Anne-Charlotte PasseraHaving a dog is like having a child, he is part of the family and therefore he too deserves to tag along while you enjoy activities in and around Montreal.
More likely than not, during 2020 or 2021 you bought or adopted a dog, as if having kids in tow wasn’t enough. Am I right?
It’s funny how owning a dog can change your way of looking at things. When searching for activities to do with the family, I now have to see if they are dog-friendly as well. If they aren’t, I try to see if the same activity exists where dogs are allowed. The choices are limited.
Whether you have kids or not, getting out of the city or merely just discovering a new neighbourhood can be done with dogs. There aren’t that many options out there, but they do exist.
We’ve compiled a little list of dog-friendly activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family in and around Montreal.
Dog-friendly family activities in Montreal
Here are a few dog-friendly activities where you can bring your pooch along in Montreal while on a family outting.
Montreal Street Art
Montreal has its fare share of murals, more than 3,500 actually. A lot of them are concentrated around the Mile-End and Le Plateau area.
Roaming the streets of those neighbourhoods will make you feel like you are walking through an outdoor Art Gallery. The best part is that its FREE.
Grab a beer
Taste a locally brewed beer on the terrace or inside of 4 Origines. Obviously, it’s not necessarily a place you would go to with kids, but your pooch is welcome!
Before or after, enjoy a nice stroll along the Lachine Canal.
Eat brunch
Believe it or not, you can grab a tasty brunch with the family at the dog-friendly Ruby Café. I was actually invited there to test it out on behalf of Le Snack Bar Blogue.
We brought our Newfie Nouki along and he loved the sweet potatoe pancakes! Afterward, check out the Angrignon Park that is located only 10 minutes away.
For more dog-friendly walk ideas in Montréal, read HERE.
Fireworks
Who doesn’t enjoy a fireworks show?
Each Summer, Montreal hosts an International Fireworks Competition. It’s taken a hiatus in the last two years due to the Pandemic but I am confident that it will come back, eventually.
Fireworks are always a fun activity to do with the family and you can bring your dog along as well.
Our Newfie Nouki doesn’t have a problem with them. In fact he actually enjoys it sitting there admiring the sky and then after 5 minutes he just lays down as he has had enough. Our other dog, Price, is the contrary as he is absolutely terrified, but pretty much all loud noises scare him.
When watching fireworks with a dog for the first time, try to do it in an area that is pretty open with not a big crowd or other dogs around. You don’t know how he will react. If your dog gets scared it will be easier to handle and reassure him that way.
Another fireworks show is the one that takes place every first Saturday in December in Lafontaine Park. It’s part of a Christmas walk that takes place on Mont-Royal Avenue and starts at 7 pm. We love to partake in it and the large crowds do not scare our Newfie, quite the contrary as everyone just wants to pet him. He loves being part of the show.
Apple picking
Apple picking is always a family favorite and a great way to transition between Summer and Fall. It is by far one of the most popular family activities to do in September and it’s possible to make it a dog-friendly one.
We found a beautiful orchard at Domaine du Flanc Sud, where even our Newfie helped out in picking apples and tasting them. The access is FREE to everyone and you just pay for whatever you picked. There is also a small Labyrinth which you can get lost in.
Not far from Domaine du Flanc Sud is another orchard called Petit et Fils. If you like Apple cider, you can do some tasting there. Dogs are not allowed in the shop or in the orchard but are allowed in the picnic area. Do your cidery tasting outside.
Another dog-friendly family orchard where you can pick apples together is the one located in the Laurentians called À la Croisée des Pommes. We have not tested it out but you can bring your own reusable bags to pick your apples. There are also other fruits to pick there starting in August through October.
Pumpkin Farm
At Centre de la Courge, 1h30 away from Montreal, you can go pumpkin picking with your dog. I believe it’s on certain days, so you might have to call ahead just to be sure.
Mushroom foraging
An Airbnb experience in a pine forest located 45 minutes North of Montreal near Mirabel. While picking and learning about mushrooms might not be your cup of tea, it’s still a pretty wild one that your dogs would probably enjoy nonetheless. You can book your experience HERE.
It’s seems though that the experience is for adults only.
Ice skating
One of the family activities to do during the winter in Montreal is to go ice skating and it’s possible to make it a dog-friendly one.
The idea of ice skating with a dog sounds scary but it isn’t that hard. You can do that at La Forêt du Domaine Perdu come from January to March or at least when we’ve had snow and freezing temperatures. You can read all about this activity in our January Activities article.
Outdoor movie theatre
Some dogs suffer from anxiety and don’t like to be left alone at home. If you are in the mood for a drive-in movie, you can bring your dog along to the one in Mont-St-Hilaire. The only downside is that they only show movies in French. Hopefully, your dog is not like our youngest one who tends to bark at the TV every time he hears a dog.
For more information on this activity, find out about it HERE.
Upper Canada Village
This place is awesome. The Upper Canada Village is a great place to go to for walks with your dog, less than two hours outside of Montreal.
Learn how people lived and work in the 19th century while walking your dog. You can’t go inside the historic buildings but you can take your dog on the boat and on the train. Also, while you are inside a building, don’t be surprised if you see one of the staff members tending to your dog and bringing him or her water.
The entry fee isn’t cheap, so plan to spend the entire day and eat at the inn. It’s delicious.
Lavender fields
Lavender is in full bloom during the month of July, at least in Quebec.
Bleu Lavande has three different types of lavender, so you can still see some in bloom if you go there at the beginning of August.
Bleu Lavande is located near Stanstead about 1h45 away from Montreal.
The fields are set up on a hill which really gives a gorgeous view. They are FREE to access and dogs are allowed on leash. If you go down the main trail, all the way to the back you’ll catch another trail on the left where no one goes. It’s a beautiful area to walk the dog.
Tulips in bloom
Each May in Ottawa takes place a tulip festival, one of my favorite flowers actually.
Access to dogs is granted on the site so why not add visiting our nation’s capital to your list of family activities to do in the Spring?
Discover this festival HERE.
Swimming in Lac Taureau
This place is a bit further away than the other ones mentioned above. Lake Taureau is located in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, about 2h30 away from Montreal. It is a gorgeous place to go to with the family and your dog.
The lake is huge and is easy to find a spot where you can go and have your dog splash around in the water without disturbing anyone (Pointe Fine).
There is also a gorgeous hotel, l’Auberge du Lac Taureau, where you can stay with your dog. It’s not a budget-friendly option, but one to consider nonetheless.
Another swimming option, which we discovered last summer, is located in Brébeuf at the campground Domaine des Cèdres. You don’t necessarily have to spend the night there to access the beach. A day pass is available and this place is located about 1h30 from Montreal. Read about our experiences in The Laurentians.
We’ll add more dog-friendly family activities around Montreal to the list as soon as we discover more. In the meantime, if you’re looking for dog-friendly lodging READ HERE.
