Chillin' out with Fido + Fluffy's Freebie Friday

Rocco cools off in the river along the West Palisades trail in Atlanta

Sometimes on hot summer days it's best to just chill out! 

We recently hiked the West Palisades trail along the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta where Rocco found this nice place to cool off.  It's a nice 4-mile trail for dog walking and hiking with fairly wide paths and a soft surface with few rocks or roots to navigate. 

We hope you're staying cool as the summer heats up! 

Now it's time again for  Fido + Fluffy's  Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!

Check out the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below. You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.
If you're a blogger with a pet-related giveaway, be sure to link up! Please link directly to your giveaway, not to your home page. We post a new blog hop every Thursday afternoon at 4 pm ET. 
We hope you enjoy the Fido + Fluffy's Freebie Friday blog hop that we co-host with DogTipper and CatTipper!

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Hiking Long Creek Falls with Dogs and Fido's #FreebieFriday

Rocco enjoys the view at Long Creek Falls

Last weekend we headed out for another fun hike in north Georgia, this time along a segment of the Appalachian Trail to Long Creek Falls.

It was a fairly easy walk, just two miles out and back to the falls at Long Creek. But since the trail meets up with the Appalachian Trail, there's plenty of opportunity to extend the hike in either direction.

Along the trail to Long Creek Falls

At the Long Creek Falls trailhead, if you cross the road and head the other way (away from the Long Creek Falls path) you can follow the path to Springer Mountain, the start of the 2,000+ mile Appalachian Trail that extends all the way to Maine. The photo above is a look at the view on the way to Springer Mountain.

Plenty of fun things to jump over on the way!

Back to the Long Creek Falls trail, the path was wide and not too technical, but Rocco still had fun with a couple of log obstacles along the way!

Now, it's time again for Fido + Fluffy's  Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!
Check out the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below. You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.
If you're a blogger with a pet-related giveaway, be sure to link up! Please link directly to your giveaway, not to your home page. We post a new blog hop every Thursday afternoon at 4 pm ET. 
We hope you enjoy the Fido + Fluffy's Freebie Friday blog hop that we co-host with DogTipper and CatTipper!

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Celebrating National Parks 100 Anniversary at Island Ford Park #FreebieFriday

Rocco enjoys the view and the water at Island Ford National Park on the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta

Last weekend we headed out to hike at Island Ford National Park on Atlanta's Chattahoochee River. Our outing also coincided with one of the National Park Service's 2016 free admission days to celebrate its Centennial!

If you missed it last weekend, there still are several days this year to enjoy this year's free admission days, offered by the National Park Service to celebrate its 100 years and more than 400 parks across its system.

2016 Free Admission Days

• January 18: Martin Luther King Jr Day
• April 16-24: National Park Week
• August 25-28: National Park Service Birthday Weekend
• September 24: National Public Lands Day
• November 11: Veterans Day

Find a park to explore near you with this handy park locator.

Now, it's time again for Fido + Fluffy's  Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!
Check out the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below. You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.
If you're a blogger with a pet-related giveaway, be sure to link up! Please link directly to your giveaway, not to your home page. We post a new blog hop every Thursday afternoon at 4 pm ET. 
We hope you enjoy the Fido + Fluffy's Freebie Friday blog hop that we co-host with DogTipper and CatTipper!

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

SaveSave

Hiking with Dogs at Don Carter State Park #TailsonTrails #FreebieFriday

Codie, Rocco and Bingo hanging out at Don Carter State Park

Last weekend we hit the trails again for our third #TailsonTrails hike. The idea is to hike all seven designated Georgia State Parks and so far we've hit Red Top Mountain, Sweetwater Creek and now Don Carter State Park.
Don Carter is the newest of Georgia's State Parks -- at the park office we were told it's just three years old. And it's the first state park on 38,000-acre Lake Lanier, so the dogs were excited about some swimming time.

Codie enjoys the view from Lake Lanier

Rocco and Codie took a dip, while Bingo got her paws wet, and then we hit the trail.

Rocco sets out on the Terrapin Cove Trail

The hiking trails at Don Carter are all fairly easy with a few of them being paved and ADA accessible. The park also features a couple of paddle trails along with rentals for kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and aqua cycles.
Since the trails were fairly easy, we were able to cover all of them in one day for a total of about four miles. About halfway in, it started to rain, making it good a time as any for another dip in the lake!

