Paw Patrol Five dog owners share their favorite pup-friendly spots. Follow them on Instagram for more inspiration. B Y J E S S I CA ST RI N GE R
@magglesitsmaggles
Jessica Edwin met her dog, Maggie, during an
Independent Animal Rescue event at Phydeaux
in Chapel Hill. “It was love at first sight,” Jessica says. Four-and-a-half years later, Maggie, a mix of Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler and a few other breeds, is most at home in Chancellor’s Ridge with Jessica and her husband, M att Edwin. One of Maggie’s favorite spots is Herndon Park near their house. “We like to just sit and watch people play sports,” Jessica says. Another fave is Falls Lake. “My dad has a boat up there, so we’ll take her out on the boat,” she says. “Falls Lake is really quiet, and we can just have our own time. We can park at a beach, and Maggie can swim.” When they need to go out of town without Maggie, they bring her to The Pet Wagon Hotel. “She can have her own space,” Jessica says. “She gets one-on-one attention from the staff.”
@hudsontheminilabradoodle The first place in Durham that Heather Schmitz took Stella, her 6-month-old mini Bernedoodle, was the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. “I wanted to socialize her, so I took her on their back patio, where dogs are allowed,” she says. “[Stella and Hudson, our 2-yearold mini labradoodle,] could just chill out back there.” Heather, her husband, Robin Schmitz, and their pups, who are half siblings, also frequent Ponysaurus Brewing Company. They live a few minutes from Duke University Hospital, so Sarah P. Duke Gardens is not far for sneaking in a visit during the hours the gardens allow dogs, which are before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m. “Another place [we love] is For Garden’s Sake, a garden center,” Heather says. “They do not mind if you bring dogs along to shop. I've brought Hudson there several times for little photo shoots for his Instagram. They also have live music events in the summer with a food truck that you can bring your dog to as well.” The family enjoys time outdoors and can most often be found walking Cox Mountain Trail at Eno River State Park. When the pups need grooming, Heather takes them to U Dirty Dog Self Wash Spa. “The owner’s name is Whitley Evans,” Heather says. “She’s really great. I just drop them off, and she takes care of them in a few hours.” Finally, Heather recommends treats for humans and dogs at LocoPops. “Hudson likes the pup pops,” Heather says. @kingsleyandcharlamagne
When Kisha Buie’s friend made an Instagram account for her dog five years ago, Kisha was inspired to do the same for her pup, Kingsley. Kisha and Sonté Buie, her twin sister and East Durham roommate (pictured left), eventually expanded their pack to include goldendoodle Charlamagne, 3, and Majesty, a standard poodle who will be 8 months old in August. The sisters go to Piney Wood Dog Park every now and again with friends. “Kingsley is very active, so we like to walk with her on the American Tobacco Trail to get her energy out,” Kisha says. “It’s flat, so it allows us to keep up with our dogs. It’s nice and shady and easy to access.”
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