April calendar
Cape Ann dog calendar: April (Good Harbor closes April 1, licenses due April 30)
April is the month of closings and deadlines: the plovers take Good Harbor, the city takes its license fee, and the ticks take the trails back. It is also when the garden behind the Academy wakes up.
Beaches this month
Beaches this month: Wingaersheek on odd dates carries Gloucester alone
From April 1, at the time of writing, a Gloucester dog has Wingaersheek on odd-numbered dates and Plum Cove and Cressy on any date, and that is the list until the season ends on April 30. Good Harbor is closed for nesting piping plovers, Crane Beach shut on March 31, and Singing Beach takes its last dogs on April 14.
Rockport's Front, Back, Cape Hedge and Pebble beaches stay open under leash or direct voice control until June 1, and the Essex beaches until the same date, so April is a good month to learn the Rockport lots. A roped plover section is closed even on an open beach.
- Good Harbor and Crane: closed from April 1
- Singing Beach: last dog day April 14
- Wingaersheek odd dates, Plum Cove and Cressy any day, to April 30
Rules and deadlines
Rules and deadlines: the Gloucester license is late after April 30
Gloucester dog licenses are due by April 30. The City Clerk at 9 Dale Ave issues them for $20 for a spayed or neutered dog plus a one-dollar fee, a current rabies certificate required, and a $20 penalty applies after the deadline, at the time of writing. Manchester-by-the-Sea's license year started April 1, so a Manchester dog already wears this year's tag.
Dogtown asks for the current city license at the free evaluation and needs it on file for daycare, Academy, overnight stays and walks. Renew in April, then message the front desk in the app with the new tag.
- 01
Renew the Gloucester dog license before April 30 to avoid the $20 penalty
- 02
Start monthly tick prevention and a nightly check
- 03
Book the spring bath and Shed Release as the winter coat lets go
- 04
Book an Academy day when the sensory garden opens
Weather and hazards
Weather and hazards: tick season opens, mud lingers, spring storms
Tick season on Cape Ann runs April to November, and April is when the nymphs join the adults. The CDC's guidance is to check a dog after every outing, especially ears, collar line, armpits and between the toes, and to remove a tick with fine tweezers rather than waiting for it to drop.
Mud season lingers into mid-April on the inland trails, and April rain fills the puddles dogs love to drink from. Spring nor'easters still happen; wind-driven rain off the harbor soaks a coat in minutes, and a wet dog in a cold car chills fast.
- Check ears, collar line, armpits and toes after every walk
- No drinking from trail puddles
- Towel the belly before the car in a spring rain
At Dogtown this month
Events and at Dogtown this month: the sensory garden wakes up
No festival yet; Cape Ann Pride comes in late May and Fiesta in late June. April at Dogtown is when the Academy's sensory garden comes back to life, with herbs and scent work for the dogs in structured rotation. A Dogtown Academy full day is $89 and a half day $69; the full-day 5-pack is $415.
Spring coat blow starts now, so the grooming studio adds Shed Release for $10 to a bath from $55. Drop-off windows are unchanged: weekdays 6:30 to 9:30 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 4 to 6:30 PM. A puppy born in winter is often ready for the free weekday-morning evaluation by April.
At Dogtown
Spring at Dogtown
Academy days in the sensory garden, and Shed Release for the coat that is letting go of winter.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Can I take my dog to Good Harbor Beach in April?
What happens if I miss the April 30 Gloucester license deadline?
When does tick season start on Cape Ann?
What is the sensory garden at Dogtown Academy?
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
Renew the license, then book the free evaluation.
Evaluations run weekdays between 6:30 and 9:30 AM by appointment. Bring the new city license with the Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