Heading in after the rain, we hit another paved trail.

And then it was time to dry off outside the park office!

Now, it's time again for Fido + Fluffy's  Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!


Check out the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below. You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.
If you're a blogger with a pet-related giveaway, be sure to link up! Please link directly to your giveaway, not to your home page. We post a new blog hop every Thursday afternoon at 4 pm ET. 
We hope you enjoy the Fido + Fluffy's Freebie Friday blog hop that we co-host with DogTipper and CatTipper!

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Hiking #TailsonTrails at Red Top Mountain and Fido's #FreebieFriday

Rocco and his pals Bingo and Codie take a dip in the Lake Allatoona at Red Top Mountain

We recently got started on the Tails and Trails challenge, a program started this June by Georgia State Parks. The idea is to hike with your dog at seven Georgia State Parks.

The designated trails that are part of the program are easy enough for any hiker or dog to enjoy -- ranging from one to five miles. But what's nice is there are plenty of trails to choose from at all of these parks, so you can take it easy or go for a bigger challenge.

On our first Tails on Trails hike we headed to Red Top Mountain, a place we've hiked before. So this time we hit a trail that's new to us, the 5.5-mile Homestead Trail. This trail is rated moderate and on a hot day it was plenty challenging. One of the nicest parts about the trail is that it follows the lakeshore of Lake Allatoona for about half its length. Rocco and Codie took full advantage of the lake, while Bingo watched the wet boys from her dry spot!

Codie and Rocco cool off

We'll be doing another one of the Tails on Trails hikes soon, and we hope to do them all. We love the idea of this program to encourage more folks to get out and get active with their pups!

Now, it's time again for Fido's Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!
Check out all the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below. You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.

Here's how to participate

The rules for Fido's Freebie Friday are super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an end date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.
• Or simply enter the giveaways that interest you for a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

Your hosts are DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love.

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Hiking with Dogs at DeSoto Falls and Vogel State Park & Fido's #FreebieFriday

Rocco wades into the creek at DeSoto Falls

Last weekend we headed up to North Georgia for a day of hiking fun with our pals Johann, Gracie, Rach and their mum.  Our first stop was DeSoto Falls, a lovely path along a creek to the falls... and then the rain came! 

We scurried down the path and found shelter where we waited out the storm. The dogs didn't seem to mind. Only Rocco looks drenched but we were all pretty wet.

Back up to the falls when the sun came out...
And then we headed over to nearby Vogel State Park for a walk to another falls.

By this time, Rocco had dried out!

The pretty view at Vogel State Park

Now, it's time again for Fido's Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!

Check out the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below. You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.

Here's how to participate

The rules for Fido's Freebie Friday are super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an end date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.
• Or simply enter the giveaways that interest you for a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

Your hosts are DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love.

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Fido's Freebie Friday Hikes with Friends

Bingo, Rocco and Codie at Pisgah Forest near Brevard, NC

We headed up to Asheville, NC last weekend and met up with our pals for a great hike with dogs in Pisgah Forest.

Rocco was delighted to see his pals Bingo and Codie (you've got to wonder what dogs think when they see their friends in completely different locations!). The dogs had a blast as we scrambled up the Cat Gap Loop trail up to John's Rock for a terrific view.

We stayed relatively cool hiking in the forest (and staying out of the sun) and hope you stay cool this weekend, too!

When you're looking for a way to cool off, head inside and check out Fido's Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!

Check out the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below. You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.

Here's how to participate

The rules for Fido's Freebie Friday are super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an end date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.
• Or simply enter the giveaways that interest you for a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

Your hosts are DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love.

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Fido's Freebie Friday Hiking With Dogs Edition

Rocco had a great time hiking the Lake Loop Trail at Unicoi State Park in Georgia last weekend

It's time again for Fido's Freebie Friday, the weekly blog hop for pet-related giveaways!

Last weekend we headed up to Unicoi State Park near Helen, Georgia where we did some hiking, listened to mountain music and made s'mores. Yum!

We hope you have plans for some fun activities this weekend! In the meantime, check out all the goodies in the Fido's Freebie Friday giveaways listed below.

