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Celebrating the canine-human bond!
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This newsletter is brought to you by Arlington Dog Owners Group (A-DOG), a 501(c)(3) community organization promoting the rights and interests of responsible dog owners in Arlington, MA.
If you're not already a member, we hope you'll want to
join
A-DOG!
Wags and Tags editorial team: Joan Black, Jen Burns, Sue Doctrow, Ellen Leigh, Judy Weinberg
A-DOG logos designed by Lisa Berasi for Arlington Dog Owners Group, all rights reserved
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Rescued Blu comes home to a loving family...
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by Alexandra Goodwin
My husband and I had many discussions about adopting a dog because he had grown up with dogs in the UK and missed having his four legged friends around. I was open to the idea as I had never had any pets growing up and thought perhaps it might help my mother, who has dementia. We went to various rescue shelters in February 2014 to get an idea of what kind of dog to get and to warm my mother up to the idea of acquiring a dog, since she lived downstairs from us. My husband had had mostly pointers and greyhounds and we both wanted a medium / large dog with whom to go hiking and enjoy the outdoors. When we went to the various shelters we knew we couldn't bring anyone home right away due to my husband traveling for business the following month. One of the shelters we visited was Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton, Mass. My husband had made few solo trips there previously in his spare time and met Louise Coleman, owner of Greyhound Friends. They both had the same passion and heart for these neglected beautiful dogs.
Blu was one of the dogs in the shelter back in February 2014. Blu was waving his paw at us as if he were trying to communicate and begging us to take him home.
Fast forward couple months later to April 26, 2014, a brisk Saturday morning when we set out to rescue a dog to bring home. We made many stops that day to various shelters (Save-A-Dog in Sudbury, the Pooch Hotel at a K9 Last Hope rescue event, Greyhound Friends, Northeast Shelter in Salem, Petfinder (Northeast Coonhound) etc.). When we went to Greyhound Friends, we inquired about Blu as he had impacted his paw on our heart back in February. Blu was in foster care in Milford, MA, so they called the foster parents and we arranged to go visit their home to see Blu again. Blu was a happy little hound.
Blu's a Bluetick Coonhound from way of Ohio. He was found in a litter of five back in Ohio when a generous rescue group called "
Stop the Suffering" picked up Blu and his mates. Blu was transferred to Greyhound Friends in the winter of 2013. What drew us to Blu aside from him waving at us was that he had a cherry eye. Dogs have three eyelids and it's common for dogs under the age of two for one of the eyelids to protrude. Cherry eye is not serious but if untreated it causes dry eye which then could lead to other complications. Blu will probably be on eye drop medications all his life.
After our Saturday afternoon of surveying various rescue shelters, we decided to adopt the dog who might be left behind, the underdog. So, we decided on Blu as we figured he would be overlooked because of his cherry eye.
Blu has made a huge impact on our lives. For me being the prime caretaker of my mother, he has calmed me down enormously and is aware of encompassing emotions. Blu has brought so much love and happiness in our lives that now can't imagine life without him! Blu is a blessing!!! Thank you to all the rescue shelters who save dogs and try to find them furever homes -- what a difficult and most rewarding job you have! Thank you for not giving up on these beautiful dogs!
Greyhound Friends is having an open house on September 19-20, please go visit their kennel and find your best friend like we did....
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Happy Tails Trails in Western MA
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Kenneth Dubuque State Forest
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If you find yourself with your dog in western Massachusetts, you won't be lacking places to take your pup walking. Many conservation areas allow dogs, some Trustees of Reservations properties allow dogs and there are many state forests throughout the area. A little time searching online will yield many options.
