Dog owners will find two chain pet stores and a unique pet supply shop, Aberdoggie and Fetch, to the south in the Mission Valley shopping area.
San Diego dog walkers and pups enjoy sunny, warm weather throughout the year. Winters are mild with temperatures usually well above freezing and frigid temperatures are exceedingly rare. There is some rain in the winter and spring, but it is usually short-lived and not heavy. Fog does occur in the area, but is more concentrated on the coast. Summer days can be very hot and you might want to plan your walks for earlier or later in the day.
The area was developed in the 1950s and 1960s, and homes reflect the architecture of this time. There are many apartments and apartment complexes, as well as single-family homes on well landscaped and maintained properties. The northern section is occupied by medical facilities and a juvenile detention facility, while the southern section is residential with the exception of apartments and townhomes located on the northern tip of the district.
There are some hills in the community which require pedestrians and pups to trek up and down inclines. Canyons extend into the southeast side of the region and create rough natural terrain.
While there are not a lot of developed greenways in Birdland, there is a natural canyon area on the southeast side which has some dirt trails. These trails have rough terrain and elevation changes which can be treacherous.
Two off-leash dog parks are a short drive away. The Kearny Mesa Dog Park is located to the east by the Kearny Mesa Recreation Center. This enclosed off-leash park is dirt surface and only has one area for large and small dogs. The park is well maintained and there are chairs for owners to use while they supervise their pups.
Just south of Birdland is the Civita Neighborhood Dog Park, located just off of Civita Boulevard. This fenced dog park has separate areas for large and small dogs and is mostly dirt surfaced. There are waste bags, a water hose for cleaning up, and bowls to provide drinking water for your thirsty canine. There are chairs and plenty of tennis balls usually kicking around for a game of fetch.