About Us

About-us

Our mission is simple: To build community through the common bond with dogs.

For years, strong urban communities have been connected by sidewalks bringing together pedestrians and businesses. Today, on those same sidewalks, it is our dogs who are connecting us to one another.

Our dogs who help us in our communities by:

  • Getting us outside, onto those sidewalks and into our neighborhoods.
  • Creating a natural point of greeting and conversation.
  • Breaking the barriers created by mass transit and electronic communication.
  • Making fun the focus of everyday endeavors.

Simply put, dogs bring us closer together.

Sidewalk Dog is helping Dog Lovers of the Twin Cities rediscover the world — unleashed! Through our website, e-newsletter and programs, dog parents will soon discover that creating a life that includes your dog is a supported and a rewarding lifestyle choice that is easier than ever to enjoy.

Bios

Ali Jarvis wrote the Twin Cities first dog-friendly news column, Shop Dog. Alice Barry founded the Twin Cities first dog-friendly social events. Together, they founded Sidewalk Dog, Inc. This is their story.

Ali JarvisAli Jarvis
I hadn’t planned on changing my whole life because of my dog Luc, but that’s what happened. Due to an incurable neuromuscular disease that afflicted my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the vet said I would need to administer medicine every three to four hours. This news came just three months into my pet parenthood and I had already established a strong bond with Luc; he was an important part of my life.

Commute like crazy, or take Luc with me?
Luc’s diagnosis meant major changes in how I approached daily life. I had two choices. Shuttle back and forth between work and home for his required dosages, or take Luc with me. At first I tried to bend his life around mine—by scurrying back and forth—but it wasn’t much of a life for either of us.

So I decided to try taking him with me instead. I started approaching the businesses on my errands and appointments and asking cautiously if I could bring him in. To my delight, the answer was often an overwhelming yes. In fact, return visits without him would oftentimes generate a gentle scolding from shop owners and employees!

Surprise! Businesses welcomed us both
These pooch-friendly policies reinforced my loyalty. I found myself patronizing these businesses because I felt personally connected and especially welcome. Even better, I could easily complete errands and appointments, and attend to Luc’s medical needs.

As I got to know the business owners and heard their stories, I was amazed to learn how much being dog-friendly or having a shop dog could positively affect a business. I felt my entrepreneurial spirit awaken as I saw a huge opportunity to help businesses who love dogs connect with their kindred customers.

Sharing the business case through Shop Dog
Harnessing my background in advertising and business development, I set out to help organizations grasp the business case for being dog-friendly—an approach that isn’t an intuitive part of a typical business plan. I began by creating and writing a column called Shop Dog, which told the stories of local shop dogs, while underlining the very real success being dog-friendly could bring.

Shortly thereafter, I met my business partner, Alice.

Alice BarryAlice Barry
My Bernese Mountain Dog, Indie, came into my life while I was working in a high-tech marketing job. Because Indie was just a pup, I left my job during the day to take her outside. These trips home became huge bonding opportunities with my dog, and I enjoyed meeting wonderful new people while we traveled the sidewalks of my Minneapolis neighborhood. The more attached I became to my dog, the more enlightened I became about the possibilities in life. Leaving her each day and driving back to my high-pressured job became increasingly difficult.

Something’s gotta give
Five months into the dog parenting experience, I realized how unhappy I was with the arrangement. I wanted to spend time working at what I loved. And I loved raising my dog—much more so than my fast-paced corporate job. Could I remain connected to this new passion for dogs and somehow earn a living at the same time? I was willing to try. So within a few months I quit my job. Indie—now a 90 pound dog—had become my catalyst for change.

I have a vision—can I achieve a dream?
My idea was to parlay my marketing and business development background and help other people become entrepreneurs by translating their interests and passions into a business. The concept was to also practice those same principles for myself, no matter what interest or idea came along. So I founded Entertaining the Idea LLC, a company that supports people who want to live their passions through their own creative entrepreneurial business.

When I began, the company had two critical branches: a small business branch focused on Inspired Entrepreneurs, and a dog-focused branch. This approach allowed me to honor and support my two main passions: supporting the ideas of others and dogs.

Going out? Take your dog with you!
I translated this passion into several community events starting in 2005. These events brought dog owners together around themes and venues that people could enjoy with their dogs, such as Dog Lovers Night Out at the Pantages Theater, Dog Lovers Day in Linden Hills (now called Woofstock), Wine Hounds wine tasting, plus events I helped start for other businesses such as Urbanimal Dogtoberfest. I kept people connected through an email newsletter called The Dog e Dish. Within a few years, a Twin Cities dog-lovers community started to form—and strengthen.

The business model proved its value to me. I felt like I had accomplished more in five months while attending to my own passions than I had in five years attending to someone else’s vision in a corporate setting. I loved what I was doing.

Ali and Alice working together as Sidewalk Dog
We met each other because other members of the dog community urged us to connect with one another. We discovered we were seemingly living parallel lives. Ali had been working with businesses to help them see the value of having their dog in their shops and adopting dog-friendly policies. I had been building a community of dog lovers and connecting them to neighborhood businesses.

Our shared interests and enthusiasm drove us to combine our efforts. So in May of 2007 we began to build our business. In 2008, Sidewalk Dog, Inc. was born. Our plan is to bring together dogs, people, businesses, and rescue groups that can sustain one another in a lasting, meaningful way. We’re naturally connectors. We want to deepen our relationship with our communities. We want to change our city. And we believe it begins with our dogs.