Harley
7/19/10
Hello to all my adoring fans! I’ve been a little busy lately, too busy to blog, but you see, I have a good reason. I’m getting my very own home to call my own!! Can you believe it? I found the most perfect family who loves me already and they want to invite me to become a part of their family forever! Yippeeeee!! Let me tell you how it happened because it’s a great story if I do say so myself!
Last month my foster parents had to go away for a long weekend so they asked a really nice new volunteer to babysit me. So as you may remember from my past blogs, I got to go to the beach and play in the sand and had a blast. Well, what I didn’t tell you back then is before I left for the beach, Foster Mom whispered in my ear, “Harley, work your magic – I bet this family will fall in love with you!” So all weekend I was on my best behavior and was my normal cute and loveable self. They did fall in love with me but after I went back to my foster parents’ house my babysitters fostered another Brookline dog and fell in love with him too! I got to meet him one day when my foster parents took me over to their house to try to help their new dog, Tully, try to overcome some fears he had. It was love at first bark! Tully fell in love with me, and I played hard to get like a lady should, but eventually I gave in to his kisses and affection and fell in love with him too!
So a little while later FM & FD had to go away again. Tully’s family offered to watch me again, and off to the beach we went. With Tully by my side I actually stuck my little toes in the water this time. It wasn’t so bad, but I don’t know if I’ll do it again.
See my little toes in the water?
The coolest part about that long weekend is that my babysitters saw how well Tully and I got along, and they realized they loved me so much they wanted to make me a permanent family member! They even told FM & FD that they will continue my special diet because I’m so special that I’m worth the extra effort.
So, the moral of my story is that you should never judge a book by its cover. Some families passed me by because I didn’t look enough like a Lab, or that I needed a special diet, but my new family looked beyond all that and saw the dog I really am and fell in love with me anyway. I am so grateful to Brookline and everyone who has helped me find my new furever home! Here’s a pic of me with my new buddy Tully!
I'm on the left, that's Tully on the right. Life is good!
Love, hugs and kisses,
Harley
6/14/10
Hey everyone… it’s me Harley down here at the shore! The weather here is sunny and breezy just how I like it. The ocean temperature is uh…uh…uh… well I’m not quite sure of the ocean temperature because I was definitely not putting my little paws in there! But I sure did LOVE the beach. That soft white stuff really did feel nice between my toes. Sure glad I got my mani/pedi last week.
I love the beach!
This sure does feel good on my toes!
These nice people I’m staying with for the weekend sure do love to take pictures of me. I am sending a few your way to show you how great I’m doing.
I really like to watch everything that's going on around me!
There's nothing like a nap at the end of a long beach day!
Everyone was worried that I would get car sick on the long ride down here but I did just fine. I tried to call shotgun for the front seat but my babysitter told me I would be safer in the back, so me and my new friend sat in the back seat. After I got comfortable in the car, I rested my head on her leg almost all the way!
Ok everyone, Harley signing off. I have a lot more exploring to do around here.
Enjoy my pictures..;) PS – that pink thing I’m wearing on the beach is called a Gentle Leader. It’s something my Foster Mom bought me to stop pulling while I’m on a leash. Now I walk like a lady! Just thought I’d tell you that in case you weren’t sure!
4/16/10
Hi everyone! My foster mom went to Texas to visit family so I got to go to another foster home where I could stay while she was gone.
My wonderful foster “aunt”/babysitter took on the position since I’ve been to her house before and so now I’m chilling out here with her dogs. We are getting along just fine, and we are even playing together. They are fun! My foster mom always says I’m really good at reading other dog’s signals and we are cohabitating quite peacefully.
The only annoying thing about being here is that my foster aunt keeps getting the leashes tangled up when we walk together. I don’t understand why she doesn’t have a yard for me to go out in. She said something about a townhouse? But I do love the walks, I’m an outdoorsy type of girl….there’s lots of critters for me to watch and chase after here! I am getting along with all the doggies I meet on the walks, even the small ones!
I love to follow her around everywhere and I love to run up and down the steps here! I also love my crate! Thank god my foster mom remembered to pack it for me! The bed is sooo cushy and…I think I’m going to go lay down soon…but first I want to tell you about all the compliments I’m getting from everyone I see. They can tell right away what a sweet and loving girl I am. The ones who saw me before say how good I look now and it’s all due to the raw diet and supplements I’m on. (Thanks foster mom!) I hope one day we can find a family for me…the food prep isn’t so bad once you get used to it…and my foster mom and foster aunt say I’m worth it! I’m a very grateful doggie and I give lots of cuddles and kisses to show my appreciation!
