Obituary for Atlas Miller
Crimson King’s Atlas of my World
AKC WS44562306
Born 6.2.2013 – Left for the Bridge 4.12.2021
Atlas was born into a litter of nine pups to CH Winning Colors Victory Gallop “Doc” and
Crimson King Lady Amelia. I thank Monica Wirick, Phyllis McDonald, and Pat Lamonica for
sharing their dogs to create my Atlas – he truly was my Atlas of my World and he gave direction
to my world. He grew up to be an ambassador for all his Bullmastiff breed.
I brought him home on August 30 th , 2013 at 12 weeks of age. Atlas’s training was overseen by
Susan Jenkins of Papp’s Dog Services in Akron where he was introduced to a training collar and
immediately threw himself on the floor and threw a fit a two-year-old would be proud of, but he
understood from that day forward that if I asked him to do something he needed to do it. He
would think about it first, he was never an immediate responder, but he would decide the do
what was asked.
In 2016 he tested and was certified as a therapy dog with Alliance of Therapy Dogs and joined
the local Caring Therapy Canines organization. Atlas loved doing therapy work – he would be
lounging on the couch and I would get out his therapy collar and he would immediately go to the
door and be ready to go to work. He provided therapy services at The Wayne County Library in
Wooster and Rittman, Cornerstone Elementary School, Westview Nursing Home, Whit’s End
Cancer Support Group and Safety Town. He also participated in many community events such
as Reading Under the Lights, Relay for Life, Kid’s Day, Preschool Dog Bite Preventions, The
College of Wooster and Ashland University Stress Relief Events and Camp Paradise Adult
Camp visits. Atlas loved all people, but he had a special place in his heart for children and
people with special needs. He will be missed by those lives he touched through his therapy
work. Atlas was also voted 2018 Therapy Dog of the Year by the members of Caring Therapy
Canines and he wore is tag for that proudly.
In 2019 Atlas went from 170 pounds to 129 pounds in a span of two months. We had him
evaluated at Metropolitan Vet Hospital with Dr. Vanessa Dollo, an Internal Medicine Specialist
and after a month we achieved a diagnosis. He was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome,
Protein Losing Enteropathy, Lymphangiectasia, and Crypt Cell Disease. He had the cards
stacked against him but through steroid treatment, B12 shots and special diet we were able to
increase his weight and manage his symptoms. He was considered completely under control and
we were talking about spreading out his blood tests as we had managed to get his albumin levels
back in normal range and were maintaining them in that range. During the time when we were
trying to do what we could to stop the weight loss I have to thank Becky Stephens for making
sure he had goats milk yogurt and Claudia Kuntz for providing us with duck eggs. These two
helped me put some weight on him and their generosity and encouragement were monumental to
me.
Atlas’s decline began just two weeks before we lost him, and he was hospitalized for two days
the week before. During his hospitalization it was determined that he had developed Lymphoma
in his intestines. We made the decision to bring him home and we got two days where he was
uncomfortable, but he was not in pain, so we just loved on him. The third day he woke up and
showed signs of pain, so it was time to let him go. Atlas loved his vet and vet tech, and he was
able to cross the bridge with Dr. Suttle and Tessa by his side in my arms. He chose how he
wanted to go and made the decision to help me with my struggle. The Ark Vet Hospital staff
have cared for Atlas his entire life and he loved going in and seeing them all. I appreciate their
love and support for him throughout his life.
A would like to thank all the members of Caring Therapy Canines that have helped support and
encourage me with Atlas over the past few years, you are all truly a wonderful group of friends
and I appreciate the love and support you gave Atlas and our family during this time.
I want to thank the Wayne County Library and Cornerstone Elementary School for having
programs that enrich children’s lives and provide them encouragement to read and by allowing
us to use our therapy dogs to help in this process. There is nothing greater than seeing a child
open to a dog and see their inhibitions melt away. And for those kids that were just emotional
and needed a moment to just sit with the dog and calm down I am just so blessed to have been
able to see Atlas’s effect on those moments.
And to my sister, Carla, who wrapped her arms around me and gave me strength to breath as
Atlas took his final breaths. You are my greatest cheerleader and supporter. And to my husband,
you are my strength every day in all situations even when we take turns being strong for each
other.
And finally, I want to thank Unforgettable Tails for their gentle and caring process in helping our
family to make Atlas's final time with us comforting and as stress free as possible.
