Since opening in 2016 in Fairhaven, Paws For a Beer has been a place for people to relax and sip on a cold drink while their pups run around and play.
Rylan Schoen, owner of Paws For a Beer, enjoys running a business that brings people and dogs in the community together. In addition to their dog memberships, they host monthly adoption events with local rescues like Happy Tails Happy Homes, Alternative Humane Society, The Pittie Project and Pacific Northwest Cattle Dog Rescue.
Q: How did the idea for Paws come to be?
A: The short version is I had a dog that was not a brewery dog. He was a border collie/ lab mix. He was a young puppy, not a dog that was going to sit still and be quiet. I found myself going to dog parks multiple times a day, honestly, and around five o'clock, I said, 'I want to bring a beer and hang out at the dog park,' because that sounds like a nice thing to do in the summer. And I said, 'Wait a second, I think everyone else would like this. Why don't I pursue this as an idea?' So, the idea of Paws came out of necessity for my dog.
Q: How would you describe the atmosphere at Paws?
A: Yesterday, I was walking around. We had probably 20 to 30 people here; I'd say about 15 dogs. We usually average two people per dog that are here. But there were four or five groups of dogs bouncing around off each other, all doing their own thing. I think I have a memory of two dogs, just running in figure eights around all the tables, throwing up rocks, making playful noises, stopping, bowing, starting again. And I stopped and said, 'This is the most fun place in town right now.' People are having a good time, there's a jovial atmosphere.
There's a moment where I went, ‘This is everything this community is about right now. Nobody's on their phone. Everyone is just present, hanging out, laughing at the dogs, having good conversations. I know it's kind of cliché to say, but it's a really cool community space. The dog community here, with everyone who shows up, it glows when things are working well.
Q: How does the crowd for adoption events differ from day-to-day operations?
A: It feels like we do get a bigger crowd for the adoption events. I doubt that there has been an adoption event that has not been successful at Paws. The coolest thing about the adoption events that we do here is that the dogs that come in here are able to show potential owners or potential adoptees who they really are. You get to come in, you get to see the dog off-leash, you get to play with the dog, you get to interact with the dog more than you would in a PetSmart or a kennel somewhere. You get to really see the dog's personality shine when they're here because they're off leash.
Q: As spring approaches, do you think there will be a spike in attendance?
A: Absolutely, yeah. I mean, this last weekend is a huge indicator. The nicest weekend we've had in six months and it was our busiest weekend we've had in six months. March, April and May are probably our three busiest months. Everyone is coming out of hibernation, and their dogs have been hibernating as well. Dogs will ask to come down here more than people will.
Dogs like structure and they expect structure. If you come here at a certain time every single day, the dog will begin to expect that and ask to come down here. Especially in the spring and summer, when it's getting too hot in the house and things are getting a little stuffy, they go, 'Let's get out of the house and let's go,' and the human goes, 'yeah, you're right. Let's go to Paws.'
Sophia Raymond (she/her) is a city life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year journalism major. Outside of The Front, she enjoys crafting and cooking new foods.
You can reach her at sophiaraymond.thefront@gmail.com.
