Surprise! Still a Few Places to Take your Dog this Summer: Learn about Hounds of Erie Winery's Dog Days of Summer Festival Series (Update: Cancelled!)

dog days of summer promo poster with two white dogs dogtrotting.net

UPDATE: Unfortunately, this event is cancelled this summer (2021) due to provincial government restrictions. The dog-friendly winery, however, is still open for outdoor visits!

The Dog (and pets) Events pages on dogtrotting.net are the most popular part of the site, understandably because comprehensive listings of where to travel with your pet on the up-coming week or beyond is useful information.

I get it. That’s why I added the Dog Events Page to this site. (The US page is on hold form the moment, until festivals start getting going again and the US/Canada border opens).

Keeping the Canadian events page maintained has always been a labour of love, but last year was a particularly heart-breaking year when ‘cancelled’ appeared beside so many dog events, pet festivals and animal fundraisers rescues depend on.

This year isn’t much better because I’ve had to add ‘postponed’ beside many annual events, or list the 2022 date, which many organizers are planning for – 2022 should be a banner year … right?

Right now, the Canadian Dog Events Page is as updated as I can make it (but the U.S. version is under construction due to too many changes). There are a few things to do, and thanks to Hounds of Erie Winery, there’s a few more if you have access to the Norfolk, Ontario, Canada region – and depending on provincial lockdown orders, of course.

Welcome to Dog Days of Summer planned at Hounds of Erie Winery

UPDATE: All previously scheduled Dog Days of Summer May events and to be cancelled and rescheduled in June because of new provincial pandemic lockdowns. Dates listed here reflect new rescheduling.

Each Sunday (and some Saturdays), from June to September 19, 2021, Hounds of Erie (377 7th Concession Rd., Clear Creek, Ontario) hosts a dog breed specific meetup for all canine enthusiasts. Of course, loving wine and hard cider helps doesn’t hurt either. Grab a glass of cider or vino at the tasting bar. Then, passed the free-run chickens, walk your leashed pup through the 32-acres of grape wines and apple trees – 21 varieties of apples to be specific. Snacks and a food truck available onsite too.

I first discovered Hounds of Erie while touring Norfolk County with my previous dog, Victor. (Check out our adventure here, along with other Norfolk sights to sniff).

In 2012, Hounds of Erie owners Matt and Melissa Vaughan moved to Norfolk County with the goal of establishing a vineyard and winery in Norfolk County close to Lake Erie. Hard cider proved equally popular and they now offer four dog-themed varieties of cider: Sassy Bitch, Best in Show, Top Dog, and Dog House. (Pink raspberry-infused Sassy Bitch is my favourite). Strawberry, raspberry and of course grape wines are available too.

Each Dog Days of Summer outdoor open-air event is free, but requires a ticket to control the number of people attending thanks to COVID restrictions. Tickets available here.

Love a specific breed? You can, of course, attend without a dog. If pup’s pedigreed isn’t represented on the list, feel free to join the day that’s closest to his size. My little Sprocker is signed up August 29 to meet other Cocker Spaniels, her Daddy’s pedigreed. Her momma’s Spring Spaniel side isn’t listed, unfortunately. (Ontario’s stay-at-home-lockdown should be lifted by May 2, 2021)

Dogs Days of Summer Breeds and Dates:

June 5 – Husky/Malamute
June 6 – Great Dane
June 12 – Shiba Inu/ Spitzer
June 13 – Poodle / Doodle
June 19 – Pointers
June 20 – Golden / Red Retriever
June 26 – Chihuahuas
June 27 – Bulldogs / Pugs
July 3 – Labrador Retriever
July 4 – Mixed Breeds
July 11 – Basset Hound / Dachshund
July 18 – Boston / Jack Russell Terrier
July 25 – St. Bernard / Mastiff
Aug 1 – Bloodhound / Weimaraner / Vizsla
Aug 8 – Shitzu / Corgi / Bichon Frise
Aug 15 – Greyhound / Site Hound / Whippet
Aug 29 – Collies / Cocker Spaniel
Sept 5 – All Shepherds
Sept 12 – Boxer / Doberman

Hopefully, we’ll see other festivals safely fill the local parks again, and if not – pet parties and people will no doubt be back together in 2022.

In the meantime, let’s Sit. Stay. together … curled up in our favourite light-weight comfortable hoodie available from the dogtrotting.net shop. One of my favourite. It wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.