Wag the dog with Yappy Hour

SANDPOINT — Every pet fancier knows the usual routine when a dog sees his owner preparing to leave the house. At the first whiff of activity, the dog lifts his head off his paws, eyes sparkling. The jingle of the car keys sets the tail in motion. The gathering of purse or backpack makes him jump for joy. A pat on the head in parting, along with a "stay" command, makes him fizzle like a punctured tire.

Once a month through September, though, thanks to Panhandle Animal Shelter, people need not disappoint their pets. They can bring them along to Yappy Hour, where people and pooches alike can socialize with friends while contributing to a great cause.

The June event will take place on Thursday at Pine Street Bakery, 710 Pine St., from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“There's a live band, a fenced-in area for dogs, and food and drink available for purchase," said Eric Stinney, co-owner of the bakery. He and partner Julia Knadler have owned the establishment for approximately three months, but decided to follow a time-honored tradition by hosting the annual event.

"We'll be serving dog-themed beer, wine and soft drinks, plus desserts, pizza and dog biscuits we bake," Stinney said. "A portion of the proceeds goes to Panhandle Animal Shelter."

Each Yappy Hour event takes place the fourth Thursday of the month. Future venues will be Trinity at City Beach, Evans Brothers Brewing and Eichart's. Proceeds benefit Panhandle Animal Shelter, whose mission is to diminish the number of abandoned, neglected and abused dogs and cats through adoption and identification programs.

Information: pasidaho.org