Clayton's mom, Chuwanda reached out to us recently to reflect on his life. He passed away in August of 2020 at the age of 14, but Chuwanda still thinks about him everyday. She adopted him when he was three, after he had been returned to PAWS Atlanta twice, but that didn't deter her.

Chuwanda said the following in her initial message to us: "Clayton was an amazing dog and it is in his honor I contribute to PAWS Atlanta monthly.  I would love to share the story of his adoption in hopes of encouraging others to adopt, contribute, or both.  It's also a way for me to honor Clayton.  As you can see, nearly two years later, he has left an indelible print on my heart."

Why did you decide to adopt Clayton?

We adopted a puppy a year prior and recognized he needed a playmate, particularly an older dog to help show him the ropes. Clayton fit the bill.

Do you have any other pets/kids/housemates? How was Clayton's relationship with them?

At first, Clayton and our puppy, Max, didn't get along at all.  In fact, Clayton jumped on Max in the first week, and I reached out to PAWS Atlanta for support on ways to help them coexist more effectively.  It's an important point to note because sometimes animals don't bond and support is needed to help them better acclimate.  Introduction challenges will happen, but they are not necessarily a reason to return an animal.  After a couple of weeks, Clayton and Max became best buddies and were wonderful companions to each other and the family.

What kind of activities did Clayton enjoy? 

Clayton LOVED to run and play with us and other animals. His favorite game was chase - he loved to chase us in the house or outside barking, all the while showing his joy.  You could almost see a smile on his face when he managed to avoid being caught. Clayton was one of the fastest, most agile dogs I've ever seen.

How did Clayton show his love? 

Clayton was the ultimate snuggler! He loved to rest his body on mine or my son's for a nice long rub and/or nap.

What's your favorite memory of Clayton? 

It's so hard to name a favorite memory of Clayton because there were so many.  I suppose my favorite memory is simply remembering the essence of who he was:  a great dog who loved his family, his brothers (he was one of three rescue dogs), and life in general.  He brought joy to everyone around him and was a great ambassador for the importance of adopting animals from a shelter.  We thought we were rescuing Clayton and it very quickly became clear he rescued us!