For the past three years, this sweet pup named Muffin has been getting her hair cut by Lisa Granade, operator of Happy at Home Pet Grooming in Washington. In that time, the two have formed quite an adorable friendship.

“Muffin is a very goofy little girl! So affectionate!” Granade told The Dodo. “Her tail wags and she smiles the moment she sees me. I love having her in the salon.”

For as close as the groomer and her fluffy client have become over the years, however, their happy time spent together had always been limited to those occasions when Muffin needed a trim.

That is, until recently.

The other day, Granade was driving down the street when she just so happened to spot Muffin and her owner out for a stroll. So, naturally, she decided to stop and say hello.

Little did Granade realize that she was about to blow Muffin’s mind.

“I pulled over and rolled down my window. I called out to her mom, ‘That’s a cute dog you’ve got there!'” Granade said. “As soon as Muffin heard my voice, she started looking for me!”

When Muffin turned and saw Granade was indeed there in the flesh, and that the voice she’d heard wasn’t just in her head, her reaction was one of pure shock.

Apparently, Muffin was under the impression her groomer never left the only place she’s known her to be.

“I think she was totally bamboozled!” Granade said. “She could not figure out why I wasn’t in the salon.”

For Muffin, it was the best surprise.

The groomer, of course, then got out of her car to spend a few minutes petting her favorite client. This particular visit would be all about pleasure: “She was overjoyed,” Granade said.

Clearly, Granade and Muffin have a good thing going.

“The bond I have with my clients is the best part of the job,” Granade said. “It’s a relationship of trust and joy.”

And, as Muffin recently learned, much to her delight, that sense of joy can sometimes come when she least expects it.