"Lily," by WACSO

By Meredeth Barzen

While the Twin Cities certainly isn’t lacking in talented pet artists (see: pooch painters Stray Dog Arts and Lintu Art)—or talented artists in general, for that matter—one has emerged who stands out from the crowd for his stylized, hyper-local treatment of the people, places and pups that populate our fair cities. WACSO (stands for Walkin’ Around Checkin’ Stuff Out)—a.k.a. Robb Burnham—takes inspiration from everything around him, as his name would suggest. Often, it’ll be the fuzzy face of a four-legged pal, but you’ll see local landmarks like restaurants, architecture and adorable old men on benches represented in his work as well. WACSO will draw your dog if you’d like him too—but he won’t take any money for it, just a suggested $100 donation to a pet rescue (check out this recent portrait of his neighbor, M.A. Rosko’s dog Munter.)

"Munter," by WACSO

“I get a lot of requests from strangers all around the country, which was a bit odd at first because I would really rather meet the dog in person, but I’ve got it down to where I ask them to send me as many photos of the dog as they can. That gives me a pretty good idea of what the dog is like,” Burnham says of his commissioned dog drawings. “I don’t want payment for these drawings so I ask for a donation to be made in my name to a shelter/rescue. I’ll send them a hi-resolution file that they can print however they would like. People have made T-shirts, calendars, mugs … I just had a woman use my drawing to get a tattoo of her dog that passed away. It looked awesome, and I think it was great therapy for her.”

Here’s a look into the philosophy and process that is WACSO:

"Sharing the Bed" by WACSO features the artist's own dogs, Frankie and Grady.

Do you have any dogs?

I have two dogs: a female English bulldog named Frankie and a little block-of-cement French bulldog named Grady. Frankie likes to watch TV—in fact, if the TV is off, she’ll yip until the TV is turned on, and she’ll actually growl at the mugshots they show on news programs. She knows who the bad guys are; it’s pretty funny.

What’s your favorite dog-friendly spot in town?

Sitting outside at Java Jack’s Coffee Cafe is awesome.

Do your dogs make it into your drawings?

Yes, I constantly draw my dogs.

How long have you been drawing?

I’ve been drawing all my life, but didn’t really get serious about it until about five years ago.

Your work really celebrates the everyday and the local—what is it about those subjects that compels you to portray them?

I like everyday things. Life isn’t all about taking big vacations and going to exotic locations. We’re surrounded by all kinds of cool everyday stuff; we just have to stop and look for it. I had done a drawing of the Blackbird Cafe a while back because it’s a cool place. Well, sadly, it burned down recently—such a drag, but I started getting messages from people requesting prints of the drawing. It was really cool to see what that drawing suddenly meant to people and the importance of appreciating and celebrating the things we have.

"Dog in a Coffee Shop," by WACSO

What sorts of characteristics make you want to draw a certain dog? Physical traits? Personality? Setting? Owner?

I’ll draw any dog; they are all awesome. Think about it: You can be having the crappiest day of all time and see a dog and smile—what else can do that?

Why do you like drawing dogs in general?

The dog drawings just seem to make people happy. They make me happy drawing them … I laugh most of the time I’m drawing.

How long does it take you to do a drawing?

It’s hard to say how long a drawing takes; I lose track of time, but I’ll usually do dozens of drawings of a dog before I get the one I like best. Sometimes the best version is the first one I draw and sometimes it’s the last.

How do you decide what form it’s going to take (i.e. single-line drawing, detailed, with or without color, etc?)

I will usually do a few different styles; one-line drawings, a more refined style, add color, etc …, and see which I like best when I’m done.

"Shaggy Dog #3," by WACSO

Do you approach strangers and ask if you can draw their dogs? Are they usually game, or do you ever get resistance?

I’m a pretty shy person. I don’t mind talking to the dogs; it’s owners I have trouble with.

Where can people find your work?

Become a fan of my Facebook page! It’s now dedicated to just my dog drawings. I try to put up a new one every couple of days. You can also check out my Web site, which has all of my drawings.

What do you like about the Twin Cities?

The Twin Cities are fantastic—love it here. Tons of dogs, tons of places to walk dogs and the people are cool. I even dig the winters—all those dogs in boots and outfits crack me up.

