8/7/05 Americans love their pets. More than 62 million dogs inhabit American homes, according to the American Pet Association.

Restaurants in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, like their counterparts in Europe, allow dogs to sit in their outdoor sections and also provide water bowls and specialized "doggie" menus.

The Lompoc Valley may not have its own dog-specific restaurant, but it does have at least one regular "doggie diner."

Every morning, Robert Green and his golden retriever, Tark, walk about two miles from their home near Central Avenue and G Street to the South Side Coffee Company on South H Street, where they order their "Usual."

Bagels are his food of choice, Green said.

"I get two day-old bagels and two ice teas, one for me and one for the dog," Green said. "Sometime around 6 or 6:30 I walk down there. It takes about a half an hour at 'Tark-speed.' It keeps us both skinny."

Green said he enjoys a little cream cheese on his daily onion bagel, but Tark prefers his toasted bagel plain, washed down with water from his own bowl.

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On one of their first visits to the coffee shop, Green went back inside to get more sugar and Tark decided to help himself to the ham and cheese breakfast bagel Green had ordered.

"I managed to rescue the ham, but the bagel was gone," Green said, laughing.

Tark and his owner are very comfortable together although Green has only owned the friendly 4-year-old since March. The two came together at an opportune time: Tark's former owner's young daughter developed allergies and the family was forced to give him away, and just a month earlier Green lost his job as an integrated circuit designer at Raytheon in Santa Barbara.

Knowing he would have the time to devote to a new addition to his family menagerie that already consisted of three cats, Green decided to give Tark a new home. The pair have been walking and noshing together ever since. It not only keeps them fit and allows them to bond but also allows Green a little fresh air before he starts his day of job hunting.

Tark was originally named for Fresno State's Coach Tarkanian, but Green and his wife, Edith, prefer to give his moniker another twist by making him a namesake of the Star Wars Death Star commander General Tarkin. He usually comes prepared to enjoy a leisurely meal bringing his water bowl, chew bone and a few extra treats.

"I make him carry his own stuff - he has a backpack or he also has some saddlebags," said Green.

Green and Tark are not the only canine-human combination that frequents the popular coffee shop and adjoining bookstore. The heavy cast iron tables outside the shop lend themselves to a secure leash anchor and many people routinely take advantage of the outdoor dining area.

"A lot of people bring their dogs," said barista Brittany Combs. "They go to the bookstore and stop in here."

Shelly Ingram can be reached at 736-2313, Ext. 105, or singram@lompocrecord.com.