About Atlas

Where to begin? Even though I am about 8 years old, my story begins a few months ago. You see, a few months ago without reason or explanation, I found myself in a scary place called a 'shelter'. The shelter said my time was almost up, but I got lucky and was going to a Rescue and a foster mom (I just call her Mom). She has a teenage daughter, another dog and a cat. I liked her and she liked me, so I moved in. Initially, I was very reserved and not sure what to do and spent a lot of time in my house (kennel). Slowly I started coming out and Mom noticed that I walked a little funny. She made an appointment and I had blood work and what they call an Xray. The blood work showed that I was anemic, Mom said that's ok because she is too. They also found something on my Xray and Mom says it is why my walk wasn't quite right, I have arthritis. The vet said the amount of pain I was in had to be considerable. They gave me some medicine and Mom began to see a difference in me right away. All of a sudden, I was moving around more and even started going upstairs! She thinks this may be part of the reason I don't like getting into cars too, it hurts. Once I get in, I like the ride especially with the windows down just a little. Mom is just amazed at how much pain I had to be in and yet was still sweet, gentle and eager to please. She says that I am I am a good boy and that from day one; I have not had a single accident in the house. I know my manners, but sometimes I am hardheaded. She says I have the Rottie lean down to perfection and that I do not believe in privacy. If she leaves the door open, even just a little bit, I walk in when she is taking a shower! I know Sit, Lay Down, Come and she thinks I know Stay, but pretend that I don't! I walk very well on a leash and if I pull a little bit, Mom says 'To Me' and I go right back to her side and stop pulling. She is also teaching me something called 'Ignore' and I don't like it very much. See Mom has a cat outside and I want to chase it very, very badly. I don't know why, I just want to chase it! So when we walk past the cat and I want to go after it, Mom says 'Ignore' and turns me in a different direction. It's the same with small dogs, I want to chase them but then Mom goes and says 'Ignore' and I can't chase them. I do not like this word, Ignore! My doggie sister is a Ridgeback mix and she's about 60lbs, almost my age and she is teaching me to play! My sister and I romp and roll around the house and it makes Mom smile. She makes sure we don't play rough, but says only happy dogs play like that, so I guess I am a happy dog! Oh, and there is something called Toys. At first I didn't know what to do, but I watched my doggie sister and Mom kept bringing home different ones until one day, I grabbed one and it squeaked! How great is that?! Mom now keeps a basket of toys by my crate so I can get a toy whenever I want! Sometimes my doggie sister comes and sneaks one of my toys and I let her, there are lots of toys. She eats out of my bowl too, and Mom yells at her for that, but I don't mind. I really like meeting new people too. Mom takes me for a walk everyday unless it's raining, I don't like going outside in the rain. Sometimes I see horses, deer, birds, other dogs and make new people friends. I do well with large dogs, especially the girls! Sometimes the boys seem to want to fight, and that makes me uncomfortable. I still really want to chase anything small though. After a few months, Mom says I am all Rottie. That I am very smart, loyal, eager to please and protective. That is why she named me Atlas, because at 125lbs I would carry the world on my shoulders if you asked me too, even if it would hurt me to do so. At bedtime Mom says 'go to bed' and sister and I rush upstairs and go to the bedroom. Mom has to help me in the bed because I can't get up there by myself and if she doesn't help me, I just put my head on the bed and stare at her until she gets up and helps me. I lay down beside her, she tells me stories about other dogs she fostered, what she saw at work, and she tells me about something called a forever home. After she falls asleep, my doggie sister gets in the bed and I go to my bed (crate) and dream about toys and a forever home.

Grandy, North Carolina 27939