Dogs, not diamonds, a girl’s best friend
By Carolyn Cheney
Board of Directors
Are diamonds a girl’s best friend? I love diamonds, but I think a dog is often a girl’s best friend. Thinking about this, I notice more women than men walk their dogs. I live near the bike path so observe this — women walking dogs often. From a scientific research method, I don’t think my observation would hold up as a valid method, but in my opinion women seem to have the lead in the dog-walking exercise.
As I often do when I walk my Henry, we ladies chat with our four-legged friends. They are great company as they don’t talk back and they don’t put demands on us, and we are both getting our exercise. Of course people driving by us look at us a little strangely but that’s okay. We are having fun.
I have noticed when I am home alone, Henry is ever so vigilant about every strange noise he hears, and he lets me know when he thinks someone is at the door. When my husband is home he doesn’t seem to pay that much attention to the goings on outside. I guess he feels he is off duty.
When I walk with Henry, and when I walked with all my beloved dogs that are now deceased — Deros, Noble and Sheba — I always felt safer than when I walked alone. Sheba was particularly protective; one time a huge German shepherd came after us. I was petrified, but Sheba got between us and would not back down. Finally the shepherd’s owner came to retrieve him and apologize. I didn’t walk on that street again.
When I was a working lady, it was so nice to come home to a welcoming pet. It always amazed me how excited a dog could get when you walked in the house. Probably they knew their supper would be served soon. As a girl’s best friend, my dogs have always followed me around in the house and seemed to want to be with me. Henry, in particular, sticks close to me. I have learned to shut the bathroom door securely as he seems to have a particular fascination with whatever goes on in the bathroom. When we have guests, I am sure to warn them about the bathroom door.
I feel dogs know what you are thinking or are feeling. Many years ago when I went into labor, Deros — our first dog that we found as a stray at Fort Dix, N.J. — sat beside me for a very long time before I went to the hospital. He knew something was going on. He was a wonderful pet that we had for 17 years.
Over the years we have always had pets with the exception of two years after we lost Sheba to cancer. During that time we missed having a pet so we got Henry. He is a wonderful friend, and his favorite spot seems to be sitting beside me in my recliner. It is a pretty tight fit but we manage.
Please visit us at the Central Aroostook Humane Society on Cross Street in Presque Isle. We don’t have diamonds to give you, but we have some beautiful cats and dogs who would like to be your best friend.
