He would stop.
Adjust his grip.
Then pull again.
Staff could have returned the mattress to its original location every time.
But Milo was remarkably consistent about where he wanted it.
Under Olive.
Not merely beside her.
Not near the cot.
Directly underneath it.
Oliveโs Cot Became Miloโs Ceiling
Once Milo had maneuvered his mattress beneath the raised cot, he settled between Oliveโs legs.
Above him was the underside of her bed.
Around him were four enormous Great Dane legs.
Compared with the open recovery run, it was a remarkably small place for Milo to choose.
Yet that was where he repeatedly slept.
Staff could not know exactly why.
The space underneath the cot may have felt sheltered. Milo may simply have preferred close physical proximity to the dog he had lived with before entering the shelter.
Whatever the explanation, his preference was visible every time his bed migrated across the floor.
Then Olive introduced another complication.
She moved.
Every Time Olive Stood Up, Milo Woke Up Too
Standing was not a quick movement for Olive.
Arthritis had made transitions slower.
She might shift her weight first, reposition her front paws, and then carefully push her large body upward while her stiff joints adjusted.
The movement of the cot was enough to wake Milo underneath.
His head came up.
He watched Olive step away.
And suddenly the little Dachshund mix was no longer interested in sleeping where he had worked so hard to position his bed.
Soon he was gripping the mattress again.
If Olive settled somewhere else within the run, Milo began pulling his bed in that direction.
The whole process could start over.