6 Dog Friendly Markets in Brisbane You Might Not Have Heard Of

by Jane Wong (subscribe)

6 Dog Friendly Markets in Brisbane You Might Not Have Heard Of


Who wouldn't love discovering the hidden gems of the hidden gems, and explore places and activities that aren't the usual mainstream choices? When you think of dog friendly markets in Brisbane, usually the ones that pop up straight away are Milton Markets, Carseldine Markets, and the multiple Jan Powers Farmers Markets - although these markets are great and are definitely worth visiting, it's also nice exploring smaller, more local markets with a great sense of community that, as a bonus, are usually not packed full of people. You might actually be able to breathe some fresh air at these lesser-known markets!

Note: This is a follow-up article from the original "Best 6 Dog Friendly Markets in Brisbane" article published in November 2016. For more great dog friendly markets located on Brisbane's Bayside, check out "3 Great Dog Friendly Markets on Brisbane's Bayside", published in December 2016.

The difference between the current article and the original article is that this article focuses on local markets that may be smaller in size, but definitely not in quality! They probably do not appear on Google's first (or even second) page when you search for dog friendly markets in Brisbane, and may not be as well-known to Brisbane residents, but not to worry, because Eddy has once again done all the hard work for you - he's researched (and sniffed!) out a whole heap of markets, and has reviewed some of his favourites here in this article for you.




Early Bird & Breakfast Markets

Location: Beenleigh Town Square, James St, Beenleigh QLD 4207
Opening Times: Every Sunday 6am - 12pm
Admission Fee: Free
Website: www.earlybirdmarkets.com.au/



What better way to start off this article (and your Sunday morning) than a market called Early Bird & Breakfast? Early Bird & Breakfast Markets in Beenleigh is one of the newest markets around, having only been operated since June 2016. They are open rain, hail, or shine every Sunday of the year (except four weekends from Christmas to Early January). With a focus on delicious food, farm-direct produce and unique handmade crafts, Early Bird & Breakfast is the place to be in Beenleigh when it comes to gourmet breakfast stalls, fresh produce at market prices, and a wide selection of flowers, plants, arts, crafts, clothing, handmade gifts, and much more! Here is a small sample of their stalls to tempt you into paying a visit next Sunday:




And, if you're a dog person, you're in luck here at Early Bird & Breakfast Markets because they have several regular stalls here who together cover everything your pet needs and more!


Jan's Stall



Jan's Stall sells both homemade dog treats and a mixed selection of prepackaged treats. Jan's homemade dog treats are a real bargain, costing only $3.00 for any 10 dog treats - the dog treats are quite a big size too! There are exactly 10 different flavours, which is perfect as customers can get one of each and try them all for just three dollars. No fat, sugar, salt, or any artificial flavourings are used in these treats, making it a healthy option without letting the taste buds suffer. Similar to Kimberley Kapers, many of the homemade treats at Jan's stall are named after human foods:




Jan's Stall also has homemade pupsicles and liver bones for sale, in addition to pre-packaged treats (e.g. Dentastix, Blackdog charcoal biscuits). There are also party box selections with a mixture of prepackaged treats for just $5, in addition to a homemade gluten free party box. If you're looking to purchase healthy treats to spoil your dog without spending huge amounts of money, Jan's Stall is the way to go - you won't be able to find treats cheaper than this!




Kimberley Kapers

For those of you who are both parents and pawrents at the same time, Kimberley Kapers will become your new favourite market stall ever. Kimberley Kapers caters for all babies, both human babies and furbabies! If that's not convenience, then I'm not sure what is. Owned by Linda, Kimberley Kapers has an impressive range of products, with two packed tables for the furbabies (one for treats and one for clothes), and one packed table for the human babies. Speaking of babies, the reason why the business is named "Kimberley" Kapers rather than "Linda" Kapers is because Linda named her business after her daughter, who is also a massive animal lover!



Kimberley Kapers has an impressive collection of pet clothing items available for purchase, with heaps of unique choices - these aren't your average run-of-the-mill pet clothes! From cowboy hats to watermelon shirts, there's bound to be an outfit that suits your pet perfectly, to help them stand out from the rest - not that they don't already, of course! Dogs who come to the markets with their owners are more than welcome to try on anything they fancy, to make sure that the items fit before buying.



