Founded and Owned by Mike and Emmy Perry, Mc Connery. Family operated since 1973.

I have met many people and many dogs over the years and I have to say I have never met a dog I didn't like.

In the city I grew up in the different social levels were very obvious. People with money lived in the south end, upper middle class lived in the north end, middle class in the west end, lower class in the east end and us, the working poor, in the center of the city.

They called our locale "The Patch."

It held a collage of ethnic background.

The winters were cold, the summers hot. When school was out the only travelling we could hope for was when we went hiking along the river that ran through the town.

Fortunately there were many characters in the Patch. Colourful people that made life an enjoyable experience by their presence. I remember even though they had little in possessions they knew how to give and they knew how to laugh. They offered stories of their past and hope for our future.

There was in their will the strength that built a nation and on Sunday they prayed and served the God of their fore fathers without fear or shame. It was a time of little confusion or doubt. Right was right, wrong was wrong and there was a barometer called common sense that every one seemed to have.

Teachers were repected but they knew their place and the place of the family as well. So did the government know that it served the people. It did not enter the homes nor the minds of the family unit.

It was a simpler time. It wasn't all good but the bad was takene in stride. It was expected in life.

A character of my youth was Paddy O'Helleran. He was a big burly Irish man who loved three things in life more than any other. One was Irish Whiskey, the other was a good fight and the third was his dog named "Molly."

Molly was an Irish Terrier, a breed that resembles the Airedale Terrier. She was a sharp little dog that loved to rat and where we lived she got opportunity to do just that. It was just coming Easter when this story takes place and I actually witnessed it happen so I know it to be true.

Us young boys loved to tease Big Padric when he had been drinking. We had to be careful though and make sure Molly was not around or she would put a quick end to our games and a tear in our pants as well. Molly did not tolerate children, in fact, she took very little coaxing to sink her sharp K-9 teeth into their soft white flesh.

Friday evenings as Paddy headed home, he was always full of steam and shared his Irish baritone voice with the entire neighbourhood as he would strut down the street. The only break in his song came if he spotted one of the neighbours on their door step and he would bid them "good evening." He then would immediately resume his singing. In his right hand he held a large cigar.

One day my two friends and I decided to grab the cigar while on the run. We knew one swat from his big hands and our game would be short lived. We were, however, so drawn to the game that fear only added to the excitement. As Paddy turned the corner and headed down his home stretch, we made our move. Two from the left and from behind, one from the right and the front. I was the frontal attacker. I ran like the wind just as my buddies brushed into Paddy from behind, causing him to curse them. I ran past and grabbed that cigar.

What a feeling I had with it in my hand. I had made it! I had done it! I laughed out loud and stopped, when halfway down the block I came face to face with the cursing Irishman now standing in the middle of the street. "Come on" I yelled for him. Then, and only then, I saw Molly. She must have heard her masters shouts and now waw coming to his assistnce.

My whole life seemed lost at that moment. I decided to take to the yard and run for my life. Just as I turned I heard my one friend yell as Molly grabbbed onto his shin. "Not that one" yelled old Paddy, "get that little whelp there" he said as he motioned his entire body my way.

As if he had cast Molly out on an invisible line, Molly came right for me. My heart pounded in my ears and I ran for the house yards hoping to reach a fence to put between us. Unluckily my foot caught on a front step and I tripped, falling onto the sidewalk face first. Molly was there almost as I hit the ground. I could feel her breath on my face, then her feet went over my back and up the very steps I tripped on. Just as fast Paddy was on me and picked me up by my jacked collar. He stood me on my feet. He stopped Molly by speaking her voice very softly. I looked up in disbelief. There in the corner of the porch was Molly sitting on the lap and licking the face of a young girl who unseen by us, had been sitting there all the time. We had often seen this girl in the window of the house all spring and we would make faces at her as we walked by. No one knew her. Her family had moved there after the New Year and they talked to no one. Now this crazy litle terrier that loved nothing more than biting kids, was licking her face in playful joy.

Paddy called his dog. She didn't come but the girl seemed to float across the porch toward us. Then we could see she was in a wheel chair.

The little dog passed me up to comfort this unknown, probably lonely, child. In the middle of the fight the dog passed meby. I saw it and that dog played with that little girl every chance she had and would growl at us when we walked by.

What was it that caused this? I believe now, it was need. Genuine deep need. Need goes far deeper then men know and dogs sense need. Molly was truly a playful pup around this girl.

This magic is real. I have witnessed it many times, and always I am amazed when I see it.

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