Above: After-hike break at Laughing Dog Brewing. CHARLI MILLS Left: Enjoying the java at Evans Brothers Coffee. DOUG MARSHALL
their leisure in town – and all around town, too, as dogs are often out on weekend activities with their owners. Schuller’s nickname for her pet is “Mad Max” because, she says, he has the energy of a warrior; he recently summited Scotchman Peak, the county’s highest, with Schuller. Canines kayak, trot alongside horses in the backcountry, sleep in tents pitched in the campgrounds, and splash in mountain creeks. Some even snitch huckleberries. Dogs share the unique lifestyle of the area.
Dog-friendly biz Because so many businesses are dog friendly in Sandpoint, a dog can rack up the treats in a single day of running errands. Pick up a coffee at a drive-through, deposit money at the bank, or visit the dump, and dog treats abound. Jon Hagadone and Vicki Reich, owners of Idaho Pour Authority, welcome dogs as long as they remain leashed and with their owners when visiting the pub. Hagadone says it’s rare for one dog to scrap with another. “Most dogs are (well) behaved. Sometimes a new dog enters and starts to show aggression and that owner promptly leaves,” he said. For the most part, the people participants understand they are as lucky as their dogs to enjoy the welcome at dog-friendly businesses. Visit the taproom at Laughing Dog Brewing often enough and the staff will know which beer you prefer in your mug and what tricks your dog will do to earn a biscuit. In fact, it’s a business based on a dog – Ben. He’s the Laughing Dog mascot on the label, and after being in the brewing business since 2006, he’s 91 in dog years. Many craft beers at Laughing Dog have dog-inspired names, like the Alpha Dog Imperial, 86
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the Rocket Dog Rye and the Dogfather Imperial Stout. Except for service dogs allowed under the Americans with Disabilities Act, pets are not permitted in businesses with commercial kitchens governed by a food license. Although the Laughing Dog Brewing taproom recently opened a kitchen for food, including flatbread called the Yellow Lab, dogs are still welcome on the patio. Plans are under way to install heaters outside for year-round, dog-friendly seating in compliance with health codes. The company’s affection for dogs extends to philanthropy, too. Owner and brewer, Fred Colby, is dedicated to animals and serves on the board at the Panhandle Animal Shelter. Idaho Pour Authority, meantime, serves cheese, cold-cut meats and chocolate. They selected beer food that wouldn’t require a licensed kitchen. MickDuff’s Beer Hall on Cedar Street is bring-your-own-food friendly (popcorn is provided free) and dog friendly, as it doesn’t have a kitchen, unlike its parent MickDuff’s restaurant on First Avenue.
Panhandle Animal Shelter racks up support In a community of dog-lovers, it’s only natural to expect that its shelter would be a key institution for the town – and Panhandle Animal Shelter is. The shelter exists to reunite lost pets with owners and to diminish the number of abandoned, neglected and abused pets in the region. One foot (or paw) through the front door and you realize this is no ordinary shelter; it’s a comfortable place for both people and the pet residents. Education and support begins with staff and volunteers and ends with those adopting or in need of surrendering a dog.
SUMMER 2016
5/11/16 9:03 AM