Visiting Dog Mountain in Vermont
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Dog Mountain is a private mountaintop that welcomes people and their dogs. It was created by the artist Stephen Huneck and his wife Gwen in 1995. It is a private mountaintop that welcomes people and their dogs. Dogs are allowed to be off-leash on the property. There are plenty of trails for them to explore as well as ponds for them to swim in. This spot is free to visit, but donations are accepted.
I love dogs and I think it’s an amazing concept. However, I will say that while I love that this is a spot for dogs to be dogs off-leash, you should use caution while here. Unfortunately, irresponsible dog owners can (and do) bring their dogs that aren’t appropriately trained to be off-leash here. If you have a reactive dog, this spot could be a nightmare.
I watched one dog run away from its owner and it had no zero recall. It ended up going up to dogs that were leashed and causing trouble. The owner who had the leashed dogs ended up getting dragged a bit by his own dogs that were getting bothered by the off-leash dog.
I want to make it clear that I do not blame the dogs for what happened. Owners are responsible for training their dogs…dogs can’t magically know recall without training. And I say this as someone who has owned a dog in the past and did most of his training. I worked with a trainer and spent a lot of time doing training on my own as well to reinforce what we were learning with the trainer.
The Trails
During our visit, we explored some of the trails that are on the property. There were some cool buildings as we explored. I love anything old and weathered. These kinds of buildings tend to have a lot of character.
As we hiked, we also saw some beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. I took a photo of a barn that I absolutely loved while we were there. It was one of my favorite photos from our trip (this was a stop on our way to Quebec for a fall weekend getaway).
The Dog Chapel
However, there’s more to this mountain than just being a place for dogs and their humans to hang out. There is a very special chapel on the property. The Dog Chapel was first opened in 2000. According to their website, it is “a symbol of peace, love, and remembrance.”
People come from all over to remember their dogs that have passed on. The walls are lined with photos of animals who have passed on. It was honestly such an emotional place to visit. Tears were shed.
Gallery And Shop
After that, we explored the Stephen Huneck Gallery. The art was fun and it of course featured dogs and the occasional cat. There were prints as well as fun items like mugs to get the artwork on. We didn’t buy anything, but I did have my eye on a couple of items in the store. I loved the humor in a lot of the art.
Is Dog Mountain Worth Visiting?
If you love dogs, art, and nature, I’d say this spot is absolutely worth a visit. If you have a dog that is reactive, I would recommend leaving them at home because it can be a really stressful environment for them.
The Dog Chapel on the property is absolutely worth a visit, especially if you’ve lost a pet. You can bring your own photo and a note to hang in the chapel to have your pet’s memory live on. I was not mentally prepared for how emotional the chapel would be, but it was such a beautiful spot to visit.
