Fetch delivers pet products to homes in the Twin Cities.

Remember Pets.com, that short-lived online pet store that delivered to your door? The company went under in 2000, though not for lack of a great concept, as evidenced by FetchDelivers.com, a Twin Cities-based version that takes the grunt work out of keeping Spot stocked with food, treats and toys.

As owner of a pet store—and not a virtual one—Jay Cowan still found himself out of dog food from time to time. Intrigued by the Pets.com concept and loathe to leave the house for emergency dog food runs, Cowan sold his store and started Fetch Delivers as a local, affordable answer for pet owners like himself.

Concept aside, the Web site is especially valuable to Metro dog owners during the upcoming winter months. Picture this: February has dumped another blizzard upon us, it’s four degrees outside, and your pup only has three bowls of food left. Having said food show up on your doorstep certainly seems like the more civilized option, doesn’t it? Especially if said food shows up with a smiling face, no delivery charge and a special treat for Toto?

Tess Keen, director of sales and marketing for Fetch, Inc., points out an added convenience for winter-bound pet owners. “Fetch carries salt for both your water softeners and your driveways,” she says. “We have both regular ice melt and pet-safe ice melt. It was just another heavy and bothersome item to have to go pick up at your local store. Now you can let us do the salt and pet supply delivery for you.”

A man, a plan, a pet, a concept. Looks like FetchDelivers.com just made winter a lot easier for cold people and hungry pets.

Gear up for cold weather.

It’s that time of year, when we all wave farewell to one of the more pleasant autumns in memory and turn to confront another winter head-on. For some, this gradual movement toward the bottom of the thermometer is when Fido’s first and last walks of the day are no longer described as “invigorating,” but instead make the move into “numbing” or “as-short-as-possible” territory. Not so for those savvy readers who know about these dog-friendly places who have the gear they need to protect themselves and their puppy pals from the elements, however.

Jan Guenther, the owner of dog-friendly Gear West in Long Lake, stresses the importance of smart preparation: “Dressing for humans is all about layering, especially wicking materials,” she says. “If you’re doing something with your dog that makes you perspire, like running, your first layer needs to wick moisture away from your skin.”

Dog-friendly Midwest Mountaineering located in Dinkytown in Minneapolis.

At Midwest Mountaineering in Dinkytown, the cashiers hand out dog treats like candy as Jewels, the shop dog, surveys her terrain. Her—and the store’s—owner, Rod Johnson, advises wet-weather walkers to choose “a thinner, water resistant material” as an outer layer, and suggests “soft and warm merino wool” as a no-fail inner- or mid-layer for any type of cold weather. “Its longer thinner filaments are not scratchy, are machine washable and don’t retain odors,” he says.

Marathon Sports in south Minneapolis can help you keep your feet from freezing with Mizuno Breathe Thermo socks—which heat up—as well as YakTrax, which slip over your shoes or boots to give you better grip on ice and snow. General manager Corey Swan points out that the store welcomes dogs, with lots of room to roam and water bowls scattered about.

Shop Dog Tulear models packs at 45 Degrees in Stillwater.

45 Degrees in Stillwater, MN offers plenty of cold-weather gear for people and pups. Melissa, a manager and self-proclaimed “shop-dog wrangler” splits her time between taking care of Tulear, the shop’s Hungarian Vizsla and providing a font of information on booties, jackets, leashes, collars and packs that are available to aid cold-weather walks (the shop carries many options for keeping owners warm and happy as well.)

Now that you’re prepared, there’s no excuse for letting the weather keep you and your four-legged loved ones from enjoying winter’s underrated appeal.

Ever stared at beautiful vacation vista and thought ‘I wish Sparky was here to see this?’ Fall is a perfect time for travel, and Bone Adventure, with three stores in the Twin Cities area, has a rainbow of gear to help you indulge your Weimaraner’s wanderlust or your Terrier’s travel bug

Smaller airborne pups will feel comfy-cozy in the SturdiBag airline-approved travel carriers, which unfold like a tent and fit under your seat. Brian Fulmer, owner and creator of Bone Adventure, advises savvy travelers to buy their travel carriers as soon as they plan their trips, then leaving them open in the house so that worldly doggies can investigate and get comfortable with them prior to takeoff.