My favorite easy walk is near property I own in Hawley. Kenneth Dubuque State Forest is just under 8000 acres of history and upland woods. There are many roads and paths within the forest and all are wonderful choices. How can you resist walking on a road named Moody Spring or Hell's Kitchen? The main entrance to the forest is on Route 8A in West Hawley, but the path I like is on the east side of town, off of Hunt Road, immediately on the left after you go through the entrance gate. The path was created by mountain bikers and it's pretty silly. It's laid out rather like a small intestine, except that it never crosses itself. One mountain biker I met just shook his head in wonder at it. The attraction of the walk for me lies not in scenic vistas - there are none - but in little things, such as the way trout lilies carpet the forest floor in spring, the way the trees look as though they were transplanted from an Arthur Rackham illustration, the "decorations" that show the cyclists' sense of humor. It's a short (depending on the route you take) and easy (although the ground is quite uneven in places) walk. At the end of the walk, my dog Isla and I wend our way to a marshy beaver at the back of my own (private) property, but I highly recommend continuing on for another five or ten minutes to the charcoal kiln. The doorway of the kiln makes a fine backdrop for a portrait of your dog.
I would be irresponsible if I didn't mention that you should keep your dog on leash when walking in the woods, unless you have a rock-solid recall. I have found a dog killed by wildlife in the Dubuque Forest. A friend's dogs were chased by a pack of coyotes that ended up following him and his re-leashed dogs all the way to the car; the same friend's dogs were chased by a moose; and another friend's dog was attacked by a bear (dogs usually don't survive bear attacks, but my friend's did, probably because she was right there to scare off the bear). Dogs who don't know the forest have been lost there and never found. PLEASE keep your dogs leashed!
Please send us your ideas for an article you'd like to write about the Happy Tails Trail where you love to walk your dog! Put "Happy Tails Trail" in the subject line.
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Arlington's New Animal Control Officer Introduces Herself
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Welcome to Arlington, Officer Katie and Winnie!
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A message from our new Animal Control Officer, Katie Kozikowski:
Hello Dog owners of Arlington! I am so happy to be here and extremely excited to be meeting everyone and their furry friends!
A little background on myself:
I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in May of 2010 with a Bachelor's of Science in Animal Science. Prior to working Animal Control here in Arlington, I had worked for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at Nevins Farm in Methuen, MA. At the MSPCA I had a slew of different duties which included running the Foster Program, working the Equine Ambulance and working as an Animal Care and Adoption Counselor.
My passion is helping animals and helping people in any way that I can and I look forward to doing that here in Arlington. I'm often out the parks in town accompanied by my rescue dog "Winnie", please feel free to stop by and say "Hi"
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We are delighted to announce that Katie's articles will be featured on a regular basis with information, alerts and concerns in "YIPS & TIPS". Welcome to Arlington, Katie and Winnie! (Winnie appears in the bottom photo.)
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Pups and their people romped at the beach for Thorndike OLRA
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by Daria Pannesi
This year's
2nd Annual "Dog Days of Summah"
event held on Sunday, August 23rd
and hosted by the Arlington Recreation Department was a doggone success! Thank you to all who came out on an overcast and drizzly day!
Over 65 dogs came during the course of the day and romped on the sand and in the water at the Reservoir Beach. This year we decided to lengthen the hours from 10am - 6pm to accommodate more schedules. The dogs loved the weather and the socializing. The turnout was fantastic and we are looking forward to doing it again next year! All proceeds benefit the maintenance and upkeep of Thorndike Off Leash Recreation Area (OLRA).
The Town of Arlington's Recreation Department is always interested in hearing from you to find out what kinds of doggie centered events you would like to have in Arlington.
Please email your suggestions to Daria Pannesi, Director of K-9 Activities for the Town of Arlington.
Photos: (top) "Gang's all here!" contributed by Ellen Leigh. (bottom) Thank-you poster contributed by Daria Pannesi and Arlington Recreation.
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"Two Front Paws Up" for Pawsome People and Awesome Dogs!
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A-DOG and Dog Summer Safety were in the News! Thank you to Arlington Community Media, Inc. (ACMI), especially intern Yigu Liang, for a great cable news segment on an important topic. See Yigu's interview here with Sue Doctrow and her canine colleague Candace on location at Thorndike OLRA!
