Harley's Town Walk

Our little Stud Puppy Graduates!

Harley lived with us from September 05 until December 06.

He'll be two at the end of July. We were excited to see him at his Town Walk and very proud of our puppy!

It was a beautiful day in Morristown (despite the prediction of scattered thunderstorms)--a beautiful day for a Town Walk.

Harley sat in the shade with his trainer while we waited for Ed to arrive from work. We're across the street from him and that's about as close as we'll get.

We haven't seen Harley since he returned to school in December 06. He looked pretty much the same--our same leggy puppy whose ears look like they were glued on just a little bit too high.

Of course he looked extra proud in his harness.

Harley walked much faster than he ever did with us. He was our "lazy puppy" -- always heeled from the start which is not a desirable trait in a guide dog -- he always walked by my side or behind me...not a very good puller...until now.

We learned a few things while we were there...

His whole litter was tagged for the breeding program and only he and his sister, Hannah, made it.

His dad, Quantum, was not bred by the Seeing Eye--he came from outside stock (Guiding Eyes, I think) so they don't have a lot of generational history on Harley.

And he got his ears from his mom, Brooke.

Since Harley is headed for the Breeding Program, he received about 1/3 of the regular dog guide training and by the time we saw him at his Town Walk, he hadn't been in harness for about 3 weeks but he still performed beautifully.

Normally the Town Walk is the last time you see your Seeing Eye puppy because they are placed with their blind person and except for one last letter from the school, we don't hear from them again. But since Harley is going into breeding, he'll spend the next two years (approximately) in Chester at the Breeding Center. He'll have fun there -- lots of attention and lots of lady puppy friends :-)

There we are--little people in the background across the street

on the left side of the tree

After his "stud services", he may go to work although they don't do that with males that often--all that unchecked testosterone for those extra years results in some learned behavior that isn't desirable in dog guides. Or he could be given to another school to make more "Harley puppies". Lastly, there is a chance that he will be offered back to us when he retires and of course, we'd take him back.

We can't wait to see pictures of his litters and his picture in the Parents section at Seeing Eye Family Day.

And who knows...maybe we'll raise one of Harley's puppies!

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