_The Owner of a subdued nondescript (calling Assistant)._ Will you ask this lady to kindly keep her dog from trying to kill mine, please? _The Other Lady (whose dog, a powerful and truculent Airedale, seems to have conceived a sudden and violent dislike for the nondescript)._ Yours must have done _something_ to irritate him--he's generally such a good-tempered dog. _Assistant (to the Airedale, which is barking furiously and straining at his lead)._ 'Ere, sherrup, will you? Allow me, Mum. I'll put 'im where he can 'ave 'is good temper out to 'imself. _(He hustles the Airedale to a small office, where he shuts him in--to his and his owner's intense disapproval. A fox-terrier in another customer's arms becomes hysterical with sympathy and utters ear-rending barks.)_ Oh, kindly get that dawg to sherrup, Mum, or we'll 'ave the lot of 'em orf; or could you look in some day when he's more collected? _Another Lady_. I say, I want a muzzle for my dog. _Assistant (sardonically)._ You surprise me, Mum! We're very near sold out, but if you'll let me 'ave a look at your dawg, p'r'aps-- _The Lady_. Oh, I haven't _brought_ him. Left him at Barnes. _Assistant. 'Ave_ yer, Mum? Well, yer see, I can't run down to Barnes--not just now I can't. _The Lady_. No, but I thought--he's rather a large dog, a Pekinese spaniel. _Assistant_. Then I couldn't fit 'im if 'e was 'ere, cos 'e'd want a short muzzle and we've run out o' them. _A Customer with a Pekinese_. Then will you find me a muzzle for _this_ one? _Assistant (with resigned despair)._ You jest 'eard me say we 'ad no short muzzles, Mum. If you don't mind waiting 'ere an hour or two I'll send a man to the factory in a taxi to bring back a fresh stock--if they've got any, which I don't guarantee. _The Customer with the Pekinese._ But I saw some leather muzzles in the window; one of those would do beautifully. _Assistant._ I shall 'ave great pleasure in selling you one, Mum, on'y Gover'ment says they've got to be wire. 'Owever, it's _your_ risk, not mine. Well, since you ask me, I think you _'ad_ better wait. _A Customer (carrying a large brown-and-white dog with lop ears and soulful eyes)._ I've been kept waiting here two hours, and I think it's high time-- _Assistant._ If you'll bring 'im along to the back shop, Mum, I _may_ have one left his size. _A Lady with a lovely complexion and an unlovely griffon (to her companion)._ So fussy and tiresome of the Government bringing in muzzles again after all these years! _Her Companion._ Oh, I don't _know_. We've had a mysterious dog running about snapping in our district for days. _The Lady with the complexion._ Ah, but _this_ poor darling _never_ snaps, and, besides, he hasn't been used to muzzles in Belgium. You needn't _mention_ it, but I got a friend of mine to smuggle him over for me--such a _dear_ boy, he'll do anything I ask him to.