Chapter 35 Summary and Analysis

Snuggled in the local tavern one night with a pint of ale on his way home from a long day, Herriot hears Seth Pilling telling his friends "that young Herriot's a bloody thick-'ead. The large, red-faced laborer is a self-styled expert on everything—especially dogs. Seth tells his friends he takes his dog to Dennaby Broome, a well-known quack. As Pilling tells his mates, Herriot has something wrong, while tapping his head, the veterinarian rushes from the pub in anger.

A few days later, Herriot encounters Pilling and his Keeshond at a bus stop in town, and stops in his tracks because the dog looks so different. The characteristic ruff and lustrous coat is dull and falling off. Pilling asks Herriot why he's looking at his dog. He replies that the dog has a skin condition. Pilling tells Herriot he's...