Hello, hello!

We're in the midst of searching for a new family member -- one with four paws and a happy tail -- which accounts for the focus of this week's (and last week's) article. Our last champion hiker, Buddy, was a great trail companion and we're hoping we'll find the same again. If you hike with a canine friend, or are thinking about doing so, you might want to invest in a set of packs, check it out!

Packs for Your Dog
Hiking with your best friend doesn't mean you have to carry all the gear. Read on for details on how to get your canine to join the pack!

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34667.asp

Please visit hiking.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Hiking & Backpacking.

To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Hiking & Backpacking located here -

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=164

If you've any hiking travel stories with dogs (or tips), feel free to stop in at the forum and join the discussion.

Until next time, happy hiking!
Megan

Megan Kopp, Hiking & Backpacking Editor
http://hiking.bellaonline.com