By Meredeth Barzen

You asked for it; you got it. Our inaugural roundup of Twin Cities celebs and their furry friends was so much fun, Sidewalk Dog couldn’t resist sniffing out another pack of famous Minnesotans and the four-leggeds that make them say “Who’s my fruffy wittle fuzzy bear?” This time, we’ve found writers, radio personalities, TV gurus, musicians and fashion designers who go nuts for their mutts. So without further ado …

Dan Murphy and Lily

Dan Murphy (musician, Soul Asylum and Golden Smog) and wife Sarah Murphy (owner, Grapefruit Moon Gallery**)
Name: Lily Belle Murphy
Nicknames: Fusspot, Lily Ocho Stinko, Puppy Bear, the Cananitor, The L’il Lebowski, Minnie Ripperton, Dog Stevens, The Aggressitor, Jack Rabbit Slim, Meerkat, The Hot Water Bottle, Buck Snort, and countless others …
Breed: We just found out that she is a Chiweenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund). When we adopted her, we just knew she was a beauty.
Age: Approximately 1 1/2?
Favorite toy: The happy hippo, a little squeak toy we bought the day we took her home from her shelter that has been torn apart and sewn back together more times than we can count. No matter how many other toys she plays with and destroys, she always comes back to the happy hippo.
Favorite treats: Carrots, rice, cheese, and freeze-dried sweet potatoes
Favorite places to hang out: A warm lap, under the covers, her favorite dog pillow, and the passenger side in our car
Favorite dog-friendly restaurant: Nick and Eddie, especially on a sunny day after she’s just played hard at Loring Park. Doug Anderson and the staff there were initially friendlier to her than she was to them, so it like many things, is still a work in progress!
Favorite dog-friendly coffee shop: Anodyne Coffeehouse

Sarah Murphy and Lily

Favorite dog-friendly store: Guse Hardware at 46th & Bryant; she and Chloe, the new mascot, are becoming fast friends.
Favorite pet store: Urbanimal
Favorite dog-friendly vacation: She’s such a homebody, so I’d say sitting on our porch on a warm day. We adopted her in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in January of 2009, so in many ways I would bet she still considers Florida her actual home and Minneapolis her summer getaway. She was a runaway and we got her at a tiny little animal shelter that removed her from a high-kill shelter in Miami. She spent three months on the streets before the first shelter took her and another two months at the shelter where we met her. About 10 minutes into the initial visit, she picked us as her doggie parents. So vacations are not in her immediate plans as she seems so delighted to finally have landed a home. She is a nester at this point and loves to go on walks, particularly when the whole family is present and accounted for.
Best trick: No longer being scared of every stranger/noise/car that comes by. All thanks to Cele Danner (the miracle worker) at The Canine Coach. Also, she rip-snorts when she’s happy and runs “hot laps” around our dining room table when she feels like letting off a little steam. She can do a really cute prairie dog/meerkat hind leg dance that is adorable.
Best friend: Nigel, the Chihuahua; he still plays hard-to-get, but he’s coming around. Also my son Kelly’s mixed-breed female 2-year-old, Lucky
Nemesis: Bike riders, tall men, sunglasses and baby prams ….
Favorite naughty behavior/bad habit: Barking at the mail carrier, jumping on the dining room table looking for crumbs, attacking my face with kisses
Favorite way to get attention/treats: Jumping into my lap as I try to work, or even into my laptop, doing hind-leg stands at your knee and going onto her favorite leopard-print lucky treat pillow, looking at you with a cocked head and staring you down until the treats come out
Sleeps on: Bed
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dog? Often, but she’s too smart to fall for that most of the time. My doggy dialect revolves around her being a Southern Belle, so I use a butchered French Canadian meets Cajan New Orleans Style drek that usually starts with “L’il belle … ”
Anything else we should know about your dog? She’s a wonder. The most nervous, shy, and troubled puppy in the world when we adopted her, she has become the most friendly, loving friend anyone could ever hope to have. She’s sweet with a good heart and really wants to be happy and finally is learning how.
What are you up to these days? Dan: Busy with shows including our annual First Avenue holiday engagement Friday, December 4. Sarah and Lily and I are spending our second winter in the sunny, warm, small-dog-friendly confines of Southern Florida. Sarah: Working with the Animal Rights Coalition to raise awareness of the inhumane dog breeding that is continuing at puppy mills and all the wonderful animals (like Lily) who have been abandoned or lost and are waiting at local shelters for a loving home!

**Both Sarah and Dan run Grapefruit Moon Gallery, an online art gallery that specializes in American Illustration and Pin-up original paintings and artwork.