Talk to you soon!
Harley
3/31/10
Look how pretty and healthy I am!
Hello Brookline Fans! Guess what? FM says I’m healthy now and ready to find my furever home! In case you haven’t read my story yet, here you go!!
I’m told that I am a survivor and I am so glad that I found my way to Brookline and to one of its loving foster homes. See, I was found roaming the streets of Philadelphia in the fall, and a nice lady gave me a place to crash, took me to the vet because I was pretty skinny and sick, and tried to find my home. No one was looking for me, so she contacted Brookline and they took me into foster care which is where I am today.
My foster parents quickly noticed that I was way too skinny and couldn’t digest my food very well, so after making me go to the vet a few times for tests, weigh-ins, and shots, they finally figured out that I had a real problem digesting kibble, no matter what brand or type it was. So at the recommendation of a holistic vet, they put me on a diet consisting of raw meat, veggies, sweet potatoes, and some other really yummy and nutritious ingredients. They also put me on 3 nutritional supplements that the vet recommended. Since then, it’s been smooth sailing for me! I’ve gained weight and am really healthy. My FM (foster mom) says my poop is beautiful – I’m pretty sure she’s crazy.
So, enough about my health – here are some other important things to know about me since I know you love reading about me! When I started feeling better I started being much more energetic and playful. I’m still a puppy in some ways – sometimes I get a little mouthy but if you redirect me to a toy I’ll gladly listen. I’m very athletic and love to take walks. Right now I live with a fur-brother who is about my size and we get along great. He was a little grumpy when I first came to live with him and I gave him lots of space and read his signals very well. Now we’re buddies and like to wrestle, tug, and steal each other’s toys.
Ahhhh, life is good!
I listen very well – I know all my basic commands and am eager to please my humans. I still struggle with a couple of things – mostly what FM calls my “prey drive.” When I am in the yard or on a walk and I see something small, I REALLY want to chase it – and sometimes I forget that there’s a human on the other end of my leash! So you’ll need to help me with that. I also have a tendency to want to bolt out doors or escape through holes in fences if I have the opportunity. But if you teach me how to be a good girl I will try my best to learn! And now, a word from my foster parents!
Harley has been a joy to have in our home. Seeing her thrive after her illness was figured out has been very heartwarming. She is sweet, playful, but settles very easily. She is crate trained, and loves her crate – she will often just hang out in her crate when we’re relaxing in the evening and will sleep in it throughout the night without a peep. She is wonderful with other dogs, but would be best in a home without other small critters because of her intense prey drive. She would also do well in an only-dog home. She is very friendly with people, but sometimes children “on her level” can scare her a bit. Because of this, it’s best if her home has no small children, and that her owners commit to further socializing her with people of all ages & sizes.
Harley is very athletic & eager to please, which makes us think she would do wonderfully with agility, competitive obedience, or other similar activities. An active lifestyle will suit her well! She also loves to settle with a good bone, kong, or play fetch or tug.
Her owners must commit to continuing her diet – she cannot digest kibble and needs her food prepared for her. We are happy to provide tips & information regarding her diet and nutritional supplements. If you are interested in more information about Harley, please contact laurabergan@gmail.com.
Isn't my coat so shiny?
1/23/10
Hi there Brookline Fans!
Well, lots of changes have happened since my last blog! Sorry it’s been so long, but really, let’s be serious – it’s kind of hard to blog without thumbs. But FM is helping me now so it’s all good!
All my test results came back negative, which was a good thing, but that meant my GI problems and my skinny body are still a mystery. The nice vet wanted to put me on a prescription diet, but thought that might cause even more GI problems and weight loss, so the AWESOME people at Brookline let FM and FD take me to a very special vet. This vet is a nice man, and FM called him a holistic vet. He had some really good ideas of ways to help me thrive with nutritional supplements, and best of all, I get to eat yummy new food!
My foster brother eats raw food, which helps him stay healthy, so the nice vet told FM it would be a good idea to put me on the same kind of food, since it’s easier to digest, and has a lot more nutritional value than kibble or other kinds of food. I really love the new stuff – and guess what? I gained a pound and a half in less than a week!! My foster parents tell me that my coat is soft and shiny now, and that I look much better than before.
