"Marley might have won the battle, but we knew it was just a matter of time before we won the war. Nature's call was on our side. Sooner or later, what went in had to come out. As disgusting as the thought was, I knew if i poked through his excrement long enough, I would find out. Had it been, say, a silver chain, or a gold platted chain, something of any less value, my queasiness might have won out. but this chain was solid gold and had set me back a decent chunk of pay. Grossed out or not, I was going in."

" 'Oh, what the hell,' I said, and unsnapped the leash. Marley dashed for the water, kicking sand all over us as he blasted off. He crashed into the surf just as a breaker rolled in, tossing him under the water. A second later his head reappeared, and the instant he regained his footing he threw a cross-body block at Killer the Pig-Slaying Pit Bull, knocking them off their feet. Together they rolled beneath a wave, and Iheld my breath, wondering if Marley had just crossed the line that would throw Killer into a homocidal, Lab-butchering fury. But when they popped back up again, their tails were wagging, their mouths grinning. Killer jumped on Marley's back and Marley on Killer's, their jaws clamping playfully around each other's throats. they chased each other up the waterline and back again, sending plumes of spray flying on either side of them. They pranced, they danced, they wrestled, they dove. I don't think I had ever before, or have ever since, witnessed such unadulterated joy."

STYYYLE
uh so he's bluntish and there's a bit of personifiication. +hyperbole. He exaggerates a ton. I mean, look at that paragraph. He could've said "I broke the rules and let Marley off his leash and he had a lot of fun with this other dog and stuff." but instead he explained it as how he had never "before, or have ever since, witnessed such unadulterated joy."