Workers at some wineries labor for only food and board -- literally.

They spend long hours on intruder and rodent control. They greet every visitor, providing escort service from car to door and back again. They work like dogs because they are.

They're canines, and they live to serve.

The only compensation they ask for are brisk belly scratches and an occasional romp with their humans. They consider forklift rides a nice perk and the attention from winery visitors their due.

And they deserve it. Ask their owners and you'll hear that the dogs who live, work and provide comic relief at several Mid-Columbia wineries are almost as much a draw for visitors as their fine wines.

"Our dogs set the tone around here. We like the winery to be a fun place, and our dogs add a lot of life. A lot of people who are traveling come here to get their dog fix," said Mike Dunham of Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla.

Their stories are as varied as their breeds and pedigrees. Read on and meet some of the Mid-Columbia's winery dogs.

Sleeping Dog Wines

Drive up to the tasting room, an old converted garage-barn at Sleeping Dog Wines in Benton City and the first one to greet you will be Aurora, known as "The Nose."

She's a 6-year-old, indeterminate breed "pound puppy, and we love her," said Larry Oates. He and his wife, Joyce, are the owners-winemakers.

The winery's named for Aurora, and she's on their label. There's even a wine, Sweet Aurora, a 2006 late harvest sauvignon blanc that carries her name and image.

Though when visitors are around, she rarely sleeps, said Larry Oates.

Aurora's the official greeter. "It would say on her business card if she had a place to keep them," he said.

When bad weather forces the couple to hold wine tastings indoors instead of just opening one of the big bay doors, Aurora makes sure visitors find their way in. Zipping out the pet door, checking them out, then rushing back in to announce there's company. Then Aurora's back out again to escort them in.

"There's definitely some shepherd in her," he said, "It's her herding instinct at work."

Being a winery dog is hard work. Aurora helps keep an eye on the ripening grapes, supervises Larry and Joyce at their daily chores and, during crush, pitches right in.

"Aurora always manages to plant herself in the most inconvenient place, for people. But when you're supervisor, you have to be on the job," Larry Oates said.

Hightower Cellars

Murray, a yellow Labrador, is in charge of company morale and reception at Hightower Cellars in Benton City.

"We have a lot of people come through the tasting room, and either we have all very nice customers or Murray loves everyone," said Kelly Hightower. "Especially if they're willing to toss his ball." She and her husband, Tim, bought him five years ago from a Seattle-area breeder, and Murray lost no time establishing himself as a winery dog.

Right after the Hightowers planted their first grape seedling, Murray snatched it from the ground and went running off with it.

"Newly planted, they look like sticks, so we forgave him. He was just a puppy then, with a puppy's exuberance," Kelly Hightower said.

But that same exuberance also earned him a swat during crush. Being naughty is hard to hide when you attend obedience class sporting a big red handprint on your backside.

Which may have planted an idea in the Hightowers' subconscious. A year later Murray appeared on the label of his own wine, a 2003 Murray Cuvée, again sporting something big and red. Only this time he's looking handsome, not devilish, holding a red rose in his teeth.

Tapteil Vineyard and Winery

Like all winery dogs, Argus, a 2 1/2-year-old standard poodle, takes his job very seriously, said Jane Pearson. She and her husband, Larry, are owners and winemakers at Tapteil Estate in Benton City.

"He has free run of the place and, while a poodle was far from what I had in mind (when they were looking for a dog), Argus has been the best dog I've ever owned. He's big and smart and doesn't shed," she said.

Argus is mainly black with a splash of white on his chest and a white goatee. His two-color coat isn't welcome in show rings, but the Pearsons don't care.

"He looks very distinguished, like he's wearing a tuxedo. I think he looks cool," she said.

Argus appointed himself head of rodent control and security. Though when someone visits, all he does is bark then wag his tail.

"He chases bunnies, catches ground squirrels and -- with help from his buddy, Murray, at Hightower next door -- has declared the airspace above both wineries a no-fly zone for birds," Pearson said.

"Poodles are very athletic, and Argus can run like a gazelle through the vineyard," she said.

"Visitors love him. Sometimes I think they come as much to see Argus as taste our wines," she joked.

But he does have one fault.

"Argus is a kleptomaniac. If our workers lay down their gloves, they're fair game. Gloves are a favorite target, them and any tool he thinks you might want," she said. "He ensures we keep things picked up."

That includes their clothes and towels next to the hot tub.

"Once he snuck in, and before we knew it, he was gleefully running through the winery with our garments, snickering all the way," Pearson said, laughing at the memory.

Dunham Cellars

Visit Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla and a trio of border collies -- Port, Maysy and Konnie -- will make you welcome.

Port is the most famous. Eric Dunham, winemaker and son of the owners, Mike and Joanne Dunham, rescued him in 1994 from death by pitbull when Port was just a puppy. He lost a front leg but found a home with the Dunhams.

Port was also the first Dunham dog to have a vintage named in his honor -- the 2002 Three Legged Red.

"Younger, Port was a real athlete. Even missing a leg he was fast and fun to watch play," said Mike Dunham.

He's older now -- 12 years old -- but still a character and has refined begging for treats into a fine art.

"All three dogs beg when food's involved but people are good about the ‘no treats rule' until Port goes into action," he said.

"He perches on his back legs, lets his one front leg kind of dangle, and wiggles his stump. They melt," said Mike Dunham. "Port gets all the food he wants."

Next to arrive in 1999 was Konnie, a border collie mix, who turned up at the winery, a converted airplane hangar at the airport.

"We heard Port growling at something under one of the desks. It turned out to be a little puppy about 6 months old," he said.

Skinny and dirty, it was obvious she'd been on her own for a while.

Konnie adopted Joanne Dunham and soon discovered the joy of tennis balls.

"Anything that moves, she'll chase it until she drops. When people visit the winery Konnie brings the balls on and once that starts, she never stops. We have to intervene," said Mike Dunham.

You can see her on the winery brochure, but the Dunhams have yet to discover just the right wine to become Konnie's.

Maysy became a Dunham winery dog in March 2005.

"We'd been looking at the Border Collie Rescue website and spotted this puppy. Her picture just jumped out at us," said Mike Dunham.

For a border collie, she's unusual. Her coloring is striking, nearly pure white on her front half.

"She has a really girly face with the most penetrating yellow eyes," said Mike Dunham. She's also very mellow.

"She could fall asleep in a car wash," he said.

Maysy's the winery concierge, meeting every car escorting everyone inside. She's also Mike Dunham's special partner and has her own wine too, Four Legged White.

* Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com