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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MAY 2021 39 Writers' Club A Close Call It was 1948; my sister, Gloria, and I were 11 months apart in age. My birthday is in April and my sister's was in May. So on that Saturday, May 1, 1948, we were the same age… five. Mom was especially busy with our baby sister, so daddy decided to take us to the local park as he often did for a fun time in order to give mom a rest from two rambunctious girls. On that memorable May day the lake in the park looked especially beautiful because there were so many ducks swimming around with their babies following right behind. "Higher daddy" we squealed as he pushed us on the swings. I spotted the ducks on the lake as I was flying high up and squealing with glee. Then my dad rested on the grass tired from pushing us, and as our swings slowed to a stop I asked him if we could run over to the lake to see the cute baby ducks. He said okay, but cautioned us not to stay too long. There was a small crowd of parents and children standing by the edge above the lake. I imagine now that the shallow part of the lake was about five feet deep. Some children were throwing food to the ducks, so that they would come closer to the edge. I wanted to get a better look at the ducks so I made my way between and around the crowd, but I stepped too close and SPLASH! I fell in! All I remember as I think back on that day were the bubbles below the surface, the clear blue water, and the ducks' feet coming toward me. So as the water buoyed me to the surface once, twice, I was struggling, all the time watching the ducks coming toward me. The third time I came to the surface, a hand grabbed me and pulled me up and out. Whew! My dad, in the meantime, came looking for Gloria and me and wondered what all the commotion was about. My sister was standing nearby and she told my dad, "Norma fell in." Thanking the man who saved me, he quickly bundled me up and took us home. My mom? Well, I guess he had a lot of explaining to do. ~ Norma Ferrales We meet the second Tuesday of the month. Contact andreazehner20@gmail.com for further details. ~ Andrea Zehner Seems trivial, but a leash is one of the most important tools you will use with your dogs during their lifetime. Buying a leash should be an easy task when you walk into your favorite pet supply store. However, you may be overwhelmed with the variety of choices you have. There is the standard flat leash with a clasp at the end. They clip onto your dog's collar and come in many materials and lengths and should be staple item in your dog's ensemble. Bungee/ stretchable leashes constantly bounce back and forth and teach the dog nothing and totally negate your ability to manage your dog. Gentle leader leashes while resembling more of a collar than a lead, promotes itself as a lead. The head collar, also known as the gentle leader or haltis, loops around the dog's muzzle. It's kind of like a horse harness. Retractable leashes are very ineffective in a controlled environment. We can't recommend strongly enough that responsible dog owners should not use retractable leashes. Their functionality does not assure a quick, response. The resulting lack of control can lead to an extremely dangerous situation. Retractable leashes can extend up to 30 feet in length, a distance between human and dog, without any capability of pulling the dog closer to avoid dangerous situations such as the dog running into the road, attacking or being attacked by another dog. It is important to remember dogs are animals, and thus unpredictable. It's much easier to control and protect the dog on a standard leash which are usually less than 6 feet in length. You also run the risk of allowing your dog to approach another dog that isn't too friendly, something we see a bit too often with retractable leashes. Another thing, the small thin rope attached to the dog's collar often tangles around dog legs and heads as well as owner's fingers and legs and may cause an even more dangerous incident. There are many reports of rope burns and actual amputations as a result of these types of entanglements. Allowing your dog to have too much freedom will influence them into thinking that they are in control of your walks and doesn't set clear boundaries for your them. For the safety of both dogs and their owners, we do not recommend the use of the retractable leash because, plain and simple, they are dangerous. ~ Vivian Walker, vivr@sbcglobal.net Tails & Trails - All Pets

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