Do You Know "Rounder?"
A 1911 Airedale on Main Street, and our guide to dog-friendly stays in Sheridan, Wyoming today.
Dick Marlow and Rounder, Sheridan, Wyoming, 1911
Almost any day in 1911, you could find him out in front of the Mint Bar, at the corner of Smith and Main. Nobody tied him there; he just liked the spot. His name was Rounder. He belonged to Dick Marlow, who'd just taken over the bar and rebranded it, and according to the Sheridan Post he was "the brightest, keenest, wittiest, and altogether the most remarkable dog in Sheridan — perhaps in all the state of Wyoming."
The Post ran that line on its front page on July 11, 1911, in a full profile of the dog, photograph included.
"No, he isn't a handsome dog — he runs more to brains than beauty — but that's to his credit rather than otherwise."
The Sheridan Post, July 11, 1911
1911
1911
1918
A dog who took messages
According to the Post, Rounder could take a message over the phone and carry out the orders, and he understood spoken instructions "as well as the average human being." Dick Marlow would call home and ask his wife to send the dog downtown with a letter or a package. Rounder soon worked out what the telephone's ring meant, and he'd push Mrs. Marlow out of the way to answer it himself.
His other trick was hide-and-seek. Marlow would blindfold him, hide a wallet in a back room, and send him to find it. Rounder never missed. He'd be back in moments with the wallet in his mouth and his stub tail going full speed.
And if you told him it was cold out, he'd get up and slam the door shut.
Cleverness, demonstrated
Marlow liked to show him off. Once, at Marlow's signal, a friend lifted his handkerchief and walked away with it. "Rounder, that man stole something from me," Marlow said, and the dog was gone. He caught the "thief" by the coattails, took the handkerchief in his teeth, and brought it back. The Post figured he could hold a job at any detective bureau in the state.
His best story came from a duck hunt in the Basin country. Marlow shot a duck that fell into cold water across the lake. Rounder, one of the best retrievers in Wyoming by local reputation, swam out, found it, and started back. Another hunter met him on the way and took the duck for himself.
Rounder let it go. Then he spotted that hunter's hat on the ground, picked it up in his teeth, carried it the long way around the lake over raw, frozen ground, and dropped it at Dick Marlow's feet. The Post called it proof of his sense of humor.
The town didn't forget
By 1918 Dick Marlow had left Sheridan for the book and stationery business in Santa Rosa, California, and Rounder went with him. He was old by then. The 1911 profile had already called him "getting old and fat and gray."
That August, the Sheridan Post ran an obituary for the dog. "Many Sheridan people will recall Rounder," it began, "the unusually intelligent Airedale dog... He possessed almost human intelligence and to his dying day, age did not dull his faculties."
The Mint is still on Main Street, with the bucking horse sign lit up after dark and the brands still burned into the cedar shingles behind the bar. Rounder made it into the bar's official history as the dog whose obituary ran in the Sheridan paper three years after he'd moved to California.
Sheridan is still very much a dog town.
Sheridan now calls itself the Dog Park Capital of Wyoming, with more public dog parks per capita than anywhere else in the state and an estimated 18,000 dogs in the county.
City of Sheridan, Parks & RecreationWhere to stay, walk, and grab a beer with your dog in Sheridan.
Fourteen of our fifteen homes welcome dogs. The only exception is the New York Store Suite. The pet fee is $75 per stay at most homes and $250 at the Pressroom and the Bay Mare. Every dog-friendly home comes with what we call The Tail End: food and water bowls down before you arrive, plus treats, waste bags, and a leash by the door.
- The StardustTwo bedrooms, sleeps 4, and 275 five-star reviews. Most of our dog guests end up here.
- The AldermanTwo kings and a large private fenced yard, about a ten-minute walk to Main Street.
- The PiñonSleeps 6, with the whole Bighorn range visible from the living room.
- The Emerald CitySleeps 6 with a small fenced yard. A good value for a family and a dog.
