The Dominant Male

showed us what they’d been up to. Apparently Ian was really creative in his workspaces at the end of the garden; a fully equipped wood and leather-craft workshop, another for rougher metalwork and painting, etc., with racks and shelves of bits and bobs, hails, screws, hinges, bolts – Angharad explained that all their friends knew him as The Craftsman.
    Then, off to the side of the main garden, separated by a hedge and gate, there was a small lawn, and around the edge of it, an improvised dog-agility course, a ramp up and plank to run along, a see-saw to run up and down, hoops to jump through, a length of (new) sewer-pipe to run through as a tunnel and a tarpaulin pegged to the ground to burrow under. In the corner there was a generous-sized dog run with a human-size kennel in the corner, and a length of chain to a staple.
    She said he’d done all this, and the outfit he wore, the new dress she was wearing too, working all the time he could spare from the business. She then had him do the agility course, encouraging him on and timing him, making a fuss of him as, with our encouragement, and in his will to show off, he beat his previous times.
    She then played ‘Fetch!’ with him for a while, then called him to heel, led him to the dog run, clipped his chain to his collar and shut him in. I caught Cathy’s eye and thought, she’s seen what I’ve seen; he really wanted to please, but there just wasn’t the spark of passion we look for.
    We strolled back to the patio where we’d had tea, and by now Rosie had prepared a light lunch for us, ham and salad sandwiches. At Angharad’s suggestion Rosie took Sissie a bowlful of the ham and salad trimmings with some dog biscuits.
    I was very impressed with what Ian had done and how far they’d both got on with the game.
    She said he was always very keen to do it whenever she suggested it, and she’d even left him out all night in the kennel one night, which he had seemed to enjoy.
    I asked if he’d ever asked to be allowed to play, she said, ‘No, he’s very good, he always waits until I’m in the right mood.’ Once again Cathy’s eyes met mine.
    When I asked if Ian may be able to knock up a set of whipping-stocks that Cathy wanted for her dungeon, she said, ‘of course’.
    So we walked back over, through the gate and she opened Sissie’s pen door, unclipped her, and led her at heel back into the house.
    Whilst they went in to change, I said to Cathy, ‘Can you keep Ian talking about your project and maybe even begin to make it, I sense that what we discussed may well be true, and I’d like to go for it.’
    ‘A shame I can’t see it, but I think you’re right.’ Was her reply.
    Once Ian came out, Cathy took him off to the workshop.
    I said to Angharad, ‘Have you ever had a real dog?’
    ‘No, but Ian was brought up on a farm, lived with dogs all his life, that’s why he wanted to be one.’
    ‘Have you ever thought of trying it yourself?’
    ‘No, that’s a submissive thing, isn’t it? I’ve always been the one in control.’
    ‘Do you think trying it may give you an insight into being an even better Mistress to Sissie?’
    ‘S’pose so, I’d not really thought about it.’
    ‘One of my dogs once told me that he loved doing it as a “holiday from humanity,” a time where he wasn’t in control, didn’t have any duties, responsibilities, nothing he ought to be doing. All he had to do was please his Mistress, or take a beating, eat, sleep and just “be”.’
    ‘I’d never thought about it like that. Put that way it sounds like fun; are you hinting that you’d like me to try it?’
    ‘Indeed I am, here and now, if you please.’
    She looked at me, saw I meant it, and immediately stood up. Right on cue Rosie came out from the house with a bag she gave me, Angharad glanced at me again, raising her eyebrows.
    ‘Be Prepared! I’ve brought a collar, lead, et cetera, in case I got this opportunity, which I’m very much looking forward to.’
    ‘You won’t tell Ian, will you?’
    ‘No, if Ian’s going to hear of it, it will be from you, and only you. Now shall we go to the puppy-garden?’
    We walked over, with her walking to my left, pressing herself against me, so I put my arm around her.
    She went into the puppy pen, undressed, putting her clothes neatly on top of the kennel.
    She came to me and knelt, naked. I put the collar around her neck and buckled it, then mitts on her hands, then stroked her hair and face, she looked up