Dougie’s Dog Bar
Project Overview
The Dougie’s Dog Bar Audio-Visual Transformation
Dougie’s Dog Bar is Orlando’s hooman-friendly dog bar and social club for pets and their people, nestled in the city’s vibrant Packing District. The venue combines indoor and outdoor spaces with food, drinks and dedicated play areas (including a doggie splash zone!) for a one-of-a-kind social experience. Crunchy Tech was the AV solutions integrator tapped to deliver a complete audiovisual package that keeps the energy high for guests while standing up to the unique demands of a fur-friendly environment.
Project Challenges
Tackling Florida Weather and Tail-Wagging Chaos
Dougie’s Dog Bar isn’t your average neighborhood pub. It’s a multi-zone social club in Orlando catering to both humans and their four-legged, furry best friends. We were tasked with building an AV environment that could handle everything from a high-energy bar scene to a specialized doggie splash zone.
The trick was the geography of the place, as we had to manage distinct acoustic needs across an indoor kennel, a lobby, a bar hall, and multiple outdoor yards. Every piece of gear, including the displays and the speakers, had to be tough and resilient enough to survive the relentless Florida heat, humidity, and rain without breaking a sweat (or, for that matter, a circuit).
Understanding Client Needs
All the Game-Day Hype Without the Tech Headache
The team at Dougie’s came to us with a crystal-clear vision: they wanted an atmosphere that felt as full of vim and vigor as a pup at the park. Whether guests and patrons are grabbing a drink at the bar, lounging on the patio, or watching their doggos burn off calories in the yard, they needed a clear view of live sports and entertainment.
On the audio side, flexibility was a non-negotiable. The staff needed the power to crank the volume for a game-winning goal at the bar while at the same time keeping the kennel area serene and stress-free for the canines. Above all, the system had to be "human-friendly," meaning the staff could run the whole show from a single iPad without needing a degree in audiovisual engineering or a dedicated tech on-site.
Technical Solutions
The Ultimate Blend of Massive Screens and Bark-Proof Audio
We anchored the space with a massive 16-foot outdoor LED wall and 10 Samsung commercial displays in order for the game to be visible from every angle. Under the hood, we used a QSC networked audio platform to power 19 speakers across five zones.
| System Category | Components | Role in Project |
| LED Display | 16.4 ft × 9.8 ft 3.9 mm outdoor LED wall, LED wall processor | Large-format outdoor visual anchor for live sports, branded content and event programming |
| Commercial Displays | 10 × Samsung BE65D-H 65” TVs, Strong tilt mounts | Distributed viewing across bar, patio, lobby and indoor spaces |
| Audio System | QSC Core 8 Flex DSP, 2 × QSC CX-Q 2K4 amplifiers, 19 speakers (AD-S8T, AD-S6T, AD-P6T, AD-C6T) | Five independent 70 V audio zones covering every area of the venue |
| Content & Control | DirecTV receivers, media player, iPad GUI, Netgear managed switch | Source selection per display, audio routing and volume control from a single iPad |
| Infrastructure | 16U wall-mounted rack, Wattbox power conditioner, CAT6 and HDMI distribution | Centralized, clean equipment housing with reliable power management |
The QSC Core 8 Flex DSP connects to both amplifiers over Q-LAN, providing three audio inputs - DirecTV, background music and an auxiliary line - routable to any of the five zones. Each DirecTV box feeds its respective TV directly, with channel and power control handled by standard DirecTV remotes at each location.
Audio Zone Breakdown
| Amplifier / Channel | Zone | Speakers | Notes |
| AMP-01, Ch 1 | Indoor Yard / Kennel | 6 × AD-P6T | Pendant speakers for even coverage in the indoor play area |
| AMP-01, Ch 2 | Lobby / Hall | 2 × AD-C6T | Ceiling speakers for background audio in transition spaces |
| AMP-01, Ch 3 | Bar | 3 × AD-S6T | Surface-mount speakers delivering clear game-day audio at the bar |
| AMP-01, Ch 4 | Patio | 3 × AD-S6T | Weather-rated speakers for the covered outdoor patio |
| AMP-02, Ch 1 | Outdoor Dog Yard | 5 × AD-S8T | High-output outdoor speakers covering the open-air play area |
Essential Partnership List
- Samsung: BE65D-H commercial displays chosen for brightness, longevity and signage-grade reliability across all indoor and outdoor positions.
- QSC: Core 8 Flex DSP, CX-Q 2K4 amplifiers and a full complement of 70 V loudspeakers providing networked audio processing, amplification and zoned coverage throughout the venue.
- Strong: Wall-mounted rack enclosure and commercial tilt mounts ensuring secure, clean display installations.
- Netgear: GSM4212P managed PoE+ switch delivering reliable, centralized network connectivity for all AV endpoints.
- Wattbox: WB-100-RSW-8 rack-mount power conditioner protecting equipment and enabling remote power cycling.
Implementation Methodology
Getting the Pros in a Room to Build a Backyard Masterpiece
We followed our signature design-build AV methodology - coordinating closely with architects and contractors from day one to make certain the tech fit the soul of the building.
The heart of the system is the QSC platform, which routes three different audio inputs, namely DirecTV, background music, and an auxiliary line, to any of the five zones via Q-LAN. We chose specific speakers for specific jobs: pendant speakers for even coverage in the high ceilings of the indoor yard, as well as high-output, weather-rated speakers to cut through the open air of the outdoor pooch yard.
To keep things tidy, we centralized everything into a 16U wall-mounted rack so the "brains" of the operation were organized and easy to service.
Total Control That’s Easier Than Teaching a Dog to Sit
The iPad-based control interface was designed for nothing else but simplicity. A single home screen leads to a consolidated control page featuring audio source routing per zone (matrix or per-zone router), individual volume sliders with mute toggles for each of the five zones, and a master mute button. All of this keeps daily operation intuitive and eliminates the need for specialized AV knowledge on staff.
Results and Impact
One Happy Pack: Where High-Definition Sports Meets the Ultimate Splash Zone
The finished system has turned Dougie’s Dog Bar into a true Orlando destination. The outdoor LED wall commands attention right from the street, while the ten large-format displays guarantee there isn't a bad seat in the house.
Giving the staff an intuitive iPad interface with simple volume sliders and master mute toggles, we’ve empowered them to adapt the vibe on the fly. It’s a polished, purpose-built solution where the tech stays out of the way so the dogs (and their hoomans) can play.
Finishing the Project On Time
Reliable AV for a High-Energy Social Hub
The Dougie’s Dog Bar project is a prime example of how Crunchy Tech tackles hospitality venues with non-traditional requirements. It’s one thing to set up a sports bar. It’s another to build a high-end, multi-zone network that can stand up to a doggie splash zone and the notorious Florida humidity.
Combining a show-stopping LED centerpiece with commercial-grade displays and a fully networked audio system, we’ve created a space where dogs can play, hoomans can gather, and the technology stays where it belongs - working perfectly in the background.
