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The Fresh Patch Podcast - Where Good Pets Get It.
Welcome to the Fresh Patch Podcast where we talk about everything, from dog training, to potty talk. It's time to save your rugs, and get REAL! Fresh Patch has been featured on Shark Tank, Oprah and the Today Show. We're here to discuss why every pet owner should have real grass and the benefits that come with it. So sit back, relax, grab some treats and cuddle your furry friend, you won't want to miss an episode!
The Fresh Patch Podcast - Where Good Pets Get It.
Building Social Spaces for Dogs and Their Humans
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When Vanessa foster-failed her fourth rescue dog – a gentle giant Great Pyrenees named Cotton – she never expected it would spark a movement. Today, as founder of Dogs Only Social Club, she's created an innovative community bringing together LA's dog lovers through thoughtfully curated events that go far beyond the typical dog park experience.
"I wanted to build a community that I wished existed for me and my dog," Vanessa explains, describing how Cotton helped her connect with strangers during the isolation of COVID. That experience revealed how dogs could bridge social gaps in meaningful ways, inspiring her to create something special for both humans and their four-legged companions.
With her background as a foodie who loves exploring LA's hidden gems, Vanessa crafts experiences where people discover the city with their dogs by their side. From pack hikes along the LA River to pottery sessions where participants create ceramic dog bowls, these events blend adventure, creativity, and purpose. Many gatherings include fundraising components supporting local shelters, reflecting Vanessa's commitment as a shelter volunteer who has fostered 19 dogs to date.
What makes Dogs Only Social Club truly special is the authentic connections forming between strangers. Unlike typical networking events, conversations naturally begin with dogs rather than work talk. Regular attendees find their dogs recognizing each other over time, with even shy or reactive dogs gradually becoming more comfortable. The events provide structured environments where dogs at all training levels can practice socialization safely, while humans form friendships based on shared love for their pets.
Looking toward the future, Vanessa dreams of collaborating with Dodgers Stadium and eventually opening a wine bar with an off-leash area. Until then, she continues building this community one event at a time, creating spaces where both dogs and humans thrive together.
Follow Dogs Only Social Club on Instagram or visit dogsonlysocialclub.com to join their mailing list for first access to upcoming free events happening throughout Los Angeles.
Thanks for listening to the Fresh Patch podcast brought to you by Fresh Patch. We hope you enjoyed the show. Give us a like or a follow, or shop all of our real grass supplies at freshpatch.com. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Youtube, Reddit
Meet Vanessa of Dogs Only Social Club
Speaker 1Welcome to the Fresh Patch Podcast, where we talk about everything from dog training to potty talk. It's time to save your rugs and get real. This episode is brought to you by Fresh Patch, featured on Shark Tank, Oprah and the Today Show, and here are your hosts, Drew and Gabe.
Speaker 2Welcome everybody to the Potty Talk Podcast presented by fresh patch. My name is drew, aka Andrew, marketing director here at fresh patch with my super cool co-host, gabe, and then we also have a very lovely guest today. If you wouldn't mind introducing yourself.
Speaker 3Hello, I'm Vanessa and I'm the founder of dogs only social club.
Speaker 2We'll have her social media handles tagged up at the bottom in the video and stuff. Make sure to give her a follow and everything. Thank you for joining. We really appreciate you and nice to meet you as well. I know Adrian, our social media manager has been the main point of contact for you, but we really appreciate you taking the time to chat with us. Let's get to know you a little bit. Learn about Dogs Only Social Club. And let's get to know you a little bit. Learn about Dogs Only Social Club.
Speaker 4We got some questions lined up and, gabe, if you want to take it away, tell us a little bit more about yourself and Dogs Only Social Club.
Speaker 3Yeah, of course, and very happy to be on. Thank you for having me. So yeah, dogs Only Social Club. We basically put on purpose-driven series of dog-friendly pop-ups around LA which are as much about community as they are the cute pups getting together, so curated events like pack hikes, themed socials and doggy meetups that bring dog lovers and local businesses and rescue orgs together. We launched four and about four and a half months ago and have already held, I think, around 20 events so far. So I've been very busy, very cool and about me. Personally, I'm half Thai, half Swiss, but I grew up in Australia and I moved to LA seven years ago after living in London, so my accent's a little bit confused, I must say. A little bit confused, I must say, and I've always kind of lived away from my family and friends for a while since I've moved to different countries, so always kind of leaned on community and making new friends, and Dogs Only Social Club has been like a really fun and meaningful way to do that.
