Big, Fluffy ‘Avalanche of a Dog’ Finally Has Room to Roam After a Life in a Crate

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Alpha came to me from a Facebook post two years ago. A friend of mine spotted the post and called us about this dog available for adoption. He was billed as a Husky/Great Pyrenees mix and an emotional support dog. I told my friend I was interested and arranged a meet and greet at her house that was 12 miles away.

PHOTO: MICHAEL ATKINS

He was an avalanche of a dog, and I fell in love with him on the spot! He had originally been adopted from an Arizona ASPCA and had heart worms but was cured. His original owner was in the Army and reassigned to Alaska and could not take him with him. He gave the dog to his mother in North Carolina to care for.

She took care of him for two years, but she came to the conclusion that she didn’t have the resources to properly care for him and put him up for adoption. Enter me, he needed help!

PHOTO: MICHAEL ATKINS

He had been crated a lot, and when he went to get up off of the floor, he would scream in agony. We started him on a course of glucosamine sulfate everyday, and he began to exercise with our other dogs in the backyard. This did not go smoothly! Like his name, Alpha, he is one! He and my Border Collie, Sumter, tangled frequently. I wondered if I had made a mistake in adopting him. Three months later and he became a different dog. No more pain!

Alpha had to learn how to be a dog because he had no socialization, and then he had to learn how to lead a pack. I started walking him and my Border Collie together and they became friends. It was a long road to success, but I encourage everyone to take a chance on that unknown dog out there!

PHOTO: MICHAEL ATKINS

Story submitted by Michael Atkins.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!