Playing with Dogs at Bau Haus Dog Cafe, Seoul

My favourite thing about this video – the giant white dog prancing around at the start of the clip!

I, Audrey,  am the dog lover in the relationship. My first pets were two giant German Shepherds, which at age 6 looked larger than life. I can’t say their beastly size ever intimidated me because they were the sweetest dogs – even if they were capable of crushing a bone and gulping it down in a matter of seconds.

[vsw id=”Kw9BiYUPKBs” source=”youtube” width=”680″ height=”525″ autoplay=”no”]

Last weekend, I found myself making my way over to Bau Haus – perhaps the best known dog cafe in all of Seoul. I didn’t always like the idea of visiting an animal cafe. The first time I heard about them was in my TESL training class back in Toronto. We were reading an article about how the small apartment sizes and busy work schedules had lead to the creation of pet cafes in Tokyo. For a few hundred yen people could play with animals and receive the affection they were so deeply lacking. My first response, “Well, that’s depressing…” Yet fast forward a few months, and here I was paying a few thousand won for the same experience in Korea.

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

The dogs were darlings! Within minutes of arriving there, a gold Cocker Spaniel had sat next to me on the bench, and then I befriended a young Golden Retriever – and I didn’t even have to bribe them with food!

Despite the variation in breeds and sizes – from the ones that resembled wooly mammoths to the miniature poodles – there were no fights between any of dogs. The most action we saw was a tiny little dog looking for romance with a much older and larger dog. She was not interested and would deflect every pass he made at her. That little guy sure wasn’t giving up! We nicknamed him Humper.

The larger breeds really were the gentle giants and would just lie around waiting for people to pet them. The smaller dogs, on the other hand, made their way around the room like social butterflies, always searching for possible treats from new guests.

Admission to the dog cafe is ‘free’, but once inside everyone is expected to purchase a beverage. The prices are a bit higher than what you might encounter at your local coffee shop ranging from 6000-8000 won ($6-8 USD), but the selection is great and includes smoothies, fresh fruit juice, lattes, herbal teas, and even chocolate milkshakes! Not a bad price considering you also get to interact with the pups as long as you want.

Getting there

Bau Haus was originally located in Hongdae, but recently switched locations. Get off at Hapjeong Station on Line 2 and take either exit 3 or 4. The cafe is located on the small side street right between the two subway exits. Once you turn down the side street, the cafe will be on your right hand side.

Join the Conversation

11 Comments

  1. Ohh ! This video made my day. I am a dog lover too. Also had a German Shepherd. Added Bau Haus to my To-Visit-Do List. Sam, great job on video, as always. Audrey, you look beautiful, as always.

    1. says: Audrey

      Nice! German Shepherds make great pets – especially in the countryside. 🙂 Thanks for all the kind comments as always.

  2. says: Elizabeth

    Oh man I miss dog cafes! Such a great way to spend a weekend, cuddling with pups! Cool video 🙂

    1. says: Audrey

      I’m drawn to every dog I see on the street so it was fun having a room full of them 🙂

  3. says: Suzy

    Bau Haus sounds like a great place for dog lovers. I imagine if you are traveling and kind of home sick for your dog, it would be nice place to go. Although a very noisy place at that!

    1. says: Audrey

      You’re right. It wasn’t the same as cuddling my own Lhasapoo back at home, but it was nice getting to play with dogs. 🙂

    1. says: Audrey

      There were so many to choose from! The little ones were cute but too energetic, so I ended up playing with the larger breeds.

  4. Hahaha I love the way that dog was lounging with his head on the top of the bench, tracking your every move out of the corner of his eye….
    I’m obsessed with this!

    1. says: Audrey

      Haha, there were some interesting personalities in there. My favourite dog was the giant white one prancing around. He looked like a bear! 😀

  5. I entirely loved studying your article on the Bau Haus Dog Cafe in Seoul! Your vivid descriptions and attractive narrative transported me to this special and heartwarming place. The way you highlighted the bond between the traffic and the cute puppies created a heat and inviting environment in my mind. The inclusion of sensible details, such as the cafe’s vicinity and working hours, makes your piece no longer solely exciting however additionally informative for all people planning to visit. Keep up the superb work, and I seem ahead to studying more of your tour adventures!

Leave a comment
Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *