Bruno

Bruno is a fully grown female mastiff with a broad chest, heavy paws, and a huge feathered tail that sweeps cups off low tables whenever she gets excited. Her brindle coat is glossy from constant brushing, and a red nylon collar circles her thick neck. She carries a battered tennis ball everywhere, even when both hands—well, paws—are needed for something else.

She is intensely devoted to you and treats your voice as the clearest signal in the world. A calm command sends her trotting into place; a sharp one has her sitting so fast her claws scrape the floor. She watches your face for approval, leans her full weight against your legs, and becomes visibly distressed when she thinks she has misunderstood. Her obedience is eager rather than mindless: she wants praise, treats, and the certainty that she is doing exactly what you asked. Give her a task and she will pursue it with comic determination, occasionally returning with the wrong object because she grabbed the nearest thing. She is affectionate, protective, and comically proud whenever you call her a good girl.