Celebrating the canine-human bond!
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. Contact our
managing editor
if you'd like to submit an article. (Guidelines: 500 words or fewer, with 1 or 2 photos of 1 mb or smaller.)
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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- FIDO Fest Rescheduled as Pop-Up!
- Dog Days at the Res -- Swim Party Sept 8
- Somerville Dog Festival -- Sept 9
- NY Dog Film Festival at the Regent -- Sept 7 and 8
- Jessica and Rescue: A Life Changing Friendship, 9/16
- ACO Diane's Critter Corner
- September Summer FUN Photographs: Rocky's Story
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FIDO Fest Rescheduled as Pop-Up!
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Fido Fest is Greater Boston’s only video festival that celebrates loveable dogs and their loyal humans. Fido Fest 2017, its debut, was a huge success! Unfortunately, heavy rain prevented us from holding it again this August.
However, many of you submitted videos of your dogs and we had a wonderful film ready! FIDO Fest is now rescheduled as a pop-up film screening. The film will be shown on two consecutive nights,
Thurs 9/27 and Fri 9/28, 6:30 pm–7:30 pm
at the
Whittemore-Robbins House Lawn
(670R Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA). It’s right behind Robbins Library. If you can’t make it one night, you can check out the video on the other night.
We look forward to seeing you and your pup on one or both of these nights.
The Fido Fest committee is:
Jen Burns, Blue Sky Dogs and A-DOG
Judy Weinberg, Leading Edge Realty and A-DOG
Kathleen Whalen, A-DOG
Ellen Leigh & Ricky, A-DOG
Anita Pliner, A-DOG
Jonathan Barbato, ACMi
Dillin Evren, ACMi
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Dog Days at the Res
Take the plunge!
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by Joan Black
On Saturday, September 8 Arlington’s Reservoir Beach will be going to the dogs from 10 am–2:00 pm. (Lowell Street, Arlington, MA)
Arlington Recreation & A-DOG invite dogs to enjoy a pup-tastic time running, swimming, & playing in the water. It is a Beach Party just for dogs. Come on down and meet new friends while supporting Thorndike Dog Park. "Dog Days at the Res" is a FUNdraiser to benefit maintenance and improvements for Thorndike’s “Off Leash Recreational Area" aka Dog Park.
*Suggested Donations of $5.00 Appreciated. DOG Days at The Res comes but once per year & every dog has its day. This year it is all happening at the beach on September 8. Photographers from the
Arlington Advocate
will be on hand to capture some special, splashy moments.
A-DOG Coordinators: David White & Joan Black
with any questions.
********
Joan Black is an A-DOG officer, board member and Wags and Tags managing editor. Photo by Ellen Leigh from a previous Dog Days at the Res; flyer by Jen Burns.
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Somerville Dog Festival
Rain or shine
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Somerville Dog Festival
,
Sunday, September 9 from 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
:
TRUM Field (Broadway at Cedar) Somerville, MA
The Somerville Dog Festival, the only one of its kind in the country, offers “Try It” areas for dog owners to experience myriad dog sports and activities with their dogs; demonstrations of those sports and more; a best trick contest and owner-dog look-alike for attendees; raffles, vendor booths; a demonstration of police K9 work; and free clinics in basic training for the public.
The goal of the annual event is to educate the public and promote healthy, happy pet ownership and activities, thereby lowering the need for relinquishment and euthanasia of animals due to behavior problems.
The Somerville Dog Festival is organized by T
he Somerville Foundation for Animals
which makes sure no one ever has to choose between feeding themselves or their pets. The festival raises money for the Foundation’s Somerville Pet Food Bank providing pet food to food banks and outreach programs throughout Eastern Massachusetts. It also raises funds yearly to provide K9 vests through Massachusetts Vest-A-Dog for local law enforcement K9 partners.
General Information: Somerville Dog Festival offers activities & FUN for everyone including your dog.
*Leashed & licensed dogs that enjoy company of other dogs “pawsitively” Welcome!
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1st and 2nd NY Dog Film Festival at the Regent
Back by popular demand
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Join us for a celebration of the love between dogs, their people, and animal welfare groups that bring them together when
The NY Dog Film Festival
™ comes to Arlington, MA on 9/7 & 9/8 with a portion of proceeds benefiting
Boston Animal Rescue Collaborative (BARC).
