Do You Remember The North Carolina Famous Talking Dog?

We learn the most interesting things from our faithful listeners each day while doing our radio show. But, we never thought a caller would introduce us to the storied history of Barney, the North Carolina famous talking dog.

Of course, we didn't move to the Carolinas until 2006, long after Barney the North Carolina famous talking dog burst onto the scene. So, we weren't familiar with his story. However, it turns out he made national news for his talents.

Last week we were discussing a silly question on the air that involved this dilemma. Would you rather have a talking dog or a cat that could pay half your rent? People chimed in with all sorts of answers and reasons why. And then, a caller began telling us that Hickory once had a famous talking dog that would say, 'I'm hungry.'

We laughed thinking it might have been a joke. Or, perhaps a dog owner thought it sounded like their dog could talk when in reality they were the only ones who could understand it. As you might imagine, my curiosity took over, and I began to scour the internet to find evidence of the North Carolina famous talking dog.

And, just like that I found a You Tube video from 1989 from the old 'news' show A Current Affair. They received a video from a local reporter at WHKY in Hickory. And, the report explained Barney was the pet of Mable Wiles in the Hickory/Valdese area. And, not only did Barney the Dachshund enjoy eating off a fork like a human, he would actually alert his owner he was hungry by voicing it.

And, furthermore, Barney could even whisper the words, "I'm hungry." Mable explained that her dog was 3 months old when he first started talking. And, like many new borns, his first word was 'Mama.' And, she said, 'Barney, are you hungry?' And, to her shock, he answered, 'I'm hungry.'

In fact, Barney was so popular his recording overloaded phone lines at the Charlotte Observer when they set up a voice mail with his stunt so readers could call in and listen. A Southern Bell spokesperson said, "The sheer volume of people trying to call Barney is filling up the trunk lines coming in to the Observer building." So, according to a story that appeared from Deseret News, the paper had to shut down the line.

So, you learn something new every day. And, we're better for having learned about the North Carolina famous talking dog. We never definitively decided which is better, a talking dog or a cat that pays half the rent. Although, I'm leaning toward the talking dog.

Five of the most dog-friendly restaurants in America are in North Carolina. Listen I love dogs. I really do. And I'm on board (if your dog can handle it and is happy) for taking dogs to places like breweries. Perhaps even somewhere with an outdoor patio to eat. But I'm a little more hazy on that one. But what I saw this weekend in Blowing Rock, was two different dogs one in a stroller and the other just laying under the table, inside in a restaurant. I'm sorry the line has to be drawn somewhere. Your dog will be ok at home for an hour by themselves. These were not service animals, just dogs that were accompanying their owners to dine inside a sit-down restaurant.

I get it. When my dog was alive I did wish I could take him everywhere. He loved to go to the drive threw, the bank,  or a pet-friendly store like Petsmart. But I never took him into a general store and certainly never to a restaurant. And in all honesty, he would have been miserable at a restaurant. He hated sitting still in a new place, would have been trying to eat everyone's food, and the heat outside would have bothered him as well. But despite my personal feelings about taking your dog out to eat, numerous people do it. This is what led Yelp to create a list of the most dog-friendly restaurants in America. And not one, not two, but 5 North Carolina restaurants made the list.

Here's how Yelp says the list was curated: "We identified businesses in the restaurants and food categories with a large concentration of reviews mentioning "dog friendly," then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning those keywords between June 1, 2020, and June 1, 2023. If a chain appeared on the list more than once, we only included the highest-rated location. When available, all businesses on this list have a passing health score as of June 1, 2023." You can view the full list of 100 restaurants here or keep reading to see the 5 top dog-friendly restaurants in North Carolina.

Location: Asheville, NC

Sunny Point Cafe is a popular comfort food spot in West Asheville. It has over 2360 reviews on Yelp and a 4.5 star rating. They are open for breakfast and lunch. View the menu here.

Location: Old Fort

Just down the road in Old Fort North Carolina you'll find the second NC restaurant on this list- Hillman Beer. There are actually locations not only in Old Fort but in Asheville and Morganton as well. This small family-owned business brings "the pub style to a brewery experience". It boasts a large outdoor patio with picnic tables perfect for bringing your pup. View the menu here.

Location: Asheville

Asheville does have a reputation as being very dog friendly. And this next spot also stays in Asheville. You'll find Funkatorium in the South Slope of Asheville. It is owned by popular Wicked Weed Brewing and is the East Coast’s first sour beer dedicated taproom. And like most breweries, Funkatorium is dog friendly. View the menu here.

Location: Charlotte

One of my favorite spots in Charlotte Brewers at 4001 Yancey is a joint venture between Southern Tier, Sixpoint, Victory Brewing Company and Bold Rock Cidery. Located in LoSo they have a huge outdoor space perfect for dogs, a wide variety of beer, seltzers, ciders, cocktails, and delicious food. Plus there is parking which in Charlotte is always a bonus! View the menu here.

Location: Waynesville

In downtown Waynesville, you'll find Boojum Brewing. This taproom located in the shadow of the picturesque Smoky Mountains features delicious seasonal pub fare, a rotating menu of 16 house-brewed beers, as well as wine and cocktails. View the menu here.