AKC WS44562306
Born 6.2.2013 – Left for the Bridge 4.12.2021
Atlas was born into a litter of nine pups to CH Winning Colors Victory Gallop “Doc” and
Crimson King Lady Amelia. I thank Monica Wirick, Phyllis McDonald, and Pat Lamonica for
sharing their dogs to create my Atlas – he truly was my Atlas of my World and he gave direction
to my world. He grew up to be an ambassador for all his Bullmastiff breed.
I brought him home on August 30 th , 2013 at 12 weeks of age. Atlas’s training was overseen by
Susan Jenkins of Papp’s Dog Services in Akron where he was introduced to a training collar and
immediately threw himself on the floor and threw a fit a two-year-old would be proud of, but he
understood from that day forward that if I asked him to do something he needed to do it. He
would think about it first, he was never an immediate responder, but he would decide the do
what was asked.
In 2016 he tested and was certified as a therapy dog with Alliance of Therapy Dogs and joined
the local Caring Therapy Canines organization. Atlas loved doing therapy work – he would be
lounging on the couch and I would get out his therapy collar and he would immediately go to the
door and be ready to go to work. He provided therapy services at The Wayne County Library in
Wooster and Rittman, Cornerstone Elementary School, Westview Nursing Home, Whit’s End
Cancer Support Group and Safety Town. He also participated in many community events such
as Reading Under the Lights, Relay for Life, Kid’s Day, Preschool Dog Bite Preventions, The
College of Wooster and Ashland University Stress Relief Events and Camp Paradise Adult
Camp visits. Atlas loved all people, but he had a special place in his heart for children and
people with special needs. He will be missed by those lives he touched through his therapy
work. Atlas was also voted 2018 Therapy Dog of the Year by the members of Caring Therapy
Canines and he wore is tag for that proudly.
In 2019 Atlas went from 170 pounds to 129 pounds in a span of two months. We had him
evaluated at Metropolitan Vet Hospital with Dr. Vanessa Dollo, an Internal Medicine Specialist
and after a month we achieved a diagnosis. He was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome,
Protein Losing Enteropathy, Lymphangiectasia, and Crypt Cell Disease. He had the cards
stacked against him but through steroid treatment, B12 shots and special diet we were able to
increase his weight and manage his symptoms. He was considered completely under control and
we were talking about spreading out his blood tests as we had managed to get his albumin levels
back in normal range and were maintaining them in that range. During the time when we were
trying to do what we could to stop the weight loss I have to thank Becky Stephens for making
sure he had goats milk yogurt and Claudia Kuntz for providing us with duck eggs. These two
helped me put some weight on him and their generosity and encouragement were monumental to
me.
Atlas’s decline began just two weeks before we lost him, and he was hospitalized for two days
the week before. During his hospitalization it was determined that he had developed Lymphoma
in his intestines. We made the decision to bring him home and we got two days where he was
uncomfortable, but he was not in pain, so we just loved on him. The third day he woke up and
showed signs of pain, so it was time to let him go. Atlas loved his vet and vet tech, and he was
able to cross the bridge with Dr. Suttle and Tessa by his side in my arms. He chose how he
wanted to go and made the decision to help me with my struggle. The Ark Vet Hospital staff
have cared for Atlas his entire life and he loved going in and seeing them all. I appreciate their
love and support for him throughout his life.
A would like to thank all the members of Caring Therapy Canines that have helped support and
encourage me with Atlas over the past few years, you are all truly a wonderful group of friends
and I appreciate the love and support you gave Atlas and our family during this time.
I want to thank the Wayne County Library and Cornerstone Elementary School for having
programs that enrich children’s lives and provide them encouragement to read and by allowing
us to use our therapy dogs to help in this process. There is nothing greater than seeing a child
open to a dog and see their inhibitions melt away. And for those kids that were just emotional
and needed a moment to just sit with the dog and calm down I am just so blessed to have been
able to see Atlas’s effect on those moments.
And to my sister, Carla, who wrapped her arms around me and gave me strength to breath as
Atlas took his final breaths. You are my greatest cheerleader and supporter. And to my husband,
you are my strength every day in all situations even when we take turns being strong for each
other.
And finally, I want to thank Unforgettable Tails for their gentle and caring process in helping our
family to make Atlas's final time with us comforting and as stress free as possible.