Mornings Go to The Dogs in Central Park

Every morning from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., Central Park goes to the dogs...and it's delightful to watch. Every dog enjoys a good romp but New York City canines, who spend so much of their day padding around apartments and napping, take to the open spaces of Central Park with special gusto.

For three hours each morning, and five each night (from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.), dogs rule...and they seem to know it!

On a recent morning, one stood above the rest, inspired by Central Park's famous statue of Balto The Sled Dog no doubt.

Others met new friends...

while others joined old pals at Bethesda Fountain for a morning gab fest.

Not all areas of the park welcome unleashed dogs - the Bridle Path, Shakespeare Garden and Strawberry Fields for example - but these playful pups don't seem to mind a bit.

On this morning, a woman crossed the Bow Bridge surrounded by dogs. She carried herself so regally that I wondered if she might be the queen of Off-Leash Mornings. She stopped to watch me take pictures. "You know, off-leash hours used to be a courtesy...then dog haters tried to get rid of them. We fought back." With mischief she added," Now it's the LAW." She continued her stroll across the bridge, leash in hand, a commanding presence in a doggy domain.

She may have been Central Park royalty afterall or perhaps she was one of the thousands of New Yorkers who make their way to Central Park each week to delight in seeing it go to the dogs each morning. Either way it seems that our dogs' rights to frolic are well-assured.

You can review off-leash rules, find useful numbers for dog-related issues and join Central Park Paws, a program of the Central Park Conservancy for dog owners, by clicking here: http://www.centralparknyc.org/visit/general-info/dogs-in-the-park/