zhu Cheng, Shan Dian was wracked with guilt. He believed that injuring Zhu Cheng was the reason he left. Having been abandoned once, he became afraid to get close to humans. It took me a long time to build a close relationship with him.”

“He’s been acting normal lately, so I thought he was starting to trust people again. I didn’t expect him to react so strongly just from an Assistant Trainer trying to play with him. His issues still need time and patience to heal. If he’s abandoned again before he recovers, he might never become a police dog.”

Aofeng reached out a front paw and gently patted the dejected Dezi. Suddenly, he realized Dezi had it pretty rough too.

He’d already been stressed out by Aofeng’s lazy attitude, and now he had to carefully rehabilitate a mentally scarred puppy. Wasn’t that just like a human single dad worrying over his kid?

And Shan Dian… Aofeng used to think he was just overly possessive of their Trainer dad, always trying to hog attention. But now, he realized Shan Dian had his own struggles too.

Aofeng finally let go of his resentment. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he didn’t really need the Trainer’s help to complete his tasks. That warm-hearted dad could stay by Shan Dian’s side instead.

Translator’s Notes