By Meredeth Barzen

A scene from the dog trick contest at Woofstock 2009.

“The Hiiiills are aliiiive …  with the sound of doooogieeeees.”

Yep, that’s right—Linden Hills Woofstock is right around the corner—Saturday Sept. 11th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., to be exact. And first things first: Sidewalk Dog is going to be there with bells on.

In fact, Sidewalk Dog, Pampered Pooch Playground and K9 Connection will be be providing a warm water dog wash in the Sebastian Joe’s parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The shampoo is being provided by Topline Canine Care (a local company, natch), and all money raised will go directly to The Pet Project, which which helps people keep their pets by providing pet food and basic supplies to those who are struggling and provides connections to basic veterinary care and information on finding pet-friendly housing (you might also recognize them as the fabulous beneficiary of last week’s Sushi With Your Poochie: Part Deux—Continued ). If it’s too cold for sudsies, we’ll be playing fun doggie games in the parking lot all day long. There might even be some yummy coffee and treats from Sebastian Joe’s.

A happy customer at last year's Sidewalk Dog-sponsored warm-water dog wash.

But now that we’ve dispensed with the business, let’s talk about the event, which doubled in attendance from 2008 to 2009 according to Lauren Crandall of Pixie Song Events, which produces Woofstock. Last year, “it seemed like EVERYONE had a dog, so the numbers really were astounding,” Lauren says. “As a result, we’ve closed off more real estate this year for more dog events. Bob Bayers of Bayers Hardware is closing off his lot, which is giving us a huge amount of space for more events and safe, car-free mingling.”

All your favorites will be back, including C&E Dog Training with an agility demonstration and a Pint-Sized Play session from Fresh Air Training so smaller dogs can get in on the fun. “We’ll have live music again this year, and dog trick shows for ‘amazing’ dogs, as well as a trick event for ‘average dogs! New stuff we like includes Zen Pooch Doga (yoga with your dog) sponsored by K9 Connection, and a dog/owner photo booth sponsored by Pampered Pooch Playground. And we love that Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) are setting up tents in the Dunn Bros parking lot and having their trained therapy dogs read along with any children that would like time to cozy up with a friendly fido and a good book,” Lauren says.

And don’t forget to stop by that dog wash—we’ll see you there!

By Meredeth Barzen

Summer is a great time to grab a drink, meet people, network and enjoy our cities’ awesome restaurant patios. But if you have to leave your dog behind, it can mean a heavy bummer hangs over your afternoons out. Luckily, Angie Gwiazdon has been hosting Beer With Your Buddy events for the past few years through her dog-friendly events company, K9-Connection.

“It’s like a dog park with a bar!” Angie says of her popular nights out. “People mingle, drink and socialize, and the dogs do the same. It has a laid-back feel; comfortable, casual and inviting. It’s a diverse crowd of people (and dogs) ranging in age from 21 to one of my regulars, who is 81! Couples, singles, friends, people in the dog biz trying to network: You name it, it’s there!”

Here’s how it works: Once a month, a local bar opens its doors to Twin Cities dog lovers and their four-legged friends for an afternoon of socializing, schmoozing and sipping (water for them; maybe a nice Flying Dog Classic Pale Ale for you?) The events are open to anyone who loves dogs—whether they have one or not—and this year, each BWYB event will be held one of a rotating schedule of bars, a change from the series’ previous permanent residence at the Nomad World Pub. “We are excited about traveling this year,” Angie says of the change. “A lot of people requested changing venues to mix it up a bit, so I am honoring that request.”

Another change this year: Since Angie’s pregnant with her second child, Beer With Your Buddy events will be held once a month (they used to be held twice a month). That’s not for lack of popularity, of course—the events are generally brimming with lots of lovely locals.

A BWYB participant enjoys, well, a beer with his buddy. Photo by Just Pawsitive Photography.

At each K9-Connection event except for Doga (yes: dog yoga—see list below for details), there is a charity present (usually dog-related but not always) who be raising funds and awareness with a raffle, silent auction, game or activity.

So when the first official Beer With Your Buddy kicks off the season at the Nomad this Saturday, take your pooch out for a drink.

Beer With Your Buddy Schedule (stay tuned for more info on later dates):

Sat., May 15, 4-6:30 p.m. Nomad World Pub, Minneapolis—this location is definitely off-leash! Tickets are sold out at indoor capacity; if the weather is dry, additional tickets will be available at the door. This month’s charity is Underdog Rescue.

Wed., June 23 at Club Jäger, Minneapolis—another off-leash location! “A fabulous bar with a great patio, dog-friendly, and they are just fine with the dogs being off-leash,” Angie says of Club Jäger.

