Recently, I had friends who made a stop in Kalamazoo as a part of their larger road trip across the mid-west. They wanted to snag a bite to eat but needed to find a place that was dog-friendly. That sent me on a quest that was, honestly, harder than I expected. But, I called around and here's what I found.

Here are 4 spots in Kalamazoo where you can enjoy a drink with your dog (and some food too!)

1. Green Door Distilling Co.

via/ Google Maps
via/ Google Maps
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Green Door Distilling Co. is Kalamazoo's first distillery to open in the area since 1858. Their patio, pictured above, is dog friendly. While Green Door Distilling Co. does not serve food, you are welcomed to bring your own. Find their hours, location and all updates on their website or on their Facebook page.

2. O'Duffy's Pub 

According to their Facebook page, O'Duffy's Pub is Kalamazoo's only real pub. And, they're dog friendly! However, that only applies to O'Duffy's and not Cosmo's Cucina which sits on top of O'Duffy's Pub. Their Facebook page hasn't been updated in a couple of months but you can find it here. As well you can visit their website for any information or just give them a call at (269) 344-5666.

3. The Thirsty Hound 

It would be quite ironic if a place called The Thirsty Hound wasn't dog friendly but, thankfully, it is! The Thirsty Hound describes itself as, "dog-friendly tavern where people can come with their well-behaved dogs to eat, drink, and hang out with friends—or make new ones." Keep in mind, The Thirsty Hound doesn't not serve food but they feature different food trucks throughout the week. You may even catch some live music too. Find their schedule of food trucks and all other updates on their Facebook page.

4. HopCat

HopCat is one of many places where you can grab a beer in Kalamazoo but, they are also dog-friendly. They have a huge patio and food service is available too! They're slowly getting back to normal meaning they'll be continuing to update their beer list. You can find updates, hours, location and more on their Facebook page or website.

I called around to a lot of places and was surprised that I only found 4 in the Kalamazoo area that are dog friendly. Of course, I am sure there are some I missed. If you know of more, feel free to let us know through the chat feature on the KFR app!

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If you decide to do a cookout at home instead keep in mind that there are some foods that can be dangerous for your dog. Read more below.

LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

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