Footprints without Feet - Class X
Reprint 2025-26
This story, written by James Herriot, is a humorous tale about a veterinarian who deals with an overfed and pampered dog. It explores themes of pet care, animal health, and the relationship between pets and their owners.
In this interactive lesson, we'll explore Herriot's gentle humor as he tells the story of Tricki, a dog suffering from too much love and food, and his resourceful veterinary surgeon who finds a clever way to help him get better.
"A Triumph of Surgery" tells the story of a small dog named Tricki, who is pampered and overfed by his rich mistress, Mrs Pumphrey. The dog falls seriously ill and requires treatment from a veterinary surgeon.
Before we read the story, let's think about the relationship between pets and their owners, and how sometimes too much love can be harmful.
Have you ever had a pet or known someone who had one? What are some important aspects of proper pet care? How can owners sometimes harm their pets even when they love them?
Do you think there are similarities between how we care for pets and how we care for children? What might be some differences?
Read these sentences taken from the story:
His eyes, bloodshot and rheumy, stared straight ahead.
He was so listless, Mr Herriot. He seemed to have no energy.
Mrs Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing.
She set off, head down, along the road, as if determined to put the new regime into practice immediately.
The little fellow was out of danger and convalescing rapidly.
1. A watery discharge from the eyes
2. Lacking energy and enthusiasm
3. A prescribed course of diet and exercise
4. Extremely worried
5. Recovering from an illness
In this story, Tricki undergoes a transformation. At the end of the story, he is described as "a lithe, hard-muscled animal" who had been "transformed" from his earlier state.
The author uses many adjectives to describe the changes in Tricki. Let's practice using comparative adjectives to describe these changes.
1. After his stay at the surgery, Tricki was he was at Mrs Pumphrey's house.
2. The veterinarian's car was Mrs Pumphrey's car.
3. Tricki was before when playing with the other dogs.
4. The veterinarian had to be Mrs Pumphrey about Tricki's diet.
5. Mrs Pumphrey was the veterinarian about Tricki's condition.