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Healthy Paws: These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

By ARLnow.com Sponsor


Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

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It’s that time of year again! Time to embrace the season and ponder on the best gift for your fur-kid! This year we polled our staff and have some of their pet’s favorite things!

Frankie’s Favorite Things

Audrey Hepburn’s Favorite Things

Biscoe & Peanut’s Favorite Things

Monty’s Favorite Things

Weebles’ Favorite Things

Moana & Heihei’s Favorite Things

  • Mealworms

And some more of our favorite things to help enrich the lives of our dogs and cats who graciously share their lives and snuggles with us.

Interactive Feeding/Activity Things

Books

Giving Back

Perhaps you have everything your pet may need and want (food, love, safety and enrichment), perhaps giving a gift/donation in your pets name to a rescue organization in need will warm your heart. Below are a few of the groups we love and work with regularly:

Small Biz Focus: Shop! Learn! Explore! It’s All Arlington this Holiday Season

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Supporting entrepreneurs, small businesses and creatives is all part of Arlington’s Creative Economy initiative. With public/private partnerships, growth of these endeavors is an important part of business sector diversity and economic sustainability.

Mark your calendars for these December Saturdays to find uniquely Arlington made items, learn from the makers and welcome in the season with a festival of lights along Lee Highway! It’s a full-on celebration of all things local and creative in Arlington.

Lee Highway Winter Festival of Lights
Saturday, December 1 from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

The Lee Highway Alliance pulls out all the stops on its inaugural Winter Festival of Lights that spans four venues along Lee Highway. Dozens of community partners have come together to celebrate this corridor of Arlington with shops, artists, entertainment and of course lots of lights.

Be on hand to try a craft at the Lee Arts Center, learn local history at the Langston-Brown Community Center, hear music and watch magic at the Lee and Harrison Plaza, and shop local at the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire House.

Save some time for a photo with Santa and sample great food all along the corridor!

Click here for more information.

Made in Arlington at Shirlington Library
Saturday, December 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year, make your shopping interactive! In its continued partnership with Arlington Public Library, Arlington Economic Development’s Made in Arlington Initiative takes pop-ups to a new level with a one-day event at Shirlington Library. Curious how baskets are woven or how jam is made? You’ll find a big new array of makers, artisans and entrepreneurs who will be on hand to demonstrate the work that is uniquely Made in Arlington.

Among the many vendors in this market you’ll find Kate Summers handmade and vintage jewelry, Jay Gerard’s knitted scarves and accessories, stained glass artist Maria Illlingworth, leather craftsman Wilfred Lopez and Persimmon Street ceramics.

Click here for more information.

For ongoing Creative Economy listings and opportunities, check here. More Creative economy stories on the blog.

The Chew: 7 Perfect Items for Any Dog Lover’s Holiday Wish List

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The following bi-weekly column is written and sponsored by Bark + Boarding, which provides a heart-centered and safe environment for your pets. Conveniently located at 5818-C Seminary Road in Bailey’s Crossroads, Bark & Boarding offers doggy daycare, boarding, grooming, walking and training services, plus in-home pet care.

by Cindy Aldridge

Admit it, you care more about getting your dog the perfect holiday gift than you do about getting yourself anything nice.

That’s okay, we love our dogs. This holiday season, don’t settle for a bag of bones and a new dog bowl. Think big. Here’s how you can stock your wish list with some truly useful items to help you, as the dog owner, as well as make your pooch happier, safer and more comfortable.

A dog-monitoring camera

Most of us work and therefore cannot spend all day with our dogs, however painful that reality may be. If you have to leave your dog home alone for long periods of time or you travel a lot, you can give yourself some extra peace of mind if you know that your dog is happy and safe at home (or at the sitter’s).

One of the best ways to do this is with a dog-monitoring camera. The tech for this has really improved over the past few years, with most new doggie camera models linking directly to your smartphone for 24/7 viewing.

A GPS tracking device

In the same vein as a monitoring camera, a dog-tracking device that uses GPS and links up with your smartphone will allow you to locate your beloved canine in the horrific event that they run away, go missing or even worse — get stolen. You don’t need to implant a tracker under your dog’s skin or anything. Modern trackers can be affixed gently to your dog’s collar.

A Thundershirt

Many dogs suffer from anxiety, are quick to frighten during loud events like parties and thunderstorms, and suffer from a variety of behavioral issues. Many vets and pet experts recommend a tight-fitting shirt, branded as a Thundershirt, to help with this. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence out there that it works, too. Many dog owners swear by them. At under $30, they are worth a spot on your holiday wish list.

