Sara Trautz and Lucas Yamamura with their dog, Rocky. Photo: Tiffany Kokal
One isn’t surprised to see a best man at a wedding, but don’t forget about including a good boy! (or girl). Since 2018, Doggy Social helps wedding couples include one of their favorite family members—their dogs—in some or all of the events of the day.
Wedding days are full of love—and logistics. Adding in the unpredictability of a dog at the event might be a bit problematic, but that doesn’t seem to deter a lot of couples. “Dogs are family,” founder Lara Leinen says. “They’re our children, and they’re really special.
“My pet was my best friend throughout my 20s and 30s,” Leinen says. “I thought it would be really special to include my fur baby in my wedding, but I wasn’t going to put that responsibility on friends or family.” Unfortunately, Leinen couldn’t find a service to help facilitate her wish. That experience ignited her idea to open Doggy Social, so other couples could enjoy having their dogs play a role in their ceremony, photography sessions and receptions.
Pet attendants receive Doggy Social training, learning the tricks of the trade. Understanding how to handle dogs is obviously important, but customer service also tops the list. “You have to love animals, and you have to love people,” Leinen says about being part of the team.
Once on board, pet attendants take care of getting the dogs right where they need to be, including out for a potty stop or away for a quick kibble take five. While Doggy Social assists throughout the event, it also aids in getting the dogs to and from the venues and can provide boarding services, which can include overnight dog sitting in the clients’ home.
Some dogs are more capable than others when it comes to taking on special ceremony roles. While some pets can walk down an aisle with ease as a ring bearer or flower pup and are focused and not easily distracted, others are just the opposite. No worries here. “We meet dogs where they’re at,” Leinen says.
And speaking of meeting, since it launched, Doggy Social has worked with more than 500 dogs, starting in Minnesota and serving Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Montana, South Dakota and Wisconsin. While the business could expand even more, Leinen has stipulations. “I’ve said no franchising,” she says. “I really want to make sure our service meets my expectations, and I can’t do that with a franchise.”
If you think you’ve heard it all, consider this: In special instances, dogs can serve as wedding witnesses. (They sign with inked paws.) “Your pet can be a witness in Colorado,” Leinen says. “While it’s not yet allowed in Minnesota, it’s coming.”
Sharing the Spotlight
Sara Trautz and Lucas Yamamura have had their Australian Labradoodle, Rocky, since she was a puppy. “This was exactly what I was looking for,” Trautz says of Doggy Social. “We didn’t have to worry about her. We could be there at the wedding the whole time and not have to think about it.”
On the big day, Doggy Social played with Rocky to tire her out before bringing her to the wedding at the Machine Shop in Minneapolis. Just a year old at the time, Rocky still had plenty of energy but was peaceful enough to pose for photos. “She was calmer than she would have been,” says Trautz, who lives in Edina. “We had the pictures taken, and Doggy Social took her home afterward and stayed with her for a while.”
The photos featuring Rocky are some of Trautz’s most treasured memories from the wedding. They’re framed throughout her home, and one even graces the homescreen of her phone. “Those are some of my favorite pictures that we got,” she says. “I call them her glamour shots.”
Doggy Social donates a portion of its proceeds to rescue organizations and volunteers in support of animal nonprofits.
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