Speaker 4Yeah, that's so awesome. I always say, like working here it's so cool because, like, I feel like dogs are like the ultimate uniter of people or like the ultimate icebreaker, so that's I think that's really cool, like what you're doing and, um, you know people who have dogs who are looking for friends. It's it's an awesome, awesome thing to take a part of.
Speaker 3So yeah, it's a really special way you know people to connect over their dogs for sure absolutely definitely, yeah, and the accent too.
Speaker 2We were, we were talking about that. We're like it's an australian, is it british like? So, being from london too, that makes a lot of sense. You got it, yeah, you got it nice and intertwined right now yeah, no american twang in there. Yeah, I don't think yeah not yet coming soon, coming soon. Yeah, you've only been here seven years. Give it 10 moving along. What inspired you to start dogs only social club?
Speaker 3yeah. So I just kind of wanted to build a community that I wish existed for me and my dog. So during covid I started fostering and I ended up foster failing my fourth foster dog, which his name was cotton. He was a hundred pound Great Pyrenees I didn't even know what a Great Pyrenees was at that time and they were like, can you foster this hundred pound dog? And I looked up Great Pyrenees, I remember, and I was like, oh my gosh, is this dog going to fit in my studio apartment?
Speaker 3But it turns out they're like really sleepy and very gentle and loving and but since he's's he's passed away since, but he is the logo mascot for dogs only social club and inspiration behind the community and just learning through cotton and how friendly he was. And, um, he kind of helped me really connect with strangers during our walks, especially during the time of covid where it was super isolating, and realized how it was easy to bond with people just through my dog. So that was like a huge thing. And then I'm also a foodie and I love discovering food, cool spots around LA and wanted to create like experiences that people could explore the city but with their pup on their side as well and doing something good in the process. So I took a sabbatical from my corporate job about six months ago and started volunteering at the shelter and I wanted to do something to help the dogs there as well. So then I kind of thought of Dogs Only Social Club, which naturally grew into a blend of like lifestyle, animal welfare awareness and real life connection.
Speaker 4That's really cool. I know we're both hundred pound dog owners too, so like yeah we're all about the big dog life. I have my guy sitting over here, so maybe he'll pop in at some point.
Speaker 2Yeah, mine's at home today. He had a little injury so he's he's at home with a cone on, sadly, but he's also a failed foster. Um, yeah, oh, it was you. You said four, I was one and done. Like it was not good, Like well, it was great, Like it was a match made in heaven pretty much. But yeah, that was so tough. We got him and it was like we had had him forever. Maybe we were like, felt like we were picking him up from vacation or something you know, and yeah.
Speaker 2I don't know how people actually stay true to fostering, because it.
Speaker 3It's tough, like I. Just I'm like oh, this one's really cool, I'll keep them, you know. Yeah, yeah, no, it's the best way to do it, though it's like a try make sure that they fit in with you and you fit in with them yep, so exactly and one and done for me.
Cotton's Legacy and Shelter Volunteering
Speaker 2So, but really cool and sorry, you know, for your loss too. And you said cotton was the name, right? Yes, oh that's cute, that's okay, um cool, yeah, I think next one oh yeah to you, yeah yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 4So. You had mentioned, like briefly, about volunteering with shelters. Um, that's something that, like you know, we work with a lot of shelters too. Like you know, that's super cool thing to do, um, you know, to help some of the dogs out. So how long have you been doing that? Um, have you always been kind of involved in in the shelter community or yeah.
Speaker 3So I started off um fostering first, and I'm actually on to my 19th foster dog now that I've asked for so I've been doing it with a bunch of different rescues in LA, like Hollywood Huskies, second Chances Pet Rescue, but I never actually volunteered at a shelter.
