If the lush mountain landscape of the Laurentians in Quebec is calling your name, but you can’t imagine experiencing these boreal forests without your dog, here’s the answer: Domaine Summum, dog-friendly cabin rentals (Affiliate link) in Mont-Tremblant.

This Mont-Tremblant resort combines the creature comforts of long-term-stay hotel rooms with the vibe of summer camp … all the while catering to your dog. Domain Summum is one of the first dog-friendly resorts in North America, and (arguably) the best.

Domaine Summum isn’t just dog-friendly, it’s dog focused. Few people arrive here without one … or two.

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Everything at Domaine Summum is off-leash and dog-friendly with little to no restrictions. That’s right – your dog can run leash-free through 200 acres of forest, fields, trails, and a private lake, while you do the same. Bring your bathing suit, hiking shoes, bug spray, a leash (just in case), and at least one dog. Then you’ll have a reason to follow the groomed trails that lead in a circle around the private lake and through the densely treed forests reaching into the sky.

Dog-friendly Resort in Mont-Tremblant

What did I learn at the pet-friendly cabins at Domaine Summum in Mont-Tremblant?

I’m happy when my dog is happy. And my dog was elated racing through the trails at Domaine Summum, veering off the mowed paths into the deep forest, sussing out birds in the brush, wading into the creek, and running past cabin fire pits so fast she kicked up gravel in her wake. Much to my delight, she ran far and fast but never so far that I couldn’t find her immediately.

Did she come directly back to me on call? No, not exactly. But she did come back to my vicinity, which I’m counting as a training win because it took a lot to get to that point. She also willingly jumped into the private lake on the property and swam, fortunately not far. Although the lake is small enough to see to the other side, it is 50 feet deep in the middle, which is too much lake for me to plunge into.

However, renting paddle boats and kayaks with your dog (of course) is an option. Thanks to rain, I missed the opportunity, though I suspect my pup would have dove overboard anyway. She didn’t go into a public swimming pool at the end-of-the-season doggie dip event, but she did gleefully jump into stinky lake water! Fortunately, there was a hose outside our cabin which I used to rinse her off. Then we sat in the sun on the cabin deck to dry while listening to endless chirping birds, an occasional forest rustle, and little else.

Speaking of cabins, here’s where you can stay at Domaine Summum.

Dog-friendly Cabin Rentals at Domaine Summum

At Domaine Summum, simply select the pet-friendly cabin that suits you the best. All accommodations have beds (of course), full bathrooms, full kitchens, fireplaces, and flatscreen TVs.

Studio suites: Two rooms in the main cabin are open concept and suitable for solo or couple travel. Resort owner Birgit Schulze lives upstairs in the main cabin with three Burmese Mountain Dogs. Birgit also breeds Burmese and her love for these pups is evident on all the signage throughout the property. While there, you’ll likely meet her pack.

Cabins: Two attached cabins near the gated entrance have two bedrooms, full baths, and separate kitchen and living room areas. I stayed in the Talia, which houses four people easily. Bring your own food and/or order any prepared meals listed on the website and they’ll be in the fridge waiting for you. The boil-in-the-bag garden risotto was easy to prepare and surprisingly tasty.

Mega cabin: But if you’ve got a large group – including many dogs – or are looking for a multi-generational dog-friendly travel option, check out the Grande Cabin with five bedrooms and three bathrooms, a full kitchen, a sitting area, and a private outdoor patio/fire pit.

Fun fact: most of the buildings at the resort were built from wood harvested from the property and milled into lumber on site. Picture cabinets with a rustic wooden outside but modern creature comforts inside, including air conditioning and fireplaces.

In summary, the choice of cabin accommodations at Domaine Summum includes the following:

• The open-concept Tango or Salsa rooms are suitable for one or two people (and one or two dogs)
• The two-bedroom Auberon or Talia cabins fit two to six people (and up to two dogs)
• The Grande Cabin with several bedrooms accommodates five to 12 people (and several dogs)

According to Birgit, the entire property can accommodate 32 people, and yes, they’ve hosted weddings here. Three so far, and all had dogs in attendance. (Who wouldn’t love a leash-free dog-friendly wedding?)

The Original Dog-friendly Resort

Domaine Summum opened in 2003 as one of North America’s first dog-focused vacation resorts. “Too many hotels and resorts claim to be dog-friendly,” Birgit says. “But there are so many restrictions. When you check in, they tell you all the places the dog can’t go … and they can’t be off-leash. That’s not dog-friendly, that’s dog tolerant.”

Owner and resort visionary Birgit Schulze has been evolving this project since purchasing the property in 2000 after working in almost every sector of the hospitality industry from flight attendant to restaurant owner to retail clothing entrepreneur. Dogs, however, have always been part of her life. Domaine Summum is the passion project of both Birgit and her late husband, who unfortunately didn’t get to see the resort evolve into the canine paradise it is today.

About 98 percent of the people who stay here bring dogs – there’s no size limit and up to two dogs per booking with no pet fee. “I was going to ask that dogs don’t sleep on the beds,” Birgit says, “but dogs live such short lives, let them sleep on beds.” She does ask, however, that guests bring a blanket to put on beds and bring their own dog towels, especially if pups are going to take a plunge. Mine surprised me.

Here’s what you need to know or bring to Domaine Summum:

• Bring towels and blankets for the dog – and poop bags for pick up.
• Bring your own people food and pet food – dog (and people) dishes provided.
• Appropriate camp clothing and footwear.
• No motorized watercraft permitted.
• No smoking on the property.
• Two-night minimum stay is required (most guests stay 4 to 7 days)

Otherwise, there aren’t too many rules. And dogs rule at Domaine Summum. Again, all are free to roam the property off leash, so consider your dog’s reactivity before arriving. According to Birgit, the list of customers returning year after year is growing – especially after 20 years in operation. And yes, the resort is open during the winter too. Bring cross-country skis or snowshoes when the snow falls – Mont-Tremblant is a ski destination for a reason.

Woof Spaw on Site

If you need to leave your dog for the day to visit the pedestrian village of Mont-Tremblant 20 minutes away, you can. (Or take your dog to Mont-Tremblant with you).

If necessary, at Domaine Summum pets can stay alone in the rooms for short times, or you can book your pup into the doggie day camp and boarding facility (called Woof Spaws) on site. Dog walking services are also available, so there’s really no excuse not to bring Fido along.

Overall …

At Domaine Summum you and your pup get to run free, hike off-leash, swim in the lake, or relax with a book and relive summer camp days with your dog. Leave the tent at home because these pet-friendly cabin rentals include every comfort you need inside, except food and drinks. Outside, you’ll be surrounded by the Laurentians’ forests, fauna, and wildlife near Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. Mont-Tremblant is about a two-hour drive from either Montreal or Ottawa and a seven-hour drive from Toronto.

My crazy spaniel-cross thoroughly enjoyed this property, along with me, as a guest of Tourism Laurentians . We combined a visit here with a longer road trip to Ottawa, Ontario, and Mont-Tremblay, Quebec … so stay tuned for more ‘road tripping with the dog’ adventures in this area. Check out Domaine Summum by clicking on this Expedia Canada AD:

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria. Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!