The room was quiet. Nothing seemed to have moved.
She stopped on the green mat, one little paw hovering above the floor.
Poppy's enormous ears tipped forward. This clearly needed a proper investigation.
She checked the door. No visitors. Just her person, waiting with a patient smile.
Poppy sniffed the towel basket. Warm towels. Interesting smells. Definitely no squeak.
Then a soft shuffle came from beside the bench. Poppy turned straight back.
The groomer set down her brush and waited. Poppy could take her time.
One careful step. A sniff beneath the bench. A nose pointed towards the mat.
Poppy stepped back half a pace, then stared very hard at the floor.
Nearby, the groomer knelt and slowly lifted one corner of the green mat.
There it was. A yellow duck, squashed underneath, with one bright orange beak.
Poppy looked at the duck. Then she looked at her own very suspicious paw.
The mysterious noise had been following her because she'd been making it herself.
Her person laughed softly. The groomer placed the duck in the open, within view.
Poppy leaned closer.
This time, she stayed. Her ears relaxed, and her white-tipped tail began to wag.
The groomer put the duck beside the basket and offered her hand for a sniff.
Poppy walked over, curious now. Her strange new room had become somewhere worth exploring.
No hurry. Just room to explore, and one small mystery finally solved.
Sometimes a good welcome starts with curiosity. Local care, happier dogs. GroomNear dot com.
An original GroomNear story, with AI-assisted visuals and narration.
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