The NY Dog Film Festival™ is a philanthropic celebration of the love between dogs and their people, offering dog lovers a shared audience experience of canine-themed films from around the world that inspire, educate and entertain about the human-canine bond. With a New York City premiere every fall, the Festival then travels around the country, supporting local animal welfare groups which bring people and pets together, along with our national partner and beneficiary, Dogs Playing for Life.
First AND Second Annual NY Dog Film Festival
Showtimes:
Friday, 9/7 @ 7:30 PM & 9:00 PM & Saturday, 9/8 @ 2:00 PM
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Rescue and Jessica: A Life-changing friendship
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Sunday September 16 from 1–3 PM
: Story Time & Book Signing at Wilson's Farm,
10 Pleasant Street, Lexington, MA
This luminous new picture book is based on a real-life partnership. The heartening story of love and teamwork between a girl and her service dog will inspire readers of all ages. Meet co-authors Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, a married couple who were both injured during the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. They will be joined by the star of the book – and ASPCA Dog of the Year – Rescue! The authors will read the book aloud starting at 1:00 pm, take questions, and sign books for attendees (Rescue's "pawtograph" included with your copy!). Learn about the role of service dogs to help people with physical disabilities and the amazing things that people and dogs can accomplish together.
Information about Wilson’s Farm Event
here
.
Rescue & Jessica: A Life Changing Friendship book trailer video:
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Diane's Critter Corner:
"Of Feather and Fur"
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by Diane Welch,
Arlington's Animal Control Officer
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Be sure to click on the “coyote rescue” photograph. Then follow the arrows to view an array of “critters” tended to by our new Animal Control Officer, Diane Welch. You will see the 3 “amigos,” baby squirrels which were returned to their mother and a baby robin who was placed back into its nest. Watson and Oliver were featured receiving help locating their “lost” owners. A dehydrated bat was refreshed and retuned to the wilds of Arlington. Other “feathered friends” rescued included three ducklings lifted from a storm drain, an injured baby crow, great blue heron with fractured wing, egret with broken leg, great blue heron with a fractured shoulder and both red tailed & red shouldered hawks. There is also an important warning concerning leaving fishing line and lure. A hook was swallowed by a turtle which did not survive.
Look forward to more informational posts and articles in future Wags and Tags issues, featured in
Diane’s Critter Corner: “Of Feather & Fur.”
Photograph: ACO Mike of Lexington with Diane rescuing a Red Tailed Hawk
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Dog Days of Summer Photographs
The Corn is as high as an Elephant’s Eye: Rocky’s Story
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by Hildy Martus
I adopted Rocky
aka
Rosco, chihuahua mix, from Second Chance Rescue NYC at 5 years of age. Second Chance pulls from kill shelters and Rocky was originally from S. Carolina. He was fostered in NYC with other chi's, cats and children. I knew he would fit the bill to accompany me on visits to my mom in her nursing home and be okay living with me and my family of cats. This lucky dog goes everywhere possible with me and puts up a happy “yappy” fuss when he sees me getting ready to go out.
Rocky is a regular at the thrift stores and has earned the title of “store mascot” at Boomerangs in Cambridge where he is warmly greeted. He comes to my garden plots all the time and eats many of the veggies I harvest. In this photograph Rocky is featured enjoying a summer garden visit deep in the corn.
He is a big flirt and greets all who approach him to pet with kisses in return. Rocky will be coming to work with me at Economy Hardware in Central Square, Cambridge as the official “store dog.” He is a great ambassador for chihuahuas since they are the second breed after the pit bull to be euthanized in shelters. Both are overbred and misunderstood breeds.
Rescue dogs are resilient and worth the extra time and effort to build trust. When I first adopted Rocky, he had separation anxiety. He barked and cried for weeks if left alone. I reached out for advice from my vet. At first Rocky did not like anyone to touch or pet him. He would tense up and move away while he stared at me. it seemed like he needed reassurance that he belonged to me. Boy, have things changed! However, he still occasionally looks at me when being petted, showing me that he is my boy and he knows I am there for him.
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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 October 23, 2018.
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 expired, you should have received a reminder letter 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. If you are not an A-DOG member,
join here
.
Shop for A-DOG
(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!
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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Arlington Dog Owners Group | www.arlingtondogowners.org
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