Erdrich's Makate Ma'ingan (Maki for short).

Louise Erdrich (novelist, owner—Birchbark Books)
Name: Makate Ma’ingan (Ojibwe for “Black Wolf”)
Nickname: Maki
Breed: Belgium Shepherd
Age: 4
Favorite toy: Punctured soccer balls
Favorite treats: Peanut butter toast and cat food
Favorite place to hang out: On the couch, watching his bird feeder and the birds he protects
Favorite dog park: Poorly socialized; Maki doesn’t do dog parks very well. Owner also poorly socialized.
Favorite dog-friendly restaurant: Kenwood Cafe [next door to Birchbark Books]. Poorly socialized owner sits outdoors with Maki.
Favorite dog-friendly coffee shop: Again, Kenwood Cafe. Maki enjoys a latte now and then to calm down.
Favorite dog-friendly store: Birchbark Books
Favorite book: Anything by Temple Grandin or Mary Ludington
Favorite pet store: Chuck and Don’s Pet Food Outlet

Novelist Louise Erdrich

Favorite dog-friendly vacation: Lake of the Woods, where Maki roams free and fierce.
Best trick: Looking fearsome
Best friend: Rowdy, the protector—the real ferocious canine in the house
Nemesis: The neighbor’s taunting cat who sits under Maki’s birdfeeder
Most naughty behavior/worst bad habit: Lunging in sick lust at female dogs
Favorite way to get attention/treats: Sitting and staring fixedly at the treats and projecting an air of injured nobility
Sleeps on: Again, the couch as long as nobody is looking
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dog? Are you tiddin’?
Anything else we should know about your dog? He reads in secret and recommends books for his owner’s bookstore
What are you up to these days? Birchbark Books, a nice stop for people and dogs who walk the lake.

Winstead with Edie and Buddy.

Lizz Winstead (comedian, co-creator—The Daily Show)
Names: Edie and Buddy
Nicknames: I call Edie ‘Sweedy’  ‘Piaf’ or sometimes ‘Diarrhedie.’ Bud can be ‘Budward, handsome man.’
Breed: Both mutts. Edie is a Collie/Shepherd mix and Buddy is Corgi/Spaniel.
Ages: Edie, 9; Buddy, 6
Favorite toy: Anything that’s not a toy! Like a throw pillow. Edie carries around a stuffed daisy in her mouth and it’s so cute. Buddy’s favorite toy is actually my underwear.
Favorite treats: See: Underwear
Favorite place to hang out: Next to me on the couch—next to me wherever I am
Favorite dog-friendly vacation: The Hamptons
Best trick: Edie can high-five
Best friends: Each other
Nemesis: The vacuum cleaner
Favorite naughty behavior/bad habit: Edie is a poop-eater. Buddy, the boy, doesn’t lift his leg when he pees and Edie, the girl, does. I think that’s funny.
Favorite way to get attention/treats: Buddy will just jump in your lap; Edie will hump your leg.
Sleeps: In bed with me
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dogs? Yes
Anything else we should know about your dog? They are both rescued. I adopted Buddy in Minnesota!
What are you up to these days? I’m going to be at the Parkway theater for an exciting New Year’s Eve spectacular called “What the F#ck Just Happened?” Tickets and info here.

Teiken's Pellet

Joy Teiken (designer and owner, Joynoelle)
Name: Pellet
Nickname: Pelly
Breed: Little mutt
Age: 16 to 18; we don’t know since I found her
Favorite toy: Her cat, Sadi
Favorite treats: Pup-Peroni
Favorite place to hang out: In her dog bed or at Grandma Harriet’s house
Favorite dog park: Too old to go to the dog park
Favorite dog-friendly restaurant: Too old to go anywhere
Favorite dog-friendly store: My boutique

Designer Joy Teiken

Favorite pet store: Southside Farm Store
Favorite dog-friendly vacation: Cabin time at Eagle Lake
Best trick: Sleeping
Best friend: My husband, Craig
Nemesis: Khea the cat
Favorite naughty behavior/bad habit: Ignoring us on her walks; she walks without a leash and sometimes she takes herself for a walk.
Favorite way to get attention/treats: Barks
Sleeps on: Bed, couch, floor, dog bed—really anywhere she wants to
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dog? We used to, but now she’s deaf and we just give her lots of kisses.
Anything else we should know about your dog? She has a sad turned happy story. I found her by the side of the road in southern Minnesota and she had pellets from a bb gun in her head and back. (That’s why her name is Pellet.) That was 11 years ago … she’s had a great life ever since.  She’s almost deaf and blind, but she’s still happy.
What are you up to these days? I’m working on a bridal line that will be available online this winter.