West Paw design’s Eco Nap beds are a fleecy way to protect your car seats and help Spot settle in for a long car ride. The super-tough beds are made from recycled soda bottles and come in a number of sizes and colors.

Doggies traveling by car or plane might need a bit of calming when adjusting to their new surroundings, so remind them of home with a familiar toy (we like the adorable and organic bears, sheep and bunnies from Simply Fido,) or soothe their nerves with lavender-and-chamomile-infused Mellow Mut treats from Dogswell.

Fulmer espouses the importance of having water on-hand while traveling, a task made easier with the

...and after

Tazlab before...

flexible rubber fold-up water bowls from Tazlab, which come in an array of bright colors. However, “Don’t worry if they don’t want to drink,” Fulmer says, “and don’t overfeed or overwater your dog before travel: If traveling early in day, do a half-portion of food the night before, then another half-portion once you’re at your destination.”

With a clear itinerary and a well-prepared pup, you’ll be glad you brought your best friend along for the ride.

What better way to weather the beautiful (though lesser-known) Dog Days of Autumn than to pack up the car and take a road trip to one of Minnesota’s myriad dog-friendly vacation spots? In nearly every part of the state, you’ll find lodging that would love to accommodate you and your dog.

The Outing Lodge interior is rustic and cozy.

Start in the South, with Red Wing’s Moondance Inn. The Inn’s 1904 Victorian rental house is a spacious, no-frills, private country getaway for you and your four-legged pals. Upriver, Stillwater boasts The Outing Lodge, where owner Carlota Estevez’s chocolate lab accompanies guest pooches on miles of wooded walking trails surrounding the lodge.

For rugged dogs who love to romp, Lake Superior is the place to let loose. The Inn on Lake Superior really rolls out the welcome mat with a check-in goody bag, which includes a tennis ball, a bandana, an “In case I get lost” dog tag, treats and a list of local pet services. Also in Duluth is Fitger’s Inn, where vacationing dogs find a dog bed, bowls for food and water atop a water-resistant mat and a welcome treat waiting for them.

The picturesque shores of Bluefin Bay.

Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery and Cottages in Lutsen is always looking for guest dogs to keep Jazmin the Shih Tzu company, and Bluefin Bay gives them space to roam right on the shores of the Great Lake.

For those heading out west, Mulberry Row in Detroit Lakes is home to Ebby, a chocolate lab/weimaraner mix who sometimes writes about her visiting friends on the B & B’s Web site. And for dogs who really want to see “Up North,” the Gunflint Lodge in Grand Marais is always pet-friendly, particularly during special “pet-lovers” weekends.

Then again, for Twin Citians who want to save gas money but still get away, downtown Minneapolis offers two dog-friendly

W Hotel in the Foshay Tower has a complete menu of pet services.

hotels: The Chambers (for fancy-pants pets), and the brand-new W hotel, where dogs are supplied with their own concierge.

Now there’s no excuse not to scour the state with your canine playmate. Get packing!

Heel Dog Walking founder Lauren Witheridge and her dog Brandi demonstrate a new weight pack like her fitness clients will be using.

Former graphic designer Lauren Witheridge started Edina-based Heel Dog Walking last December with one goal in mind: to turn her “passion for pets into a business that contributes to the community.” This fall, she’ll be expanding that goal with the new Heel P.H.A.T. Camp program, which targets overweight dogs with a 3-pronged approach of nutrition, exercise and health.

“The problem,” Witheridge explains, “is that an extra 10 pounds for us might make us uncomfortable in a bathing suit, but for an average-sized dog it could put it 25-percent over its ideal weight (classified as obesity). An overweight dog can suffer from diabetes, heart or respiratory disease, joint problems and arthritis.”

The P.H.A.T. (Physical, Healthy, Active and Toned) program aims to get Fido back into shape with “more than just a walk,” as Witheridge says.

