Watch: Facebook group brings Great Danes and dog lovers together for Sacramento meet-ups
In a paws-itive twist on community bonding, Great Danes and their owners gathered at one of Sacramento’s local tap houses for a hangout filled with coffee brews and doggy chews.
The Sacramento Great Danes Facebook group hosted a meet-up at Cluster Coffee, located at SacYard Community Tap House and Beer Garden in East Sacramento on Sunday.
Owners and their dogs came from all around the Sacramento area for this Great Dane playdate.
Alyssa Weakley, the meeting organizer for the Facebook group, said the weekend meet-ups have been occurring for about a year, and she recently got an invitation from coffee shop owner Lucas Thompson.
“When Lucas found out we had a Great Dane and did these meet-ups, he said it would be a great idea to have the Danes out here for the weekend,” Weakley said.
Weakley said there are typically around eight to 20 of the spectacularly large dogs, which can be up to 32 inches tall at the shoulder, weigh up to 175 pounds and tower over most people when standing on their hind legs, according to the American Kennel Club.
“We have meet-ups every weekend all over the region,” she said.
The Facebook group started their gatherings in Sacramento, but have since expanded based to Lincoln, Roseville, Folsom and Lodi on followers’ requests, Weakley said.
SacYard, on 33rd Street in East Sacramento, has long been known as a kid- and dog-friendly spot. Cluster Coffee operates in the mornings five days a week at the largely outdoor venue.
“Great Danes are gentle giants, but they can be intimidating to other breeds,” Weakley said. “It’s nice for the Danes to get together, so they can roughhouse with other Great Danes their own size.”
The Sacramento Great Danes Facebook group gathers every Saturday, or the occasional Sunday, at 9:30 a.m.
“The owners love to see other Great Danes, so we like to get together to socialize and talk about our big breed,” Weakley said.
This story was originally published November 20, 2023 at 2:01 PM.