Thu., July 22 at Darby O’Ragen’s (formerly JJ’s Dry Dock), Minneapolis. “They have expanded their deck and it is fabulous,” Angie says of the new and improved bar.

August date and location to be announced.

Thu., Sept. 23 at Darby O’Ragen’s, Minneapolis.

October at the Nomad World Pub, Minneapolis (off-leash!), date to be announced.

Other K9-Connection Events:

Fri., May 14, 5-8 p.m.: Mon Ami: Celebrating Our Community of Dog Lovers. Live music, art, wine, delectables and exclusive deals at Stray Dog Arts’ gallery space at Galleria, Edina.

Thu., June 3, 6-9 p.m.: Wine and Wag, a benefit for Homeward Bound Rescue at Darby O’Ragen’s, Minneapolis.

Sun., May 23, 10-11 a.m.: Zen Pooch Doga—yoga with your dog—is a monthly event at Pampered Pooch Playground in St. Louis Park.

• Some very cool nonprofits were born, including: The Pet Project, keeping people and their pets together in hard times; MN SNAP, providing low-cost spaying and neutering; MnPAW, working to reduce euthanasia of adoptable animals; Start Seeing Black Dogs, shedding light on Black Dog Syndrome.
• We love it when dog-friendly businesses and nonprofits team up to benefit each other à la Frattallone’s Ace Hardware’s Dog Days of Summer event. For every person who brought their pup into the store during the month of August, Frattallone’s donated $1 to Homeward Bound Dog Rescue. Find out how much was raised.
• More and more restaurants allowed (dare we say welcomed?) dogs on their patios. Check our map of dog-friendly patios, read about a few of our favorites and think spring!
• We got to know some famous Minnesotans and the four-leggeds that make them say “Who’s my fruffy wittle fuzzy bear?” in Almost Famous Dogs and Almost Famous Dogs: Part Deux.
• Minnesota got its first indoor dog park with the arrival of Dog City Dog Park in New Hope. (For outdoor options, check out our dog park map and read about a few of our urban and suburban faves.)
• The Sidewalk Dog Directory grew big time in 2009. From trainers to daycares to pet supply stores to animal communicators to poop scoopers, we’ve got you covered.
• Even we were surprised, delighted and a bit overwhelmed by all the dog-friendly happenings of 2009. Did you take your dog to the Saints game on Mother’s Day? Walk your dog in the Doggone Early Dog Walk at Mall of America? Dine with your dog at Sushi with Your Poochie at Tiger Sushi 2? Party with your dog at the Animal Humane Society’s Whisker Whirl? Drink with your dog at K9-Connection’s Beer with Your Buddy? Practice yoga with your dog at Zen Pooch Doga? Pose with your dog at Tails Up: The Pet Project’s First Annual Holiday Pet Food Drive? Celebrate National Pit Bull Awareness Day with your dog at All-American Dog Fest? Stroll with your dog at Woofstock? Run with your dog in the Monster Dash 5K-9? (Okay, we’ll stop now.)
• We learned firsthand that just like in people, dental disease in dogs can lead to heart, lung and kidney problems. In other words, dogs with healthy mouths live longer.
• We love shop dogs. After all, they can turn ordinary stores into living, breathing members of the community. South Lyndale Liquors’ St. Bernard Abbey was the quintessential shop dog—respectful, sweet, a treat for customers and a friend for employees.
• We were introduced to some particularly amazing dogs, including: Jerry, the “House Dog” at the Ronald McDonald House; Hector, a former Michael Vick dog who recently appeared at a St. Paul elementary school as part of a lesson on empathy and compassion; Sunny, assistant and best friend to autistic siblings Ellie and Ben.

Whoa, right?! And that’s just for starters!

Have a comment to make or something to add to the list? Please do so here.

Happy New Year!

Lisa Carlson practices cobra pose as her dog keeps close watch. (Photo by Leah Shaffer, www.plamerican.com)

If you’ve ever participated in a basic yoga class, you’re familiar with certain physical postures, such as tadasana, warrior pose and – everyone’s favorite – savasana.

Now there’s a new yoga class taking place around the Twin Cities where your dog is welcome and encouraged to practice right alongside you. Novices and advanced yoga practitioners alike are attending k9-connection “Zen Pooch,” yoga classes that include your dog.

Many of the classes take place at Pampered Pooch Playground dog daycare in St. Louis Park, MN.

Recently, local reporter Lisa Carlson and her dog attended a class and featured their experience in a feature article. Read the full article and find out more information on upcoming Zen Pooch classes, or other events by k9-connection, at their web site at www.k9-connection.com or call 612-501-2986.