Andra Suchay's Lucy

Andra Suchy (singer, guest—A Prairie Home Companion) and husband, Andrew Pierzina
Name: Lucy
Nicknames: Mit Mit, Rucine, Rucy
Breed: Boxer mix
Age: 7
Favorite toy: Bumblebee, a catnip cat toy, and tennis balls
Favorite treats: Real bones with peanut butter inside and carrots
Favorite place to hang out: On the couch or in our bed; outside if it’s nice weather
Favorite dog park: The Suchy farm, owned by Andra’s parents, near Mandan, North Dakota
Favorite pet store: Urbanimal
Favorite dog-friendly vacation: Going to the Suchy Farm

Andra and Andrew

Best trick: Running on the treadmill. She runs several times a week for 30 minutes at a time.  She will also sit, lay down, and stay for a treat with hand signals until I say ‘OK.’
Best friend: Our late Weimeraner, Sophia. Our cat, Lester. They play together and he will grab her face and lick her eyes. They love each other. Also, her cousins Willie the cow dog and Bjork the pug at the farm.
Nemesis: The lake. She can’t stay out of it. She is VERY obsessed with biting the water. She also hates the rain.
Favorite naughty behavior/bad habit: She sometimes doesn’t play well with others …
Favorite way to get attention/treats: She will sit very, very close to you and make a very loud sighing, breathing sound. We say she swallowed a bullsnake. Or, she will jump her front feet down onto the ground and bark until you play with her.
Sleeps on: Bed
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dog? Almost always
Anything else we should know about your dog? She loves kids, and gets really excited when we have company. She loves people in general.
What are you up to these days? Andrew and I are both going to be performing guests on the A Prairie Home Companion 2010 Western Caribbean Cruise in March.

Brian Lambert (writer, blogger, talk radio host)
Name: Ernie. She’s a girl. But every animal we ever bring home—lizards, birds—we call Ernie, (for Cubs great Ernie Banks) so we don’t get confused.
Nicknames: The Living Rug, Rugball
Breed: Cocker Spaniel/Bichon Frisee … we think. White, anyway.
Age: 14
Favorite toy: Has always been annoyed by or afraid of toys, especially after that mechanical rubber mouse episode
Favorite treats: Anything that says “bacon” on the package
Favorite place to hang out: An ottoman, on a gold quilted blanket, looking out the front window like a damned queen
Favorite dog park: The neighbor’s back yard
Favorite dog-friendly restaurant: I’d say Manny’s Steakhouse, but I’d be lying. The closest she gets to a restaurant is the bag of bones I tote home from Famous Dave’s.
Favorite dog-friendly coffee shop: The Starbucks at 50th & France in Edina … tied to a sign post
Favorite dog-friendly store: PetSmart, St. Louis Park
Favorite pet store: Ditto, especially the packaged bacon treats aisle
Favorite dog-friendly vacation: The cabin, in northern Wisconsin. 11 acres of woods, deer and ticks
Best trick: Trick? She whines for bacon. Is that a trick?
Best friend: Whoever is slipping her people food under the table
Nemesis: Other than the mechanical mouse, any dog that gets to the bacon before her. Oh, and any squirrel.
Favorite naughty behavior/bad habit: Licking plates in the dishwasher
Favorite way to get attention/treats: Whining, scratching at doors, “herding” humans toward the bacon treats in the pantry
Sleeps on: My side of the bed … and on my legs
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dog? No. I save that for my 28-year-old.
Anything else we should know about your dog? If you put a chipmunk in a rain pipe, Ernie will bark at it for four hours.

Hip-hop artist Sims

Sims (hip-hop artist, Doomtree)
Names: Lola, Superbowl Champion
Nicknames: Lola, Champ
Breeds: Pit Bull
Ages: 11, 3
Favorite toys: Tennis ball, rubber football tied to a rope for tug-of-war
Favorite treat: Meat. Anything but vegetables, although the look of betrayal on their faces when given a vegetable is pretty amazing, so that’s my favorite treat to give them.
Favorite place to hang out: Outside, anywhere we can play ball. And in the car.
Favorite dog-friendly restaurant: Muddy Waters
Favorite dog-friendly coffee shop: Muddy Waters
Favorite dog-friendly store: The Alt bike and board shop
Favorite pet store: Petco
Best trick: Sit
Best friend: Me
Nemesis: Brooms and thunder
Sleeps on bed, couch, dog bed, floor, or outside: Yes
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dog? No. But they get treated as if they were my kids … maybe that’s worse.

