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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 (managing editor), Jen Burns, Sue Doctrow, Ellen Leigh, Judy Weinberg
Articles in Wags and Tags represent the opinions of the author(s) not necessarily those of A-DOG or the editorial team.
A-DOG logos designed by Lisa Berasi for Arlington Dog Owners Group, all rights reserved
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On some computers, you might have to click twice to reach the article. We've found, too that these links do not work on all devices.
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Paws to Mark Your Calendar for Coming Events!
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Great events sponsored by A-DOG and others....
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 APRIL is A-DOG MEMBERSHIP MONTH! Watch for electronic Renewal Letters and social media reminders. "NEW or RENEW: A-DOG Needs YOU to join the pack!"
Mark your calendar for these great EVENTS. Please consider attending or volunteering for the events sponsored or co-sponsored by A-DOG (shown in
GREEN). Contact us if you're interested in volunteering at any of these events...we need you!
____________
*****
Send us calendar items for possible inclusion in this section in future Wags and Tags issues!
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Farewell to Snow Daze: Stepping into Spring
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A-DOG members share memories of winter...
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A-DOG members sent us great photos with memories of winter! Sorry we could not print all of them here but go to our website (see link below) for the whole collection. Photos here (top to bottom):
- Donna Prey "Up to My Neck" Standing in Snow With Winston Porkchop at Summer Street Soccer Field
- Dan Ottenheimer " Robbins Farm Sunrise" Starring Luna
- Chris Gray "On The Bike Path" Featuring Elvis
For the complete photo gallery go to our website
*****
Joan Black is an A-DOG director and officer as well as managing editor of Wags and Tags.
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Do You Love a Parade? FIDO Returns
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Join us April 15 at the Patriot's Day Parade!
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A-DOG with ACMI announce "The Return of FIDO Float" for Arlington's Patriots Day Parade. FIDO is the mascot and symbol of FIDO Fest, Arlington's Premier Dog Video Festival scheduled for August18, 2018. Fido will ride high on donated truck and driver
compliments of Mal's Automotive Center and has been lovingly housed by Road Warrior Moving And Storage in their warehouse. A-DOG Volunteers have been hard at work assembling and improving FIIDO Float for the BIG event.
A-DOG has participated in Patriots Day Parade for 6 years. The parade is the longest running community event. A-DOG has been one of the most popular participants and cheers of "Here come the dogs." can be heard as we approach. Marchers are needed to accompany FIDO with or without dogs. We will march, walk, wag and float down Massachusetts Avenue from the Heights to Walgreens near Spy Pond Lane with our heads & tails held high.
VOLUNTEERS
*Parade friendly dogs and their families are encouraged to march with us. PUPS are the STARS of the parade. Some dogs even enjoy greeting children along the way. {We request placement away from loud noises & musket fire.}
*Children are invited to march with decorated wagons, carriages or bikes with "stuffed" dogs
*Marchers are needed to carry the A-DOG Banner or hold PinWheels or just swell our ranks.
*Costumes, masks, hats etc are welcome.
Joan Black will provide: scarves for parading pups, red, white & blue Mardi Gras beads, & pinwheels. Please note water & bowls for dogs will be available for dogs carried on Float
OPTIONS: Sunday April 15
YOU may meet near Warrior Moving and Storage, 50 Lowell St at 1:30pm or simply join Parade anywhere along Mass Ave route. ACMI will be announcing our group and filming as we pass Town Hall.
A-DOG Banner will lead the way with FIDO easily spotted looming over us.
Parade Officially begins at 2:00.
We would like to set up a telephone tree & update with emails
MARK Your Calendars,
Join FIDO & A-DOG
Sunday April 15 PATRIOTS DAY PARADE
Saturday August 18 FIDO Fest: A-DOG's Incredible BIG Video Adventure
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My Birthday Party by Ricky
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It was the day that I had anticipated for weeks - Sunday, January 21st - the day of my 5th birthday party! I couldn't wait. My owner Ellen told me that some of my canine friends would be there-Marcus, Athena, and Alfie, but I also knew that most of the guests were from the human species. That was OK-I like humans and I know that they would be from among my many fans!
As the big day approached I heard Ellen on the phone talking about the games that the humans would play - "Pin the Tail on the Doggy" (with a picture of me as the featured tail-less doggy, of course), "Toss the Poop Bag", and "Doggy Story Circle". I looked forward to hearing the stories that people would tell about my doggy friends but also wondered if there may be any dropped-food opportunities that arose - After all, there was going to be cake!
On the topic of dropped-food, one such opportunity did arise-not at the party though, but two nights before. As Ellen and I were visiting a friend at the UU Church, I spotted an abandoned "Pigs Ear" on the floor and decided to check it out. Now I know that I should wait for permission to eat things off the floor, but you know-I'm canine and similar to people-- I sometimes like to indulge!
Fast forward to Sunday morning - the day of my party, and wouldn't you know it-I began to regret my decision to check out the Pigs Ear. My tummy started to feel funny and then other parts of my body didn't feel well. Ah oh - I think my little snack adventure was coming back to haunt me. Soon there was evidence that I was sick and Ellen quickly brought me to the vet. I'm not sure who was more upset - Ellen or me! It was the day of my party and I was stuck at the animal hospital!
The party was already being set up so it was too late to reschedule. What was I to do?
