Antics with Harley

Temple resident’s book helps kids understand ADD

Photos by Jenna Summa

In “Harley Attention Deficit Dog: I need to. . .,” Temple resident and children’s book author Soozie Zysk touches on the sensitive topic of Attention Deficit Disorder in children through the eyes of her dog, Harley.

“I wanted children with ADD to be able to relate to the book. I wanted to make them feel comfortable,” said Soozie, a former neurosurgical nurse and Child Protective Services employee.

“Soozie has always had a way with kids, people, children,” said her husband, Ken Zysk, who is retired from a management career in the beverage business. “She can tolerate things other people cannot. She has fun with our grandkids and knows how to relate down to the child.”

“The book had to be at their level, a book a kid could relate to,” Soozie said.

“It helps having good material with him,” said Ken, speaking of Harley, the star of the story, who was napping on his favorite chair. “He lends himself to it so easily.”

Time for a new dog

When Soozie and Ken moved from Central New York to Temple seven years go adopting a new dog was not at the top of their list. Lifelong pet owners, they thought not having a pet would give them the freedom they wanted during their retirement.

After they settled into their new home Soozie decided she wanted a dog around the house again. She visited a local pet store where the Association for Pet Adoption was hosting an event to help orphaned animals find a home. Soozie noticed a little dog whose body was crusted over with dried dirt, the effect of having lived in a muddy water pit to keep cool during the hot summer months. It was love at first sight.

Before asking Ken she already paid a $50 deposit to hold the dog. She went home and announced to Ken she’d like a dog again. He agreed to go look — just look. By the time they got back to the store it was clear where Soozie’s heart was.

“He wasn’t in a crate, had no bed, nothing,” she said. “Ken said if we are going to bring him home the first thing we are doing is taking him into the store for a bath.”

Harley got his bath and an updated chip. The small dog they thought they adopted seven years ago is now a solid 65 pounds of wired hair terrier and basset hound. He is also the self-appointed mayor of his street.

Harley is laid back and easy going. He barks when a stranger approaches but once he knows it’s a friend he goes off to do his own thing in his yard — except maybe the most important thing — poop. When Soozie takes Harley out to do his business he does everything but what he is supposed to do. He is easily distracted. “I would take him out … Then he saw his buddy, Max, two doors down and decided he’d rather go play,” she said.

“Then he’d see a grasshopper, anything would catch his eye,” Ken added.

Just as Harley was ready to comply with his owner’s request, the mailman would drive up. “The mailman always gives him treats,” Ken said.

Harley’s humorous inability to focus on the task behind him inspired Soozie to write a children’s book with a special message. “I want children with ADD to be able to relate to this book,” she said. “I want to make them feel comfortable. Kids with ADD need to find out they are not the only ones who get distracted. I want this to create some sort of bond with them.”

Harley was just one year old when he was found running the streets of Temple. Someone had turned him out. The shelters were full and he had nowhere to go until someone from the APAC found him. The pup was scheduled for euthanasia if he couldn’t find a home.

Now he is the star of his own book and about to go on another journey with Soozie’s next book, “From Foster Care to Adoption.”

“It will be about Harley and the challenges he went through,” she said. “It’s not easy being in foster care before finding a forever home.”

Soozie said kids need to be able to read something they can relate to. If they see something lighthearted through the eyes of a dog, it makes sense to them.

“This is something I can pass on to my granddaughters. It keeps them entertained. I wanted stories they could read and enjoy and not have to process,” she said. “This was fun. I didn’t want to put too much into it. I wanted to make them smile. Kids in foster care will love Harley.”