Where are they now: Pete interviews Elliott

Do you remember Elliott? He came to our Hobart Home in a terrible condition after being found wandering the streets. He was starving, smelled bad, and his right eye was painfully infected.

But this didn’t break his spirit or dent his capacity to show affection to the strange new humans he found himself with. “His demeanour on arrival was very sweet and affectionate,” staff say. “He was happy to say hello to everybody.”

A Maltese x about three years old, Elliott had suffered what we feared was a rupture to his right eye. He responded well to applications of an antibiotic eye cream, and his vision is fine. He also needed desexing, grass seeds removed, overgrown claws clipped, his long, matted and stinky coat shaved, and a full dental checkup and teeth clean. Once our vet declared him happy and healthy, he went off to our adoptions area — and was adopted the same day.

AmbassaDog and roaming rePAWter Charles “Pete” Conrad Jnr had a chat with Elliott and discovered his new life is more fabulous than we ever could have hoped. Instead of roaming the streets, he travels the road in style and comfort.

Pete: How long have you been with your humans?

Elliott: I’ve been with my humans since the middle of January.

Pete: Do you have any animal companions? Do you like them?

Elliott: I have the whole house and backyard to myself and the full attention of my owners. They put in a doggy door in the laundry, so I can go in or out whenever I want, and there’s a big gate to keep me safe. I do have doggy mates as neighbours — Carlos the Jack Russell Terrier and Russell the Maltese — who visit me for playdates, and we keep each other amused by barking at the rabbits and wallabies that come into our yards.

Pete: Are there special things you do with your humans?

Elliott: My humans have a caravan and we go on adventures together. I am always the first one in the car. I love sniffing and exploring new places, going on walks, and getting a few licks of ice cream and a nibble on a few human treats. Beyond my backyard is a bush reserve where I go for walks with my humans, and I am near a dog beach where I can run free and play with other dogs.

Pete: My slave never gives me human treats. I don’t know why I put up with them. What are your favourite things to do?

Elliott: I love chewing, so to stop me from chewing sticks, branches and wood from my humans’ garden, they brought me chew toys. Not as tasty as sticks but it keeps them happy. I love playing with balls. I have a little rubber ball that bounces, and I spend a lot of time with my humans playing catch. I also have a basketball and I think I’m a Jack Jumper defender!

I was pretty skinny when I came to live with my people and didn’t have much of an interest in eating, but my human mum enticed me with lots of yummy food. I do love a family barbecue and a sneaky little sausage. I love eating rabbit and wallaby poo which grosses out my humans when I smile at them with a green moustache.

Pete: Mmm poo. I did a poo in the house today and then grumbled at my slave when they had to clean it up. Win-win! And your dislikes?

Elliott: I’m still a bit scared of strangers, especially tall men with beards. My humans cuddle me and tell me all is well, but I like to give strangers a little growl, just to let them know I’m not sure of them — until I’ve had a proper sniff of them to check them out. I don’t like the vacuum cleaner: I think it’s a dragon that needs to be slayed.

Pete: The vacuum cleaner is indeed a dragon that must be run away from at all times. What are your happiest memories with your humans?

Elliott: Being taken to the dog beach and playing with other dogs, lazy weekend sleep-ins with them on their bed, and being taken on adventures — my humans take me with them everywhere they can and I have my own seatbelt in their car. 

Pete: My human is very odd. Is there anything odd that you have discovered about your humans?

Elliott: They don’t like playing chase with me when I steal their shoes or socks. And I don’t know why they are anxious when they put their sheets and towels out to dry … they obviously don’t know how much fun it is for us dogs to play “Pull the Washing off the Clothesline”.

Pete: My slave says I’m very odd. Of course, they are wrong. What do your humans think is odd about you?

Elliott: I sniff my route like a Bloodhound on every walk so we can find our way back home if we get lost. They might think this is odd but, hey, I’ve been lost and hungry before! I like to carry around my rubber ball everywhere I go just in case my humans want to play fetch.

Pete: I was lost and hungry too, before the Dogs’ Homes found me and I was adopted by my slave after a couple of false starts. I like it when my slave cuddles me and tells me that they love me. How has being in love and loved made a difference in your life? Why do they keep forcing me to ask this soppy question?

Elliott: They call me cutesy names like “Fluffy Chops” and “Paddle Pops”, they walk me every day, and give me a slice of roast meat on Sundays! They let me get under their feet and follow them around the house, and they cuddle me a lot and let me sit on their laps to watch TV.

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