THANK YOU and a Big "WOOF" to all the dog owners who answered the RRRUFFF REQUEST" and contributed photographs for A-DOG's improved and expanded "NAME THE BREED GAME." There were 40 canine candidates submited. With the help of graphic artist Roslyn Smith, 15 more dogs were included in time for Town Day with plans to add the rest at a later time. Be sure to come by our events table and be ready to play and test your Canine IQ.
Our Animal Control Officer, Katie Kozikowski and her colleagues in the Arlington Police Department protect animals and Arlington residents from scams and worse. They offer this important caution and advice about "Selling" Dogs Online. Please read and be informed.
Missing Dogs Massachusetts (MDM) is a nonprofit organization that has assisted in reuniting 700+ lost or found dogs with their families at no charge. These dedicated volunteers also work on reducing pet loss, such as with low cost microchipping clinics in underserved communities. MDM seeks to reunite lost dogs so that shelters and rescues can focus on truly homeless animals. They would love support to become PetPartnerANIMALTARIAN of the Year. VOTE to help them. It only takes a moment to click and VOTE here.
Photo: Ellie gets a kiss! A new photo contributed by Dee Savioli for our Name the Breed game.
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PAWS to Mark Your Calendar!
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Save the dates for coming events
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A-DOG's Town Day Booth last year with fun for everybody!
APRIL MAY BE OUR OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP MONTH BUT WE NEED YOU ON OUR TEAM ALL YEAR! If you haven't already, join the A-DOG Pack. "NEW" or "RENEW", IT IS EASY TO DO...Sign up today here.
Mark your calendar for FALL EVENTS including (*) those that involve A-DOG. Please consider attending or volunteering for the events involving A-DOG. Contact us if you're interested in volunteering at any of these events...we need you!
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*Friday, September 11 (register at 5:30 for the show at 6 to 7 pm) The annual Dog Show at ARLINGTON TOWN NIGHT! At Spy Pond Field near the Boys' and Girls' Club. Many of our members enter this fun contest every year! More details here. Don't miss it!
*Saturday, September 12 (10 am - 3 pm) ARLINGTON TOWN DAY will find A-DOG's booth filled with information and FUN Activities for everyone with and without dogs. Please volunteer to spend some time at the booth, helping to spread the word about A-DOG and responsible dog ownership in Arlington! Contact us if you can help.
Saturday, September 12 (7 pm) MOONLIGHT BEACH PARTY, 2nd Annual, Arlington Reservoir beach.If you weren't able to attend last summer then you missed the Blue Ribbon BBQ, drinks, beach games, party tent and dancing. And if you did make it last year then we're sure you'll be looking forward to joining us on September 12th for one last summer blast. The Moonlight Beach Party is a fun night under the stars at Reservoir Beach. This event raises money to support our 27 parks and playgrounds in Arlington. The Arlington Parks Alliance partners with the Arlington Recreation Department will host this unique community event.
Thursday, September 17, (7 pm - "
Heaven Can Wait Gala" Last Hope K9 Rescue fundraiser, Royale Boston, Boston, MA.
Saturday, September 26 "
Walk for Animals", Boston, Methuen or Hyannis. Annual fun event to benefit the MSPCA.
Wednesday, September 30 (7 - 9:30 pm) PAINT YOUR PET fundraiser to benefit GREY 2K USA Worldwide! At Art Lounge in Arlington Heights. Must register in advance and send a photo of your dog by Sept. 23. Details here.
Saturday - Sunday, October 2 - 3 Camp N Pack Weekend, Camp Timber Trails, Tolland, MA. 18th annual camping event for people and their canines of any breed sponsored by Malamute Rescue of New England. More details here.
Tuesday, October 27 (7:00 - 9:00 pm) A-DOG Annual Meeting and welcome reception for Arlington's Animal Control Officer Katie Kozikowski! Jefferson Cutter House Community Room, Arlington Center. Reception at 7 and ADOG Meeting at 7:30.
