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Before we start a new state tomorrow, I couldn't forget to finish up with Connecticut! The rocky Bushy Point Beach is part of Groton's Bluff Point State Park, and was designated a 'Coastal Reserve' in 1975. This special act of the Connecticut legislature established the area "for the purpose of preserving its native ecological associations, unique faunal and floral characteristics, geological features, and scenic qualities in a condition of undisturbed integrity". For visitors, this means you'll get to see over 800 acres of amazing displays of nature... but you'll have to get there without any motorized vehicles.

In addition to the plants and animals you can spot, it's also a great place to walk with your pooch from Sept. 16 to Apr. 14 or to check out the variety of nesting birds (like the piping plovers) during the rest of the year. With a permit, it's possible to ply for clams here in the bordering Poquonnock River so pooches can also watch (or hop in to help) those clammers, too. You'll have to work to make it to this rocky point, though – it's a mile walk out to this beach from the park so grab hiking boots, pooch, and let's go!

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Take your pooch to Dog Gone Smart for one of their super-fun classes including agility, water sports, new baby training, therapy workshop, and even acting! This Norwalk-based company also offers the old standards like daycare, boarding, and puppy playtime in their rec area chock full of climbing equipment.

Best yet, these are the same people behind Wilton's Dog Gone Smart Bed Co. While it may look like a standard bed, its materials are far from the norm (think nanotechnology!). It's stitched up using powerful performance fabrics like NanoSphere, which is extremely resistant to liquids, dirt, and oils and ActiveSilver, a permanent antimicrobial that kills bacteria and eliminates odors. Even though this bed stays soooo clean, if you do decide to toss it in the wash, the fabric remains 100 percent functional even after 60 washing cycles (and dries six times faster than traditional fabrics). Even though it's called the Dog Gone Smart Bed, it can be doggone smart for cats, too! The beds are offered in five colors, two shapes, and three sizes – pricing starts at $119.

These pooches are so psyched to be at Paws on the Green that they can't keep their paws off the counter! This cute shop in Guilford stocks hemp collars, holistic food, and even hosts special events like this Saturday's Greyhound Adoption Day.

If you have extra time in town, pick up some of their great hiking gear and head a couple miles to Westwoods Trails. There are almost 40 miles of trails here – walk the 6.5-mile loop to let pooch splash and sniff stone formations and waterfalls!

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There's quite a bit packed into this smallish (for a museum) space! First and foremost at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History . . . the dinos. Inside the Great Hall are skeletons of dinosaurs like the Apatosaurus and Stegosaurus, alongside Rudolph Zallinger's famous mural, The Age of Reptiles. This Pulitzer prize–winning creation took nearly five years to complete and is 110 ft. long! Also on display is his equally captivating Age of Mammals mural – I could stand back and gaze at both for hours at a time. The Age of Reptiles and the Age of Mammals celebrate their sixtieth and fortieth anniversaries this year respectively so stop by and take a peek. This is Connecticut's best museum in my opinion and a great place to not get overwhelmed . . . but not be underwhelmed either!

Click here to share your own tips with PetSugar's Out and About travel group – and stay tuned as our week of Connecticut continues!

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Standing for the Humane Organization Representing Suffering Equines, H.O.R.S.E. of Connecticut is a nonprofit dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused and neglected horses. In addition to direct intervention, H.O.R.S.E. also maintains an ongoing commitment to educate the public about horse care with regular, on-site seminars and guest lectures throughout the area. The public is welcome to visit and volunteer (preferably with one to two days notice), or bring carrots and apples to their annual Christmas Open House on Dec. 8!

Click here to share your own tips with PetSugar's Out and About travel group – and stay tuned as our week of Connecticut continues!

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