Nothing warms up a lonely apartment like a canine companion, but students often learn the hard way that dogs cannot always be left at home alone while their owners are out. Thankfully, Baton Rouge offers dog owners several alternatives to staying home and playing fetch.
Dog parks are a popular destination for students and their furry friends, but several bars and restaurants around town cater as much to dogs as they do to people.
The Bulldog on Perkins Road has been a dog-friendly bar since its doors opened in 2008 and hosts frequent charity events for The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Bulldog also holds dog adoptions for shelter dogs where bar patrons can leave with their own new pets.
Assistant general manager Anthony Ramirez said the dog-friendly concept goes beyond simply admitting the dogs onto the bar’s back porch. Dogs visiting the bar can get similar refreshments to their owners, minus the alcohol.
“We offer dog treats, and dog bowls with water are provided,” Ramirez said. “And on a typical Wednesday night, we’ll have anywhere from a half dozen to two dozen dogs throughout the course of the evening.”
Ramirez also said Fridays usually draw a large canine lunch crowd.
It’s not only The Bulldog’s patrons who find themselves unable to resist adopting dogs. Carter Cauley, University alumnus and a bartender at The Bulldog, met his dog while working one evening during a dog adoption event.
“There was one puppy that really struck me as it belonged at my house,” Cauley said.
Cauley took advantage of a foster program that allows potential dog owners to provide a temporary home for a dog to determine how well the animal fits into their lives.
For Cauley, the trial run was a success, and he decided to make the puppy a permanent part of his life.
For another dog-friendly hangout, fans of downtown Baton Rouge can stop by Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant on 3rd Street with pet in tow.
The restaurant allows dogs on its outdoor patio and provides doggy bowls with water upon request.
Lucy’s even has a “canine cuisine” menu exclusively for dogs with dishes like the “Hot Diggity Dog” and the “Canine Kahuna.”
Ryan Caldwell, Lucy’s assistant general manager, said the dog-friendly policy is popular with customers, and customers often show up with dogs when the weather is nice.
“I actually have some customers that I recognize because of their dogs,” Caldwell said. “The whole idea behind Lucy’s is to be relaxed and chilled. I think dogs go hand in hand with that.”
Dog owners looking to satisfy a sweet tooth or caffeine fix without the hassle of leaving their dogs alone need to look no further than the Brew Ha-Ha coffee and dessert shop on Jefferson Highway for a sweet destination that welcomes dogs.
Ashley Savoy, a barista at Brew Ha-Ha, said that in the six years the coffee shop has been open, customers have always been allowed to enjoy their coffee and dessert outside accompanied by their pets.
“A lot of our regular customers have dogs and know that they can bring them and hang out,” Savoy said. “We have a lot of regulars who rescue dogs, as well, so there’s always random little dogs coming in.”
Joseph Salzer, mechanical engineering senior, said his chocolate lab Brewester is too young to bring to bars like The Bulldog, but said since discovering other dog-friendly places he’s looking forward to bringing the pup to new places.
 
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Contact Andrew Price at [email protected]