A puzzle toy

Sure, plenty of dogs enjoy your classic tennis ball or frisbee. But some dogs require a little more of a mental workout. Puzzle toys are great, inexpensive items to add to your wish list. These toys are highly varied but most require dogs to use problem-solving skills to access treats or food.

A new dog bed

If someone got you a brand-new, comfortable bed for the holidays, would you be happy? You bet. Your dog will be too. Dogs spend a lot of their time sleeping, so a nice bed is crucial to their happiness. Bed sizes vary, and there are options available for both large and small breeds.

A year’s supply of dental bones

Dental bones are great ways to kill two birds with one stone – they give your dog something to eat and they help with their dental care in the process. There are dental bones out there that help remove plaque, freshen your dog’s breath, and prevent the buildup of biofilm on your dog’s teeth.

An automatic ball thrower

Ok, you’re allowed one sort-of silly item. It is the holidays after all.

Does your arm get tired throwing that tennis ball hundreds of times? Would you like to sit and read and book but also give your dog a workout? Automatic ball throwers may not seem like a worthwhile expense any other time of the year. Now’s your chance.

So, what are you waiting for? Starting building that dog-centric holiday wish list today!

Boring Title: Time to Give Thanks

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Title insurance is boring, but Allied Title & Escrow is here to decode the jargon and make it (somewhat) more interesting. This biweekly feature will explore the mundane (but very necessary!) world of title insurance while sharing interesting stories of two friends’ entrepreneurial careers.

This Thanksgiving, Allied Title & Escrow is very thankful to be the fastest growing title company in all of the DMV!

We also are excited to launch our new commercial on our Boring Title blog. We think our commercial does a good job of summing up what we are about and how we are different.

Check it out and let us know of any feedback you have or what else we can do to improve as a company!

Flying Colors: Winter Irruptions

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Flying Colors column banner

Flying Colors is a sponsored column on the hobby of backyard bird feeding written by Michael Zuiker, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center. Visit the store at 2437 N. Harrison Street or call 703-241-3988.

When little Johnny or little Susie “irrupt” at the restaurant table, that is not a good thing.

When sports coaches “irrupt” on the sidelines, that is not a good thing.

When politicians irrupt… well you know!

But winter bird irruptions are a really unique experience. They happen, in varying degrees, every year. That is what makes them so exciting.

When natural winter food supplies are scarce in northern Canada, numerous bird species “irrupt”, migrating in large numbers to other areas in search of food.

Winter is a great time to attract these visiting species. Keep your feeders full and look for birds associated with irruptions. Juncos, white throated sparrows and finches may be making a repeat appearance to your yards this winter. Purple finches, pine siskins and common redpolls are “irruptive winter finches” attracted to finch feeders filled with nyjer or our WBU finch blend.

Sometimes nyjer seed takes a while to be eaten in the feeder. Make sure you keep the seed fresh and do not let it get wet. Once the seed starts to spoil, the birds will leave the feeder and find other sources of food elsewhere.

Many of these birds come back to the same exact location each year. Juncos and wintering sparrows can now be found hopping backwards on the ground scratching for seeds. They love blends with millet and sunflower chips.

We always recommend putting the food in a tray on the ground to keep the seed from getting spoiled with dirt, moisture, bird wastes, etc.

Birds are also developing into “foraging “guilds. They are forming small winter-feeding flocks. They can learn each other’s warning calls to stay safe. Chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, kinglets and titmice may join together.

Attracting these hungry and irruptive winter guests can be a lot of fun. So, be prepared. Before you know it, these out-of-towners will be just that, headed out of town.

Arts Focus: Local Artists Make Holiday Gift Shopping A Snap

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This column is written and sponsored by Arlington Arts / Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Small Business Saturday is this weekend, but there are plenty of upcoming opportunities in Arlington to shop local for creative, distinctive artist-made gifts for the holiday season!

Made In Arlington Pop Up Shops
Every Thursday (excluding Thanksgiving Day) thru December 20 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development’s Creative Economy program, Made in Arlington returns just in time for the holiday season!

Visit the Plaza Branch Library (in Courthouse Plaza lobby) for this pop-up retail market dedicated to unique things beautiful, wearable and edible from innovators and artisans in Arlington.

Upcoming pop-up’s include;

  • Melanie Lee handcrafts and District Line Clothing — November 29
  • bakt by Ingrid and Luna Blu Mar — December 6
  • Village Sweet and Diane Felice jewelry — December 13
  • Pinup Preserves and Sik Imagery — December 20

Click here for more information.

GRUMP Rosslyn
Saturday, December 1

With 45 unique vendors, free arts workshops and the opportunity for your kids to meet a Yeti or two, GRUMP is a fantastic way to shop handmade and local this holiday season.