Speaker 3So once I took my sabbatical I started doing the training to get in as being a volunteer and I started volunteering at Baldwin Park Animal Care Center mid last year, I would say. And I chose Baldwin Park because it's my closest county shelter and like many other county shelters, it's like very under-resourced and overwhelmed. So being able to take the dogs out of their kennels and like advocating for the really long stay pups to help them get seen and avoid euthanasia because county shelters do euthanize keeps me grounded in the bigger mission and it's everyone always says how do you do this? It's so heartbreaking and it is, and I'm a pretty sensitive person too, but I think just keeping the bigger goal in mind is that you're helping the pups and um the county shelters anyway, um also offer like therapy sessions too, which really helps too.
Speaker 2So yeah, it's really good. Yeah, it is a lot. I mean dealing. You know it's like you said, looking at the bigger picture always helps too. It's like okay without your help. You know what you're doing now. That's one less person to try to make a difference and stuff.
Speaker 3So yeah, exactly, and like you kind of learn to be strong with the fostering too, I think by now if if I see them go with their adoptive parents and like they look happy, then I'm like, okay, that looks, that's great yeah, yeah and I usually offer um anyone that adopts one of my foster dogs free dog sitting for life.
Speaker 2So that way I can see them again oh, that's so.
Speaker 4That's such a good perfect yeah, yeah, dang okay, if I ever foster, I'll probably have to do that too, because I'm like you guys, like I would just get too attached. But have you always been a dog person. Did you grow up with dogs?
Speaker 3yes, um, I didn't have a dog when I was growing up in Australia, but, um, my grandma in Thailand also had dogs and so we would visit her every year and she also actually had a monkey, a gibbon. So we, she pulled the gibbon was being used as, like a tourist attraction and she like, saved her and she just came and lived with us and so I grew up with a given given at home too, and she was too used to humans so she couldn't go back to um the wild or like the rehab, so she stayed with us. So, yeah, I've always loved animals, grew up with like the coolest animals and my I. Actually one of my favorite um children's movies was 101 dalmatians, so my grandma in Thailand got me a Dalmatian as well. But western dogs don't really last as long in Thailand because, like it's the stray dogs that I have hard stomach, that lasts much longer.
Speaker 3so, yeah, but yeah, so I grew up with dogs, like at my grandma's house, but not in Australia, just because we traveled so much as well gotcha, that's super cool, man.
Speaker 4It's like my life goal to to have a pet monkey one day, like, hopefully it's a situation like yours, to where, like you know you, they're not able to be reintroduced to the wild. But yeah, hopefully one day I'll get that experience because, man, that's, that's so awesome. Is that a lot?
Growing Up with Animals: From Gibbons to Dogs
Speaker 2I don't even know, is that? Is that legal in the us? Yeah gotta go to australia, bud or thailand yeah, there you go yeah, yeah, that's so funny, that that's so cool, so did like what it just. You said it was super used to humans. Like it was just. Yes, was it like a cuddler instead like you would hold it?
Speaker 3oh that's oh my gosh, she was like a human, like I would go in. It was so funny. I would go in with two jelly, um things like one for her, one for me, and she would grab my hand. She would bite it light enough that I would let go of the jelly and she would snatch the jelly out of my hands and I remember just crying out of shock. She didn't bite me hard, but I was shocked. And then she felt like you could see she felt so guilty, um, and she would like she was like saying sorry, and she would do stuff, like she would go through my hair to find like pics and stuff just doing monkey stuff yeah exactly, but yeah, they're like humans.
Speaker 3It's that.
Speaker 2It's crazy how smart they are yeah, that's incredible that's so cool.
Speaker 4Yeah, no, I was gonna say like when I was um, when I was a kid, we went to mexico like on a family vacation and they had, um, like a monkey exhibit and it was kind of like in a jungle kind of exhibit so there were like trees and stuff. So we were walking through and one of the monkeys jumped on top of my head like literally like feet on my shoulders, and started like grooming me and I was like, yeah, that experience always stuck with me, so maybe that's that means they like you, you're like part of their family that's awesome.
Speaker 4There you go, cool.
Speaker 2That gives me hope for the future, then um, I know you kind of touched on this already with with Cotton, but um, clearly you do a lot with dogs. Dogs only, social club. Um, do you currently have a dog or are you just fostering still?
