Notes from October
The October 1 beach reopening checklist
Nothing changes the mood at our front desk like the last week of September. The dogs who spent the summer on the turf are about to get their beaches back, and their people ask the same good questions: which day, which beach, which leash.
The dates
October 1 opens Gloucester and Crane Beach; Singing Beach waits until the 15th
Gloucester's beaches take dogs from October 1 to April 30, and the two big ones alternate. Good Harbor is a dog beach on even-numbered days only; Wingaersheek takes the odd-numbered days. Plum Cove and Cressy skip that rule for the off-season. Rockport lifted its summer ban two weeks earlier, on September 16.
Two beaches beyond Cape Ann matter to our families. Crane Beach in Ipswich, a Trustees property, opens to leashed dogs on October 1 and stays open through March 31. Singing Beach opens on October 15 to licensed, vaccinated dogs, two per person, with a walk-on fee while staff are on duty. Those are the rules at the time of writing.
- Good Harbor: even-numbered days only from October 1
- Wingaersheek: odd-numbered days, October 1 to April 30
- Crane Beach: leashed dogs, October 1 to March 31
Before you go
Check the calendar day, the license and the tide before the leash comes out
The odd-and-even rule catches people every October. A dog on Good Harbor on the 3rd is on the wrong beach, and the fine is real. We tell families to put the rule in the phone calendar until it becomes habit. A Gloucester license from the City Clerk at 9 Dale Ave renews by April 30, so a fall license should still be current.
Singing Beach staff look for a license and vaccination proof, so keep a photo of both on your phone. Low tide gives the most sand and the safest footing, and the Wingaersheek flats are where many of our dogs learn to run again after a summer indoors. Thirty minutes is plenty for a first outing.
- 01
Confirm the date is even (Good Harbor) or odd (Wingaersheek), or choose Plum Cove or Cressy
- 02
Photograph the current license and rabies certificate for Singing Beach staff
- 03
Check the tide and pick low water for the first run of the season
- 04
Keep the first outing short, then book a bath on the way home
What we see
The first fall beach runs bring sore pads, ear grit and sand into the building
Our handlers can spot the October dogs on the turf the next morning. Pads that spent the summer on grass and clean floors come in tender after a run on wet sand, so we watch for a dog who lies down more than usual. A head shake at drop-off usually means grit in the ears.
Sand also travels. A dog who comes to daycare straight from Wingaersheek leaves a trail across the lobby, and we do not mind, but your car and your couch will. The grooming studio at 210 Eastern Ave books a bath into a daycare day, so a sandy arrival goes home clean.
- Tender pads after the first long run on sand: shorter outings for a week
- Grit and salt water in the ears: a rinse and a thorough dry the same day
- A dog who lies down more than usual at daycare has probably overdone it
The bath
A bath from $55 finishes the checklist, by size and on the same day
The bath is the last box on the list. A bath-only visit runs from $55 for a dog up to 25 pounds to $95 for an extra-large dog with long hair, in five size steps. It covers the warm wash, blow-dry and brush-out that lifts salt out of the coat before it dries against the skin.
Grooming needs no evaluation, so a beach dog can book a bath online or in the Dogtown app without a first visit. Groom during a daycare day and the bath sits on top of the $42 full day or $33 half day. It is the habit that keeps October from smelling like low tide.
At Dogtown
After the beach
A bath by size in the grooming studio, or a daycare day with the bath booked into it.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Which Gloucester beach can my dog use on October 1?
Does Singing Beach really ask for my dog's paperwork?
Is Crane Beach off leash in the fall?
How soon after the beach should my dog have a bath?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Sandy dog? Book the bath.
Baths start at $55 by size and need no evaluation. Book online or in the Dogtown app, or add one to a daycare day at 210 Eastern Ave.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