After some urgent phone calls, emails, and texts, Ellen brought me home with medicine where I could be comfortable and rest. A friend stayed with me while Ellen went on to the party and reported back to me that it all went well. She described the blue balloons suspended around the room, the tablecloths with doggy pictures on them, the doggy napkins and the big black lab centerpiece on the table!
I heard about the cake and ice cream, cheese and crackers, fruit, brownies, and doggy treats. Everyone sang Happy Birthday! I wished I could have been there but Ellen brought home lots of wonderful presents that people had given me-Squeaky things, carrots, green beans, and stuffed animals. Someone even got a kitty toy for my brother Mango. Best of all - the three of us got a robotic vacuum for all my and Mango's fur!
I wish that I had been able to attend my party but I'm happy to know that so many nice people gathered together in my honor. What a compliment! And now that I'm feeling better, I have some new toys to play with. Thanks to everyone who participated. I'll see you soon! Woof woof.
*****
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by Dr Amanda Leef
Hi! I'm Dr. Amanda Leef. As an Arlington resident and veterinarian, I am excited to work with A-DOG. I have lived in the Boston area for just over 10 years and recently opened my own practice, Heal Veterinary Clinic in Watertown. At Heal, we strive to be a low-stress, high-customer-service clinic focused on getting to know our clients and individualizing treatment plans for each patient.
Our brand-new clinic space features bright colors and lots of natural light, creating a warm atmosphere. Our exam rooms unlike other exam rooms you have likely seen in veterinary hospitals. I prefer not to use traditional exam tables and do a lot of exams sitting on the floor with my patients. So, we outfitted the rooms with comfortable furniture for both you and your pet. We have already seen (and heard from clients) that the design of the exam rooms decreases stress for both our animal patients and their humans. Additionally, we try to do all routine procedures, like vaccinations, blood draws, and nail trims, in the room with the owner present. This also helps decrease anxiety for your pet and allows us to show you exactly what we are doing.
In-room check-out means you don't have gather all of your belongings and wrangle your dog after the appointment to check-out at the front desk.
In addition to routine wellness and sick pet appointments, we offer the full range of dental services, in-clinic x-ray and surgery, in-house blood testing, and a parking lot! Visit our
website for more information and "like" our
Facebook page to see what's happening at the Clinic. We would love to meet you and your pet! Give us a call today to schedule an appointment for your pet, or just stop by to check out our clinic and meet me and our friendly staff.
****
Dr. Amanda Leef's practice is Heal Veterinary Clinic 150 Belmont Street Watertown, MA 02472; Phone: 617-932-5166; Email: frontdesk@heal.vet
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Your Arlington Animal Control Officer can help with more than just animal complaints?
Do you have a pet that gets nervous when you leave the home? Does your dog bark a little more than is necessary? Need assistance with low cost vaccines? Need information about low cost spay/neuter? Have questions about wildlife behavior or concerns?
ACOs have more information than you'd think! If you need assistance with anything listed or have other questions, please reach out! I can help with information which will lead you in the right direction and/or with educational handouts. I can be reached by phone (781) 645-8014 or by email.
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Pawsome People and Awesome Dogs....
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Let's Make Arlington Accessible for All!
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Thank YOU to Ellen Leigh & Ricky! Ellen Leigh & Ricky are A-DOG Board members and are a familiar sight around the Arlington community. Did you know there are many shops and restaurants that they cannot enter as they are not accessible to Ellen's wheelchair? As a team they are recognized community activists. Ricky & Ellen currently are involved in a project "Let's Make Arlington Accessible For All" which includes mapping Arlington businesses for accessibility. Why not attend and volunteer for Action Sunday April 29? Disability Rights Are Civil Rights!
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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. Or, write an article about Happy Tails Trails, describing your favorite place to enjoy nature with your dog. 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 or feline family member you've lost.
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 OM Cookies, Menotomy Beer Wine and Spirits, Maida Pharmacy & Compounding Center and Lakota Bakery (now Cookie Time).
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. For text, arial 11 pt, single spacing preferred. (Please send the photo as a separate file, not imported into a Word document.)
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 (managing editor), Jen Burns, Sue Doctrow, Ellen Leigh and Judy Weinberg. (submission ideas to A-DOG or Joan)
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 can polish your story, as needed. Feel free to ask.
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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A-DOG Meetings in 2018-2019
A-DOG holds five meetings per year, in January, March, May, July and October. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Community Room of the Jefferson Cutter House, 611 Mass Ave (at Mystic, in Arlington Center). The Community Room is accessible via the rear entrance at the municipal parking lot. Refreshments, typically with a potluck soup and salad meal, are served, generally beginning at 6 pm with the meeting from 7 to 8:30 pm. New members show up every time so please join us! Our next meeting is in May, 2018. New this year: Meeting in July instead of August; we will plan the Town Day booth in August and anybody interested in Town Day is welcome to come (same time and place, but probably simpler refreshments).
A-DOG Membership!
A-DOG's membership year runs from April 1 through March 31, so some full memberships are up for renewal each spring. If your membership has expired, you should have received a reminder letter in early 2017 during our
Membership Drive. 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 dog owners in Arlington by patronizing our
Friends of A-DOG Businesses.
(If you are not a full member, please sign up and pay your dues at the link above for joining A-DOG. If you are unsure if your membership is still active, or need another membership card as proof, you can
email us to check into it.)
Also, when you buy from Amazon, please start at the
Amazon Smile website which should get you directly to our donation link. If not, be sure to 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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