Jenkins' Helen

Kathie Jenkins (restaurant critic/food editor, St. Paul Pioneer Press)
Name: Helen
Nickname: Helly Belly
Breed: Bouvier
Age: 5
Favorite toy: A wool lamb
Favorite treats: Bananas and dried sweet potatoes
Favorite place to hang out: On the living room sofa
Favorite dog-friendly restaurant: Dairy Queen; she loves the cones but she doesn’t go overboard because she knows she has to watch her figure.
Favorite dog-friendly coffee shop: She doesn’t like coffee shops; she’d rather be at home lounging on the sofa and watching “The Dog Whisperer.”
Favorite dog-friendly store: She doesn’t like stores, either. She has fear of floors and most places are just too slippery for her.
Favorite pet store: Pet Junction
Favorite dog-friendly vacation: She’s a homebody
Best trick: Laying down on command
Best friend: Josie, a three-legged golden retriever that gives her a good run.
Nemesis: Fivel, an autistic German shepherd. She just won’t have anything to do with him.
Favorite naughty behavior/worst bad habit: Dripping water all over the entire kitchen floor every time she takes a drink
Favorite way to get attention/treats: Just looking like she’s about to chase a squirrel
Sleeps on: Couch
Be honest: Do you ever use baby talk when speaking to your dog? I call it ‘dog talk.’
Anything else we should know about your dog? She loves to have her teeth brushed. Every morning she comes out in the kitchen and doesn’t leave until I brush her teeth.

By Meredeth Barzen

September has arrived, and we all know what that means: Woofstock is coming! On Saturday, September 19, all of Linden Hills (a neighborhood that needs no officially sanctioned holiday to go dog-crazy, but appreciates it anyway) will be swarmed with pooches and their people taking in tons of doggie-centric events, vendors and contests.

Sadie the Wonderdoodle can speak from firsthand experience to say that Linden Hills is pretty dog-friendly all year round: Many of the main drag’s businesses—like Clancey’s Meats, Bayers Do it Best Hardware, Coffee & Tea Ltd. and Wonderment—not only let dogs in their stores, but reward pups for their owners’ great sign-reading skills with biscuits and belly rubs. For Woofstock, these businesses are stocking up on treats and celebrating the day with things like doggie corsages, hats for the annual Pooches Promenade, and special sales and events.

This dog is not so sure about its custom-made hat from Wonderment--but hey, the owner likes it!

These businesses are also playing sponsor for a grand four-legged scavenger hunt, where dog owners go to certain stores to sniff out a huge, golden bone. Everyone who completes the task is entered to win prizes.

We’re most excited about the Wash-a-thon and Coffee Tasting in the Sebastian Joe’s parking lot from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., sponsored by Pampered Pooch Playground, K9-Connection and yours truly, Sidewalk Dog. For a $5 suggested donation to People for Parks, the event’s beneficiary, you can have your filthy friend primped and pampered in a warm-water dog wash while you sample Sebastian Joe’s coffee.

New to the festival this year is an exciting agility demonstration put on by the folks at C&E Dog Training Center. They’re bringing their super-agile animals with them and will be showing off their skills in the Sebastian Joe’s parking lot between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Also new this year is Fresh Air Training’s Pint-Sized Play, where small dogs can romp with their similar-sized peers. Wild Rumpus bookstore (where cats and chickens reign supreme) will have a contest to see who has the most well-read dog—just snap a photo of your pooch inspired by your favorite dog in literature and bring it to the store for a chance to win a prize. And to set a soundtrack to the festivities, Trish Painter (who has a CD of dog-inspired songs) and the Linden Hills House of Music’s Rock Camp for Dads will be serenading us dog-lovers.

One of Woofstock’s perennial favorites, the dog tricks contest, will be hosted by FOX 9’s Juli Jay—and this is the first year the judges will be looking for “average” dog tricks like a fast-sit, a high-jump, a cute booty-wiggle, resemblance to owner or even being just plain old.

