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MeiLin@MeiLinBarralPhoto.com
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Welcome to the blog, home to Chicago's intimate wedding, elopement, & dog photographer for couples grounded in the present moment.
(I'm here and queer!)
1. My first name is Mei Lin (she/her)
2. I'm part of the LGBTQ+ & BIPOC communities
3. I really love pugs!
4. I’m a huge musical theatre fan
5. I care deeply about animal welfare as well as social justice issues.
6. I incorporate sustainable practices throughout your wedding photography experience
Are you a dog parent who wants to find community with other dog parents? Is your dog wanting some new friends? Then this collection of Chicago Dog Meetup Groups is perfect for you!
The Chicago dog community is alive and well. As a whole, there are so many dog parents of all kinds throughout all the neighborhoods. Here is a collection of a few of the many Chicago Dog Meetup Groups so you can hopefully find your people (four-legged family are people too). Most are free to attend and join, and you also don’t need to bring a dog. If you’re like me and currently dog-less and wanting to meet and befriend some dogs, you’re also welcome here.
Want to commemorate the love between you and your four-legged family? Inquire here!
Windy City Grumble is primarily an Old Town-based pug meetup group. If you aren’t aware, the word grumble signifies a pug collective (like a gaggle of geese or a murder of crows). They typically host monthly meetups where you can hear many snorts and grunts from all of the pugs running around.
Type of Dog: Pug
Occurrence: Monthly
Cost: Free!
Location: The general meetups will often by hosted at St. Michael’s Church, 1633 N Cleveland Ave Chicago, IL 60614. They do have some charity events that are hosted throughout Chicagoland.
Dog Friendly Chicago follows two Boston Terriers called Oskar & Milo on their dog-friendly adventures. Primarily based in Chicago, they also showcase their other dog-friendly adventures like a recent one in Asheville. Their meetups can vary from being casual outdoor social hangouts to indoor play sessions with pet business vendor booths (Cosmicos Pet Bakery is amazing one you should definitely check out!).
Type of Dog: Boston Terrier
Occurrence: Monthly
Cost: Primarily free, but some meetups are ticketed (paid) due to being in indoor venues like Zoom Room.
Location: Throughout Chicagoland both outdoor and indoor locations (indoor locations typically have limited availability and require a fee to attend due to the indoor business venue). Fred Anderson Park (small dog section) is a popular meetup location!
Chicago Doodle Meets is a great doodle-specific meetup group hosted by Poppy + her mom. Hosting monthly meetups in various Chicagoland areas, they add fun gifts for those attending and sometimes incorporate local dog/pet businesses like photographers.
Type of Dog: Doodle (various mixes)
Occurrence: Monthly, alternating between Saturday and Sunday
Cost: Primarily free, but some meetups are ticketed (paid) due to being in indoor venues like Zoom Room. Additional activities like photographers are optional but paid.
Location: Throughout Chicagoland
Small Dog Playgroup Chicago has been less active as of late, but they used to have meetups every Thursday at Horner Park and then expanded to Logan Square and other areas of Chicago. While there is no current leader, there are people within the group who are trying to plan meet-ups and it may start up again more consistently.
Type of Dog: Small dogs of any breed who are between 5lbs – 20lbs
Occurrence: No structured schedule, but members are welcome to create their own meetup
Cost: Free!
Location: Horner Park, Logan Square, and some other areas of Chicago (meetup specific)
Chicago Dachshund Lovers is a free Facebook group that hosts a few meetups a year and host two special events. You might have already heard of the HallowWEENIE walk which is organized by this group. The walk is free to join and free to attend. Dress up your dachshund to walk in the halloween costume parade or come and admire all the cute weenies! They also host the Dachshund Derby where there is an admission fee but proceeds are donated to charity. Both of the special events are hosted annually with over 200 dachshunds in attendance each year.
Type of Dog: Dachshund
Occurrence: A few times a year with two special annual events
Cost: Free except for the special event Dachshund Derby where the admission fee is donated to charity)
Location: Throughout Chicagoland
Schedule: A few meetups a year with two special events
Chicago Area Beagle Owners is a group where beagle lovers can find community and share their cute beagle photos. There is no structured meetup schedule, but they usually meet at the dog beach once or twice a summer. People are welcome and encouraged to host their own meetups so there is great flexibility within the group.
Type of Dog: Beagle
Occurrence: No structured schedule, dog beach meetups typically happen once or twice a summer, members can host their own
Cost: Free!