Speaker 3yeah, so, at since cotton, I couldn't get another dog myself again. I was like so heartbroken. But my partner moved in with me last year so I inherited a very sweet sassy stepdaughter and her name's bailey. She's a four-year-old australian kelpie mix. She's very vocal and protective, um, and in true cattle dog fashion she's like the fun police we call her um. So she doesn't always get to attend my events, um, only the ones that are like quite spread out, because she gets very protective of me, like saying hi to everyone and everything like that um. But she is learning and she's learning to relax and be more social, which is what these events are about too. I wanted to like create a space where people could bring their pups and like practice socializing and like a safe space that's not like a wild dog park kind of thing yeah um, but I usually bring at least whoever I'm fostering to the events because it's a great way for them to get exposure and, like, meet potential adopters as well.
Speaker 3So it's either bailey or um my foster, and it depends if my partner comes too, because then he can help hold her and I'm like busy doing everything else yeah, totally for sure that's a good way.
Speaker 2That's. I love that take on. It is, like you know, using it as a way to socialize dogs without you know, because people are. So again, I'm against dog parks and just like, let's just go to a random dog park and let my dog off the leash and you know, oh wow, look at their fighting. Who would have thought you know?
Speaker 1like you know what I?
Speaker 2mean versus like actually training them to be in situations like that. There's other dogs, we're on a leash, like you know, know your boundaries and stuff, and yeah, that's really cool that that you have that. Take on it.
Speaker 3Yeah yeah, I love that. When I see someone bring like a new puppy and because they were like they just want to try and socialize them, I'm like, yes, do that. Like this is this is the exact thing you should do. Yes, yeah, exactly, absolutely.
Speaker 4I could speak from personal experience. Like my dog has always had trouble like socializing, like I mentioned, like he's really big dog so a lot of dogs get intimidated and, like you know, he's always had trouble. I started bringing him to work and you know we have a lot of office dogs here so he's kind of had the chance to like be around other dogs and like get used to, like you know, being around dogs and it's helped him so much.
Speaker 3So yeah, yeah, it's super helpful just getting them socialized.
Speaker 2Yeah, exactly it's so. It's so funny too, because my dog is what we get.
Speaker 2We all get to bring our dogs to the office, which is so cool yeah, huge, huge perk, um, and sometimes you know they get, it's just they get like our dogs are huge and like they'll get trapped in the hallway together and, like you know, they kind of get a little frustrated because they get all twisted up and stuff. But it's, it's so crazy to see, like it's like a night and day difference. We take our, I take my dog out in public and just on a walk and he sees another dog and he he's going ballistic and stuff, and then when he's here, he's, they're all off leash the entire day. They just do their own thing and hang out with each other never have an issue never have an issue.
Speaker 2Yeah, like I said, unless they get twisted up in the hallway. But other than that, like it, you know. So it's really interesting and you know kind of goes what you were saying. Like, if you are persistent, you know, you get on a kind of a schedule. If you're maybe going to the dog zone, your, your events and stuff, it's like the dog's gonna get familiar, it's gonna get used to it, you know, and get like my dog is fine now coming to work, he's off the leash, he's whatever outside. I've never been here before, so you know a little more on edge and stuff. So yeah, yeah, that's really cool. So maybe we'll have to, we'll have to go to a.
Speaker 4Yeah go to an event, you have to venture into LA yeah, do you find that like, maybe like dogs that have come to like a couple of different events, like they make friends, you know, and they recognize each other?
Speaker 3yeah, yeah, even Bailey. She like recognizes some of our regulars for sure, and like some of them, she used to bark at them a lot and now she doesn't at all. So, yeah, and then like, yeah, the attendees, the dogs, know each other. Um, for the regulars, so yeah, it's really nice seeing that.
Building Dog-Friendly Community Events
Speaker 2Yeah, that's so good for them too. Yes, wow, that's. Yeah, you're doing a great thing with those events thank you awesome.
Speaker 4So, speaking of your events, um, what are some upcoming events for you? I know there will be some fresh patch grass at certain. You know the events that we can have it at, so tell us a little bit more about some upcoming events.
