Atka

Please contact Piotter for more information about this pet.Atka was a stray that was camping out at a farm in the New Waverly area where he was not a welcomed guest. He is a beautiful, majestic husky or husky/malamute mix. Long story short he was shot in the foot/legs by the farm/owner. Operation Pets Alive helped him after he was injured. He was under veterinary care to for several weeks to determine if his leg would need to be amputated. Though the buckshot remains embedded, primarily in his left back foot, he is doing wonderfully and has no limitations. "Atka" means guardian in Inuit. He has a mind of his own and is accustom to figuring things out on his own. Around his foster home, he has a rather "laid back" routine. However, like most huskies, he needs consistent exercise... we walk 3 miles every morning. That said, in general, he is great on a leash. He needs his own space & routine while he's eating his food or bones. He is gentle taking treats and can sit, shake both hands and lie down. He understands "wait" and is working on "leave it". If given a treat, he will go "to your bed" to eat it. He needs work on "come" and is not beyond turning that into a game of "catch me if you can". He's housetrained, quiet and has not been destructive with toys or household items. He will crate but we don't crate him as he is fine in the house. He does not rush the door to escape but does not have consistent recall to be off-leash in unfenced areas. Atka tolorants brushing and will seek attention when he's in the mood. He frequently lies down in the frog position and has been caught chasing his tail - so kind-of goofy at times. He likes toys but tires of them fairly quickly. He is great on a leash but is a very strong boy and shows too keen an interest in squirrels or, particularly, FedEx, UPS or Amazon trucks. He will go after cats & rodents, but during his walks he is not particularly interested in the ducks we pass. He has been dog-friendly at several local dog parks & takes direction from our boxer mix. He's never taken a walk without getting compliments - he's quite the looker... but there's much more you will need to understand about this companion. He needs an even-tempered, calm but firm leader to be his best self.