Dog House Drinkery Is Playground for Dogs and Owners

Attention dog parents! You know that feeling when you come home from a long day at work and your best buddy is super excited to see you? You pet him and feed him, but after a long day you really want to go out and have a drink with some friends. The guilt of leaving the poor little guy at home without sufficient playtime starts to set in…

Turns out, you can have the best of both worlds at this bar/dog park. Bring your dog or dogs to Dog House Drinkery Dog Park in Leander and both you and your best buddies are sure to go home happy.

Dog House Drinkery is open 3-9 PM Tuesday-Thursday, 3-10 PM Friday, 12-10 PM Saturday and 12-8 PM Sunday (closed Monday).

There’s a $5 entry fee per dog per visit, or membership is $50 for a year plus $5 for each additional dog. Why the fee? Keep reading and you’ll see that it’s worth every penny.

Dog House for the Dogs

Canines big and small will find a friend or friends to play with at Dog House Drinkery Dog Park, and there’s plenty of room for them to run and play!

The fenced in, off-leash dog park area consists of half an acre with several large trees providing ample shade. There are multiple watering holes scattered throughout and dogs get LOTS of attention – not only from each other but from all the dog lovers in the park, happy to scratch their ears and rub their bellies, or just  throw a tennis ball.

At some weekend events, dogs may even find a treat buffet. Dogs are also allowed in the bar with humans….and sometimes on the bar.

Dog House for the People

Both the staff and patrons of Dog House Drinkery are friendly and welcoming. Dogs aren’t the only ones who will make new friends here.

People also get to indulge in beer and wine. The bar is stocked with a decent variety that includes beers like Shiner White Wing (it’s not just a Budweiser/Coors kind of place). They also make mimosas and micheladas, should you want something a little different.

Humans also get food on weekends. The food trailer, Dog House Eatz, is open Saturdays and Sundays from around 2 PM until 7 PM or so. Co-owner Jennifer Montano says their most popular menu item is the Sriracha Patty Melt. She also says that even though people aren’t allowed to bring their own food on weekends when the trailer is open, they will accommodate people with other dietary needs and allow them to bring in their own food.

Best of all, humans get guilt-free relaxation while they lounge at a table in the park and watch all the happy dogs play.

Extra Perks

The dog park is very clean, probably the cleanest one I’ve ever seen, and there are always three to five attendants on duty in the off-leash area at a time. They are constantly picking up any poo that owners might have missed, accidentally or not, and they keep an eye on the dogs to make sure everyone is playing fair.

The attendants are people who like dogs and know how to work with them. They not only try to prevent fights from happening, but they step in and help a dog or young pup that doesn’t know how to socialize feel comfortable. They also watch the gate when dogs go in and out, so owners don’t have to constantly get up and grab their dogs when the gate opens.

Dog Park Rules

• All dogs must be spayed or neutered to enter the park, unless they’re too young to have had the procedure done.
• Dogs that do not have all their vaccinations are not permitted.
• There is a limit of two dogs per person.
• Owners are expected to always have a leash visible and to keep an eye on their dogs, should aggressive behavior occur.
• Owners are also expected to pick up their dog’s “afterthoughts” if they see them. There are bags and disposal bins around the park.
• No children under the age of 16 are allowed in the off-leash area.

Breed Meetups and Other Activities

Want to see how your dog gets along with other dogs of the same breed? You can watch all the hound dogs smell, track and bay, or watch all the sheepdogs herd. Dog House Drinkery will organize breed meetups on Saturdays upon request. All you have to do is ask, and they will set up an event listing via Meetups.com at no cost!

The venue also offers training sessions with another 10,000 square foot off-leash area for this purpose.

In addition to the breed meetups and training, Dog House Drinkery hosts events almost every weekend for different community animal shelters and rescue groups. They donate 20% of sales for the day to these organizations, even allowing them to raise more money with bake sales, live music and even film festivals!

On Saturday, June 27th, Dog House Drinkery will host the Bow Wow Film Festival starting at 8 PM. Films presented will be shorts about dogs, of course, and proceeds will go to Austin Dog Rescue.

Check Dog House Drinkery’s website for information on other upcoming events.

 

@natalien_n wants to know: 

What’s your favorite Austin dog park?