North Park has been going to the dogs for some time, and now the park has a new $55,000 pet playground to prove it.

The off-leash dog area in the park recently moved to Pearce Mill Road to prevent erosion at the old dog park, according to Andy Baechle, Allegheny County Parks director.

"Just like a farmer, we are rotating our fields so one doesn't suffer from overuse," he said. "We will let the old park rest for a while."

The first dog park in North Park was built on Wagner Road in 2005. The new location, within sight of the Kummer Road skating rink, is about a mile from the old park.

Frequent users and park officials had noticed that the old park was starting to suffer from overuse, so a new location was selected. The new dog park is a fenced area of about four acres and is larger than the old one, Mr. Baechle said.

Casei Bishop, of Shaler, visits the park every two weeks with her 10-year-old dog, Anchor.

"The new park has picnic tables and a sheltered area so you can take your dog even if it is raining. That's really nice," she said.

The new park did open with a few "ruff" spots, officials said, including spaces under the fence that allowed smaller dogs to escape. Officials hope to add another entrance, according to Mr. Baechle. "We have had to make some adjustments," he said.

The park does not have an official count on how many pets use the dog area, but anecdotal evidence suggests it is heavily used.

Depending on how the old park recovers and the condition of the new one when it does, Mr. Baechle said the county eventually may have both dog parks open at the same time. "We have to feel our way through and make decisions accordingly," he said.

While the old park is closed, drainage work will be completed and new seed will be planted.

Vanessa Orr, of West Deer, has used only the new park with her 6-month old dog, Izzy. She said she uses the dog park at least twice a week.

"I know a lot of people liked the old park, but from what I understand, it needed a rest after hosting all of those dogs for so long," she said. "Personally, I think we're amazingly lucky to have such a huge, nice, free dog park in North Park. I've met a lot of nice people -- and Izzy has met a lot of nice dogs -- there."

Of the Allegheny County parks, North, South, White Oak and Hartwood have off-leash dog parks.

"We would like to have one in all of the parks and we hope to build another in South Park soon," Mr. Baechle said.

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