Some of the festivities (like the Wash-a-thon) benefit People for Parks, a nonprofit that funds projects to improve Minneapolis’ stellar park system. Or, you can help them out directly by buying an engraved paver (in tribute to anyone you love, animal or human) that will live in front of the Lake Harriet Bandshell—they’ll be exhibiting at Woofstock, so be sure to pay them a visit.

We’ll see you there!

When we at Sidewalk Dog finally got around to launching the Sidewalk Dog Directory last summer, we threw ourselves a party to celebrate. And just where did we hold our fabulously dog-friendly celebration? At fabulously dog-friendly Corner Coffee in Downtown Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood.

This summer — this weekend, in fact — Corner Coffee is hosting their own dog-friendly event. They’re calling it “Dog’s Day Out,” and it’s this Saturday from 4-5PM.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• Live music by folk singer-songwriter Trish Painter. Painter’s new Dog Tracks album features “original songs about and inspired by dogs — their adventures, their dreams and their lives of snooping around and loving life.”
• Contests galore (Best Trick, Owner Look-Alike, Best Dressed, Biggest Dog, Smallest Dog, etc.)
• Killer coffee (duh)
• Free stuff and special offers from MadDog Delivers, Who Let the Dogs Out, Aloha Pet Care, Own Your Pets Life, Downtown Dogs and Ollu Self-Serve Dog Wash, an “eco-conscious self-service dog washing facility” opening soon near St. Anthony Main.
• Information on Guardian Angels For Soldier’s Pet (GASP), a nonprofit dedicated to reuniting military service members with their pets following deployment or emergency hardship
• Information on The Pet Project, a new nonprofit helping the financially struggling keep their fur kids by providing pet food and basic supplies via local food shelves

Our advice: Go early — the first 150 to show up will get a free gift bag — and stay late.

What makes the new Sidewalk Dog postcard extra special?

1. It features our new interactive map of dog parks and dog-friendly patios, courtesy of our good friends at Stunt Puppy. Check it out and add (and review!) your own faves here.
2. It was designed by the enormously talented Sarah of Sarah Beth Photography.
3. It stars darling Dachshund Kassi, whose mom is Kari Finkler of Mod-Dog, “modern art for modern pets.” (I recently bought their oh-so-mod Cavalier King Charles Spaniel notecards for a fellow Cav mom.)

Check it out! Isn’t it pretty?

A lucky customer cools off at Lucia's Dog Bar

By Meredeth Barzen

Note: Throw us a bone and tell us about your favorite places to grab a bite with your dog in the comments section below. Or go one further: We’ve teamed up with our friends at Stunt Puppy to create this super-snazzy interactive map of our choice dog spots in the area. Check it out and add (and review!) your own faves here.

You asked for it, you got it! Our readers have been hounding (nudge, nudge!) us for a definitive list of places to dine with their dogs. Everyone (hopefully) knows about Lucia’s Dog Bar–the creme de la creme of doggie dining–and some of the bigger names we touted in last year’s doggie dining roundup. Now that the season’s officially upon us (catch these 72-degree days while you can,) Sidewalk Dog’s here to offer a few of our favorites.

1. Riverboat Grill - That’s “Captain Fido”, thankyouverymuch. This old-timey riverboat docks at Saint Paul’s Harriet Island and serves up choice chow and scenery in an extremely dog-friendly environment. Since the entire dining room is outdoors, dogs are permitted to roam just about anywhere they’d like–brave pups can even take in the view from the top deck, provided they’re not afraid of a flight of stairs. Water, treats and ample tie-up spots are a given.

2. Toast Wine Bar and Cafe – This North Loop cafe in Downtown Minneapolis has three separate sections to its patio to accommodate all levels of doggie dining interest. Plus, they’ll be hosting their second annual “Yappy Hour” on June 6, where lucky pups will get to taste-test their special treats. Stay tuned to Sidewalk Dog for more info on this event!

3. Blue Plate Restaurants - With hip, dog-friendly spots all over the metro (3 Squares, Edina Grill and Groveland Tap, anyone?), two of this local diner dynasty’s restaurants have really gone to the dogs: Longfellow Grill and Highland Grill.  While dogs are welcome to keep you company on the other side of a low fence surrounding all Blue Plate patios (though not on the patios proper), four-legged friends seem especially taken with the casual atmosphere and official, restaurant-branded water bowls at these two locations. Some owners even order lunch for their furry dining companions.

