The paw-fect excuse to party 

They say, “dogs are a (wo)man’s best friend”, and for Bianca Sondakh the truth of this statement led her to create a weekly event inviting people to pub crawl with their furry friends by their side. 

Since starting the Puppy Pub Crawl in July 2019 in South Melbourne, she has seen them only continue to grow in popularity with the events now attracting anywhere from 12 to 28 people and 10 to 25 dogs. Dog lovers who may not have a dog themselves are also welcome. 

And now, for the first time, the event is preparing to come to Carlton as part of the North Melbourne/Carlton Puppy Pub Crawl on Sunday, December 4.

“We have become quite well-known now and have had some bars and pubs approach us, including the Queensberry Hotel which asked if we could have a Puppy Pub Crawl there,” Ms Sondakh said. 

“It will be our first event there and we are looking forward to it.” 

Now with nine different locations around Melbourne that they rotate between each week, Ms Sondakh couldn’t be happier that her love for her affectionate and quirky Pugalier Hugo, and hesitancy to leave him home alone, has led to such a fun day out for all. 

“I don’t like leaving my dog at home when I am not working and so when my friend asked to catch up for Friday night drinks, I saw The Palace Hotel in South Melbourne was dog-friendly and so I suggested we go there,” she said. 

“We went there, and we had such a good time and then we wanted to go to another pub for live music and happy hour, but I wasn’t sure because of Hugo, but we gave another place a try and just sat outside, and it was good.” 

Following going to this pub, they then moved onto another brewery, which much to Ms Sondakh’s excitement, also allowed dogs.

“I had such a good time that night, and then thought other people might enjoy it as well. So, the idea of the Puppy Pub Crawl came up and for something different at every crawl location there is also always a doggy martini or doggy cocktail,” she said. 

“Now they can have a full experience as well, rather than just coming along.”

At past locations there has also been food for the dogs, too, with one Prahran location providing doggy tacos and cupcakes. 

Now at the upcoming North Melbourne/Carlton Puppy Pub Crawl on December 4, attendees can also expect to see Barkaritas (Dog Margaritas) for their little friend, and enjoy a Sheep Dog peanut butter whisky shot for themselves. 

The event will start at The Castle Hotel in North Melbourne, with the group then moving on to Bobbie Peels, before finishing up at Carlton’s very own Queensberry Hotel. 

In addition to the pub crawls, Ms Sondakh has also started a new event called Dating with Dogs in the hope to encourage some fellow single dog lovers to “find love”. 

“It is held at one location and over a drink, canapés, and icebreaker games; we make people mingle and meet one another. Then at the end of the day, if there are mutual matches on the dating cards they receive, then I let them know,” she said. 

While the ideal event for people who want to bring their dog along to meet a potential match, attendees should be warned that the dog may just have the last say in whether any dating can continue. 

Speaking of the funny examples that had occurred as a result of inviting dogs to social gatherings, Ms Sondakh said, “we had our first event in October, and someone told me that they really liked this girl, but her dog hated their dog so much, so it ruined their chance.”

To get among the fun that is a Puppy Pub Crawl and meet new people alongside your best friend, book for the upcoming North Melbourne/Carlton Puppy Pub Crawl at the following link: eventbrite.com.au/e/north-melbournecarlton-puppy-pub-crawl-tickets-415825825237

For anyone unable to make the upcoming North Melbourne/Carlton Puppy Pub Crawl, a follow-up event is being scheduled for February 26 next year. •

For more information: puppypubcrawl.com.au