Speaker 3Yeah, we've got a packed schedule coming up. We've got we do like monthly pack hikes together, and so the next one is this saturday, um, and I usually get a local dog walking company to help lead that. So we've got fit pals la, live leading that for us this saturday in downtown la. And then next sunday we're taking over 33 taps in silver lake, which is a bar. We're doing um our drafts and dogs event there and it's um a fundraiser support for la animal rescue. So that'll be fun one as well. And then in august we're popping up at secret pizza, um, which is kind of a special one because cotton and I used to walk to secret pizza when he was serving outside of his house um in los filas, but now he actually has a shop in el sereno.
Speaker 3So, um, yeah, so we're doing a pepperoni party there, um, in their patio, and fresh patch will be there with us at that one and then we're also hosting um one called sarah mutt social, which is at a pottery place, bower Pottery in Frogtown, and it'll be like a morning of pops pottery. We'll have some group training there as well and a bunch of local vendors, and then the guests will receive a free ceramic dog bowl which they're so awesome, they're like the nicest dog bowls from Bower and then also free O oatly coffee. If they just do a small donation, um buying something off the baldwin park animal care center wish list, and the fresh patch grass will be there also there, yeah, yeah yeah, that one's so.
Speaker 2That one's so cool that when I was taking a look at it too, the, the ceramics, like that's just a different, you know avenue that you don't usually don't see, and you get to bring your dog, you know, it's a nice activity for the human and your dog as well. So that that's really. Yeah, you guys are very creative with your events yeah, it's been great.
Speaker 3And it's also on the edge of the la river too, which I don't know if people know about frog town, but it's such a like a hidden gem where you can walk along the river, um, like it's a really walking route. So, yeah, it's a really cool spot.
Speaker 2Wow, I don't think I've ever have you heard of that. I've never been.
Speaker 4I've been a bit before but I didn't know that you could, yeah, outlets to walk along the river. That's really cool.
Speaker 2That's awesome, yeah, and then the pizza good.
Speaker 3Obviously, you're a familiar customer familiar, familiar customers. So, yeah, it's new jersey style pizza. It's really great, and they are big dog lovers there too, so I'm excited to do something with them.
Speaker 2A double whammy, that's awesome you know, what's funny is we just got pizza for lunch today and I brought my dog with me and they made me put him back in the car yeah, no way yeah they won't do that at secret pizza yeah, I was actually kind of surprised about that because, like usually then we were getting it to go too, like we were just in there to order and then we're just like. Well, I'm like are you gonna?
Speaker 4dog, I bring them everywhere.
Speaker 2Yeah, I was usually never it's just that location, because they don't have a patio and stuff, because I think there's multiple of the same pizza place in in our county. There's a few locations and stuff. So but yeah, that was. That was weird. I forgot to talk to you about that, but yeah whatever we got uh, what was the pizza place called? Again, secret pizza secret, not a secret anymore.
Speaker 2No, it's not a secret yeah, like I said, very creative events you guys do, it's really cool. When I was scrolling through them, when we first connected, I was like, wow, this is just, you know, different and, like you know, engaging it. It draws the attention of people, you know, to get out and do something fun, you know.
Speaker 3Yeah, I like to like do something that, yeah, that cool spots that I know about and I love, and also know that they love dogs too, so just like bringing people to explore things that they can do differently with their dogs.
Speaker 2Is there any place on your radar, though, that you're hoping to have an event at and or with as? Well, all that in there, um yeah.
Speaker 3I think I was, I think my dream or like a really cool collab would be with the dodgers stadium For one of their pups in their park, pups in the park days. Yeah, because it'd be such a cool experience. Um, and yeah, it's such an la thing too when I think about la, and if I have visitors come like I love taking them to dodgers Games. So yeah yeah, that would be awesome to collab with them uh yeah, are you a big dodger fan?
Speaker 3I am, yep, it's. It was like the first baseball team I've ever gone to and seen like nice, I'm a born and raised, diehard dodger fan, so I'm more of a lakers fan, but I do support the dodgers very much as well.
Speaker 2So we love our la sports teams, you know. But um, yeah, cool, I don't know were you. Did you attend pups in the park this year?
Speaker 3no, I didn't, it was actually. It's super hard to get tickets like they sell out really quick.
Speaker 2They sell out in like two minutes. It's crazy like, yeah, we can't even find it, like, um, we just were. We got connected, thankfully. Um, this was our second season, uh, providing grass for it, so, um, yeah, super cool. So we, yeah, we have our biggest size, the xl grass like spread out throughout the whole that portion of the stadium where all the dogs are at and stuff so and it's. It's such a cool event like this year was a little hot.
