bCH Windsong's Darkstar Atlas Gemini aka Atlas
August 18, 1996 - January 2005

He was a very soft natured dog but did not like other dogs. He loved little children and the whole family. He danced when he walked, bouncing on the soles of his feet. He had the breed founder jump to her feet yelling "someone get a picture" when he went into his flying trot. He was always submissive to his bride, Allegra. He will be greatly missed.

ISSDC April 2006 Spotlight:

In 1995 having “found” the Shiloh shepherd, I waited for my first Shiloh, who was Allegra, who developed into a large smooth grey sable female. I then wanted a perfect match for her and was put in touch with Wendy Fullerton of Windsong. I was on the list for a male from the last Trinka/Shep litter who turned out to be our Atlas. Atlas was the largest male pup of 7 in that litter but with a very soft nature. He never really just walked but “floated” and often heard him referred to as a “dancing dog”.

His name was bCH. Windsong Darkstar Atlas Gemini. He had a very soft nature and whenever something went wrong, he was the first dog to look at us and literally say "what did I do?". He adored little children and allowed them to run their toys all over his body. He would lay beside them.

The other side of his nature was no tolerance for any strange dogs to come into his "space". I take full responsibility for not socializing him enough as I was foolish enough to think that Allegra was all he needed. We hired a special trainer (shepherd experienced) to work with him. After several sessions he came to me and said that Atlas was "unique" and possessed a quality that very few have. No matter how frightened he became, he would never back up but go forward. He wanted to train him for special kinds of work but I did not want that.

From the moment he entered our lives as an 8 week old, my son Tony laid claim to him. Said he would wait until I finished showing and breeding him but that he expected to have him live with him when he moved out. We honored that agreement and Atlas helped raise our little grandaughter, who to this day grieves over him. I was the one who showed him in the ring and his movement was to die for. The breed founder once screamed out for "someone" to get pictures of him flying around her huge ring dragging me with him. He was so very devoted to our family and always had that special greeting for me when I visited him. A very special boy with a place in my heart.

Atlas and Allegra produced a litter of nine pups, 4 plush and 5 smooth. I kept Star, a plush female, although not the tallest she was the most solid, perfect copy of her father. Star had two Best of Breeds at 6 months, won a Puppy sweepstakes in Niagara Falls with 11 pups entered and judged by the Breed Founder. Her Father also won Winner's Dog in the two shows he was entered in and also got Best of Winners. Another well-known breeder friend, when she saw us approaching said “I hope you have not entered him (Atlas) in all four shows. How about giving the rest of us a chance”, which was a fine compliment.

Once Atlas got his championship, we then concentrated on Star who got her championship at 10 months. Star produced 3 litters of pups. From her first litter with Taz, we kept Apollo. After a family tragedy, we only started to show him at 10 months of age. He became a National Select that year and went on to hold the title of Grand Victor (GV) 5 times, #1 shiloh for two years, finishing #4 all breed dog in Rarities and #6 dog all breed in ARBA, all in the SAME year, 2003. For his GV title that year he beat 493 dogs, winning numerous Best in Shows and also becoming Rarities Supreme Grand Champion of Supreme Grand Champions for 2003 and 2004. Apollo is now fathering champions and carrying on the tradition of his “grandpa” Atlas.