Hi! I’m Daphne and I’m Bucket List Community News’s canine correspondent and brand ambassador. I’m a Shetland Sheepdog and look like a little Lassie. I have a lot to say (aka yappy) so I wanted to do a guide too.
Did you know in 2021 there was a survey by Rover and Zillow and it found Denver is the most dog-friendly city? It’s true. When I attend events, people pet me and say how adorable I am. I’m not quite a year old yet but I’ve been to lots of places. Here are some of my favorites!
Fine Doggie Dining
There is nothing that compares to the pup cup, aka Puppuccino, that I get when I visit my friends at Starbucks at 44th and Federal. My mom likes her cappuccinos so in the mornings we walk to Starbucks, which is six blocks away from our house. Our friend, Victoria, who used to be an intern at Bucket List Community News, works there and everyone is really happy to see me when I come in. Mom gets her drink and I get a pup cup full of whipped cream, and we start off our day with exercise and a treat. Puppuccinos are popular at all Starbucks locations.
According to Glimpse, which explores trends, the PUP-ularity of the pup cup has grown 15% since last year. Could this rise be attributed to TikTok, where users enjoy sharing videos of their dogs devouring treats or losing their minds as they approach the drive-through? They are so PUP-ular that top executives had to ensure investors at their annual meeting that the freebie would not go away.
Baristas enjoy serving pup cups, but please remember to order them with your drinks to avoid disrupting the production flow. That said, Starbucks, I do need to note the pup cup that came out of the blue at Bacon Social House in Sunnyside. It was a pup cup with whipped cream and BACON! Sarah, our waitress, asked if I could have bacon and brought it to me and it had four pretty big pieces of bacon on top of sweet deliciousness. And it was free, free, free.
Starbucks in the morning and Bacon Social House for lunch: dog heaven!
Dog Days on Tennyson Street
Tennyson Street in Berkeley is an excellent place for a dog-friendly afternoon because there is so much to see and do. There are parks, dog-friendly patios, a pet supply store, a cat-petting area and a parade of four-legged friends. On Halloween, there is even a pet parade. Plus, everyone puts out water to keep us hydrated. If you begin at 46th Avenue, Berkeley Lake is a one-mile walk for a nice leash-free stroll, and there is a dog park behind the rec center on the west end where the park meets Sheridan. Lose the leash and play with 20 of your closest friends.
Heading south, there are dog-friendly patios like Call to Arms Brewing and my personal favorite, Tenn Street Coffee and Books, where I get treats and say hello to Spencer, George, and the team. On weekends, I also see friends gathered around tables outside. Inside there is art, used books, records and great wifi to work. Kelly and Mark Williams from Modus Real Estate hold free coffee Fridays there on the first Friday of the month.
Further down the block is my favorite store, Mouthfuls. When I sleep and my tail wags, I’m dreaming about Mouthfuls. It’s a pet supply store run by Kaiti and her friends. Every day is Christmas for dogs (and cats) in here. I got my tropical collar there and when I go in, they give me treats even if we don’t buy anything. There is also a separate room dedicated to cats and everything they require to be PURR-fectly happy.
Keep going south and you will come to César Chávez Park. You need a leash here but it’s a nice place for a pause or a picnic. I recommend your human visits Bakery Four then head outside so they can eat their treats while you sit and stare longingly at their croissant. And, if you’re into cats, the Denver Cat Company is a place where you can go to have a coffee, hang out with your feline friends and maybe even take one home. Though Tennyson Street is most popular during the First Friday Art Walks, it is a great place to watch pets almost every weekend.
Dog-Friendly Patios
I’m a Northwest Denver dog so my favorite patios are in the Sunnyside and Berkeley neighborhoods. Mom takes me to the patios of Radiator and Monkey Barrel near the corner of 44th and Pecos. Both are really fun when the weather is nice.
Radiator has coffee, bagels, happy hour, pizza and a big outdoor space where it’s dog day afternoon all the time. Monkey Barrel has a huge outdoor area with picnic tables and lots of other dogs. From time to time, there is live music and food trucks to complement the pub grub fare. They also serve delicious hamburgers!
In Berkeley, Cozy Cottage serves breakfast and lunch and the patio is usually full of dogs waiting for something to drop. Plus tons of water dishes in lots of sizes and designs. In Highland, there’s Little Man Ice Cream for Little Dog ice cream. TJ, a dog neighbor, gave it a five-bone rating. Denver is one of the most dog-friendly cities, and it is wonderful to be out and about with my friends.
Off-Leash Dog Park Day Trip
I like to go to Sloan’s Lake Park, Berkeley Lake Park and Rocky Mountain Lake Park for walks, but I’m supposed to wear my leash when I’m there. We’ve started to venture further afield to dog parks outside of the urban center that have more room to roam and meet other dogs. One day this summer we went on an off-leash dog park day trip and visited three spots within 20 miles of downtown. These are Tony Grampsas Dog Park in Golden, Forsberg Iron Spring Park in Lakewood and Westminster Hills Open Space Off-Leash Area.
Tony Grampsas Park in Golden is difficult to find, tucked away behind some baseball fields, but once you do, you will find a shady oasis. It’s right at the foot of New Terrain Brewery, so you can grab a beer before taking your dog to the park to play. It’s a great place to frolic while you stay cool.
Forsberg Park in Lakewood is nestled near a subdivision, making it more suburban, but it also has stunning views. To top it off, it includes an obstacle course where dogs can be sporty. There is plenty of space to run, but there are also tunnels, jumps, seesaws and other apparatus for teaching dog tricks.
Westminster Hills Dog Park is a hiker’s paradise, with trails and a creek winding through it. Near the bridge, you’ll find all your friends splashing in the water. People come from all over because there are 420 acres of space to explore and the views of the mountains are breathtaking. There was a community debate because some neighbors wanted to reduce the off-leash area to 30 or 40 acres, but the Westminster City Council decided against it, so the park remains massive and a great place to explore.
Bonus: Between Westminster Hills Dog Park and Tony Grampsas Dog Park, at the intersection of Indiana and West 87th Parkway, there is a Starbucks where you can stop for a pup cup, aka Puppuccino (see above!)
Dog School
Dog training can be expensive but for $149, Petco has puppy training. I went to the 44th and Sheridan stores to train with Miss Erin. I learned basic socialization skills with other puppies, as well as commands such as sit, come, and down. There were lots of treats.
We also learned how to walk on our leashes with proper manners. The highlight was graduation day, when we raced through an obstacle course (which I lost) but still managed to graduate. I also attended their advanced dog training and knocked it out of the park to get my advanced training certificate.
At nine months, I am still a work in progress, but I am working hard to improve my skills and manners so that I can be a good girl and an excellent brand ambassador for Bucket List Community News.
In the Denver area, there are numerous activities for dogs and their owners to enjoy together. This past weekend, I went to the Berkeley dog park and walked around Berkeley Lake, and earlier in the fall, I went to the mountains for the first time and played in the leaves on Guanella and Kenosha Passes. Let me know in the comments (which my owner will read to me) if there are any other places I should check out. Being a dog in Denver is the best!
