Tails of the Team: Meet Atlas

Atlas

We’re excited to continue our Tails of the Team series, where we introduce you to the beloved pets of our team members and share how these relationships shape our approach to pet care.

At Off Leash MKE, we know that every dog brings unique lessons into our lives. Whether it’s learning patience, understanding reactivity, or discovering the power of enrichment, our own pets help us become better caregivers for the dogs we work with every day.

This month, we’re featuring Atlas, Maddie’s lovable (and sassy) hound/lab mix. Atlas has been a game-changer in Maddie’s training journey, teaching invaluable lessons about cooperative care, anxiety management, and the importance of mental enrichment. Keep reading to learn more about Atlas and how he’s influenced Maddie’s approach to pet care!

What are your pets’ names, species, breeds, and ages? How did they come into your life?

Atlas is a 4 year old  hound/lab mix. Oh man, this guy. I “foster failed” him from a rescue that my general manager at Central Bark owned and operated. He turned out to be a little sass monster. He is a big fan of talking back when he doesn’t want to do something I’ve asked him to do, and when he’s being demanding, will sometimes punch me. He’s not a big cuddler, he prefers to lay next to you, or put his head in your lap or on your leg if he’s feeling  extra affectionate. He does have to be right up against me when we’re asleep, however, and takes up ¾ of the bed while I’m smushed up against the wall. 

How have your pets influenced your approach to pet care?

Atlas was a big curveball. I had to learn a lot about cooperative care and doing things at the pace that he wants to go and giving him the chance to stop and walk away from something he’s uncomfortable with. We also do a lot more mental stimulation than physical exercise - he prefers to stop and take a lot of minutes to sniff things out. His enrichment involves a lot of snuffle mats and treat finding so he can work his brain. 

Are there specific challenges you’ve faced with your pets that have made you a better pet care professional?

Atlas as a puppy

Atlas has taught me so much about anxiety and reactivity. From when he was about 5 months old, I had to look up and research training tips on how to work with both of these issues. Thankfully I already had the basics of positive reinforcement down from my job at Central Bark, but Atlas’ reactivity got me into the more detailed side of training. His reactivity is due to frustration at not getting to say hi to other dogs on leash, but he sometimes takes that frustration out on the other dog if they meet on leash, so we typically avoid leash greetings to prevent that. Instead, I have him focus on me when we are walking past dogs on the other side of the street. We learned the “Look at That!” game, where he looks at one of his triggers and I reward him for remaining calm. He has anxiety about meeting new people, so we have two ways for introductions- they can meet us outside, and say “hi Atlas!”  as though they already know him, and give him a treat for coming up to say hi, or we have new guests come in through our back door with us and say hi to him. People coming through the front door is overwhelming for him, so we work with what he is comfortable with to not put him over threshold. 

How do you incorporate Fear Free principles when caring for your dog?

Using fear free methods has been the biggest focus for my training with Atlas. When he is uncomfortable with something, like nail trims, he will shut down and run away from you and the nail clippers. For us, nail trims are one paw per session. I have to go very slowly, one toe at a time. If he pulls his paws away more often than I’m trimming a nail, we either take a break for a while or we just stop for the day. I also have a scratch board for him, and that's kind of fun for him because he gets treats from the secret door. It’s nice but I still end up having to even out his nails with the clippers anyway. He’s also not a fan of being physically restrained, so at the vet, instead of holding him and causing him to thrash around, he gets a jar of baby food to lick out of while they look at him and give him his shots. 

What’s your favorite way to spend time with your pets?

Atlas and his best friend Miller

Atlas is a little lazy pants man. He’s perfectly happy to spend half the day sleeping on the couch with me if that’s what is on the agenda. If we’re not doing that, I like to take him for sniffy walks with his dog cousin and best friend, Miller, or we practice his commands, and sometimes I try to teach him new ones.

How do you keep them mentally/physically enriched?

I do a mix of snuffle mats, puzzles, and kongs. I can only do this with treats, as he’s a picky eater and won’t eat his kibble plain. His favorite treat dispenser is in the shape of a corn cob,  and he figured out that if he throws it, it’ll bounce and treats come out. He’s usually exhausted after this one, as he chases it around the living room and will jump on and off the couch with it to get all the treats!

Are there any particular games, exercises, or routines you do with your pets that you recommend to clients?

I like to do a scent game with Atlas, where I have him sit on his bed or on a rug in a particular room while I go to a different room and hide one of his treats. I call him into the room by saying  “Find it!” and he has to sniff out his treat. We do this for about 20 minutes, and he’s so tired by  the end of it. I do this with some of his commands as well - I put him in a sit/stay in one room, go to another room, and then call out a command. I’ll ask for “touch” (nose to palm),  “middle” (he stands between my legs), or “right” (he has to come sit at my right side). When it’s nice outside, we do this in the backyard for a while and he has a blast!