Sunday
Nov042007
Piedmont Dog Park - Look For "MOCHA C"
Sunday, November 4, 2007 at 11:27AM
I spend a lot of time with Mocha-the-Dog at the off-leash
Dog Park at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. It is a wonderful place to be, for dogs and for people, because there is always someone to run & play with (for the dogs) or talk to (for the people). The Piedmont Dog Park is clean, safe, comfortable (benches for the people; big rocks & lots of room to run for the dogs), and well-maintained.
Although Mocha is a very well-adjusted hi-rise condo dog, and loves her three- or four-times daily walks on the leash around the neighborhood, we don't have a yard for her to just run around safely. Fortunately, it seems Mocha doesn't mind too much. She is a large mixed-breed/mutt of a dog, so far from any particular breed that our veterinarian says she's a breed all her own at this point! Somewhere in all of that gorgeous mish-mash of Black Lab/Retriever/Chow/whatever, there must be a little bit of a very large, lazy mountain dog: She's got jowls (loose, overhanging upper lips/cheeks), tends to drool a bit and, let's just say, she's not very active. Still, she needs to get out and just run, every once in a while. She's a dog, and that's what dogs do. (I keep telling her this.)
Since I work from home, and my work is very portable (I just need a notebook & a pen), I take Mocha to the Dog Park two or three times a week. She can run and play, I can sit and get some writing done (when I'm not socializing), it's very pleasant. Piedmont Park is only a mile from our condo, and we pass by twice a day, on the way to and from the middle school. When the weather is warm, we go in the morning, on our way back from middle school drop-off. Now that it is getting colder, we go in the afternoon, on our way to pick everybody up.
Whether we go in the morning or in the afternoon, whether it is hot or cold, Mocha has about 10 minutes of running in her, and then she flops down next to me and chews on a stick, watching the other dogs and occasionally heaving it up to go and check out the action, but mostly content to observe. She's a funny dog. She loves the Dog Park, and usually has one or two doggie friends she knows when we are there -- Brownie, Mr. Beans, Max, Biscuit, Sophie. (I thought my Play Group/Play Date years were over with the kids all in school now, and I find myself hooking up for Doggie Play Dates with Mocha's friends...it never ends, does it?)
I support Piedmont Park in Atlanta, and am a member of the Piedmont Park Conservancy, so I get news and notices on events & happenings. In the most recent newsletter, there was a note about the Dog Park:
We need your help and so does he! [picture of an adorable puppy]
In 2004, the Conservancy worked with dog owners to install Atlanta's first off-leash dog park. When approved by the city, it was under the condition that the area be 100% funded by the community. As we approach the end of the year, we are short $12,000 to fund maintenance, doggie bags, landscaping, and security.
Won't you help keep the area open, clean and well-maintained? A donation in any amount will help. Give a gift of $50 and above and we will display a bone with your dog's name in the off-leash area. Your gift will help us keep the Dog Park open for you and your four-legged children to enjoy. Make a donation today!
Already have a bone? For a renewal donation of $30, we will add a pawprint symbol to your existing bone so everyone will know you support the Dog Park.
I'm a little short on the $12,000 to help out, but if you ever have a chance to visit the Dog Park at Piedmont Park, look for MOCHA C's colorful wooden bone on the fence, amidst the $50 supporters. It will be up in about 4 - 6 weeks. If you are one of our Dog Park friends, please be sure to support our community meeting-place and consider buying a bone for your doggie-baby: Give your dog a bone!
Although Mocha is a very well-adjusted hi-rise condo dog, and loves her three- or four-times daily walks on the leash around the neighborhood, we don't have a yard for her to just run around safely. Fortunately, it seems Mocha doesn't mind too much. She is a large mixed-breed/mutt of a dog, so far from any particular breed that our veterinarian says she's a breed all her own at this point! Somewhere in all of that gorgeous mish-mash of Black Lab/Retriever/Chow/whatever, there must be a little bit of a very large, lazy mountain dog: She's got jowls (loose, overhanging upper lips/cheeks), tends to drool a bit and, let's just say, she's not very active. Still, she needs to get out and just run, every once in a while. She's a dog, and that's what dogs do. (I keep telling her this.)
Since I work from home, and my work is very portable (I just need a notebook & a pen), I take Mocha to the Dog Park two or three times a week. She can run and play, I can sit and get some writing done (when I'm not socializing), it's very pleasant. Piedmont Park is only a mile from our condo, and we pass by twice a day, on the way to and from the middle school. When the weather is warm, we go in the morning, on our way back from middle school drop-off. Now that it is getting colder, we go in the afternoon, on our way to pick everybody up.
Whether we go in the morning or in the afternoon, whether it is hot or cold, Mocha has about 10 minutes of running in her, and then she flops down next to me and chews on a stick, watching the other dogs and occasionally heaving it up to go and check out the action, but mostly content to observe. She's a funny dog. She loves the Dog Park, and usually has one or two doggie friends she knows when we are there -- Brownie, Mr. Beans, Max, Biscuit, Sophie. (I thought my Play Group/Play Date years were over with the kids all in school now, and I find myself hooking up for Doggie Play Dates with Mocha's friends...it never ends, does it?)
I support Piedmont Park in Atlanta, and am a member of the Piedmont Park Conservancy, so I get news and notices on events & happenings. In the most recent newsletter, there was a note about the Dog Park:
We need your help and so does he! [picture of an adorable puppy]
In 2004, the Conservancy worked with dog owners to install Atlanta's first off-leash dog park. When approved by the city, it was under the condition that the area be 100% funded by the community. As we approach the end of the year, we are short $12,000 to fund maintenance, doggie bags, landscaping, and security.
Won't you help keep the area open, clean and well-maintained? A donation in any amount will help. Give a gift of $50 and above and we will display a bone with your dog's name in the off-leash area. Your gift will help us keep the Dog Park open for you and your four-legged children to enjoy. Make a donation today!
Already have a bone? For a renewal donation of $30, we will add a pawprint symbol to your existing bone so everyone will know you support the Dog Park.
I'm a little short on the $12,000 to help out, but if you ever have a chance to visit the Dog Park at Piedmont Park, look for MOCHA C's colorful wooden bone on the fence, amidst the $50 supporters. It will be up in about 4 - 6 weeks. If you are one of our Dog Park friends, please be sure to support our community meeting-place and consider buying a bone for your doggie-baby: Give your dog a bone!
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