- Cedar & SageSleeps 4, with a fire pit (wood supplied) and a garage.
- The Iris on MainOn Main Street, sleeps 4, with a game room inside.
- The PressroomA downtown loft that sleeps 8, with a private rooftop. About 20 stairs up.
- The Van WinkleA block off Main, with a deck and grill. Up to two pets.
- The WayfarerA quiet street, a gas fire pit, and heated bathroom floors.
- The TroubadourOne bedroom, about a five-minute walk to Main Street.
- The RamblerOur most affordable home, near downtown.
- The Bay MareSleeps 8 on a working ranch, with no steps and horses out front when the season allows.
- The MagpieA cabin with rocking chairs on the porch and Bighorn views.
- The EarlA loft for two in Story, 25 minutes south, with North Piney Creek along the property line. Up to three pets.
To check dates, open the Collection and choose "Bringing a dog."
Sheridan has three off-leash dog parks. Sheridan Ave Dog Park is small and central, opened in 2010, with wading pools set out in summer. Huntington Dog Park is the largest, at just over four acres, with its own perimeter walking path. Thorne-Rider Dog Park is the newest, shaded by mature trees and connected to the city pathway system. Kendrick Park isn't off-leash, but it's a short walk from all three.
Sheridan Ave Dog Park
Beyond the parks, Sheridan's paved pathway system runs for miles along the creeks, well shaded and open to dogs the whole way. See the pathway map →
Smith Alley Brewing has a dog-friendly patio downtown, and Black Tooth Brewing welcomes dogs too. The Mint has never minded a dog at the door, going back to Rounder.
Moxey Veterinary Clinic is Sheridan's go-to vet and handles after-hours emergencies. For food and gear, Sheridan Seed has supplied the area's animals since 1926, eight years after Rounder died. It's still on North Scott Street, now with a full pet aisle next to the feed and seed. PetSmart covers anything Sheridan Seed doesn't.
If you're driving on to Yellowstone, plan around the park's pet rules: dogs have to stay within 100 feet of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds, and they aren't allowed on trails or boardwalks. For hiking with your dog, the Bighorns, under an hour from Sheridan, are a better fit. Our Yellowstone road guide covers the drive.
Are there dog-friendly vacation rentals in Sheridan, Wyoming?
Yes. Fourteen of Late Checkout's fifteen homes in and around Sheridan welcome dogs; the New York Store Suite is the only one that doesn't. Every dog-friendly home includes The Tail End: bowls, treats, waste bags, and a leash set out before you check in.
Which Sheridan rentals have a fenced yard for dogs?
The Stardust, the Alderman, the Piñon, the Emerald City, Cedar & Sage, and the Iris on Main all have fenced yards.
How much is the pet fee?
$75 per stay at most homes, and $250 at the Pressroom and the Bay Mare. The Van Winkle takes up to two pets and the Earl up to three, so tell us how many dogs you're bringing when you book.
Where can I take my dog in Sheridan?
Sheridan has three off-leash dog parks (Sheridan Ave, Huntington, and Thorne-Rider) plus miles of paved, shaded pathway along the creeks. The city calls itself the Dog Park Capital of Wyoming.
Which Sheridan breweries allow dogs?
Smith Alley Brewing and Black Tooth Brewing both welcome dogs on their patios.
Is there an emergency vet in Sheridan?
Yes. Moxey Veterinary Clinic handles after-hours emergencies as well as regular care.
Can I bring my dog to Yellowstone?
Only in a limited way. Dogs in Yellowstone have to stay within 100 feet of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds, and can't go on trails or boardwalks. If hiking with your dog is the point of the trip, the Bighorns, under an hour from Sheridan, are a better fit.
"The Marlow family will mourn the old dog almost the same as a member of the family."The Sheridan Post, August 16, 1918
The Stardust has a fully fenced yard, 275 five-star reviews, and a water bowl down before you check in. It's where most of our dog guests end up.