Speaker 2I will say it was hot. That's the only thing. A lot of people I was talking to, like our rep from daughter stadium. And what about night games? Why don't you just do it during the? Night there's just logistical things that they said they can't really do at night and stuff.
Speaker 4I looked like Rudolph the whole next week because my nose was so red.
Speaker 3Oh my god.
The Dream of a Wine Bar Dog Park
Speaker 2I know we always struggle finding, because last year when we did it for the first time, we were like, okay, I've heard of Pups in the Park from other teams and stuff, but I didn't know the dog. I've heard of pups in the park from other teams and stuff, but I didn't know the dodgers did it because obviously it's so hard to find. And yeah, we got invited or connected and stuff and I was like, well, they actually have one. And then we try to look for tickets and it's so hard.
Speaker 2Like they don't advertise it at all, like you yeah if you know, you know, and everyone this year was like yeah, they sell in like two minutes, like you really gotta be on that newsletter or open that link as soon as it's sent and like get them. Which is because I think, yeah, this year 700 dogs were there, so oh my gosh, so cool yeah yeah, I saw a bunch of people.
Speaker 3I I only knew about it afterwards because a bunch of people were like, hey, does anyone have a ticket to this? And I was like, oh, I missed it, like I didn't even see that it was coming out. But they also do the same thing in san francisco too yep um the giants. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2Yeah, yep san francisco giants, do it the rivals and yeah, and there are other ones down south, the padres, because their uh, their stadiums petco park, so yeah owns their stadium and stuff and obviously you got to do a pups in the park if you're petco yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2So I think they have multiple throughout. I know the dodgers only have one, but giants and podgers, I'm pretty sure, have multiple, and then you can go on the other 30 mlb teams. Um have it. You know a lot of people have it. So we've been trying to.
Speaker 2We got our foot in the door with dodgers and now it's like, okay, we want to try to reach out to these other teams as well and see if they're interested, and you know, because, it helps so much, like I mean, it was pretty nasty to be honest with you to like, because we have to, we place them all out, all the fresh patches, and then pick them up to dispose of them.
Speaker 4That's kind of the deal, you know, and gloves are on um like, and they, those things get used like oh man, yeah, we had a, we had a dolly full of them and we took the service elevator down and the doors closed and we're just like, oh my God, yeah, it was pretty bad yeah.
Speaker 3I mean I can't imagine with the 700 dogs. I mean we have your extra large patches at our events and they get really used already and we have like 80 dogs that join our events there.
Speaker 2Yeah, so there you go. I, I know, just do the math and the numbers right there, like 80 to 70, yeah, you could, you can imagine. But I know I always try to convince them for more grass. They don't. They say no.
Speaker 4But you know, whatever that that's on the dodgers maybe they'll see this podcast, yeah well, you need more grass also bring dogs, only social, yes, dogs is interested, at least get her some tickets yeah, I can put in a good word for you, I I honestly like I know for a fact, though.
Speaker 2It's not set in stone for next year, though, because we don't have a sponsor for it, um the contract of the current one tavo. I don't know if you've heard of tavo, yeah, the strollers and car seats. They only had a two-year contract, so it's up, but we can talk later. It's very expensive.
Speaker 3I bet.
Speaker 2Yeah, cool. No, that's super fun. I mean I would love for, like I said, I can connect with our rep and see if we can at least get you tickets. You know, if you can't, you know, be a part of it in some way, but I'm sure they'd be open to you know, maybe doing something how we do, or if you're there or whatever. But, um, yeah, that's really awesome. Yeah, that's definitely a bucket list good, bucket list event right there. Is there anything else any others that have?
Speaker 3I think that's the main one. That's like my high goal, yeah that's.
Speaker 2That's a good one. That's a good goal to have.
Speaker 3Yeah, and then one, actually one, actually one extra one, which is I eventually dreamed of having like a wine bar, dog park, and that would be like a dog's only social club, like location.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 3Yeah, but it would. I want it to be super open and inclusive, so like just come for a wine and your dog can be off leash as well. But yeah, that's also a dream.
