By Lili Marlene Elissalde
To leash or not to leash? That is a simple question, but the answer is not so simple. My name is Lili Marlene Elissalde. I am a lovely Labradoodle. I don’t mean to be conceited, but everyone stops to tell me I am. My female pack leader says that I should be pretty on the inside as well, whatever that means. I can’t see my inside, and she can’t either.

Now to the leash issue. I am on one most of the time. I am always on a leash when we walk on the beach. Oh, how I long to run free, but it is not to be for now. Many times pack leaders let their dogs off leash. Some pack leaders watch their pets, but I must tell you that some do not. Once in a while if the leader is not watching, a big dog will come barreling up toward me. I become very defensive because I am on a leash.

My female or male pack leader will holler at the unobservant person. Many answer, “Oh, my dog wouldn’t hurt anyone.” It frightens my owners and me when an aggressive non-smiling dog runs toward me with bared teeth. Now, if he/she is a friendly canine, we will run in circles, and my leash will wrap up all the humans standing near. My male pack leader gets very upset with people who don’t control their four- legged friends.

I am the pretty, leashed Labradoodle walking along the sands of Crystal Beach

I see humans walking along the beach with little doggies gamboling and cavorting around their toes. When two-legged folk walk and talk, they seem to forget their shorter buddies. Here those pups come yipping at me. I go after them. (For some reason little white dogs really set my teeth on edge.) Both of my leaders rag on me for this. I am pretty strong, so I can yank my leash out of a hand. Owners of little dogs often holler at me. Hey, I didn’t start this!

How I do envy those Labs who run and play in the Gulf of Mexico. I tried, but ended up drinking the water. It seems to cause my stomach to do strange things. Now my pack leaders won’t let me run in the surf because they worry about my health – and our cottage floor. You must realize that they are sort of old. Each is 73 years old. (That would be 511 in dog years. WOOF!)

I am 5 years old, (35 in dog years) and getting more mature. My suggestion is that when lots and lots of two legged folk are on the beach with pets, dogs should be on leashes or watched very, very closely. We can be unleashed to run free, when we go out with our leaders, look east and west, and see hardly anybody on our beach.
My dream is to nurture the Lab in me and one day dash madly into that water. I know that I am old enough to know enough to not drink it. Until then, I am the pretty, leashed Labradoodle walking along the sands of Crystal Beach with pack leaders who love me and want to keep me safe.