The weather's beautiful, and people all over Denver will be in the parks and on patios today. But what about their pets? While several restaurants — including Racines — have dog-friendly patios, some of town's most pooch-oriented places have closed over the past year, including the Barker Lounge, which shuttered in January.  Says this reader:

What a disappointment. One of the reasons I found moving to Denver a joyful experience was the number of dog-friendly establishments. The idea of sitting outside drinking a beer and watching my dog play with friends' dogs was a new one, and I had many great experiences at the Bark Bar, Barker Lounge and Watering Bowl. Now it seems they're being systematically stamped out, though I can't point to a particular reason. There has to be a better way to allow Denver's diversity to flourish than challenging small business owners to pony up to expensive and extended "negotiations" with various city departments.

The Watering Bowl is still going strong, and opens today at 11 a.m. What other pet-friendly options are there?

• Word of Mouth