Speaker 4That's so awesome. I think that's a bigger thing on the East Coast that's a growing thing is these dog bars. We've actually connected with a couple of them and are excited to start working with them. So if that ever happens with you, let us know. We'll get you some grass and yeah, everything you need.
Speaker 3Designated potty spot oh yeah at the wine bar the dogs always need that yep, exactly.
Speaker 2Yeah, that'd be really cool. Maybe you should have you ever reached out to like wineries, and I feel like some wineries in the state would actually be open to like partnering on something. Yeah, so that's how like?
Speaker 3yeah, I've parted with a bunch of wine bars in la, so angelino wine and then little ripper as well. Um, they're also australian, so I've been able. They're like usually like some of my favorite events because I love wine, and then it's like wine and dogs together, it's like perfect. So, yeah, that's how I've been doing it so far is just partnering with wine bars that have the space for it nice, but your dream is what you're saying is like having your, like owning your own right yeah, and then having that off leash like area that you could just sit and like them.
Speaker 2They can just be off leash switch that wine around and out of 10 that sounds like a great about to say, like I will be there. I'm a wine guy oh well, best of luck. Hopefully that is in your future that'd be really really cool, cool, absolutely we got yeah, on to you. Yes, we started rambling there a little bit, but what?
Connecting Through Dogs: Meaningful Moments
Speaker 3has been the best part of you know hosting these events and like bringing all these dogs and their owners together and all that um, I think, yeah, without a doubt it'd be the best part is just like watching the strangers connect over their dogs and like making friends with each other because their friends, their dogs, are becoming friends.
Speaker 3Um, that's just like the best part. When I'm just hovering around taking my content of the event and I just see all these attendees that don't know each other just chatting um, I love seeing that. And then, like seeing foster pups that come like, meet other dogs and like potential adopters, um, that's a great part as well. And we also highlight like a pet of the week in our newsletter every week, and whenever someone even like, asks about one of the pets that I put in there, I'm like, oh, it's like getting out there, you know. So, um, that's a good part. And then, yeah, and then just seeing the outpouring of support from the community of like the fundraisers and buying my merch, because, um, part of the proceeds from the merch goes to Baldwin Park Animal Care Center as well and like, the group of people that support are just so lovely and the people that come to the events are just so nice, so I think that's like definitely the best part that's awesome.
Speaker 4I mean, we we had talked about um before we started the episode. How cool your, your guys's merch is it's. It's honestly really, really awesome and like I'm already got the wheels turning of like how I'm gonna pick some up, so all the viewers out there check it out. Is it on your website?
Speaker 3it's on the website, but we're only selling them at in-person, at events, um. So you can have a look what there is on the's on the website, but we're only selling them at in person at events, um, so you can have a look what there is on the um on the website and then come join an event and pick up some merch as well very cool.
Speaker 2There you go. So you heard it here. First, get to a dogs only social club event. If you know, I can see in our future partnership too. Partnering together is, yeah, some fresh patch dog only social club, merch collabs too. I mean, we got the greens, you know so exactly matching green yeah, exactly so.
Speaker 2Um, yeah, like she said, get out to an event everybody. Um, obviously you've just heard she puts a lot of effort into these events. It means a lot to her and she's doing a great thing for the dog community. Um, so, get out there, get to a dog's only social club event maybe the ones that fresh patch are at all of them, whatever you feel um, and grab some merch um support vanessa any way you can.
Speaker 4So meet some dog lovers.
Speaker 3Meet the dogs yeah get social, you know yeah, it's even like you don't even have to have a dog. A lot of people ask me like oh, I don't have a dog. Like can I come? Like yeah, it's just like for any dog lovers like, come, because there's usually foster dogs there too, so you might meet your future um daughter or son. All of our events are free and like we welcome all like pups of different shapes and sizes.
Speaker 3Um, even if they like still need to learn good behavior, they can come to and practice but, yeah, I've been trying to host them around different spots around la to be super inclusive, so hopefully it'll come near you, but we're all over la, that's awesome.
