This park seems mostly geared towards small dogs to run around in even though they do have a separate designated area for small dogs. It’s just not big enough even for Autumn to run at full speed. It’s an odd somewhat L-shaped plot of land with virtually no shade for the dogs. There is a small pavilion and a small bench for the humans.

I managed to strike up a conversation with the other family that arrived shortly after we did, they live nearby and don’t even visit the park. I think it’s fantastic that Newtown has the dog park, but unfortunately I don’t think Autumn and I will go back. It’s too small, and I don’t feel safe letting her run where I can’t see her, especially knowing that she can easily get out of the fence.

The most redeeming quality of this park is that it has a nice water spigot. They also have poop bag stations, but from what I could tell, they don’t get replenished or cleaned often enough. Overall, if you’re looking for a dog park for a quick half hour run, Newtown isn’t bad, just be sure to keep your eyes on the dog. Otherwise, make a trip to Dunwoody and check out Brook Run, it’s worth the drive.

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My boyfriend and I decided to we really wanted to check out Brook Run since it’s super close to his house and it was absolutely the best part of our weekend. The park itself is super easy to find, the dog park is hidden way in the back, beyond the skate park. We felt like we kept driving and driving and driving, and when we finally decided we must have passed it, there it was! Settled off to the right in the woods, very easy to miss. Best advice I can give you, just keep driving until you see a whole bunch of dogs. If you feel like you’ve been driving for miles and miles, you’re probably almost there. You can find driving directions on the site.

Once we got there and parked (limited parking available on a sunny day it seems) we let Autumn off the leash and she went nuts! Half of the fun for us was trying to find her in the park, which is gigantic. The entire park is about three heavily wooded acres (might want to bring bug spray in the warmer months) with seating for humans scattered throughout. I noticed two entrances when we walked around the perimeter of the park, which is roughly a half mile walk. It’s actually a very pleasant walk with paved paths throughout, it makes it easy to safely walk through the woods. However, if you step off the path, be prepared to trip over logs, sticks, and stumps.

The only major drawback to the park is that it doesn’t have a water spigot. If you go to the park, you must bring your own water. Bring enough for a couple dogs to share and leave it there, you know, pay it forward as they say! There is a water spigot for cleaning off paws, but please be sure to use the water sparingly.

Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about this park. The other dog parents were very smart and kept a close eye on their dogs. I didn’t spot one person on a cell phone or with their nose in a book.

You can find out more information about this fabulous park on their website Just a Walk in the Park.

Almost all of the other dog owners there on Saturday morning were very attentive and were very good about policing their dogs. There was one boxer who was playing too rough and his owner took him out immediately. If you take your dog here, you need to be completely focused on him/her the entire time. I’ve heard about fights breaking out when owners aren’t paying close enough attention, but luckily I’ve never witnessed one.

Piedmont Dog Park is located under the Park Drive Bridge. It’s super easy to get to and if you can parallel park, try heading down Park Drive. It’s the shortest distance to walk, but parking is horrible. The park is one of the smaller dog parks I’ve seen and tends to get a bit crowded by afternoon time. The ground is completely covered in mulch, but the dogs didn’t seem to mind. The mulch tends to hold on to rainfall (it hadn’t rained in a couple days when we were there and the ground was still moist), which can lead to some pretty dirty paws. In the center of the large dog pen there’s a water spigot for the dogs. Sometimes other dog owners leave the water on and it creates a significant mud puddle. Be sure to have a towel handy if you’re letting your dog into your car with leather seats!

The park survives solely on donations. It’s really important that we dog owners do our best to keep it alive. There are several ways we can do this:

• Clean up your dog’s messes. Not only does it help to stop germ and disease spreading among our pups, but it also makes it safer for us to walk.
• If your dog becomes aggressive, remove it! Or if someone else’s dog is aggressive and they aren’t relocating to a different section of the park, you and your dog should move to avoid any problems. Remember, owners are responsible for the actions of their dogs!
• Donate! Autumn and I really enjoy our time at this park and I’m sure you will too if you take the time to go!

Read more on the Piedmont Park website

Donate to the park