Our front porch is a wonderful place to get a little quiet time, read, or just watch traffic. As I sit on the porch, on a warm fall day, I can enjoy all of the cars and trucks while making up stories about the people passing by and where they may be going in their travels. I ask myself, are they going to the overlook at Thatcher Park? Or are they on the way to Interstate 88 to begin a vacation? Perhaps they are going to visit a friend, family, or return home after a day of working or shopping.

The constant whirr of tires against the road is occasionally interrupted by a passing vehicle with a dog, head out of the window, barking continuously. Their incessant bark can often be heard from the fire department all of the way to the village park. Even people who are walking their dogs on a leash seem to be confused, or annoyed, by the intrusion in their outing with their dog.

When I was a little girl growing up in Fairhaven, Mass. I had a dog that I named Ricky. Like all pets he was a wonderful companion. When I came home from school he was there to greet me. He would run up to me, jump up and down, and run around me as he made quiet whimpering sounds. It was always so rewarding to be greeted with such excitement from someone so loyal.

Ricky was a very good companion. I could play ball with him, while we were out for his walk or we could just enjoy a pitch and fetch.

Our neighbors have dogs as pets and they are considered part of the family. I understood that feeling not only from owning my own dog but also from my training at G. Fox & Co.

When I was working there in Hartford, Conn. we were trained to give good customer service. Because it was a large department store there were times that customers would ask questions about a department that we did not work in and may not have been too familiar with the merchandise. Therefore, we had to be a little familiar with all of the departments and their merchandise.

That training became very important to me one day when I was asked to fill in for the buyer from the pet department who was out sick. Naturally, I was familiar with the usual items they had for pets such as collars, leashes, bowls, and toys. What I was not prepared for was the list of items such as real mink jackets to keep the dogs warm on a cold night; booties to keep their feet dry on a rainy day; or a real diamond studded collar for a special party. The most surprising item that I saw in their inventory was a chastity belt. Couldn’t they just keep their dog away from other dogs?

Dog history

Dogs were probably the first domesticated animal and have been kept for working, hunting, and pet companions. Dogs were valuable to early humans when we were hunter-gatherers. Dogs still perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship, and, more recently, aiding handicapped individuals. This impact on human society has given them the nickname of man's best friend.  

Dogs which are descendants from wolves derived significant benefits from living in human camps. They had greater safety from other animals, and a more reliable food supply. Camp dogs would also have benefitted from human tool use, as in bringing down larger prey and controlling fire.

Humans also have derived other benefits from the dogs associated with their camps. For instance, dogs would have improved sanitation by cleaning up food scraps. Dogs may have provided warmth, and they would have alerted the camp to the presence of predators or strangers, using their acute hearing to provide an early warning.

Service dogs

Service dogs or working dogs provide many more services to us today. They are used as guide dogs, utility dogs, assistance dogs, hearing dogs, and psychological therapy dogs. They also provide assistance to individuals with physical or mental disabilities. Some dogs owned by epileptics have been shown to alert their handler when the handler shows signs of an impending seizure; sometimes well in advance of onset, allowing the guardian to seek safety, medication, or medical care. Dogs of several breeds are considered working dogs.

If you are in the presence of someone who has a dog and you have never met or become acquainted with the dog you should talk to the owner to find out how the dog will react to you. Some dogs are very friendly while others may be over protective of their owner. Many service dogs are very docile while others react when they feel their owner is in danger.

There are many different breeds of dogs and their owners love to talk about them, and many present them at shows in hopes of winning a trophy.

Show dogs are very highly trained and can command a great audience of aficionados who just enjoy the show. Others love the preparation or grooming to get ready for the show. And of course, there are the veterinarians who protect the dogs to keep them in good health.

Ownership

Dog ownership is a great deal of fun for the owners and it should also be a great deal of fun for the dog. Don’t forget that there is a lot of responsibility required of you if you have a pet.

If you do not have a dog or a cat you may want to see about adopting one. Adoption will usually give a good home to a homeless animal, and they usually come with all of their shots so it can be a win-win deal for you both.

Winter is coming so be sure to keep all of your pets warm.

OES party

All members of the ARS District are invited to the annual Order of the Eastern Star Christmas Party to be held on Wednesday, Dec. 10. The event will take place at the Turf Tavern Inn, 40 Mohawk Avenue in Scotia. The menu choices are: prime rib of beef, veal Marsala or grilled chicken with shrimp scampi. All dinners include soup, house salad, choice of potato and vegetable with strawberry shortcake for dessert, and coffee or tea. Tickets are $30 per person.

Members interested in attending should make their reservation with Dean or Doris Calamaris with remittance no later than Dec. 3. Their phone number) 477-4694 or you can make your reservation on line at djcalamaras@aol.com.

Holiday toy drive

The Guilderland teaching assistances are currently holding their annual toy drive until Dec. 12.  Unwrapped toys will be delivered to local families.

Food pantry

The Altamont Community Food Pantry located in the St.Lucy/St. Bernadette parish center is open on Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.m.  The pantry is always in need of coffee and tea, and with Thanksgiving coming there will be needs for stuffing and gravy.

All donations can be left in the Gathering Space of the church, and are always appreciated.

Thanksgiving prayer

The Altamont community is invited to gather together for Thanksgiving prayers on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 6:30 p.m.  It will be held in the parish center of St. Lucy/St. Bernadette's Church on Grand St. in Altamont.      

Anniversary

Happy-anniversary wishes are extended to Linda and Jim Thomas celebrating their special day on Nov. 26.

Birthdays

Happy-birthday wishes are extended to:

— Russ Twadell on Nov. 21;

— Genevieve McIntyre on Nov. 22;

— Kathy Adams, Jillian Shin Aichoo, Winnie Klenotis, and Jean Schuhle on Nov. 23;

— Deborah Flynn, Mark Jones, Austin Rosen, and Norm Trendell on Nov. 24;

— Don Albright, and Tim Hodge on Nov. 25;

— Colin Brunk, Paula Ginder, James LeClair, Mary Trendell, and Victoria Jordan on Nov. 26; and

— Kara Brunk, Barbara Kowalski, Heath Linendoll, Mike Keogh, and Billy Pentak on Nov. 27.

Happy Thanksgiving wishes are extended to all.