Roam and Oxford Hotel executive chef Bryant Kryck feeds some Pawtastic Beef to his French bulldog, Bijoux, outside Roam on Thursday in Bend. Kryck recently started offering a menu of dishes just for dogs at Roam and the Oxford. Kryck said the Pawtastic Beef is Bijoux’s favorite on the menu, which also includes chicken, oatmeal and whipped cream dishes.  

Chef Bryant Kryck heard some ruff news on Wednesday.

The chef at the Oxford Hotel’s Roam restaurant learned that feeding dogs in the outdoor patio is a no-no under Oregon law.

The menu he had carefully crafted, the tennis balls and dog bowls he bought for the restaurant, all are for naught. Under Oregon Food Sanitation rules, 333-150, neither employees nor customers are allowed to feed dogs in restaurants.

Dining with Fido is fine outdoors

Dining with Fido is fine outdoors

“We had no idea and we were actually surprised,” Kryck said. “With how dog friendly Bend is, I didn’t know. People have been coming in with their pets.”

Other restaurants in Bend have a history of serving food to dogs, however.

JDub has pup food on its menu, a feature it has had for several years. Roam’s dog menu came to the attention of county health officials after a story appeared in The Bulletin.

The restaurant has suspended the doggy service while it develops a plan to comply with the food safety rules , Kryck said. Roam had just started the menu at the Fourth of July Pet Parade.

“We pride ourselves on our commitment to creating a welcoming atmosphere for all, including our furry family members,” said Devin Cuzzolina, Oxford Hotel Ben general manager. “Our dog-friendly menu was one example.”

The restaurant has hit the pause button on the pup menu on the patio while it works with health officials, Cuzzolina said.

Roam, the restaurant at Bend’s Oxford Hotel, adds menu for dog

Roam, the restaurant at Bend’s Oxford Hotel, adds menu for dog

The law states that a plan must be submitted to Oregon Health Authority spelling out where the dog friendly outdoor area is on the property, what happens if there are accidents involving dog waste and provide a copy to all employees prohibiting them from touching, petting and handling dogs.

And dogs are not allowed to travel through the indoor or non-designated outdoor portions of the food establishment, according to the Oregon law established in 2014.

“When our department becomes aware of a restaurant serving pet dogs in outdoor dining areas, we are required to inform them of what the rules allow, as well as what the rules don’t allow,” said Eric Mone, Deschutes County Health Services environmental health supervisor. “I think a lot of restaurants may not be aware of every requirement of what the Oregon Food Sanitation rules are related to pet dogs in outdoor dining areas.

“These pet dog rules are in place to maintain a safe and sanitary food service environment.”

Mone said that inspectors often focus on the menu for people and don’t ask about menus for dogs. But in the future, inspectors will be more diligent in educating restaurants on the rule about pets, he said.

Dogs are part of the furry fabric of Bend. From breweries to parks to outdoor seating areas at restaurants, they’re everywhere.

Dog-friendly restaurants abound in Bend and Redmond

Dog-friendly restaurants abound in Bend and Redmond

At Crux Fermentation Project, dogs are allowed outside on the brewpub’s lawn and there are even doggie poop bag stations stationed there. Crux has been at the same location on SW Division Street for 11 years.

“We’ve always been dog friendly and have allowed dogs in our yard on a leash,” said Jason Randles, Crux marketing manager. “Bend is such a dog centric and friendly place. There’s so many places that give dogs treats. I’m going to have to dig into this a bit deeper.”

JDub, a bar and restaurant in Downtown Bend, has had a dog friendly menu for several years, said Nate Montgomery, JDub general manager and former head chef. The restaurant even is listed among Yelp’s 100 top dog-friendly restaurants in the country, Montgomery said.

“Depending on the time or day of the week, but if it’s a Saturday, we can have 20 to 30 dogs in our outdoor area. We not only have a lot of dog traffic, but we sell quite a bit off the dog menu.”

JDub has Pooch Hooch, a beef-flavored malt drink, and a Pup Patty for those puppies needing to refuel after a long day on a Central Oregon adventures, according to the menu.

“After the pet parade, we had a line going out the door,” Montgomery said. “What we’ve found is that kids and dogs can encourage mom and dad to come in to our restaurant.”