Thanks to Dog Day Sundays at Farm League Brewing, a winter afternoon in Cambridge, Ontario, just got a little easier.

March can be a challenging time to travel with the dog – in fact, winter can be a difficult time to travel at all. However, taking the dog along in winter can be extra challenging because not only are dog parks and walking trails covered in snow and ice, but patios are closed. Patios are often the only dog-friendly part of pet-friendly restaurants.

Enter breweries.

Microbreweries are sprouting up in almost every town and city, and in many cases, can skirt some bylaws prohibiting bringing the dog inside. (My dog’s been to a fun brew pub in Ottawa).

Dog Day Sundays in Cambridge

Farm League Brewing in Cambridge, Ontario is dog friendly but ONLY on Sundays. However, we happened to be in town on a Sunday after checking out a pet-friendly event (see Events page). Time for a Pink Guava Passion Fruit Sour.

Located in a former Knife factory dating back to 1889, Farm League Brewing grew out of pandemic boredom. In 2020, with maybe too much time on their hands, three friends bought a historic stone building and brewing equipment. By early 2021, Farm League was open. Colin McKinnon, Mike Mayo, and Mat Boismier own the brewery and tap room, complete with bar and stage that hosts concerts on non-dog-friendly nights.

Wooden floors, high open ceilings, a flood of natural light, and stone walls make this taproom a camp canteen-style gathering place. Visitors find it among residential streets, and locals who drop by regularly are familiar with the bar staff. There’s a very kick-back-and-relax atmosphere here.

And yes, you can take many of the brews home. The current seasonal favorite is Summer Somewhere, a New Zealand IPA.

Fourteen taps pour Farm League’s brews – my favourite was Pink Guava Passion Fruit Sour – along with a local cider from another brewery. Sunday afternoon locals and regulars stop in for a pint, a few with pups. The menu Tuesdays to Saturdays is simple: hot dogs and pizza. Buy a beer and popcorn is free. Try a flight of four beers for only $12.

Sunday Funday Rules

On Sundays, the kitchen is closed, so the front door is open to people with pups. Dog Day Sundays are for tail-wagging good times from noon to 6 pm. But there are three standard rules:

• well-behaved socialize pups only
• on leash at all times
• no barking
• no greeting (between dogs. We might have broken that one)

My pup was the only one there until she wasn’t, and then she met a quiet Irish setter/poodle cross. Otherwise, she got all the dog love that others were willing to bestow on her. There are a few bar seats at the back, but most tables are long, bench seating – good for tying your dog to while you feed your pup some kernels of popcorn.

While having a spot indoors to take the dog was a welcome relief from the snow, I’m looking forward to returning in the spring. In the summer of 2025, the patio in the forest will open – half the property is heavily treed and that’s where the outdoor tables will be. Hopefully, pups will be permitted out there all week long.

Love dog-friendly breweries? Let us know your favorite in the comments.

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria.Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!