At times Harley's foster family thinks he might be a perpetual motion toy or a relative of the Energizer bunny.  But Harley is really just a typical, energetic one and a half year old smooth tri-color male Collie.   He came to MWCR from a shelter in North Dakota, and it's pretty easy to see that Harley's previous owners spent little time with him and less time in teaching him commands.  The noise and confusion of the shelter were hard on Harley, and he has not been crated in his foster home because of his experiences at the shelter.  Since he left the shelter, though, he expends his energy in playing with his foster brother and sisters, hunting gophers in the nearby hayfield, and chasing squirrels.   Indoors, Harley loves learning commands and keeping company with his new human foster family.  He is a very good boy in the house--no accidents, counter surfing, or climbing on the furniture.  He is easily occupied with chew toys.

Harley came to his foster home completely untrained, but in just his first week he learned to sit, come, and stay, which he does well while he's on a leash.  He still needs to master commands off leash and would benefit from obedience training, or from agility or herding training, too.  Harley is very smart, and having had little affection and attention in his past, he is eager to please his foster carers.  Until he learns commands off leash, Harley needs a fenced yard or to be outside only on leash.  Harley is a fast runner, and he likes to chase anything that moves.  Indoors, though, he is good with other dogs and with the cats.  He rides well in the car and just goes to sleep for most of a longer drive.

Harley would do well in a home with other dogs and with cats, but he could also do well as an only dog, with plenty of exercise and toys to play with.  He has had some food aggression with his alpha female foster sister, so he may need to be fed separately if he goes to a home with other dogs.  With training, affection, attention, and the right home, Harley will become a typical well-behaved, faithful Collie companion.

Harley is being fostered around Fergus Falls, MN.