Chugging around the trail at Fort McHenry this past weekend, Ace and I pulled over to to meet a Chow named Chi.

Ace seemed eager to make the acquaintance of the charcoal-colored fluffball, or maybe he just wanted a break from running with me while I was on a bicycle. Some people call it "bikejoring." I call it easier than pedaling myself.

We were making our second lap around the trail that encircles the fort and its 43 acres of parkland, when Ace veered into the grass, where Chi and Pat O'Malley, an artist and semi-retired art teacher, were sitting.

O'Malley said Chi, who is 10, visits Fort McHenry about twice a week.

Pets are permitted at Fort McHenry, except in the fort itself, but park rules call for them to be leashed and attended at all times.

On the weekends especially, it's a good idea to follow that rule. The park fills up with visitors -- some of them seeking to soak in the history of the fort that inspired the Star Spangled Banner, some of them interested in soaking up some sun. On top of that, there are usually a few picnics going on, and Ace, at least, is prone to wanting to visit those in search of handouts.

Weekdays are a little quieter, and I've seen a few people let their dogs run unleashed when there's no crowd.

Unlike the other parks we've featured in this series, Fort McHenry doesn't have a huge contingent of daily, same-time-tomorrow visitors. But a lot of dog owners go there semi-regularly.

There is no charge for using the park grounds, picnicking or parking -- unless you are going into the fort.

Fort McHenry was built in the late 1700s and bombed by the British for two days in September 1814. Francis Scott Key watched it all while aboard the Tonnant, and, once the British abandoned the mission, wrote the lines to what became the Star Spangled Banner. The fort and land became part of the National Park Service in 1933.

Chock full of history, it's also a good place to strike up a chat, and a fine choice for a stroll. It has lots of grass, plenty of shaded areas and a dog/bicycle/pedestrian-friendly concrete trail that follows the waterfront and loops around the fort.

Whether you and your dogs are regular visitors, or just drop by once in a while, if you have thoughts to share on Fort McHenry, click the comment button below.

To visit and join the discussion in our other "episodes" of Dogs of Our Lives -- Robert E. Lee, Federal Hill, Canton, Patterson Park, Riverside, Locust Point, click on the Dogs of Our Lives logo in the rightside rail and find your park.

(Tomorrow: Wyman Park)