Local restaurants say 'bone appetit' to puppy patios: Jasmine Mangalaseril

CBC

19-07-2025

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When it's the dog days of summer, we hit our favourite patios with friends and family. Since many consider their furry good boys and girls part of the family, more restaurants are putting in the effort to make canine companions feel as welcome as their humans.
"A lot of things have changed since COVID," said Kat White, general manager of The Wooly Pub in Guelph. "We've really noticed the amount of people that have dogs and the amount of people that want somewhere comfortable to go out with their dogs. That's your family, so you want to go places that can accommodate that."
Weeks before the first lock down, Ontario loosened pet and companion animal regulations, allowing them on patios. That, combined with nearly three in 10 Canadians adopting a pandemic pet, has seen the emergence of more puppy-permitted patios.
Crack open a dog beer
At Guelph's Brothers Brewing Company, co-founder Asa Proveau noticed their patio saw growing popularity with dog owners. As the brew master, he decided to create something pets could enjoy too.
Through his research, he learned bone broth is beneficial to dogs.
"It's really good for gut health, for joint health, it's good for their coats, it can stop some shedding. It's just a very nutritious product," explained Proveau.
Earlier this year, he launched his new company, Brü Masters (the name is a play on "brühe," German for broth), a shelf-stable, pasteurized, unseasoned premium bone broth "dog beer."
"It's just beef bone broth and then a little bit of lactic acid to lower the pH to make it shelf stable," said Proveau. "It's something that is safe for them…I tried to keep everything to a minimum, so it's just a two-ingredient product."
The broth can be lapped up (straight or diluted), used as a kibble topper, or frozen into pupsicles.
It's currently available at Guelph's Royal City Brewing and at Waterloo's Aristocanine Doggy Daycare and Bar. Proveau also has a Brü cart that has popped up at different markets throughout the summer.
Doggie dining
Some restaurants, like The Wooly in Guelph, offer barkuterie boards for special puppy party events. The plates often come filled with fresh dog-friendly fruits and veggies, unseasoned meats, cheese and dog biscuits.
When they aren't throwing puppy patio parties, The Wooly keeps treats on hand.
"We always have biscuits on us, and we'll ask [if] they like cheese curds, do they like carrots, can I bring a piece of bacon?" said White.
Meanwhile, some restaurants like Beertown Public House, have dog-friendly menus.
"We have unseasoned grilled chicken breasts, a turkey patty, a beef patty, brown rice, and then also carrots and celery," explained Megan Stover who's the VP of people and culture at The Charcoal Group, Beertown's parent company. "All of those items can be ordered individually, so that you can obviously pick and choose what is going to work best for your four-legged friend."
Stover mentioned Beertown also accommodates raw food diets.
Pups can wash down their meal with The Barking Brew, an alcohol-free, dog-friendly beer crafted from locally farmed Canadian Angus beef bones.
A paw-sitive experience
Patios can be potentially confining spaces. They can be noisy, busy and filled with interesting aromas. So, before you head out, ask yourself if your dog's temperament is suited for being in a new-to-them place, surrounded by human and canine strangers, and if they're confident and well-socialized.
Cheryl Bishop, owner of Kitchener's Elite Dog Training explained being "well-socialized" takes on a different meaning when it comes to dogs.
"A socialized dog is not a dog that plays well with other dogs. A socialized dog is a dog that is well behaved, no matter where you take them," said Bishop.
Your dog should be content and comfortable lying at your feet, while not causing issues for other diners or their animals.
To test their ability to do this, Bishop suggested taking them for walks on busy streets or standing a few metres from a busy plaza or grocery store entrance. If they struggle to keep calm, but you'd like them to join you on a patio, you may want to consider an obedience refresher.
Other local dog-friendly patios in Waterloo region and Wellington County:
Block Three Brewing, St. Jacobs.
The Boathouse DTK, Kitchener.
Brewhouse on the Grand, Fergus.
Hop House, Waterloo.
TWB, Kitchener.
Willibald Farm Distillery and Brewery, Ayr.
It's best to call in advance for their pet policy and to book a seat in their pet-friendly section.