Who We Are
Mutt’s Pourhouse will be North Dakota’s first indoor off-leash dog park with a bar. It will feature both large and small dog play areas complete with agility equipment for canine pleasure and seating for their humans. Referees will monitor the action to ensure a safe and good time is had by all.
In the bar area, dog owners and dog lovers can grab a beer from our unique beer list featuring both local breweries and domestics. Humans are welcome to either take their beer into the dog park to watch their dog or stay in the bar area.
How It Started
It began in 2019 when cofounders myself, Amanda, got my dog Bondi, and Samantha and Samuel added Luna to their family that already included Vella. Over the summer we enjoyed multiple dog-friendly places. As the seasons changed and winter set in, the options were very limited. I had to choose between kenneling Bondi while I went out with friends in the evenings or not hanging out with friends so I could properly exercise Bondi at the dog park. As a dog mom, I always felt guilty having to make that choice knowing it was unfair to Bondi if I chose my friends.
During a work trip to Denver, CO that fall, I visited a bar that allowed dogs off-leash on their patio. This experience planted the seed of an idea for the solution to the dog mom dilemma that we faced here in Fargo. Over the next year and a half we sought input from other dog owners and dog lovers to develop our vision of an indoor/outdoor off-leash dog park bar within our community. The feedback was enthusiastic and positive about an off-leash dog park bar and having a new year-round option available for their dogs and their owners.
During our planning and development phase, we participated in Co.Starters through The Nice Center, used ND Women in Business center, and the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) in the Fargo/Moorhead community. Their helpful guidance nurtured the seed of an idea into a blossoming business plan. With a business plan in hand, we wanted to research already existing indoor/outdoor dog parks. Bondi, my mom, and I went on a road trip from Fargo, ND to Florida to visit and experience ten different dog park bars along the way. We gained valuable insight into amenities, design, and operations — had a front row seat to Bondi’s experience at all of them. This experience helped me see what features dogs and people enjoyed at each location.
- Amanda and Bondi, Co-Founders