The year at college passed quickly. At the end of the Summer break, Nicci was nearly one year old and came into heat for the first time. They had by now been taught in the biology classes how baby animals and humans were made. Even so they did not fully understand all the facts. When Nicci started to lose some blood, their parents tried to explain it more fully:

"Mareng and Mara, Nicci losing blood means that shortly she and Artie will love each other and will be capable of making babies."

"Are you trying to tell us we might get small puppies? That would be great then, they would make a real family, just as we are with you."

"Yes, that could happen. But we really don't want more dogs. Especially as they are so different in size and it would cause so much work raising them all."

Mareng and Mara in chorus: "But we would like it. Can they really not have nice puppies? We promise we will look after them."

"No, and it really means no this time. You don't have time for it and neither do we. So It means from now on Nicci and Artie can't see each other for a while. Have you seen how they already behave differently and play in a different way?"

"Suppose we have. For how long can they not go out together and what happens afterwards? Not seeing each other is not nice for them as they will miss each other."

"In two months time, we will phone the vet and ask him to operate so they are not fertile anymore. And then they will never have to be separated anymore."

"Won't that hurt them?" Mara asked.

"No they will be under sedation and won't feel a thing. And in no time they will be back to their normal life."

Mareng and Mara now understood a lot more about love and getting babies. They would have liked Nicci and Mareng to have puppies, but if both pairs of parents really meant no without any more discussion, they knew that pleading would not help.

A couple of months later they were allowed to go with their parents to the vet.
They were allowed some time off college to go with their dogs. As Nicci had to stay a full day for the operation, it was decided to leave Artie there the same time. Just before dinner time they all went back to collect them. Nicci was still a bit drowsy after her operation and they were given the advice to let her rest for a while.

The Vet said: "They are not allowed to bite out their stitches. If they start chewing them, you will have to come back and they will get a collar to stop them biting them."

Mara: "They would not like that, would they?"

"No, they wouldn't. But they are so nice and calm, I don't think it will be necessary. So don't you worry about it. They will have to come back in one weeks time to get their stitches out. Until then, you had better not let them go swimming."

It all went well. After it was all over, Mareng and Mara decided to give a small lecture at college about all the experiences with their dogs. The biology teacher thought this was a very good idea. And rated their talk with a very high figure.

Now when they were walking together with the dogs, they sometimes discussed their own future.

Mara: "Mareng, do you think it would be possible that the same will happen to us as with Nicci and Artie?"

"Don't think so, we are just best friends or not. Falling in love must be different from being best friends, I think."

"Yes, I think so too. It might spoil us being friends. I never want that to happen. Do you?"

So they decided just to be best friends. They told their parents as well.
Their parents just smiled at each other. But they did not see this.

Sometimes parents can predict what will happen to their children. But they considered it best not to say anything.