Pup Meetups: Houston

Everything is bigger in Texas — including Houston! According to the City of Houston, at 655 square miles, Houston could contain the cities of New York, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, and Miami! Houston, with 2.3 million residents, is the fourth most populous city in the United States. That is A LOT of people in one city!

When we first moved here three years ago, I had no idea just how big Houston was or how many people lived here. As we became acclimated, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is a city that provides many fun opportunities for dogs and their owners outside of the dog park.

A GREAT DOG COMMUNITY

Houstonians — especially those who are dog owners – can appreciate that when the short-lived cooler temps come to town it is a great time to find a dog-friendly patio. We love to take our dogs and meet up with friends and their pups to enjoy a bite to eat or have a cocktail. Some dog-friendly Houston restaurant locations that we like to have pup meetups at are: Axelrad Beer Garden, Barnaby’s Cafe, Cottonwood, and Max’s Wine Dive to name a few. The all are very accommodating and usually offer a doggie treat and a bowl of cool water.

BARKDAY PAWTIES

Recently we (Jackson, specifically) have been invited to several local dog’s BARKday PAWties (“birthday parties” in doggie language). As two adults with no kids and several dogs, it has been a fun way for my husband and I to meet up with other dog owners and celebrate their pups. Usually held at a local dog park or dog-friendly brewery, it is always a fun experience. There is even an amazing dog party planning service in Houston called The Barkday Planner! They specialize in planning a themed celebration for pups, including a custom cake and treats, doggy bags, party supplies, and even snacks for the humans. I think their “pawties” are better than most human parties I have attended!

BRING YOUR OWN DOG

Several months ago, we joined BYOD (Bring Your Own Dog) Houston. BYOD is a membership community that connects dog-lovers to greater Houston’s best dog-friendly deals, events, and recreational activities. The cost per month is minimal ($2.99/month) and it includes admission to BYOD events, deals at Houston restaurants, bars, pet services, and pet care. We have met so many wonderful people through this awesome community.

Each month BYOD holds a themed event for members to attend. These gatherings are held at different dog-friendly locations throughout Houston and include fun games, prizes, drink deals, themes, and treats. It’s really been a great opportunity for us and our dogs to socialize and have fun.

Some of the past themes have included: a beach party on Galveston Island where we played beach blanket bingo, Cinco De Mayo with margaritas for the humans, and a St. Patrick’s Day party where everyone wore green (pictured below).

Upcoming BYOD events include:

• Give Thanks Pawty – The BYOD Houston pack will gather together at Dogtopia to enjoy a pre-Thanksgiving celebration. At the Pupsgiving Pawty dogs (and their humans) will get to create paw print art while also donating food to animals in need. All guests are asked to bring a donation of dog and cat food for a local rescue/adoption organization.
• Ugly Sweater Pawty – BYOD Members are invited to BYOD Houston’s First Annual Ugly Sweater Pawty. Fun treats, ugly sweater prizes, and customized howliday shopping for dogs and their humans will be available! More details to come on BYOD’s event page soon!

Does your city have a dog-friendly community? Tell us where you live and all about it in the comments below!

Julie Keck

Hey y’all! My name is Julie and I am from Houston, Texas. I am married to a wonderful guy named Andrew and we have three amazing dogs: Heath, a blue Weimaraner, as well as Jackson and Bennett, two very spotty Dalmatians. Currently, I work as a higher education Public Relations Coordinator and am a graduate of Bethany College with a BA in communications and WVU with an MS in Integrated Marketing Communications. I am the fun-loving dog mom behind the scenes of the Instagram account @jackson_the_dalmatian. I hope you’ll follow along with our daily adventures!