Elbow Room has gone to the dogs--in a very good way

The Elbow Room is a dog-friendly bar. Sally, has grown up in the bar. She has her favorite spot and if you are sitting at her table, she will patiently stand next to you until you leave.

Buddy is a service dog extraordinaire. He is super sweet and lovable. From time-to-time we get visits from Booger, Sumo, and Credence Clear Water.

Of course, our K9 customers are required to behave properly just like all of our other patrons.
Being dog friendly is not new to Elbow Room. In the mid 80’s the Elbow Room had a famous K9 celebrity as a regular customer—Buckshot the bartending dog. Buckshot frequented the bar with this Owner, John McClanahan.

John McClanahan was a bass fishing guide, falconer and home remodeler, and Buckshot's owner, trainer and top fan. It was his wishes that were Buckshot's commands. As the pair sat side by side at the bar, McClanahan would say: "Buckshot, would you please get me a beer?" and in an instant, the dutiful dog was off his barstool and racing for the back of the tavern. There he grabbed the handle of an old Crosley refrigerator with his teeth and pulled down, opening the door. He selected an icy can of brew, returned and placed the can upright on the bar in front of his master.

"That's good," praised McClanahan, "but you forgot to close the door." Off went Buckshot, back to the fridge where, by delicately lifting a front paw and pushing, he shut the door with a click before returning to his place at McClanahan's side. The standing-room-only crowd roars, and a series of toasts are raised to this most miraculous of man's best friends. A teetotaler himself, Buckshot basked calmly in the limelight. McClanahan would say, "He's a natural-born ham who enjoys attention."

When McClanahan finished his first beer, he made another polite request. "Buckshot, would you please get rid of this empty?" Buckshot picks up the empty can, takes it to the nearest trash can and drops it in. Everyone cheers, but Buckshot appears unmoved. "Buckshot's head hasn't gotten any bigger," asserted McClanahan. "Dogs just have the ability to handle stardom better than most people."

Buckshot could also pick dollar bills off the bar and place them in the open cash register, as well as play a mean game of pool. Reacting to three key words ("over," "back" and "Buck"), Buckshot understood to jump on the table, find any ball named and drop it into any pocket selected. One of his tricks involved snatching a person's hat right off his head. At the right word from his master, Buckshot would scan the room for headgear and bring John any cap he spots.

From the Montreal Gazette December 12, 1985