February calendar
Cape Ann dog calendar: February (salt season and the last long beach weeks)
Short month, long beaches. February gives Cape Ann dogs the most open sand of the year and the worst sidewalks, plus a Manchester-by-the-Sea license year that ends March 31. Sand, paperwork, weather, then Dogtown.
Beaches this month
Beaches this month: the widest choice of the year, then April 1
Every beach in the Cape Ann rotation takes a dog in February. Good Harbor is the even-date beach and Wingaersheek the odd-date beach, but Good Harbor shuts to dogs on April 1 for piping plovers, so its February dates are among the last until October. Crane Beach closes after March 31 too, and Singing Beach follows on April 15.
Use the month deliberately. A Good Harbor dog gets about fourteen even dates in February and fifteen more in March, then nothing until fall, while Wingaersheek carries on through April.
- Good Harbor and Crane Beach: last dog days are March 31
- Singing Beach: licensed and vaccinated dogs until April 14
- Wingaersheek on odd dates carries Gloucester through April
Rules and deadlines
Rules and deadlines: Manchester renews first, Gloucester by April 30
Manchester-by-the-Sea's dog license runs April 1 to March 31, at $20 for a neutered dog or $25 otherwise at the time of writing, so a Manchester dog needs its new tag within weeks. Gloucester's City Clerk at 9 Dale Ave issues that city's license, late after April 30 with a $20 penalty. Both towns want a current rabies certificate.
Rockport and Essex license through their own town halls, and Essex has no leash law, which surprises new residents. Whatever the town, daycare, Academy, overnight stays and walks at Dogtown all need a current license on file.
Weather and hazards
Weather and hazards: salt, freeze-thaw, the driest skin of the year
De-icer is everywhere in February: Main Street, the Eastern Ave sidewalks, every parking lot in Gloucester. Salt and calcium chloride crack pads, sting between the toes and upset a stomach if licked off. The AVMA cold-weather guidance recommends wiping or rinsing feet after every walk and checking pads for redness.
Freeze-thaw is the other hazard. A sunny afternoon melts the granite steps at Stage Fort and the bluff paths at Halibut Point, then the night refreezes them into glass. Keep older dogs on the flat, and treat a limp after a walk as a slip or a salt burn.
- Rinse or wipe every paw at the door, and check between the toes
- Walk the flat, plowed routes after a thaw, not the ledges
- Ask your vet about a moisturizing shampoo if the coat is flaking
At Dogtown this month
Events and at Dogtown this month: vacation week and bath month
February has no Cape Ann festival, but the school vacation week in the middle of the month fills overnight suites, so book the $78 a night stay as soon as your dates are set. The Classic bundle adds a daily pupsicle for $10 a night and the Deluxe adds a Kong, enrichment and a memory-foam bed for $15.
The salt month is a bath month. A bath-only groom is priced by size from $55 for a dog up to 25 pounds, needs no evaluation, and can run during a daycare day so your dog goes home clean and dry. Add nail clipping for $16 if ice has kept the walks short.
- 01
Circle even dates for Good Harbor and odd dates for Wingaersheek on the kitchen calendar
- 02
Book the rabies booster; a Manchester dog renews before April 1
- 03
Reserve the vacation-week overnight stay as soon as the family dates are fixed
- 04
Book a bath before the Good Harbor dates run out in March
At Dogtown
Salt season at Dogtown
A bath priced by size, a nail trim, and a suite for the school vacation week.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Which Cape Ann beaches are open to dogs in February?
When does the Manchester-by-the-Sea dog license expire?
Why does my dog lick its paws more in February?
Can my dog get a bath during a February daycare day?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- Gloucester beaches, detailed information
- Manchester-by-the-Sea dog licenses
- AVMA cold weather animal safety
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
Use the last long beach weeks, then book the bath.
Daycare, overnight stays and walks start with a free weekday-morning evaluation. Grooming can be booked straight away online or in the Dogtown app.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
