Reese’s first caught our attention at the Stroll Ansley Park Yappy Hour at Winn Park on August 1, where her sweet, social personality made her a natural fit for a Precious Pet feature.

The three-year-old Irish Doodle belongs to Michael Grogan and his wife, Cristin, who moved to Ansley Park in February 2026. Just a few months later, Reese’s took on a new role when the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Quinn, in July.

For the Grogan family, Ansley Park quickly felt like home.

“We love the historic charm of Ansley, the beautiful parks and walkability, and especially the close-knit sense of community,” Michael says. 

They’re fortunate to have family close by, too. Cristin’s sister and her family live on the opposite end of McClatchy Park.

Reese’s is an Irish Doodle, a cross between an Irish Setter and a Poodle. With her striking auburn coat and almost ever-present top ponytail, she’s difficult to miss on her walks around Ansley.

She came from a particularly large litter of 14 puppies at Morning Glory Doodles in Chattanooga.

Michael had always wanted a dog, but Cristin, who didn’t grow up with pets, was initially a little more hesitant. At least, that’s what Michael thought.

Unbeknownst to him, Cristin had been secretly researching breeders and litters on Instagram. She eventually surprised Michael by putting down a deposit on a puppy from a litter she had been following.

“Needless to say, her hesitation didn’t last long once Reese’s came home!” Michael says.

Reese’s very nearly had a considerably different name.

Michael had always wanted to name a dog after food, and “Cheeseburger” had been at the top of his list for years. On the drive home after picking up their new puppy, the couple still hadn’t settled on a name.

Then they looked at her beautiful reddish-auburn coat and found their inspiration: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Reese’s felt like the perfect food-inspired name, and it stuck immediately.

True to her Irish Setter heritage, Reese’s is extraordinarily social.

“She’s incredibly sweet and truly a friend to everyone, both humans and dogs,” Michael says.

She wants to be right in the middle of whatever is happening, a personality trait Michael and Cristin suspect developed during her very first months at home. They brought Reese’s home in November, just before the holidays, and she immediately found herself surrounded by family, friends and plenty of activity.

“We always joke that it’s probably what shaped her into the incredibly social and loving dog she is today,” Michael says. “She grew up thinking a full house was the norm.”

She still does her part whenever guests arrive. Reese’s has a huge bin filled with toys and proudly pulls them out one by one to show visitors. Her favorite is her Lambwolf Collective “Baguette,” which Michael and Cristin fill with treats for her to sniff out and find.

Reese’s also has one particularly unusual habit: she strongly prefers to take care of her “business” only in her own yard. Michael isn’t sure that technically qualifies as a talent, but it certainly makes neighborhood walks more predictable — and cleanup much easier.

Those walks frequently take Reese’s through McClatchy Park, Winn Park and the Dell, and she especially enjoys afternoons at Winn, where she gets to see her neighborhood friends.

But there’s one friend who stands above the rest: Lola, the German Shorthaired Pointer belonging to Cristin’s sister. The two live just down the street from one another and have been friends since Reese’s was a puppy.

“They absolutely love being together,” Michael says.

Reese’s also developed another favorite destination while the family was living in Virginia-Highland: Paolo’s Gelato.

Their walks frequently took them past the shop, where Reese’s discovered that stopping could result in her very own dog-friendly gelato. It didn’t take long for her to memorize the routine.

“She would automatically stop outside and look back at us in protest if we tried to keep walking without going in for her treat,” Michael says.

Paolo happily welcomes dogs inside while their humans order — an arrangement Reese’s clearly believes every business should adopt.

Given the choice of her perfect adventure, Reese’s wouldn’t have much trouble deciding: a long hike followed by a trip to the beach.

The family regularly takes her to Morningside Nature Preserve, and she loves exploring new trails around Atlanta. She’s equally enthusiastic about the family’s annual trips to Sullivan’s Island, where morning runs on the beach are among her favorite activities.

But whether she’s exploring a trail, running on the beach, greeting friends at Winn Park or emptying her toy bin for guests, Reese’s seems happiest when she’s surrounded by people and dogs she loves.

After all, she grew up believing a full house was normal.

And for this friendly, ponytail-wearing Irish Doodle, that’s exactly how she likes it.