“It’s a 12-week program that involves three class meetings, having your P.H.A.T. Camp counselor come by three times a week to exercise your dog, and a nutrition journal. They [the counselors] use a progressive program that readjusts to keep challenging your dog as it gets more and more fit,” Witheridge says.

Witheridge's own dogs, Brandi (left) and Bailey (right), love the work she's doing to help dogs get fit.

Witheridge was inspired to improve pets’ qualities of life by her own canine companions: Bailey, a 4-year-old Wheaton Terrier/Poodle mix, and Brandi, a 2-year-old Rottweiler.

“All of this boils down to a much happier dog and owner and hopefully some new interest in getting out with their pets for some exercise, to go for a swim or to go to the dog park,” Witheridge says. “When our clients are happy and grateful, I am too. It’s very fulfilling that I can do work that means something to someone every day.”

If you’re interested in Heel Dog Walking or P.H.A.T. Camp, you can reach Lauren Witeridge at info@heeldogwalking.com.

As summer wanes, we here at Sidewalk Dog want to be sure you’ve made good use of the Twin Cities’ marvelous dog-friendly-dining culture. So, we’ve compiled an itinerary of our favorite spots for you and Spot to find refreshment.

The new Dog Bar at Lucia's serves up fresh water for cosmopolitan dogs.

In Southwest Minneapolis—always a hotspot for dogs and the people who love them—we adore Café Maude. Neighborhood diners have caught on to the bistro’s dog-friendly atmosphere, with a tin of biscuits and fresh water for the patio’s four-legged loungers. And at Café Twenty Eight, owner Linda Haug has picked out stainless steel water bowls so that her leashed guests can cool off in style. Uptown Minneapolis brings Café Barbette and Lucia’s Restaurant to the party. The former has always welcomed dogs on its sidewalk café, and the latter recently opened a ritzy dog bar (pictured left), where dining companions can quench their thirst in a tiled fountain.

Canines can make history alongside theater legends at the Cue patio at the Guthrie, one of the first to become dog-friendly since the new Minneapolis ordinance took effect.

For more metropolitan doggie diners, Downtown Minneapolis’ Cue at the Guthrie welcomes dogs on its scenic patio overlooking the monumental Stone Arch Bridge and just steps away from a quick romp in Gold Medal Park. And the Café Lurcat patio is a great place for you and your furry friends to cool off after an afternoon of intense stick-hunting in nearby Loring Park and its off-leash area.

Psycho Suzie’s Motor Lounge in Northeast Minneapolis keeps its canine visitors happy with water bowls and the occasional biscuit, while owners are enthralled by the casual, cool tiki vibe that pervades the deck and garden where they can grab a Northeast Minneapolis pizza pie in their dog’s fine company.

The patio at W.A. Frost is a relaxing wonderland for people and dogs alike!

Have no fear, dogs from the East Coast (by which we mean Saint Paul, of course.) You, too, can see the city (and hope for a runaway piece of your owner’s gourmet dinner) with two Saint Paul mainstays. The Happy Gnome is famous for its unparalleled beer selection, which can be enjoyed on a lush, dog-friendly patio in the posh Cathedral Hill district. And Twin Citians from both sides of the river are familiar with the W.A. Frost historic, shaded patio, which welcomes dogs with a water bowl and a cool place to linger while their owners enjoy a bountiful brunch buffet.

Get thee (and thy dog) to one of these tasty restaurants while the temperatures are still palatable. You’ll be glad you did when soup weather rolls around.

View interactive map of all of these restaurants.

So many days, so many activities so many smells, sights, sounds and experiences to be had!

Here’s how we’ve been enjoying the Summer of 2008 so far.

• Dining out on restaurant patios such as Herkimer, Cafe 28, Cafe Maude, Cue, W.A. Frost, Lucia’s To Go
  and more!
• Treat bobbing in the plastic kiddy pool.
• Weekends away to Stillwater and the North Shore.
• Sorbet at local ice cream shops, Sebastian Joe’s and Crema.
• Waggin’ through the local garden shop.
• Shopping in Minneapolis in Linden Hills and Downtown, as well as Grande Ave. in St. Paul.
• Digging in the sand at the playground up the street.
• Conducting official business at the UPS Store on 50th and Xerxes Ave. S.
• Free concerts at Lake Harriet Bandshell.
• National Night out with the neighbors and a fateful meeting with an abandoned hot dog bun.