So it looks like I’ll be in foster care for a little while longer so I can get healthy and then FM said it’s going to take a very special family to take care of me. But she also said that the families that adopt through Brookline are the best families, so she thinks it’s only a matter of time until we find the right one for me. Until then, I am very loved in my foster home!
Talk to you later!
Harley
1/06/10
Bunnies and Squirrels and Cats, Oh My!!
Well, I’ve been told my leash manners have improved quite a bit since arriving at my new foster digs. I go for walks every day around the neighborhood, and I LOVE it! I get to smell cool stuff and meet new people and fur-friends. Lately we’ve been walking at nighttime, because FD is away and FM gets home from work after it’s already dark.
Do you remember how I told you that I get really excited when I see one of those small furry things that move fast and I want to chase it SO badly? And that FM makes that tough because she makes me sit instead and uses yummy treats to get my attention? Well, the cool thing about walking at night is that I usually see the small furry things before she does, so I get to try to chase them before she makes me sit. But, I only get a foot or two before she catches me with the leash and makes me sit. I try to tell her how much I want to go chase the fur-creatures by whining and staring at them, but I just can’t resist the chicken and other yummy stuff she lures me with!
FM says she needs some night-vision goggles to walk me with so she can spot the creatures before I do. Oh and apparently I’m the only one who thinks this whole chasing thing is fun. FM says it hurts her arm (sorry!) and since she walks both me and Reggie at the same time, using one of those connector things, he gets pulled along for the ride too! Ha! That’ll teach him!
FM says I just need more practice. I don’t know how I’m supposed to practice chasing if she keeps me on this silly leash! Maybe that’s not the kind of practice she’s talking about. Oh well, I still love my walks!
Catch you later!
Harley
12/28/09
All this time I thought Reggie was exaggerating about how cool Christmas was going to be. Well, let me tell you, Christmas is all that it’s cracked up to be and more! When I woke up Christmas morning, I had all kinds of cool presents waiting for me! I had a new sweater, a cool pink jacket, and something called a Snuggy which FM said was the latest trend for puppers. My foster parents don’t really love putting clothes on dogs, but since I am so skinny and I get so cold, they say the clothes help, especially when it’s so chilly outside! Oh OK back to the gifts – I got some cool toys, including a new tug toy that I have to share with Reggie. We really like to tug. Don’t tell him this, but I’m a lot stronger than he is but I let him win sometimes (he can get cranky otherwise!).
After we opened our gifts and had breakfast, I had to take a little nap. Opening all those things was exhausting!
Here I am about to take a snooze in my new pink coat!
I’m still having some problems with my tummy bothering me, so I went back to that vet place last week. The nice doctor is running some tests and told FM to keep me on chicken & rice until those are back. I like chicken and rice! It’s kind of nice that everyone is making such a fuss over little old me. Hopefully we’ll hear back from the doc this week, so keep your paws crossed we figure things out so I can put some pounds on! Isn’t it funny? FM says most ladies make New Year’s resolutions to take pounds off, and I’m making one to gain some weight!
Catch you later!
Harley
12/21/09
Hi to all you Brookline fans! Boy, I can see why you like this group. Everyone I’ve met so far is super nice and just loves me to pieces! Sorry I haven’t blogged in awhile – you know how busy the holidays can get! I’m pretty excited about this day called Christmas that’s coming up. Reggie, my foster fur-brother, says that FM & FD get us new toys and bones! How cool is that? He told me he knows FM has shopped for us already cause he smelled some of the bags. But I guess she’s hiding them until this Christmas thing happens. OK so lots has happened since my last blog. FM & FD went away for a few days and left me with Auntie Lea Ann, who is way cool. She has a dog named Maxi and even though Maxi didn’t really love me at first, we ended up becoming pals. Everyone tells me that I’m very good at picking up on other dogs’ signals – if they say “back off” I do, and then when they want to play, it’s game on! Remember how I told you that I’m really skinny and need to gain weight? Well, FM has been putting some special stuff in my food to help me digest it better. Plus, she’s adding some new yummy kind of kibble in with my chicken/rice and she says I’m doing MUCH better. I think it’s pretty nice that everyone is so concerned about me and wants to see me healthy. I haven’t gained any weight yet, but I am digesting and tolerating the food much better. Reggie gets jealous cause I get to eat more than he does! That boy loves his food! So did anyone else get this cold white stuff around their house this weekend? All of a sudden, FD took me out to go potty, and there was this freezing white stuff all around – at first I wasn’t so sure about it, but Reggie was running around like a crazy dude all excited so I decided it was probably okay. I liked it when it was lower to the ground, but the next day, when it was up over my shoulders, I wasn’t such a fan. FD had to take me out on a leash and show me that it was ok (I tried to tell him…I’d like to see you do YOUR business in the freezing white stuff!). You want me to do what in this snow?!?
