28th August 2026
Today was a big test for Tateo to be left in the house whilst we did our shopping.
Kelli had read up on different ways to make the experience less like the shelter she came from.
Apparently it can take up to three months for an animal to overcome the trauma that they have being kept in a cage with all the other animals barking and generally making noise.
As he seems calm in the bathroom, which is where he has his meals at the moment, we decided to make this his safe room, putting a gate to close it off from the rest of the house. We felt happy that this should make home less anxious. We slipped out without a noise and set about our tasks.
Apart from the weekly shop there were a few other stops on the agenda. These took a little longer than planned because of all the road resurfacing that is happening everywhere.
Constantly worried what we would find when we returned we held our breath as we opened the front door.
As we entered all three dogs ran to greet us including Tateo, who should have been in the bathroom. There was a smell that hit us, probably he had left a steaming dookie on the floor for us. I was pretty sure it was his, because being an expert on our dogs toilet habits I can instantly recognise who has done what.
Everything else seemed okay, nothing broken, no cushions torn, I thought they did very well, but we will need to refine the process for the next time.
I had to drive to Saugatuck to collect a dresser that Kelli had bought. It is an interesting piece, hand painted but structurally sound. The address was the perfect American dream estate, four cars in the garage, and grass cut at a perfect height. I felt a bit rough around the edges, would I be allowed into this private estate? I made it by following in the post office truck, I think I got away with it.
