The whining catches her by surprise for a moment, but that's how long it takes her to recognise that the dog is actually enjoying the petting. So, Mitsuba proceeds to do so (she's never had a pet before to know), behind the ears, and reads the message.

"Oh, that's a shame. At least you can communicate in a way."

Talking to a dog? Totally not bizarre, obviously.

"Would you tell me about this clinic?"