Typical woodland surprises lurk in the foliage of cottage country, even when you’re at a dog-friendly all-inclusive upscale 40-acre lakeside resort offering treatments such as biotherapy and Reiki along the shores of Northern Ontario’s Maple Lake (near Haliburton). Dimensions is an all-inclusive experience focusing on resetting your mind and body in nature’s studio.

And my dog fully committed to the nature part.

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While sitting on the small deck facing the dense forest behind a cabin at Dimensions Algonquin Highlands wellness resort north of Toronto, I’m staring into the quiet mass of brush and trees. I see nothing but a calm collection of greenery, maybe noticing a winged insect dart up from a branch but little else. The quiet envelopes me. My breathing slows.

Then my dog starts barking. Frantically, and loudly.

Dimensions Allows Dogs

Yes, my dog is by my side because Dimensions retreat is dog-friendly because what’s wellness, healing, and restoration without the help of the most therapeutic creature in our lives? So, my pup is here and now she’s barking. Immediately, I stroke her and encourage her to settle down, worried about interrupting the serenity for our fellow guests in adjacent cabins.

‘There’s nothing there,’ I tell her. ‘We’re all good,’ I coo. She’s not convinced.

Then I see it. A tail, maybe a back end, sticking out of the brush. Subtle movement from a large animal vibrates a branch. It’s a wild animal who is not afraid of my dog, a spaniel unwilling to back down.

I hustle my dog into the cabin, securing her behind a floor-to-ceiling glass window, which protects her but doesn’t block her view. She anxiously watches me creep closer to this animal in the woods.

Yes, it’s a deer. A full-grown doe metres from our cabin, unconcerned about either me or my dog and clearly no threat. She’s calmly munching on leaves and is so unfazed she crouches to pee. I’ve never seen a deer pee before – of course, she does it while I’m trying to take a photo of her. Just like my dog.

I’ve also never seen a wild deer this close, and I wouldn’t have noticed it if my dog hadn’t discovered it for me. Dogs change experiences, often enhancing them and sometimes adding additional challenges. I experienced both during my two-day stay as a guest of dog-friendly Dimensions Algonquin Highlands in the Haliburton region about a three-hour drive from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Creatures Outdoors but Comforts Indoors

Dimensions is an unusual concept: picture everything you loved about childhood overnight camps – canoeing, nature walks, campfires – combine everything you love about an adult spa – yoga, wellness treatments, upscale chef-prepared menus, and saunas. And, unlike your childhood camp experience, you don’t have to be separated from your dog.

Tie on your hiking boots and bring bug spray (you’ll need it) and enjoy the great outdoors with all the laidback vibe of a cottage experience. Then take your muddy shoes off at the door of your ‘cabin,’ because you won’t want to soil the pristine boutique hotel Scandinavian-designed room where you’ll spend your evenings in a relaxed meditative state under high-thread count sheets (affiliate link).

Our floor-to-ceiling window in front of the bed faced the forest – which my dog watched like a television. (Note:  there’s WI-FI but no TV in the room). Staff covered the window seat in front of the window, converting our room into a ‘dog-friendly’ room, which is a great idea because that’s where she spent most of her time.

VIP Dog Program

As part of the Dimensions VIP dog program, Dimensions asks that dogs are crated in the rooms when you’re not there. You’ll have to bring your own pet crate (affiliate link). And you will spend some time apart from Fido because dogs are not permitted in the main lodge (where breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served), the yoga/sound bath studio, sauna (of course), and treatment rooms.

I preferred tethering my dog outside of the building I was in, especially during meals where I could see her through the window, because that’s what she’s used to. Most meals and treatments aren’t longer than one hour, so your dog will not be left alone long. My pup did fine in the cabin, which is very quiet including at night.

There’s a $75 per visit extra charge to bring your pet dog to Dimensions. Bring your own towels (more than one) for your dog. You’ll need them, especially if it rains. You’ll want to clean your dog off well before entering your pristine white linen accommodation.

What can you do with the dog?

All treatments and activities are scheduled, for instance sign up for morning canoeing the day before, and meals are communal at set times. Time between treatments and meals is your own. I’d suggest planning an activity like a long hike with your dog prior to your spa treatment, that way your dog will be tired when left alone.

I spent a lot of time walking my dog through the 40 acres of easy, groomed trails on the property each morning and evening – she lost her bird dog mind picking up the scent of pheasants and wild turkeys. I took her on the scheduled nature walk and to the campfire each evening where she played with a Springer Spaniel friend. You will very likely meet other dogs at Dimensions, so socialized dogs will do much better here.

Dogs are also permitted on the small beach, with lounge chairs for you. And pups can go in the water for a swim (which mine did, against my will) and ride in canoes and kayaks with you.

What did I do without the dog? Yoga, which was a great session, especially after the RMT appointment that released shoulder tension. A sound bath the first night of arrival, which was perfect after a four-hour drive because it involved lying still while a medley of sounds washes over you, calming your nervous system.

Speaking of nervous systems, new to me was the biosound treatment that involves lying on a table experiencing intermittent vibrations while nature sounds through headphones calm your mind. During these hour-long sessions, my pup stayed in our cabin, surprisingly relaxed after a morning of pheasant tracking during our guided nature walk.

Dimensions Sugar-free Menu

Even though my dog had to wait for me outside the window of the main lodge each meal, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how phenomenal the meals are at Dimensions. Staff meticulously accommodate all dietary restrictions and preferences, and all food is gluten-, sugar-, and cow dairy-free. Corn bread, coleslaw, loaded potato and even smores – this is camp food elevated beyond a Food Network chef’s wildest dream. And note, the sugar and gluten-free marshmallow in the smores took the chef two years to perfect. Good luck replicating this at home.

I will add that the benefits of a three-day sugar cleanse I experienced were worth the entire visit alone. My goal now is to maintain it. (I know, good luck).

Dimensions Programs

Dimensions Algonquin Highlands resort’s flagship clinical three-month program is designed for those experiencing trauma such as PTSD. That program includes 14 days at the resort with access to all wellness treatments and the addition of personal psychotherapy sessions. Enrollment is based on assessment and approval.

Most summer clients – like me and others I met here – head to Dimensions for the two- to four-day wellness retreats, including the three-day summer wellness program, such as July Paddle & Pause: A Well-being Retreat. Or in my case Paddle & Paws: a well-being retreat with my dog. Experiencing Dimensions with my dog added a layer of responsibility for me, but I couldn’t imagine doing it without her. All I’d think about is how much she’d love it here too.

Overall …

Dimensions Algonquin resort near Haliburton, Ontario offers two- and three-day dog-friendly getaways. During these mind/body reset vacations, you’ll stay in one of 17 luxury accommodations along a 40-acre lakeside property.

The cost of the retreat covers almost everything:  chef-prepared gluten- and dairy-free meals and select treatments such as yoga, therapeutic bodywork sessions including massage therapy, Thai massage, Swedish massage, lymphatic drainage or Reiki, biosound therapy or floatation therapy, and nature walks. (Some treatments cost extra).

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Canadian lakeside nature resort without access to kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards and evening campfires. Pet dogs cost an extra $75 per stay, and you’ll need to bring a canine crate or soft-sided playpen (affiliate link), like I did.

Ask to meet Honey, the beautiful golden retriever therapy dog in training. (More about her soon).

Is Dimensions a good fit for your dog?

Yes, Dimensions is a good place to visit if your dog is friendly, likes hiking and has no mobility issues, is comfortable alone in a crate and is socialized with other dogs. However, this resort is less ideal for reactive or vocal dogs, or dogs with separation anxiety.

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!