Sharp or unstable objects did not belong in routes Atlas commonly used.
Non-slip flooring was especially useful for an older German Shepherd who sometimes needed to make sudden adjustments after discovering an obstacle.
Staff could also use predictable routines and sensory information to help Atlas understand what was happening around him.
The goal was not to eliminate every challenge from his environment.
It was to give him a space he could learn safely.
Every time Atlas entered a new run, however, that learning process started again.
And that was when Nova's behavior became easiest to see.
Atlas Usually Insisted on Investigating First
He did not simply stand beside Nova and wait.
Once released into the space, Atlas began moving.
His nose passed close to walls.
He paused near corners.
Sometimes he doubled back over a section he had already explored.
At other moments, his old search-like pattern carried him farther into the room.
Then came the small mistakes.
His shoulder touched the side of a fixture.
His paw found the edge of bedding sooner than expected.
His body angled toward something he could not fully see.
Nova remained behind him.
If Atlas corrected himself, she did nothing.
If he didn't, she moved closer.
Shoulder to side.
Atlas turned.
The search continued.