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Max the German shepherd lying on the sand wearing sunglasses, tongue out, at Tirhatuan Park Fenced Dog Park

2026-09-12

A year at Tirhatuan, our home ground

Seven visits this year to the park we know best: Max on patrol, Pepsi at the water hole, and the same mud in four different moods.

Tirhatuan is home ground. No park has seen more of us, with visits going back year, and this year added six more: late February, mid April, early May, late June, early Augus, mid September and now October.

By now the map in everyone's head is finished.

The routine

The dogs don't explore here any more. They arrive.

Max walks in, does one lap of the outer edge to check the gates and whoever is already there, then takes up his post.

Pepsi goes straight to the water hole or checks out the nearest pupper to say hi to.

Not approximately straight. Straight.

The sandy yard and covered picnic shelter at Tirhatuan Park Fenced Dog Park, seen over Max's shoulder
The sandy yard and covered picnic shelter at Tirhatuan Park Fenced Dog Park, seen over Max's shoulder
Max's takeGerman shepherd
I no longer patrol this park for fun, I patrol it for work. Outer edge, gate check, then the spot by the sand where I can see everything. Pepsi thinks the water hole is the whole park. That is fine. Somebody has to watch the perimeter.

Same mud, four moods

  1. 28 Feb 2026

    Hot

    February was hot, and the water hole was the only address in town.

    Pepsi the golden retriever with sunglasses pushed up on his head at Tirhatuan Park Fenced Dog Park

  2. 18 Apr 2026

    The golden one

    April was the golden one, warm light and busy but friendly.

  3. 28 Jun 2026

    Mud

    June was mud: after winter rain the low patches went to swamp, and Pepsi found every single one.

  4. 12 Sep 2026

    The reset

    September was the reset, new grass coming through, a loop walk around the outside afterwards, and both of them flat on the concrete pad by the gates before we left.

Pepsi and Max lying down on the sand and concrete pad inside Tirhatuan Park Fenced Dog Park
Pepsi and Max lying down on the sand and concrete pad inside Tirhatuan Park Fenced Dog Park
Pepsi's takeGolden retriever
Six times this year and the water hole was there every time. I checked.

A year in, the routine is theirs, not ours. We just open the car door and follow.

Photos

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