With Extreme Sadness

That dog is BIG.

Anyone meeting Atlas

If he shrugged, the world moved.

Atlas at 18 months, right after he came to us.

Our big dog, Atlas left this earth 4/29/09. 

It was fast, he stopped eating on Tuesday, went outside and wanted to be left alone. Wednesday morning we took him into the clinic. I knew it was the end when we were able to get him into the Jeep. He would not have done that if he was well. He had tumors on the spleen which ruptured and were bleeding internally. He was not stressed and left peacefully.

He was my guardian, my comfort. Half German Shepherd and half Afghan Hound, he was large at 150 lbs during his hey day, and he was serious about his role of big dog in chief. He had that very large dog rumble that starts somewhere deep in the body and moves its way through the throat. When his hackles stood up and he stared and rumbled, anyone foolish enough to move, was foolish indeed. He'd had a hard beginning but he came to me at 18 months and his life changed and he was happy. He was always a responsibility because he was territorial and so large. And he had fear, which never completely left him.

He was also a clown and a neurotic. He had to have a blanket to drag around and he would suck the blanket. He couldn't be around when I disposed of the old blanket, it would make him very anxious, but once gone, he accepted the new one readily.

We will miss him. He was a job, no doubt about it, but he was a good dog who needed a chance and he got it. He always seemed grateful and he was certainly loved. And he returned the favor.