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A smiling silver-haired woman crouches by a pond pouring seed toward mallard ducks as a gold and white Shih Tzu watches. 29 / 38

The Mallards Swam Right Up for Their Seeds. Teddy Was Not Sure About Any of This.

AI imageshih tzuduck pondgarden

The little garden pond is busy this afternoon, with several mallards paddling across the green-tinged water and one bold duck heading straight for the edge. Dottie crouches at the water's rim in her cream cardigan and olive pants, tipping a small paper cup so a stream of seeds pours out into the shallows, ripples circling where they land. She is grinning with delight. Teddy sits nearby on the mossy stones, collar on, staring out at the ducks with a serious, wide-eyed look, as though he has never seen such strange, noisy creatures. Pots of red geraniums and leafy plants line the path to the house behind them.

Feeding ducks can be a fun outing, but the healthiest choices for the birds are cracked corn, oats, birdseed, or chopped greens rather than bread, which offers little nutrition and can foul the water. Small amounts are best, and some parks discourage feeding altogether. Bringing a dog along means keeping the leash handy, since a sudden lunge can frighten wildlife and even small dogs can get carried away. Pond water can carry bacteria, parasites, and harmful algae, especially in warm weather, so it is best not to let a dog drink from it or wade in water that looks green or scummy. A bowl of fresh water from home is a much safer option.

The ducks are getting a feast, Dottie is having a ball, and Teddy is trying to figure out what all the quacking is about. It is a sweet little standoff.

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