4. Gigi’s Cafe – Need nourishment after a romp around Lake Harriet or Lake Calhoun? This South Minneapolis bistro has a lovely sidewalk where you and your dog are welcome to relax with brunch and a bowl of water. Dispatch from the rumor mill: Homemade dog biscuits are coming soon!

Picosa's patio on St. Anthony Main's cobblestone streets

5. Picosa – With walking trails and a park bordering a long, narrow patio along Minneapolis’ historic St. Anthony Main, dogs are a natural fit at this Latin American/Caribbean restaurant. Water bowls and treats are available for canine customers.

6. Birchwood Cafe – If the homemade dog biscuits that this Seward eatery has in the works are anything like its often local, sustainable and organic people-food, then Twin Cities dogs have a reason to rejoice.

7. Pumphouse Creamery - For dessert, you can’t beat Pumphouse’s decadent ice cream–for you and your dog. That’s right, the South Minneapolis shop makes their own gourmet doggie ice cream. Inspired by 2 neighborhood dogs, the treat comes in two flavors: Bella’s
Tracks (plain) and Bruno’s Tracks (peanut butter). With half the fat and sugar as “people” ice cream, your pup can go gonzo for a treat that tastes like people food, but won’t mess with his system.

Other great places to nosh with your dog:

• Riverview Cafe and Wine Bar (Longfellow neighborhood, Southeast Minneapolis)

• Aster Cafe (St. Anthony Main, Downtown Minneapolis)

• Liberty Frozen Custard (South Minneapolis)

• Butter Bakery Cafe (South Minneapolis)

• Nomad World Pub (University neighborhood, Minneapolis)

• Coffee News Cafe (Grand Avenue, St. Paul)

• Maverick’s Wood Grill (Champlin)

• View Restaurant and Bar (Uptown Minneapolis)

• McCoy’s Public House (St. Louis Park)

• Laredo’s Tex-West Grill and Cantina (St. Louis Park)

• French Meadow Cafe (Lyn-Lake neighborhood, Minneapolis)

• Wilde Roast Cafe (Northeast Minneapolis)

• Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar (St. Paul)

• Costello’s Bar and Grill (Selby Avenue, St. Paul)

• D’Amico and Sons (Locations all over the Metro Area)

• Grand Ole Creamery (Grand Avenue, St. Paul)

• Joe’s Garage (Loring Park, Minneapolis)

• The Tin Fish (Lake Calhoun, Uptown Minneapolis)

• Sea Salt Eatery (Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis)

• Town Hall Brewery (University neighborhood, Minneapolis)

• Barbette (Uptown Minneapolis)

• Cafe Maude (Southwest Minneapolis)

• Cafe Twenty Eight (Linden Hills neighborhood, Southwest Minneapolis)

• Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge (Northeast Minneapolis)

• The Happy Gnome (Cathedral Hill, St. Paul)

• W.A. Frost & Company (Cathedral Hill, St. Paul)

How about you? Throw us a bone and tell us about your favorite places to grab a bite with your dog in the comments section below. Or go one further: We’ve teamed up with our friends at Stunt Puppy to create this super-snazzy interactive map of our choice dog spots in the area. Check it out and add (and review!) your own faves here.

Olive Juice Studios took these amazing photos for the various pages of SidewalkDog.com. Thanks to the following dog-friendly businesses: Covered, aloft Minneapolis hotel, Java J’s Coffee and — last but not least — the fabulous Olive Juice Studios.

In May, our newsletter and blog will feature Dog-friendly Dining and Dog Parks. Hurry! Subscribe at http://SidewalkDog.com/subscribe.

If you’re heading toward Stillwater or Taylors Falls for a little fall color watching I wanted you to know about a couple of great stops there that love dogs!

Coffee Talk coffee house in Taylors Falls is a gorgeous Victorian right on the main drag of Hwy 96. Indie and I stopped there in August and she was promptly petted and delivered a bowl of "gourmet" water in a hand-made ceramic bowl. There’s a very cozy, large front porch great shelter and people watching. And, behind the shop, nestled into the hill, is an enchanting backyard wonderland perfect for resting your bones…or chewing on one.

And, if you head a little farther south from there into Stillwater, check out the Tasteful Table just up the hill from Main Street Treats, water, and the best outdoor patio and service with a smile west of the St. Croix!

What other magical places are you taking your dog to for Fall color watching? Post it here.