Since we know lots of people that Hike and Camp with their dogs we wanted to pass along some great information that the people at Dog Etiquette sent us since that’s their specialty. So here’s their advice:

​Here are some other questions that DogEtiquette thinks everyone should consider before going Hiking and Camping with your dog:

Health:
Is my pet ready for an outdoor excursion?
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hiking-dogs.html 

How do I check for injuries on my dog?
http://www.petmd.com/dog/emergency/accidents-injuries/e_dg_cuts_bruises

How do I check for ticks on my pet?
http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/places-to-look-for-ticks-on-dog/

Heatstroke in my dog: what do I need to know?
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1677&aid=1683

Preparation:
How do I find dog-friendly campsites and important regulations?
https://www.bringfido.com/lodging/campgrounds/ 

What are the potential camping-related dangers?
https://www.aspca.org/news/camping-your-pet-what-you-should-know 

What are some other great outdoor adventures for me and my pup?
https://www.adrugrehab.org/sober-outdoor-adventures-pet/

Gear:
What packing checklist should I follow?
http://www.active.com/parenting-and-family/articles/a-checklist-for-camping-with-your-dog 

What should I put in my dog’s first aid kit?
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/pet_first_aid_kit.html 

Is a collar or harness best for my dog during our camping trip?
​http://stories.barkpost.com/harness-vs-collar/

You can find more great information about where to go and what to do with your best friend at DogEtiquette. We certainly appreciate them sharing their expertise with us.
​
              http://dogetiquette.info/   

This weekend we attended a full-day Progressive Carbine Class taught by Scott Germain of Center Mass Weapons Training and Jon Green of the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League (GOAL).
 
The class was a hands-on, fast paced, live fire course. Starting with the combat mindset, the training covered specialized topics such as shooting positions (prone, sitting, kneeling and standing), shooting while moving, malfunction remediation, barricade drills, strong and support side shooting, proper sling use and reloading techniques.
 
The instruction was great and it was a fun (albeit sandy and hot) day at the range.

Here are a few photos and a short video of what it looked like on the range.

You can find out more about Center Mass Weapons Training at:
              http://www.centermassweaponstraining.com/
 
You can find out more about the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League (GOAL) at:
              http://www.goal.org/

​During our recent trip we spent a couple of days at Niagara Falls. Now everyone knows about Niagara Falls, and we saw people from all over the World when we were there. But in order to really appreciate it you have to see it in person.
 
Niagara Falls is actually made up of three waterfalls; from largest to smallest, they are the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. Located on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, the falls form the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world that has a vertical drop of more than 165 feet. Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America. More than six million cubic feet of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow, and almost four million cubic feet falls per minute on average.
 
Here’s a short video of Niagara Falls during the day so that you can see the massive amount of water flowing over the Horseshoe Falls:

​For those that don't find Niagara Falls interesting enough, at night they light both the American Falls (on the left in red) and the Horseshoe Falls (on the right in blue) and have fireworks. Here's a short video of what it looks like during the night:

​You can see some photos of our travels around Niagara Falls on the Adventures/North America page.

During our recent vacation one of the many hikes that we took was on the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park. Although this trail can get a little busy if you go in the middle of the day during the summer months, we hit the trail early (they are open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) and were successful in avoiding most of the people that seemed to be arriving as we were leaving.
 
There are 19 waterfalls, of all shapes and sizes, on the 1.5 mile (one way; 3 miles round trip) trail. The vertical elevation change from the beginning of the trail to the end is 554 feet. The park is open year-round, but the Gorge Trail is closed in winter and opens later in spring depending on the damage caused by the winter weather.
 
Here are two short videos of waterfalls that we saw along the trail.

​If you want more detailed information about Watkins Glen State Park here are a couple of URLs:
 
           https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/
 
           http://nyfalls.com/waterfalls/watkins-glen/
 
You can see photos of our hike on the Gorge Trail on the Adventures/North America page.