Location: Throughout Chicagoland
Lake Shore Park Dog Owners Association is the Facebook page that is dedicated to hosting the Lakeshore Park dog meetups where dog parents can connect and share their experiences. Through the association page, they host a variety of themed meetups like Howl-o-ween, Easter Egg Hunt, Valentine’s Day Dance, St. Pawty Day’s Walk, and more. Not only are they well attended, but there are sometimes competitions like a costume contest where winners receive prizes for their great outfits!
Type of Dog: Any!
Occurrence: Varies, but typically hosts events for special holidays
Cost: Free!
Location: Lake Shore Park in Streeterville
Chicago Goldens holds lowkey meetups for Goldens and their parents alike. It’s a tight-knit group that is always welcoming new members. At each meetup there is always a wide range of golden dogs.
Type of Dog: Golden Retrievers
Occurrence: Varies, but typically every few months
Cost: Free!
Location: Varies, but often is held at The West Loop 569 Bark Park
Pug Party Chicago is a family friendly pug lovers’ party. They welcome all people who love pugs (not just pug parents!). The event is hosted at Park Tavern Chicago where they have food and drink available to purchase with a great selection of beers. Outside there are booths with pug merchandise, tables and chairs, and a pug pen where you can safely let your pug off-leash in a contained area. There is some free street parking in the area as well as $6 parking with validation.
Type of Dog: Pug
Occurrence: Twice a year, one in the Spring and one in the Fall
Cost: Advance Admission Tickets | Adults $10, Kids $5, Pugs Free!
Same Day Admission | Adults $12, Kids $7, Pugs Free!
Location: Park Tavern Chicago, 1645 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago IL 60612
Frenchies of Chicagoland is a French Bulldog meetup group run by local Frenchies Enzo in the Big City and Ollie Bear the Frenchie. French Bulldog parents from the city and the suburbs attend their monthly meetup. It’s a private group with a friend-referral system to help increase safety for all who attend. They build community by doing holiday gift exchanges, smaller meetups, and family spotlights on their private meetup group.
Type of Dog: French Bulldogs
Occurrence: Monthly
Cost: Free!
Attendance: They do their best to try to keep the group safe so it is by referral or if they have personally met someone. The group is kept private so they know everyone is at least a friend of a friend with someone who has a French Bulldog in the Chicagoland area.
Location: Fred Anderson Park currently but they are looking to expand to a suburb location as well.
Chicago Urban Pets hosts weekly Doggie Meetups that is perfect for people working from home who want a quick lunch walk (generally about 30-45 minutes, but you can join/leave at any point in the walk) while befriending other dog parents. They host these meetup walks every Friday at 12:15 PM. The best part is that it’s a very relaxed walk. No sign up or fee required, just show up with your dog (or be like me without one of your own). You can Click Here for more information and a map of the general walk route and Click Here to sign up for updates with the walks!
Type of Dog: Any and all!
Occurrence: Weekly
Cost: Free!
Location: Inner Lake Shore Drive, southwest corner of Telscer Playground
Chicago Mutts Facebook Group hosts walks that are designed for reactive and unsocialized dogs. This is the absolute perfect place to go on a structured social walk with other dog parents and their dogs while keeping your dog and yourself safe. Everyone walks six feet apart from each other in order to give each other room. It’s a great community for reactive dogs because it’s easy to feel and be isolated from other standard very social unleashed dog meetups.
Type of Dog: Any breed, but specifically for reactive and unsocialized dogs
Occurrence: Varies, but typically a few per month. Be sure to check the Facebook group to be notified of new walks.
Cost: Free!
Location: Throughout Chicago
The following groups are special mentions because they don’t specifically host meetups, but are a great social community for dog parents.
–Chicago Suburb Dog Moms
–Chicago Berner Club / Chicago Berner Club – Group page
Now your four-legged family will have plenty of new dog friends! The dog parent community is so great here in Chicago and I hope this list will help not only your dog get some enrichment, but also for you to connect with other dog parents who share similar loves.
Want to commemorate the love between you and your four-legged family? Inquire here!
Mei Lin (first name, she/her) is a Chicago intimate wedding, elopement, & dog photographer who's passionate about commemorating diverse couples grounded in the present moment. Animal welfare, social justice, and sustainability are three things that are really important to her. Trans rights are human rights. Love is love. Stop AAPI Hate. Black Lives Matter.
about the author
Chicago intimate
Wedding Photographer
LGBTQ+, BIPOC, & Woman-operated
for PEOPLE grounded
in the present moment.
Chicago intimate Wedding Photographer
LGBTQ+, BIPOC, & Woman-operated
for PEOPLE grounded in the present moment.
© 2024 Mei Lin Barral Photography
brand + web design by inkpot creative, llc
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