Local Meetup Groups For Hudson Valley Animal Lovers

Dog-lovers are meeting up all over the place

At Meetup.com, like-minded people connect and plan get-togethers on everything from photography to paranormal research — so it’s no surprise that there are meet-ups for dogs. The Hudson Valley Pug Meetup Group, for instance, is comprised of more than 375 people who can answer “yes” to these questions: “Do you spend more money on your Pug than yourself? Do you stop people walking their Pugs to share stories?” Founded in 2003, the group gathers regularly, with the most anticipated event being its annual Pugkin Festival in October, with costume contests, raffles, a photo booth for portraits of you and your Pug, and the thrilling Bringing Home the Bacon Pug Races.

More rugged people (and breeds) can try Dogs of Adventure: Hikes in the Hudson Valley, with meetups for two- to three-hour leashed treks through local trails. Recent outings include a 2.2-mile climb up Sugarloaf Mountain and a five-mile loop through Fahnestock State Park in Cold Spring.

Is there anything a retriever likes more than jumping into the water? The Westchester/Putnam County Golden Retriever Meetup Group sniffs out dog-friendly, off-leash parks and beaches for a few hours of hiking and cool-offs. The annual highlight is the “Dog Swim in the Pool” at A.F. Veteran Park in Hartsdale.

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Don’t have a special breed? Hate to hike? Hudson Dump Dogs meets every Saturday at the old landfill in Hudson so dogs large and small can burn off excess energy and hone their social skills.

Surrounding regions have meetups for Beagles, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Labradoodles, Corgis, dog agility enthusiasts, 40-pound-plus dogs — even “smushed-face” dogs. If you have a dog, it seems that there is likely another one just around the corner that would like to meet up. And if none of those groups are the right fit, feel free to start your own!

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