Harley's Story - a Pit bull moves to China

Lots of people warned me about bringing a dog to China.  I had heard all of the jokes about his being invited to dinner, and I'd been warned of the general fear of big dogs.  But I still wasn't prepared for it. 

Harley is my 9 year old pitty.  Lumps, as I call him, is about as viscious as the sofa that bears his butt print.  He thinks he's a person and expects to be treated as such.  I think he thinks he is European.  He greets everyone with a kiss on the mouth and a groping.

Last day in his yard in MI

Last Friday, I got on a plane to China.  Harley stayed behind with Uncle Brian until his flight the following Tuesday.  I was a basket case.  Not because of Brian - he's amazing - but because of the flight.  Harley has more frequent flyer miles than most people, but they were short trips - NY to MI.  This was 14 hours, then quarantine!

On Wednesday night, I got the call that he had arrived in Shanghai safely (accomplishments 1-100 -- a FANTASTIC day!) and was in quarantine.  Quarantine here is strange; it is dictated by the city in which the dog arrives.  Shanghai's quarantine is 1 week; Beijing's is a month.  However, Shanghai's can be reduced to 1 day if the dog's owner is already in the country and about $500 in cash is exchanged.

The company forked over the cash, and my baby was delivered safely on Thursday night.  He was, to put it kindly, bijiggity.  He was in a crate for the better part of 3 days.  He was tired, scared, and confused.  He jumped out of the crate, slobbered on me, knocked me over, and raced to a bush. 

The men who delivered him were terrified as he ran past them.  The security guard rode off about 100 yards on his bike.

I understood right then that I was doomed to be the crazy American.

In the few days since, I've had women scoop up their toddlers as Harley and I walk by, and one man even got out of the elevator when he saw we were going to join him.  People stop, stare, and point. 

But then there are those who are fascinated by him, and by me, the crazy person on the other end of the leash.  I'm determined to show them how lovable and friendly and happy Harley is.  I want them to see he doesn't need to be feared because of his size or breed.

I brought him to the gatehouse on Friday to meet Mr Zheng, our driver.  If he is not comfortable with Harley, he may have to be replaced.  What ensued was bordering on Oscar-worthy, as cultures merged and everyone learned a little something.  Harley and I walked out of the gate where Mr Zheng and the security guard were talking.  I said "ta jiao Harley" - he is called Harley.  They both repeated Hah-lee.  Progress.  I then told Harley to sit.  They made sounds that I took to mean "impressive, she can make the beast sit on command".  Harley stood up again to sniff these new people, and Mr Zheng said, "Hah-lee sit".  And Harley sat.  Laughter ensued - they too had control over the beast.  Both men then started to pet him tentatively.  He did not move, except to give them better access to his chin.  They then crouched down to pet him better and to examine him closer.

That's when Harley assumed they were ready to be kissed.  The security guard was first.  Harley lunged  forward to kiss him, and the man jumped 12 feet in the air.  Mr Zheng, watching this, jumped back 5 feet to the safety of the car. 

I sat there and laughed.  Once they saw that I was laughing, they laughed.  And when they saw Harley lean in to kiss me instead, they understood he was not looking for a Chinese lunch.

Harley's first night in his new Chinese home

Baby steps...little cultural baby steps to bridge the gap.  The security guard smiles and waves at us now when we go for a walk, and he tells others about Harley when we walk by.  And my neighbor, well, he allowed Harley and I to join him in the elevator this morning.  And when Harley sat, he smiled at me and said something that I took to mean, "hmmm, big dog is not so bad after all".