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On November 5th, 2009, Harley
bloated at 8 years of age. It was terrifying to say the least. We rushed him
to a 24hr emergency hospital in Calgary,
Then, a second near miss came our way. In
December, 2010, a tumour was found during a regular vet visit. We were told
that untreated, he could have 1-3yrs left. The problem was, we had no way of
knowing how long it had already been in there. He was over 9yrs old, and the
oncologist was hesitant to do surgery on such a senior Mastiff. But, after
having Harley checked from head to toe, all of
Harley is now becoming a very distinguished, greyed old boy who celebrated his 10th birthday on September 13, 2011. He has so much love to give, that in his younger days he was a proud PALS dog here in Calgary, visiting hospitals, schools for autistic children, nursing homes, rehab centers for severely injured people. He has such giving soul that it makes him impossible to resist. Harley exhibits the temperament that I feel all Mastiffs should have. He is unbelievably patient and reliable in any situation. He’s the ideal blend of calm, watchful and goofy rolled up into one truly amazing dog. To see him in action, you can watch the PALS video @ www.palspets.com You will know who he is, he’s the most handsome one there!
~ Harley update ~
At the ripe old age of 10, Harley attended a show in British Columbia, Canada. He was never intended to be a show dog, but he LOVES people and going places so much, that we wanted to bring our boy out to strut his stuff and mingle with the crowd. He was SO happy, and had an absolute blast! He won a fancy rosette, and bed for his efforts...even though there were no other oldies entered that day - we couldn't be more proud of his win. For me, having him still be with us at this age, and him having the good health to still run around a ring is the biggest win of all. |
D.O.B. – September 13, 2001 Height – 35” Weight – 175lbs
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Harley came to us in 2002, as a young adult.
There is just no way to properly describe what this boy means to me, and what
he brings into my life on a daily basis. I feel safe in saying there will
never be another like him.
He holds my heart completely. He’s my constant
shadow, and I am his. Harley has been with me through days that I don’t think
I would have gotten through without him. Not only is he my source of support,
but he is always there for our three kids as well, never leaving their bedside
when they aren’t feeling well. We always say he catches a sympathy cold. 
but by the time we got there he was
very ill...and barely responsive. The team of professionals that met us at the
door of the clinic were nothing short of amazing. Harley’s stomach had
twisted, his heart was racing, he was slipping away. He was in surgery in less
than 15mins from walking in the front door...and he walked right back out of
that door 24 hours
later. After a few weeks of intensive pampering, he was
back to his old self...I’m pretty sure he was feeling better sooner than that,
but he does like to be pampered! 
the
veterinarians involved agreed that Harley was no typical 9 year old! He was in peak
physical condition for a dog half his age, and so, we decided it was worth it
to go ahead with the surgery. My daughter came with me to the clinic, and we
waited. They said we could sit with him while he woke up, which took him
almost 5 hours to do! Longest day of our lives, but well worth the stress.
Harley came home with us that night and has made a full recovery! 