I’m a smart girl though – I made Reggie go first and I walked through the parts that he did so it wasn’t as high. I wasn’t allowed to stay out and play too long, because I get cold so easily no one wanted me to get sick. It’s one of the downsides of being so skinny. FM bought me this cool sweater though – she puts it in the dryer so it’s nice and toasty warm for me when I come in from the outside.
- Ahhhh, so cozy!
Alright, Reggie’s bugging me to go snoop for these new toys he keeps talking about. Wish us luck!
Your favorite gal pal,
Harley
12/7/09
Well, I checked out that vet place yesterday. It’s not really what I expected but it wasn’t all bad. First we got in FM’s car and drove for awhile. We kept stopping and starting and my tummy didn’t feel so good. I got sick. FM said I must not be used to city driving. I say she’s not a good driver! Fortunately, she took a different way home that didn’t stop and start so much. I liked the way home much better!So when we got to this place, there were other dogs there too, so I thought it was playtime! But the nice lady put FM and me in a room, and I wasn’t allowed to play with any of the other dogs. What’s up with that? This nice lady came to see me and even though she was nice, I was scared. I tried to hide behind FM’s feet but they still found me. The nice lady gave me some treats and listened to me breathe and I got 2 shots. FM is one sneaky lady – she was giving me treats and talking to me so I wouldn’t know about the shots! Then the best part is that the nice lady told FM I’m a healthy girl! She said I’m probably around 2 years old, and that I look like I’ve had a litter of pups already, but since I’m spayed that won’t be happening again! Whew! The only thing I need to work on is gaining weight, so lucky me, I get to EAT more! Woo hoo! Later this week I get to go to another WAY COOL Brookline volunteer’s home while FM & FD go away for a few days. On Saturday I get to hang out as an ambassador at Barnes & Noble in Marlton, NJ while the Brookline elves wrap for donations to help pups like me. If you want, come out and see me! I love to meet my fans!
Your favorite gal pal,
Harley
12/5/09
Hi there Brookline fans! My name is Harley, and can I just tell you how excited I am to have my very own blog? I feel like I have hit the jackpot. First, this nice lady found me roaming the streets of Philadelphia and let me crash at her house for while. Then, she contacted the cool folks at Brookline to help me find a foster home where I can chill out until I find something called my “furever” home. Now I live in a cool foster home with a foster mom & dad, and a fur-brother. And NOW I have my very own blog?!? Life is good!
- See my pretty pink harness? The nice lady who found me on the streets gave it to me.
Let me tell you a little bit about me…just the basics – Foster Mom (FM) says I should just tell you a little now and keep you coming back for more on this cool blog! So, I am a little girl, about 50 pounds, and I am what they call a “mix” – I think that means a mixture of perfect! Ha! I am very, very, very sweet and affectionate, if I do say so myself. I have impeccable manners inside my foster home. I listen well, know my commands, and even though I’m very playful, if you tell me to lay down or settle down I do so very easily. FM and Foster Dad (FD) put up this cool little house for me in their family room. It’s nice and cozy with a bed, and I get yummy stuff and special toys when I go in there. I think it’s called a crate. FM and FD said I’m a very good girl and I was easy to crate train.
I’m learning a lot right now in my new foster home. I am learning how to walk nicely on a leash like a lady should, and how to ignore all those little things outside that I really want to chase. You know – those squirrels, rabbits, leaves, you name it! If it moves, I want to chase it! FM makes it tough though, because when I see one she sticks something super-yummy in front of my nose and then I have to choose between chasing or sitting and eating something yummy like a good girl. I gotta tell ya, it’s tough, but the treats always win!
I’m pretty skinny right now, but FM is giving me really yummy food to help me gain weight! OK…I gotta go now – it’s fetch time. Tune in next time and I’ll tell you more about me! FM says I’m going to someplace called the vet this weekend. Wish me luck!
