Tricki

Tricki is Mrs. Pumphrey’s Pekingese and a familiar patient of James Herriot. His story is shaped by two contrasting forms of care: the lavish attention that leaves him severely overweight and lethargic, and the simpler routine at the veterinary clinic that restores his health and activity. The change is visible not only in his body but in his relations with other dogs: at first they ignore him, while after his recovery he can keep pace with them.

Identity and Household

Tricki belongs to Mrs. Pumphrey, whose attachment to him is expressed through gifts, special food, and careful attention to his comfort. A party invitation is sent on his behalf to James Herriot, addressed to him as Tricki’s uncle. Siegfried Farnon treats the invitation as an affectionate gesture and recalls the kippers, tomatoes, and hampers associated with Tricki. The exchange presents him as more than a household pet: he is a focus of Mrs. Pumphrey’s social world and a familiar presence in the veterinary practice.

At the party, Mrs. Pumphrey takes James Herriot to see him in the morning-room before the gathering. Tricki is resting in an armchair beside a fire, but he jumps up and greets Herriot with evident excitement, trying to lick his face. His welcome is direct and physical, a contrast to the formal social occasion around him. Two bowls on the carpet contain chopped chicken and crumbled cake. When Herriot objects, Mrs. Pumphrey explains that she has made an exception because Tricki is alone and the weather is cold. Her affectionate justification shows how readily concern for his comfort becomes additional food.

Overfeeding and Decline

Later, Herriot sees Tricki in the street with Mrs. Pumphrey and is alarmed by how much weight he has gained. Tricki’s eyes are bloodshot, his tongue hangs from his mouth, and he appears listless. Mrs. Pumphrey has interpreted his lack of energy as possible malnutrition. In response, she has added calf’s-foot jelly, malt, cod-liver oil, and a nightly bowl of Horlick’s to his meals. Her account reveals a painful mismatch: she is trying to help, but the extra feeding has intensified the problem. Herriot also asks whether she has reduced the sweet foods as he previously instructed, establishing that the issue has continued despite earlier advice.

The decision to take Tricki to the clinic separates him from the household routine that has contributed to his condition. Mrs. Pumphrey’s staff gather his day and night beds, cushions, toys, rubber rings, bowls, and little coats. There is too much for Herriot’s car, and Mrs. Pumphrey throws an armful of coats through its window as he leaves. The household is in tears. The abundance of his belongings makes the separation conspicuous, while the scene also shows how much of his care has been organized around comfort and provision.

Recovery at the Clinic

At the clinic, the other dogs gather around Tricki, but after briefly inspecting him they lose interest. Put down on the carpet, he lies still and watches them with dull eyes. His initial isolation is therefore both physical and social: he is too inactive to join the group, and the dogs do not yet regard him as a companion. Herriot beds him in a warm loose box beside the other dogs. For two days Tricki receives water but no food, while Herriot keeps watch over him.

The change comes gradually. By the end of the second day Tricki begins to take an interest in his surroundings. On the third, he whimpers when he hears the dogs outside. When Herriot opens the door, Tricki goes out and the dogs roll him over and inspect him before moving away through the garden. He follows, still carrying surplus weight but clearly curious about them. The account links his return to activity with a plain routine and the presence of other dogs, rather than with the beds, treats, and accessories that filled the household’s preparations.

Return and Narrative Significance

After two weeks, Mrs. Pumphrey comes to collect him in a large car. Herriot finds Tricki running with the dogs on the lawn: he has become leaner and muscular and can keep up with the group. When he sees his mistress, he leaps from Herriot’s arms into her lap, licking her and barking. The reunion confirms that their attachment has not weakened during the separation; Tricki’s affection is immediate, and Mrs. Pumphrey’s tears show her emotion at seeing him well.

The beds, toys, cushions, coats, and bowls are brought out for the return journey, but none has been used at the clinic. Their contrast with Tricki’s recovery gives his story its central irony: Mrs. Pumphrey’s tenderness is real, yet the visible tokens of that tenderness were not what he needed. His return to health is measured instead by renewed movement, appetite for his surroundings, and inclusion among the dogs. Through Tricki, the episodes distinguish loving attention from effective care without diminishing the bond between pet and owner.