What have you been doing with your dog? Respond here.

My day went like this: leave city, enter gorgeous area with many trees, sigh deep breath of relaxation. That was just my drive out of Minneapolis. Then I rounded the bend, just 30 minutes from home, into Minnetonka Orchards where I was greeted by Jay Schaper, his daughter Emily and her “Uncle” Oliver — her grandparents’ stately Goldendoodle.

Then, like in a city slicker escapist fantasy novel, I was whisked away in the farm’s utility vehicle through tree-lined, winding trails on soft, mulch-covered ground that skirted horses, goats, turkeys, an outdoor stage and event area and then — aaah — three separate apple orchards that grow more than 14 varieties of apples.

We made it back to the apple store (not that Apple store), but a place where you can buy the orchard’s produce along with a variety of locally made foods such as jams, cheeses and ice cream, and locally made artisan goods like wooden magic wands made from the orchard’s apple trees and “tractor wear” created by Jay’s wife, Nora.

I was greeted by Jay’s brother Scott (pictured left with Emily, Oliver and Jay). “

This was our parents’ orchard. Jay and I pretty much planted the first orchard as boys [...reluctantly. Very reluctantly],” he said. “At the time, it all seemed like hard work to us.” Jay chimed in, “But even then,” he added, “we always thought that maybe someday we could take over the place and make a go of it.”

That day has come. Now in their second year of ownership, Jay and Scott offer a variety of regular attractions and activities including a mountain of hay for climbing, the spectacle of free-roaming goats, turkeys and chickens, a large tent for weddings and family or corporate events, children’s comedy theater performances, a corn maze and acres of wooded trails.

And everyday in the orchard leashed dogs are welcome!

When asked how dogs figure in to all of this Jay replied, “We just LOVE dogs. Oliver has a great life here, hunting and running free. We want to share that with other dogs and their owners. We welcome well-behaved, trained dogs to come and roam on-leash on our beautiful 40 acres and enjoy the day with their owners.”

Jay emphasized that weekdays are the best time for dogs. Admission is free Monday-Friday and it’s a little less crowded. He also stressed the importance of leashing dogs at the orchard due to the turkeys, chickens and goats roaming around.

They also offer specific activities for dog lovers including demonstrations from the Twin Cities Disc Dog Club on September 14 and Dog Days of Fall October 25-26 when there will be a “best dog sweater” fashion contest, dog hayrides and dog adoption.

Minnetonka Orchards opening weekend is September 5-6 when admission, caramel apples and hayrides are free! Regular cost of admission Saturday-Sunday is $4 per person. Children under the age of 3 are free.

Catch Sidewalk Dog in the Dunn Bros doggy cafe at Linden Hills Woofstock. And while you’re there, join in the pet parade, get blessings from the Fairy Dogmother and have fun with a dog-friendly scavenger hunt, live entertainment, dog trick contest, pet-related vendors and more fun than you can handle.

Linden Hills Woofstock
September 13, 3008
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Minneapolis, MN  |  Map
Free to attend.

The Dog Perk is now open and serving up a new clothing concept called “owner wear” — gear such as t-shirts, mugs, bandannas and more with fun dog-related sayings and logos that let dog owners celebrate their pride. And, of course, dogs are welcome to shop with their owners at store.

Proud store owner Amy Waara pledges 100% of her year-end profits to a growing list of pet-related charities. (Current charities include Pleading Paws, Second Chance Rescue, Minnesota Valley Humane Society and The Wild Cat Sanctuary.)

Stop in during August and save $5 with their in-store coupon, or catch them Aug. 21-Sept. 1at the MN State Fair Pet Building (dogs not permitted at the MN State Fair).

The Dog Perk
6528 West Lake Street
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
763-242-0817
Hours: T-Th, 10AM-7PM; F-S, 10AM-5PM