Recent from the Bugle
Fall is Tulsa patio season. The heat breaks, the mosquitoes ease off, and half the restaurants on Cherry Street and in the Pearl District put out water bowls. Here is how to make sure your dog is the reason people smile rather than the reason the manager rethinks the policy.
1. Call ahead, every time
Oklahoma health rules leave dog policies up to each restaurant, and they change. A thirty-second call saves an awkward walk back to the car.
2. Tire them out first
A ten-minute sniff walk before you sit down turns a fidgety dog into a napping one. A dog who has had zero exercise is going to be under the table, then on the chair, then in someone's lap.
3. Bring the kit
A collapsible bowl, a mat or towel to claim a spot, a long-lasting chew, and poop bags. The mat matters more than you'd think: it tells the dog where "their" spot is, and they settle faster.
4. Short leash, under the table
Six feet of leash on a patio is six feet of tripping hazard for servers carrying trays. Loop it around your chair leg and keep the dog on your side of the aisle.
5. No sharing plates
Onions, garlic, grapes, and anything cooked in a lot of butter are a bad night waiting to happen. A few plain fries are fine. The nachos are not.
6. Know when to leave
If your dog is barking at every dog that walks by, or won't settle after ten minutes, it's not the day. Leaving early keeps the patio open for everyone, including you next time.
Have a favorite Tulsa patio that treats dogs well? Tell us at admin@dogbugle.com and we may feature it.