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Future A-DOG Meetings: Next year (2016) meetings will be announced soon!
Send us calendar items for possible inclusion in this section in future Wags and Tags issues!
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Help Wanted: Your Dog's Face Here?
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Wags and Tags Welcomes Your Contributions
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A-DOG Members and supporters, Wags and Tags is YOUR monthly newsletter! I
f you have suggestions for an article, including one you'd like to write, for a future issue, please email us with "Newsletter" in the subject line.
Maybe you'd like your dog to be one of our "
Arlington dogs, or A-dogs
", like Molly, Remy. Tammy, potcake Lexi and others. You don't have to live in Arlington, but can be a neighbor who enjoys Arlington's dog recreation benefits, or otherwise supports our mission. You can also suggest a special Rainbow Bridge memorial tribute to a beloved canine family member you've lost, like the moving tributes to Isabel, Raleigh, Strummer and Cita.
Or, maybe you're a
Friend of A-DOG
Business and want to describe how you help A-DOG and what you offer to our community of dog owners and dog-friendly people. Your business, too, can be featured like Bette Yip's Picture Perfect Pets, BlueSky Dogs, GoPlay!, Menotomy Beer Wine and Spirits,Your Wonderful Dog and Maida Pharmacy & Compounding Center.
Suggested article length for the newsletter is 500 words or fewer but this is only a guideline. We will also need at least one photo, preferably a jpg or gif format, compressed to a size no greater than 1 MB. (Please send the photo as a separate file, not imported into a Word document.) Depending on the topic, you might want to write a longer version for our website, with a link in the Wags and Tags article.
Articles on any other topic of potential interest to dog owners are welcome. So are more volunteer editors and writers. Please send us your story proposals! Wags and Tags editorial team: Joan Black, Jen Burns, Sue Doctrow, Ellen Leigh and Judy Weinberg
Pssst...We are well aware that
our members are not likely to have issues with spelling or grammar that's a little "ruff", but don't worry....our editorial team will edit your story, as needed.
The Irish Setter on the computer photo is reprinted from a website called "iget2work".
The "Bad spelling...image was posted on Facebook by Grammarly.
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Our final
A-DOG meeting for 2015
A-DOG held four meetings in 2015 and the 2016 schedule will be announced soon. Our Annual Meeting is on Tuesday, October 27 at 7:00-8:30 pm at the Community Room of the Jefferson Cutter House, 611 Mass Ave (at Mystic, in Arlington Center). A reception for our new Animal Control Officer will be held at 7, followed by our business meeting. The Community Room is accessible via the rear entrance at the municipal parking lot. Doors open at 7 and refreshments will be served.
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Jefferson Cutter House.
A-DOG Membership!
A-DOG's membership year runs from April 1 through March 31, so some full memberships are up for renewal. If your membership has expired, you should have received a reminder letter and there is
Membership Drive information on our website. If you join now, your annual full membership will be good through March, 2016. As an A-DOG Full Member, you are entitled to discounts and benefits from our
Friends of A-DOG businesses. And, your dues and donations to A-DOG are tax deductible, to the full extent allowed by law.
Shop for A-DOG!
Please support businesses that support responsible dogowners in Arlington by patronizing our
Friends of A-DOG Businesses. Welcome to our newest Friends of A-DOG, Maida Pharmacy & Compounding Center and Joe Trains Dogs. Also, when you buy from Amazon, please start at the
Amazon Smile website and choose "A-Dog The Arlington Dog Owners Group, Inc" as your preferred nonprofit group. Amazon will make a donation to A-DOG and your purchase will not cost any more!
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A-DOG members, Business Friends of A-DOG and other subscribers receive Wags and Tags each month. If this issue was forwarded to you and you'd like to subscribe to Wags and Tags without joining A-DOG, click here or click the green sign-up button on the front page of our website.
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