Foster Update:  Harley is a very tiny and sweet boy.  He needs a quiet, adult only home. He would much prefer to be the only dog and not have to share the attention with another dog.  He is a great companion and enjoys going on walks around the neighborhood.

Harley came to us from a family that could no longer keep him since the family was moving out of state and the grown kids were off to college and also could not take him with them.  They had this to say about Harley: 

"Harley is a LOVER! Once he takes to a person he will guard them to the end :)  He loves to sleep in bed and lie  in your lap. An absolute cuddler and adorablle dog. He does bark "yip" at people when they come in the home, but will stop generally as soon as he is told "Thank you" He knows how to "sit", "lie down" and "stay" both with verbal and hand commands and is  pretty ok at doing those :) He loves to put his head down and push against you to cuddle, and gets along very well with the 3 cats we have in the home now. In the dog park he is actually very social and LOVES LOVES LOVES to get in the lake, (on that note.... he loves water and adores to get a bath.) However in the dog park he can start to "gesture" and show his manlyness if another dog starts sniffing our female dog (who is and has been fixed for a long time as well).  He will sit at the front door and let you know if anyone is walking by.... especially another dog hahaha!  He is definetly a cuddler, he demands attention and affection from people. He is not aggressive in any way except when he feels that is owner is being threatened or attacked. He does have a bit of a scratching issue unfortunately,(NOTE: the rescue foster has changed his food and no problems with that now.). He loves water, he loves to swim, he loves the sea, he loves boats, and he loves bathes. He does well  with other animals including cats, he is housetrained to an extent and listens to commands. He loves to play fetch with a ball, especially rubber bouncy balls. Tug of war is another favorite of his, that is, as long as the toy squeaks. A treat that you might think is odd that he enjoys are ice cubes, he also like to eat just about any fruit or vegetable. Another treat he enjoys thuroughly is bread, if he hears a plastic bag opening, he will come running or bounicing up to you to get a piece. Oh, on that note, you should know that he likes to jump up allot when he is excited, its actually quite comical. He enjoys sleeping in someone's bed rather than to sleep on the floor, in fact, he will cry to sleep in someone's bed when it is night time, any other time he is fine sleeping in his own bed. "

According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the Papillon is one of the oldest breeds of dog, with a recorded history in Europe going back nearly 700 years. The breed was originally called the epagneul nain or dwarf spaniel, and sported spaniel-type dropped ears. The dog was later known as the Continental Toy Spaniel (or sometimes just toy spaniel), and this tiny breed is recognizable in 13th through 15th century Italian frescoes. It was featured in many paintings of the Renaissance period; in fact much of the breed's development is known because of its depiction in paintings. The breed was widespread in Italy during the Renaissance and later perfected by French breeders. The Papillon is sometimes called the butterfly dog - because the ears look like butterfly wings. It is a friendly, intelligent dog that is tougher than it looks, and loves outdoor exercise. A gentle and affectionate dog, lively, vivacious and charming. Playful and amusing but can also be calm, patient, gentle and dignified. Steady and silent. Loves to be cuddled but also likes to romp outdoors. They are steady, obedient and are not yappers. Papillons can be trained to perform small tricks. Good with cats when they are socialized with them. They can also be difficult to housebreak, but are in general easy to train otherwise. If you allow this dog to become pack leader to humans, it may become very possessive of its owner and resent outsiders. When a dog believes he is pack leader to humans, it is called Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors, where the dog is allowed to believe he owns the house. This can cause a varying degree of behavior problems such as, but not limited to, being, nervous, high-strung, timid, separation anxiety, guarding, growling, snapping, biting, obsessive barking, dog aggression and being untrustworthy with children. These are not Papillon traits, but rather behaviors brought on by the way humans are treating the dog. Since most people who own small dogs, because of their size, unknowingly allow them to run the show, they are not generally recommended for young children. However, if you are your dog's firm, consistent pack leader, providing rules he must follow and limits to what he is and is not allowed to do, along with daily pack walks, the Papillon can be very trustworthy with children. Although they can be good city dogs, they are sometimes not good apartment dogs, because the dog has a strong instinct to protect their property, and many will bark excessively at nearby noises, not making the distinction between casual noises and those worthy of a real alarm. Papillon need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard. Daily combing and brushing of the long, silky, single coat is important and fairly straightforward. These dogs are usually clean and odorless. Bathe or dry shampoo when necessary. Keep the nails clipped and have the teeth cleaned regularly because they tend to accumulate tartar. They are average shedders and do not matt or tangle. Papillons have a life expectancy of as long as 16 years.