In early 2007 I was attending a dog obedience class with Rudy, the brown/black
fellow in the picture to the right (the all black dog is Gus) at The Pet Stop
on Claremont Avenue in Ashland. The instructor, Dawn Burkett, and another classmate
were lamenting the fact that Ashland had no dog park, and wouldn't it be nice if there
were one? At that time, the idea didn't quite sink in that it was something I might be
able to change, but the concept of a dog park was planted.
Then, towards the end of summer that year, Laura Bailey was babysitting Rudy and Gus for me
while I went out of town. Somehow, the topic came up again, and Laura came right out
and said that I ought to start a dog park. I remembered the conversation at the Pet Stop class and
it sank in that it was doable and I began reading up on the topic and visited a privately owned dog
park near Columbus and a public dog park over in Wooster. Dawn especially gave me a lot of good
advice about a workable layout for the park and my vet, Dr. Gingrich, and Laura Bailey also contributed
lots of very helpful advice. Many thanks to them and many others in the Ashland County Dog Community
who helped this come about.
Snail Mail:
Tod Mills
Peppy Paws Pooch Park, LLC
1046 CR 1175
Ashland, OH 44805