Speaker 2Yeah, and it sounds like you know. You said you don't have to have a dog to come and like that's a huge mental health benefit, you know, for humans, like go, go pet some dogs, like it's, it's, it's therapeutic, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3So and then you know, you never know, maybe there's that special one there that you fall in love with, and it is the time to take a dog home, you know so yeah, exactly, and I think one of the different things about these events, too, is like it's not like one of those events where, like you're at a networking event and people like, oh, what do you do? Or something like that. The conversations are never like that because, yeah, they just start with the dogs and like yeah people are like oh, it's so funny.
Speaker 3I've seen you like four times but I've never really asked what you've done, because we're not really talking about that.
Speaker 2So it's a nice vibe yeah, it's a good way to get away from you know your everyday and bustle, or you? Know, maybe the stress you have of work or whatever else is going on in your life and just you know, unwind with fellow dog parents Like it's like a great time, absolutely Cool.
Speaker 4Yeah, I think that was it right, that was the last one, I think that was it. But we do have a question that we like to ask all of our guests. Question that we like to ask all of our guests um, so what is your favorite you know in memory of cotton? What is it? What is your favorite memory with him, um, that you like hold dear to your heart?
Speaker 3yeah, I love that question. Um, it would be. I took him for the first time to see snow and I think it's mount angeles it's called. It's like like literally an hour drive.
Cotton's Ridge: A Touching Memory
Speaker 3Um, you can get up to snow and my friends usually hike up there with their ski boots and, um, ski down, because it's not an official like ski place or anything like that. We just find like a section, and cotton was like so excited about this and he started just walking up with them and I'd never had him off leash before, so I was really nervous and I was like, oh my God, like is he just going to walk off into the wild? I'm not sure, but he followed them up and then they skied down and then he followed them down and it was just so cute and we actually ended up, my and I, after he passed, we I hiked up there, which I've never done before because I'm usually the one that waits at the bottom and just watches, because, but I hiked up there and I spread his ashes at that exact spot, because that was like a really special moment for us.
Speaker 2Yeah that might be the best answer we've got. Yeah, that was pretty good. That was pretty spot on.
Speaker 3Yeah, wow, so we call it cotton's ridge now that's so good, that's awesome.
Speaker 2Cotton's ridge I'll have to go up to cotton's ridge sometime with my dog get some snow, snow action.
Speaker 3That's so cool I mean it's a great option. It's like only an hour drive and you get to see snow.
Speaker 2It's so good yeah, it's not as far as Big Bear right. No, it's kind of yeah, but same area-ish right, yeah. That's cool. You're not a skier, I'm not.
Speaker 3My knees dislocate really easily, so I'm not meant to be doing ski stuff. I'm more of the apiary. I'm just at the bottom, yeah.
Speaker 2That's right.
Speaker 4Eating this food.
Speaker 3Yeah, that's right. Eating this food, yeah.
Speaker 4That's also fun too, yeah.
Speaker 2Sometimes I just go for a run, one run, and then I go and just start hanging out, you know. So there's something for everybody there, yeah exactly. Very cool. Well, thank you very much. That wraps up all our questions for you, but I just wanted to give you another opportunity to shout out your social media handles, website, everything so, yeah, definitely, um, follow us on dogs only social club, both on instagram and tiktok, one word or dogs only social clubcom.
Speaker 3We post all of our events there as well, and then you can also sign up to our mailing list on dogsonlysocialclubcom, and I email out every week all of our events, and then you also get first access to the events too, which for some of them, like our pack hikes, because they're smaller capacity, like 15 to 20 dogs they fill up really quickly, like within 15 minutes of me posting them. So I usually give people that are subscribed to our mailing list first dibs.
Speaker 2So, yeah, subscribe and follow us make sure you follow at fresh patch as well on all socials. Um. Subscribe to our youtube channel if you are watching on youtube right now. Um, if you're listening on apple podcast, spotify wherever you listen to your podcast. Check it out and then make sure you visit freshpatchcom, get yourself some real grass or join one of the dog-only social club events in the near future. Check out the grass for yourself, See if your dog likes it and go have a good time at the event. That wraps it up for the Potty Talk Podcast. Thank you everybody for listening and we will see you on the next episode.
Speaker 1Thanks for listening to the Potty Time Podcast brought to you by Fresh Patch. We hope you enjoyed the show. Give us a like or a follow, or shop all of our real grass supplies at freshpatchcom.
