THE WHY

Dogs are created for the natural environment. They literally think and take in the natural world through their senses. Dogs on average have 220 million scent receptors compared to our scant 5 million. Dogs hear four times the distance compared to humans and can detect much higher frequencies. They also sport a greater field of vision. Dogs, by birthright, are in tune to the most delicate nuances of the earth beneath their paws. Your dog remains biologically to his/her core an outdoor specialist. 

OUR MISSION

The more sensory information your dog receives the more his mind, body, and relationships will grow and benefit. Our Mission at VT Barks & Recreation is to provide your dog with the best possible outdoor experience to stimulate all his/her natural born qualities within a canine social environment.  We have learned through our years of working with dogs and through our experience with Rescue, that one of the major keys for a well-balanced, happy dog is an appropriate energy outlet and the ability to engage all their senses in a positive manner.

THE EXPERIENCE

Our Goal is to provide an exceptional recreational experience for your dog while harnessing the power of nature, so your best friend goes home happy, healthy, tired, and well socialized. 

With that in mind we purchased a beautiful piece of property perfect for providing all the areas of enrichment dogs should experience!  We built a small passive solar, net zero, high performance facility to not only create an ideal space for the dogs but to create a sustainable, healthy, and environmentally sound setting. 

Every-day at VT Barks & Recreation we learn more about what your dog enjoys, and we build on those experiences.  We have natural playscapes to climb, jump, go under and over.  We have wetlands to explore to stimulate all the senses.  We have trails with ledges and caves for the inquisitive.  Structured group activities teach dogs patience, proper socialization and engagement.  We help them learn self regulation skills through pack walks, sit stays, down stays, recalls, calm play with people and other dogs, getting out of the house calmly, and moving through gates calmly. Dogs can choose to be part of an engaging group, or they can be sun-bathers on real green grass in the summer, on one of our porches, or in front of the fireplace in the winter. 

As an alternative to the typical dog boarding, we offer pet-parents a natural setting for a safe, positive, well-balanced, and enriching experience for their dogs.   

Our pet-parents are happy to come home to a happy, balanced pup ready for family time.  Campers that stay with us go home feeling much less stressed than a typical kennel/dog boarding environment, allowing their owners to enjoy their time away from home.