Melbourne's Getting Its First Ever Dog Cafe

Co-dog owners Anuj Yadav and Charles Fernandez have been teasing Melburnians for months with Facebook posts of adorable pet videos and the promise of something big in Collingwood. Now, they've let the... uh... cat out of the bag. Melbourne's first dog cafe, Dog House is finally set to open, coming to Collingwood's Johnston Street this July.

Inspired by Sydney's famous dog cafe, Cafe Bones, Dog House intends to take the animal cafe trend to the next level. Unlike Cat Cafe Melbourne and Sydney's Catmosphere and Cafe Purrfection, this shop isn't made for humans wanting snuggle time with live-in animals. It is literally a cafe, but for dogs. So what's on the menu? No more of this pet store crap that's barely even food grade, Dog House offers only the best meat for your pooches. The three main dishes include grass-fed beef,  chicken and kangaroo, along with game meats like ostrich, camel and venison.

Dog House's supplier also happens to distribute product to some of Melbourne's top restaurants, and all of the meat is fit for human consumption. But this cafe isn't for humans at all. "It's basically a doggie restaurant and we're really not catering for people," says Yadav.

The front counter functions as a canine butcher shop and its adjoining kitchen prepares dine-in meals from the display. The back courtyard is prepped with ten gated dining booths, ready to host your peckish pup. If owners get hungry, they can go to the small kitchen designated for humans, with just coffee and prepacked sandwiches on offer — it's really just a way to appease the owners while your dog enjoys a tasty, tasty meal.

Can't make it to the store? Dog House is also doing weekly deliveries — that's seven days worth of delicious and nutritious meals for your pup.

But top quality food isn't all they have on offer. The left hand side of the store has every accessory imaginable, from herbal cologne and Queensland-made organic shampoo to sweet things like strawberry lollies, popcorn and doughnuts, all made by local Melbourne suppliers. They're really creating a one stop shop for dogs, or as Yadav put it, "It's a dog's home away from home."

Dog House is essentially a dog swag heaven. They have dog wigs (!) and ware, handmade collars from Canada and some super fancy dog bowls, with sunglasses potentially on the way. "There's basically no limit to where we can go with it," says Yadav. Well, with talks of doggie birthday parties in the mix, it seems no limit is right.

Dog House is set to open in July at 195 Johnston Street, Collingwood.

Top image: Tran Mau Tri Tam.