Kenny's Journey: Kenny is now Harley

Kenny is now Harley. It is a name derived from our passion for motorcycles and the soft sound of it seems to be a good fit for him. My wife and I contemplated our decision to make him a permanent part of our family for several days … or so I thought. Actually, well before Harley or I have any idea of what our futures hold my wife already knows. He has stolen her heart and it is only a matter of time for mine to follow.

Harley was so scared the first time we met him that his foster mom had to carry him into the rescue which is not easily done with a dog his size. That day he ran a little with another skittish dog named Maverick but spent most of his time hiding in the bushes. He had, though, the soft eyes of an old soul. It was obvious from his demeanor that he had a tough time so far in his young life.  Harley’s luck recently changed, however, as he was blessed with a great foster home which helped us recognize his potential.

We adopted him last Wednesday and brought him home. He rides in our jeep like a champ for the 3 hours it takes to muscle through traffic back to the South Bay. My wife Cindy has every precaution calculated so he feels comfortable. We have treats, water, a chew bone, blanket, a couple toys and of course Harley’s new mom insists on riding in the backseat with him for the drive. He seems accepting but very cautious.Harley’s progress over the last week is consistent and a little amazing. Each day he improves. At first he hides in a corner and would only follow me if I pulled his dog bed from room to room. Now he trails me everywhere I go and even when sleeping seems to keep one eye open in case I move. Since my office is in my home, we bond throughout the day. Our mornings start with a 2-3 mile run during where he again shows consistent improvement. The first morning he thinks bushes along the side of the road provide a great place to hide which affords me the opportunity to dead lift 50 lbs. of unwilling dog several times. By the third morning he trots along like he has done this his entire life. Harley and I also spend several times a day working on his obedience training. He is very bright and now does sit, down and recognizes his name. Each evening my wife returns home from her workday and the little boy gets even more special attention which usually includes Harley doing an impression of a very large lap dog. Harley is well on his way to becoming a great addition to the family.