Dog bar to open in Lincoln’s Telegraph District

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Two dog bars, Off Leash and Urban Hound, are set to open in Lincoln soon. Off Leash is one of the newest additions to the Telegraph District, where people and their furry friends can come hang out.

For Brandon Akert, it was time to throw man’s best friend a bone.

“Dogs have become more family than they are just a pet, you know?” Akert said. “They used to be outside, now they’re in the house, now they’re in the bedroom. I mean, they’re just progressing more and more and more.”

So why not a dedicated place where pets and their owners can come to mix and mingle.

“People are already bringing their dogs to bars,” Akert said. “I felt like it was time to give a bigger space and a bigger name to the concept of bringing a dog to a bar with you.”

Akert has had 8-year-old Tilly since she was a puppy, and spurred on by that love for dogs, he took over a building in the Telegraph District and turned it into a sprawling dog bar.

“As long as we’re creating this joyous environment, that’s going to fill my heart.”

It’s set to open on Memorial Day, and Brandon said he’s prioritizing safety.

“It’s a first for Lincoln, and I want to make sure we’re doing it right and safe first before we start adding additional challenges to what we’re already doing,” Akert said.

That includes training the staff, the so called paw patrol, on the warning signs of canine aggression, setting up a separate ‘non-leash,’ free roam area and a more traditional bar-style ‘leashed’ area and putting coyote rollers on the fences to prevent escapes.

Dogs will also need to be up to date on their vaccinations to enter.

Akert does recommend customers pre-register their dogs before coming, that will help get them in the place faster.

For more information, check out Off Leash’s website.

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