TulsaPets Magazine July 2022

July / August 2022 • TulsaPets 9 Friendly Ambassador Dugal Welcomes People to Queenies by Jennie Lloyd | Photo by Cindy Alvarez F irst thing in the morning, Dugal “is a wagging tail and a toy in his mouth,” says Brian Hughes, owner of Queenies restaurant in Utica Square. Hughes is also Dugal’s dog dad. Every day, Dugal wakes up at 5 a.m., grabs a toy, and pads quietly up to Hughes’ face. Dugal knows Hughes is the one most likely “to get up, take him outside, feed him, and make a coffee. So that’s a great start,” Hughes says. Dugal is a dapper, handsome gentleman. He’s a 15-month-old Golden Retriever with a vibrant golden-sunset coat, bright eyes, and a casual demeanor. Dugal “kinda grew up coming [to Queenie’s] and socializing a little bit,” Hughes says. “Dugal sometimes comes in for breakfast. He loves strawber- ries, but his new favorite is bacon” — served on a breakfast plate, of course. On this midsummer afternoon, Dugal greets every passerby from his spot under a table on the shady patio. Everyone engages and shakes his hand. “He’s a restaurant patio dog,” Hughes says. “He likes going to Heirloom Rustic Ales or somewhere with us. He loves that kind of thing.” The most charming thing about Dugal might be his love of sitting on things — things not meant to be a perch for a fully grown Golden Retriever. For example, Hughes shows off a photo of Dugal in a rainbow bow tie, grinning, thrilled, and absolutely at home on a table at Heirloom, the popular Kendall-Whittier brewery. Dugal has a dog bestie at home, a more introverted fellow named Finn. He is a five- year-old rescue who isn’t big on strangers. At home, “Finn is the protective barker, Dugal is not,” Hughes says. “Dugal is the friendly ambassador.” He looks every bit the friendly ambassador too, with his light- hearted energy. Dugal is the first dog Hughes has owned that he hadn’t adopted. Hughes and his husband, Jason Glass, acquired Dugal as a puppy from a ranch south of Dallas. Two decades ago, Hughes rescued Great Danes, one of the largest breeds in the world. After three of those megasized friends, he and Glass decided to scale down in dog size. For the past 20 years, they typically have owned two or three dogs at a time, now slightly smaller rescues. “For us, it’s always been organic. We just wait until we say, ‘Oh, I think that’s the dog!,’ ” Hughes says. Dugal loves to run at the dog park and play fetch with his spiky ball. “He won’t stop, you have to stop. He never tires, PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE