Dog Areas in Vermont

Submitted by Existing-Average-477 t3_zpy75b in vermont

Hello! I've been preparing for my move to Vermont and a friend of mine had suggested I check out the Vermont Reddit page (I just joined Reddit today ) and was pleasantly awarded with pictures of all of your dogs! I have a few questions to ask, as I live LA now and there's not really a lot of outdoors places for dogs and I have a few questions

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What are some great places you and your pooches go? Hiking trails, dog parks, shopping malls, etc. I assume since Vermont seems so open and welcoming, there's no laws regarding leashes if you're just out in the woods, right? I love seeing all your dogs run free, and I know my little Macy-bean will love it too! She'll finally have her own yard she can run around in! :)

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How are people with dogs in public? Are people usually pretty respectful if you ask them not to pet your dog? I assume with a new place, mine will be very skittish...

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Thank you in advance!!!

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Ulimaatissaq t1_j0v9pzx wrote

Please leash your dog.

Other dogs can be reactive, it’s not fair or safe, for anyone else.

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reverievt t1_j0x64e1 wrote

Thank you! My friend’s dog was mauled by a much larger unleashed dog this weekend. The unleashed dog’s owner said “but my dog has never done anything like this before!” like that would make a difference.

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Internal-Fudge8578 t1_j0x28r8 wrote

Who are you to decide what other people do with their dogs? If there’s a reactive dog that doesn’t mean my well trained dog needs to be leashed he’s not the problem and I can call him back to me and hold him while the bad dog passes, if it’s legal for my dog to be off leash he’s gonna be off leash. If there’s a leash law he’s on a leash, if some asshole decides leashes should be used all the time then they’re just an asshole and who cares what they think.

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Coachtzu t1_j0ve900 wrote

Why the hell would you not keep your dog on a leash? Forget other dogs for a minute, there are so many things that could go wrong in an unfamiliar environment. Fido spots a deer and runs off after it for a few miles, and boom, lost. Bear will usually run away too, but if their cubs are around, your dog will likely not come out of that interaction alive and well. Moose can actually be aggressive. Not to mention, usually trails are fairly well maintained, but there is tons of barbed wire, broken glass, and even used needles depending on the part of the state for your for legged friend to get cut on off trail.

I have a dog, I love taking him for hikes and walks, I have no idea why other dog owners find holding a leash so troubling.

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EmeraldMoose12 t1_j0wea6h wrote

I would be worried about Fido coming back with porcupine quills in its face.

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Coachtzu t1_j0weezl wrote

Fuckin right to be worried too, or a skunk? Like what are people thinking.

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EmeraldMoose12 t1_j0wejqz wrote

Honestly, I was never worried about porcupine until it happened to me…. On the top of a mountain.

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Formal_Coyote_5004 t1_j0zrxr0 wrote

Mine has encountered too many skunks and it’s like world war three to get him to take a bath

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_j0vb3kc wrote

Welcome.

Check out r/NewToVermont

Dogs should be leashed when out of your yard. So, “just out in the woods”, as in “on a hike,” yes, you should leash your dog at all times. There are a few exceptions. One is Dog Mountain.

If you’d like to tell us what town you are moving to we might have some specific advice related to that area.

Use the BringFido website to find the dog-friendliest places.

People in Vermont tend to be friendlier in person than on reddit.

As far as strangers approaching your dog, unfortunately not everyone has learned to ask the owner before approaching a dog but most will. So, we can’t promise this but don’t expect a lot of problems.

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21stCenturyJanes t1_j0wapqg wrote

>People in Vermont tend to be friendlier in person than on reddit.

This is very very true.

Also, people let their dogs off leash all the time (right or wrong). It's a very dog friendly state.

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canadacorriendo785 t1_j0x4frm wrote

Yeah the hatred for dogs off leash on the Vermont subreddit is not at all what I experience out in the real world of Vermont. Every time I hike I encounter off leash dogs and it doesn't bother me at all.

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NowIAmThatGuy t1_j0vaada wrote

Dog Mountain in St. Johnsbury. Dogs can be off leash and there are miles of hiking trails. Awesome place.

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TillPsychological351 t1_j0vm0cm wrote

I get embarrassingly choked up when I visit the chapel.

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NowIAmThatGuy t1_j0vy7tp wrote

Me too. I think about all the dogs who’ve been apart of my life. I go to dog mountain multiple times a week and I get emotional over Stephen and how I never got to meet him.

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TillPsychological351 t1_j0vcor9 wrote

As much as I love my dogs (and that was my Bernese enjoying the recent snow that started this kerfuffle), I always keep them on leash when I take them out. You never know who you'll encounter on the trails and how they might react, so I prefer to keep them on lease and under my control. Even at Dog Mountain, where dogs are welcome to roam free. Most people here seem to love dogs, but I din't want to be responsible for an incident if someone doesn't appreciate a 90 lb goofy furball jumping up to give them a big wet kiss.

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Known-Ad9610 t1_j0vnycr wrote

Keep your dog on a leash. She’ll chase game in the woods (illegal) and be unwelcome in town

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TillPsychological351 t1_j0vgh4s wrote

Four fenced-in dog parks that I know of are in Essex Junction (Burlington area), Derby (near the Canadian border), and Newbury and White Rover Junction (Connecticut River Valley, both near Dartmouth). The one in Derby is probably the nicest, but its a toss-up if any other dogs will be there. The park in Essex Junction always seems to have a good group present.

There's an unfenced park in Montpelier, but I've never taken my dogs there.

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zombienutz1 t1_j0vls4r wrote

Just to add on. There are 2 fenced ones in Burlington, 2 fenced ones in South Burlington, one in Winooski, one in Shelburne and one in Milton.

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Amyarchy t1_j0xg6yi wrote

I go to the one in Milton several times a week and it's awesome. Nice folks, good doggos, two fenced yards plus trails for on-leash hiking.

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zombienutz1 t1_j0vla63 wrote

Certain hiking trails require leash and some don't. If your dog is good off leash and you keep them close then take advantage of the off leash trails. Mine stay on the trail, are well trained, and get leashed when coming up to another dog. Most towns in Chittenden County have a dog park. A lot of breweries (in warm weather) allow dogs.

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[deleted] t1_j0vwnct wrote

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Existing-Average-477 OP t1_j0w1438 wrote

I see. Thank you for this information. Do the leash laws there apply to private property? It's a 15 acre property at the end of a 3 mile long dirt road. I plan on leashing in public.

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[deleted] t1_j0w48bu wrote

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Existing-Average-477 OP t1_j0w5haw wrote

I will make sure to do my own research for the town I will be moving to, as the advice of random strangers from here could be providing misleading information or furthering their own agenda. I assume the town clerks would have those laws. Thanks again!

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reverievt t1_j0x6ib6 wrote

Please be aware that if your unleashed dog trespasses on someone else’s property and endangers their livestock, they have the right stop your dog from doing so, whatever it takes.

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bignotion t1_j0y70a0 wrote

3 miles will traverse a lot more than a 15 acre parcel. There will be private property adjacent and you’ll need permission.

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zombienutz1 t1_j0wo4um wrote

Aren't you a random internet stranger giving advice about always keeping your dog leashed in a public/wildlife areas and registering your dog with towns? Yeah don't walk your dog down a public street unleashed but there are trails that allow for off leash dogs. It'll say it right at the beginning near that big map that trails have. If people don't want advice from random internet strangers then don't ask the question.

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[deleted] t1_j0wv3gh wrote

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zombienutz1 t1_j0yrztn wrote

It's just weird that you're talking at someone on how to use the internet and interjecting your belief that info from someone in a state specific sub is immediately invalid.

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Internal-Fudge8578 t1_j0x34e1 wrote

In my experience people normally ask before petting my dog but if your dog is agressive I would avoid any popular hiking trails because there are sometimes people walking by my dog who will just reach out and touch him, which he’s fine with my dog but it freaks me out. It would be weird to touch a random person hiking so why are you just stroking my dog?

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JerryKook t1_j0zl70f wrote

Trapping is legal in Vermont. If you let your dog off leash you are taking a risk.

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Fantastic_Painter_15 t1_j0vdhgk wrote

Let’s not be ridiculous here. If you’re walking in the woods in your backyard or whatever the dog most definitely does not need to be leashed.

If you’re on a public trail, leash. In town, leash. Off on your own with your dog and nobody else around? Totally your call.

I grew up with a state forest in my backyard and am laughing at the thought of leashing my dogs anytime I took them on a walk. Never once seen another soul in those woods. Would be pretty insane to keep them leashed in that scenario

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