Chapter 13 Summary

Mrs. Pumphrey is a well-to-do widow who is the proud owner of a Pekinese named Tricki Woo. Tricki Woo has chronic health problems that are the result of Mrs. Pumphrey's overfeeding and over-pampering her pet, but Mrs. Pumphrey has no plans to change her care of Tricki. Mrs. Pumphrey has dubbed Herriot as Tricki's uncle, and she frequently sends him gifts, pictures, and cards in Tricki's name. This is the cause of great teasing from Dr. Farnon and Tristan, which will continue throughout the book.

To Mrs. Pumphrey, Tricki is more than just a dog. She sees her pet as a small, furry human. She regales Herriot with stories of Tricki's exploits and brilliance. Although Herriot knows that these stories must be made up, he indulges Mrs. Pumphrey and honestly likes her.

Chapter 13 Analysis

Tricki Woo will appear throughout much of the book...