Kimberley Kapers also has heaps of dog treats to choose from. Linda has recently started making her own 100% natural treats, which come in lots of different flavours, many of which are named after actual human foods (e.g. Spaghetti and Meatball). These treats generally come in small packets, but there is also the option of purchasing a family assorted box, which contains a mix of all the treats. In addition to making their own treats, Kimberley Kapers also stocks pet treats from Bow Wow Chow, who caters to both dogs and cats. Bow Wow Chow's dog treats take the form of 'pupcorn' (yes, that's dog popcorn!), with a range of flavours including banana, meatloaf, cheeseburger, coconut ice, and even lasagna! Cats have an assorted range to choose from, including beef bark and marinara bark.



Note: Kimberley Kapers can also be found at Wellington Point Markets on a regular basis.


Gano Organics

Although Gano Organics is not a stall specifically catered towards pets, it does have Bone-A-Fide Dog Shampoo in stock! According to John and Sandra, owners of Bone-A-Fide Dog Shampoo, "our mission from day one was simple: to make our Bone-A-Fide products the best we can, and bring a product to market that we are truly proud of!"




Woofenwag

Woofenwag has an impressive range of products available, which far exceeds the capacity of your average market stall - it would not be possible to list all their products here in this article. Run by Martina, Woofenwag specialises in custom made items for assistance and therapy dogs - she will be about to tell you all the do's an don'ts, in addition to guide those interested in or needing an assistance dog in the right direction. Martina also has a belief in natural and healthy dog food and parasite control, and again will be able to provide interested customers with tips on how to get started on an all-natural diet.



It's hard to put into words how much there was to see, and how much Martina managed to fit in in Woofenwag's relatively compact market stall. There was also lots of information signs regarding not just assistance dogs, but just dogs in general - for example, there is a sign about the importance of restraining dogs while travelling in cars; not just for their safety, but for their owners' too. Woofenwag also has heaps of free business card sized tips on how to make homemade sprays to combat itchiness in dogs and homemade creams for hot spots in pets, amongst others.





Woofenwag is a fun pit-stop for pawrents, children, and furbabies alike. Pooches are more than welcome to try on anything they fancy, to ensure that it fits well before purchasing. They can also socialise with Shorty, the resident dog of Woofenwag who is an absolute sweetheart and very well-behaved.






For Laterz

Having only recently launched in October 2016, For Laterz is one of the youngest in the world of handmade dog treats. Tamara, owner of For Laterz, uses only natural ingredients with no added sugar, salt, or preservatives, with vegan options available too. To implement quality control, Tamara's dog Toffee (i.e. Cavoodle mascot of For Laterz) personally taste tests each of the treats before officially including them in their line of products.



Treats (both dog and cat) are very reasonably priced at just $3.50 per bag, with the number of treats inside each bag depending, of course, on the size of the treats - for example, you can expect to find 3-4 bone shaped biscuits inside a bag, but much more than that if the treats are bite sized. There are also doggie bags available for $15, which contains multiple packets of dog biscuits, in addition to gift bags, which contains two different types of dog biscuits in addition to a novelty toy or accessory.


Note: For Laterz is offering free delivery within Brisbane until 31st January 2016 - feel free to make good use of this promotion!


And of course...




Mitchie Makers Market

Location: Mitchelton Football Club, Teralba Park, Osborne Rd, Mitchelton QLD 4053
Opening Times: 2nd Friday of each month, 5pm - 9pm (see website for market dates)
Admission Fee: Free
Website: www.mitchiemakers.org.au/



Self-described as "social enterprise with an ethos for connecting real and passionate makers to the local community", Mitchie Makers Market recently celebrated it's first birthday in December 2016 - despite being such a young market, it is already becoming increasingly popular and well-known to locals and visitors alike. In fact, it's doubled in size since it first began, now currently with over 150 stalls! With live music provided by local artists and buskers and a wide array of shopping and food stalls to choose from, the markets truly come to life as the sun goes down - can you think of a better way to spend a Friday night after a long week?