You can enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place.

Here's how to participate

The rules for Fido's Freebie Friday are super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an end date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.
• Or simply enter the giveaways that interest you for a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

Your hosts are DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love.

Good luck!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. DogTipper, CatTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Walking With Dogs on The 606, Bloomingdale Trail

Rocco and his pals Taffy and Dolly take time to pose for pics and treats on the 606 Trail.

Last week when we were in Chicago, we met up with Dolly the Doxie, Sandra and Taffy for a brisk post-Thanksgiving walk on The 606 Bloomingdale Trail. After all the turkey and fixings we all were in need of some exercise!

The elevated 2.7-mile Bloomingdale trail is the centerpiece of The 606, a collection of parks and trails that connects six Chicago city neighborhoods. The trail was created out of the abandoned Bloomingdale train line that served a small manufacturing district across the city's Northwest side for nearly a century, ceasing activity in the mid-1990s.

The trail opened earlier this year, but this was our first time to visit it. We entered on the West trailhead and walked most of the trail, stopping just short of the end. 

Since it's an out and back trail, we covered about four miles.

There are several parks off to the side.

And lots of bridges.

There are plenty of great viewing areas of the city. If you look off into the distance you can see the Sears Tower, now called the Willis Tower.

There's some nice seating areas too! Our pal Anthony borrowed Taffy for the walk and they are taking in some of the urban sights here. I think Rocco was looking for treats.

Some interested graffiti also lines the trail. There also will be art installations, both permanent and temporary along the trail.

It was a chilly, windy day but we thoroughly enjoyed the walk! We can't wait to see what it looks like in the spring.

Did you get out for some post-Thanksgiving exercise?

Let us know in the comments below!

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and My GBGV Life to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the hop.

Hiking Georgia With Dogs: Garland Mountain Horse and Hike Trail

Last weekend we headed out for another agility and hiking day with our pals Johann the Dog, Gracie, Rach and their mum Leslie. 

After playing agility for a few hours at the Canine Ranch, we headed up the road to the Garland Mountain Horse and Hike Trail, near Waleska, Ga. 

Hiking Georgia With Dogs: Pine Log Creek Trail

Rocco pauses on the trail for a quick pic!

Last weekend Rocco and I  headed up north of Atlanta for some agility practice with our pals Johann, Gracie, Rach and their mum Leslie. Afterward we found this nifty little hiking trail not too far from the Canine Ranch agility field. 

Hiking Tumbling Waters Trail With Dogs

It had been a while since we'd been on a real hike, so we were game for just about anything when our pal Leslie and her pups Johann, Gracie and Rach asked if we'd like to head out for a hike last weekend.

Hiking with Dogs at Minnehaha Falls

Rocco, Gracie and Johann

Last FitDog Friday, we shared with you the first half of our day of hiking with Johann, Gracie and their mum. We started the day seeing some terrific views and waterfalls at Tallulah Gorge.

Today we're sharing the second half of our hiking day… where we discovered another beautiful waterfall at Minnehaha Falls in Rabun County, Georgia.

But first, there was the business of crossing the mountain stream!

Johann's mum reminded us that even though we could see the bottom of the stream, the depth could be deceiving. So she performed the "stick test" to make sure we could safely cross the stream. After we determined it wasn't too deep, we carefully traversed the stream, on the shallow side, of course!

Then it was off to find Minnehaha Falls.  We continued down a dirt road and thought we had missed it, but then we came across this unassuming entry to the 1.2 mile trail.

About .4 miles into the hike, we discovered the lower falls. First the pups explored the fresh, mountain stream.

And then we admired the lower falls!

But this was just a small taste of what we'd find further up the path.

We stopped here and spent some time enjoying the view. 

And we shared a YaffBar with the pups! These are energy bars you can share with your dog. Check out our YaffBars giveaway for a chance to try some out for yourself!

Rocco, Gracie and Johann stare down the YaffBar package! We all thought they were yummy!

After viewing the falls, we headed back down the trail and happy, tired pups slept on the way home.

This week, we're at BlogPaws and enjoying meeting some of  out FitDog Friday pals as well as many other bloggers and brands! We'll shared more about our BlogPaws trip in some upcoming posts.

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.