True to its name, the large majority of stalls at Mitchie Makers Markets sell products that are handmade and crafted with love and passion. As most handmade products are produced only in small batches at most, Mitchie Makers Market is a great place for buying unique gifts for others (or you could always treat yourself!), as you are bound to find many one-of-a-kind products that cannot be bought at a store in a shop. Support your local businesses today and help these talented craftsmen and craftswomen continue to thrive for generations to come - in a world that is becoming increasingly franchised and saturated with big chain companies, supporting small businesses is becoming increasingly important.


Jojo & Lola's Jerky Chompers

Jojo & Lola's Jerky Chompers started after owner Susan began making her own treats for her pooches (and their friends!) as an alternative to prepackaged treats. These homemade treats were so successful that Susan decided to open up her own business using her poochs' names, in May 2015 - and that's where their story begins. Although only a young business, Jojo & Lola's Jerky Chompers are constantly expanding their range and are adding new products on a regular basis. In regards to quality control, pooches Jojo and Lola are the official taste testers of the doggy treats, whereas Susan's kitties Mitty, Georgie Girl and Lulu assist with the taste testing of the kitty treats - at least when they feel like it!



There is a huge range of flavours to choose from, with ingredients including beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, and mackerel. For the extra lucky pooches, Jojo and Lola's also have gourmet chompers that have an extra special yummy ingredient (or two) added. Each of the products in their line is individually hand made in small batches, cooked in a dehydrator for between 7 and 18 hours. Only human-grade ingredients (locally produced where possible) are used, with no artificial colours or flavours, and no added salt, sugar, or preservatives. Treat your pets without sacrificing health!



With so many flavours to choose from, there's no doubt that there will be a flavour that your pet will absolutely love - but just to make sure you have the right one, feel free to bring your pet along to the markets! Jojo & Lola's attend only pet friendly markets, and there are heaps of free samples (and a communal water bowl) available. Plus, none other than Lola herself will be there for kisses and cuddles!



Note: Jojo & Lola's Jerky Chompers can also be found at Carseldine Farmers & Artisan Markets and Nundah Farmers Markets on a regular basis.


Old Petrie Town Markets

Location: 901 Dayboro Rd, Whiteside QLD 4503
Opening Times: Every Sunday, 7am - 1pm
Admission Fee: Free
Website: https://www.facebook.com/OldPetrieTown/

Held at Old Petrie Town, a restored historic village replicating life dating from before the 1930s, the Old Petrie Town Markets allow you to go back in time and, while you're at it, grab a few bargains along the way too! With antique cars littering the streets, speciality shops (in addition to the markets) housed in historic buildings, and several museums across 50 acres of manicured gardens and bushland, it is unlikely that you will come across another market set in such a location in Brisbane - so grab this opportunity and visit them this Sunday! In addition to weekly Sunday markets, Old Petrie Town also hosts twilight markets in the weeks leading up to Christmas, making it more convenient for shoppers looking for last minute presents for close friends and family.




Big Dogs Do Matter

The Big Dogs Do Matter stall is owned by Shazzy Lee, an avid dog lover of all sizes - be prepared for your pooch to be given lots of love, affection, and cuddles! Big Dogs Do Matter sell a range of products designed to keep your furbabies warm and happy during the night. This includes: outdoor canvas mats (waterproof, mould and sun proof), beds with canvas covers or mats, and cute canvas tepees. Big Dogs Do Matter's products contain no chemicals and the foam insert is 100% human grade Australian foam, meaning that they won't "drive your dog nuts"! Any size and depth can be made to order and ready to go in a week, just simply text measurements to 0408-772-597 - plus, order two or more mats to get a discount!



Shazzy hates wasting material and as such, uses all the material that she can - here at Big Dogs Do Matter, where "no fur baby is too big or too small", accessories such as bandanas, bowties, and other novelty items can be purchased... or even given for free if you're as lucky as Eddy! There is also a communal water bowl (and even an actual bath during the hotter months) that doggy patrons are most thankful for.


Note: Big Dogs Do Matter can also be found at Carseldine Farmers & Artisan Markets and Mitchie Makers Market on a regular basis.




Beaudesert Country Markets

Location: Dick Westerman Park, 2-14 Enter