Vendors range from Potomac Chocolate, and the popular regional bakery Whisked DC, to inspired textiles by vendors like Scarvelous, Seeing in Fabric and quirky creatures for the kids by TigerFlight! Meet your creative neighbors, all while hanging out in the beautiful SPACES building in Rosslyn, sponsored by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District and Arlington Arts. Click here for more information.

Legal Insider: Rights for Federal Employees in Disciplinary Cases

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

More common types of federal agency “adverse actions” (more serious discipline) include removal, demotion, reduction in grade or suspensions of greater than 14 days. Some types of “disciplinary actions” (lessor discipline) include letters of warning, letters of reprimand, oral or written counseling or suspensions of less than 15 days.

Federal Employee Rights in Disciplinary Cases

If a federal employee is issued a proposed disciplinary action, the proposal will normally include a description of the alleged misconduct and the type of charge against the employee (e.g., insubordination, theft, conduct unbecoming, lack of performance, etc.).

Federal employees in adverse action matters (suspensions of 15 days and above, and demotion matters) and in some disciplinary actions (suspensions of any length (usually 14 days and below)) have the following rights: (1) right to an attorney; (2) right to respond to the proposal in writing or orally, and (3) the right to review all of the materials relied upon in the issuance of the Proposal.

We recommend that employees involved in proposed disciplinary or adverse action always request from the agency all of the materials that it is relying upon to propose discipline. Sometimes disciplinary actions will not be drafted properly and reviewing the materials relied upon can help in responding to the discipline.

Present Both a Written and Oral Response

We also usually recommend, in most cases, that a federal employee present both a written response and an oral response to the deciding official (the decision maker on the disciplinary action) in a proposed disciplinary or adverse action.

The oral response portion of a federal employee’s response can be extremely important and usually follows the submission of the written response.

Typically, when we assist federal employees in this regard, we obtain a full statement of facts from the federal employee involved and prepare a full written rebuttal to the allegations. We also contact the deciding official in the personnel action and request an appointment for the oral response.

In these types of cases, we respond to both the merits of the alleged conduct and argue for mitigation under the Douglas Factors. Douglas Factors typically are mitigating reasons as to why a particular disciplinary penalty should be reduced (i.e., based on years of successful performance, no prior disciplinary actions, lack of clarity about the rules at issue and other reasons why a disciplinary penalty should not be so harsh).

Conclusion

If you are in need of assistance in the federal employee discipline process please contact our office at (703) 668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.

Rethink Energy: Button Up Before the Cold Arrives

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This regularly-scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

People don’t see insulation so they don’t necessarily think about it. The reality is that insulation has a significantly greater impact on the average home’s energy use and comfort than windows or doors.

Believe it or not, 9 out of 10 homes in the U.S. are under-insulated. That means that you most likely live in one of them. Older Arlington homes were built when insulation was expensive and fuel was cheap.

Many Arlington homes were built with no insulation and are uncomfortably hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and have uneven temperatures room-to-room and floor-to-floor.

Do you have uneven temperatures throughout your home? Can you feel the bitter wind blowing even when to doors and windows are closed? Is your floor freezing cold? What are you waiting for!? Join other Arlingtonians that already weatherized their homes and are enjoying the benefits of year-round comfort and lower utility bills.

In most cases, the fixes aren’t complex and the cost will likely be less than you expect. In one day you can have your home insulated and be comfortable year after year.

Unsure where to start? Check out this list of contractors that participated in the our previously run Home Energy Rebate Program. Give an insulation contractor a call today to get an estimate. The sooner you act the more comfortable your home will be.

Tune in to our next post where we’ll post tips for renters and condo owners.

WWBG: This Weekend at Dominion Wine and Beer

By ARLnow.com Sponsor


Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). This week’s Guide is written by Arash Tafakor of Dominion Wine and Beer.

We are now serving lunch full time!

This week’s new beer arrivals include Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Bourbon Barrel GBS, Bell’s Brewery Lampshade DIPA, Maine Beer Company Fall Coffee Stout and many more! Full list of arrivals can be found in the link below.

Weekly Draft Features

Follow our Twitter handle for alerts when kegs are tapped. Download the DigitalPour mobile app to view all 36 of our rotating taps in real time! On tap now or tapping soon…

Founders Brewing Co. 2018 Canadian Breakfast Stout and Ocelot Brewing Company Sanitarium Pilsner. Crowlers are available on both.

Tapping for the first time at Dominion, via our friends at Liquid Distro, we’re super excited to offer three beers from Charlotte, North Carolina’s Resident Culture Brewing Company!

  • Causal Continuum, 7% ABV NE Style IPA hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Citra, and Galaxy
  • Thunder Stud, 8.3% ABV NE Style DIPA, Double Dry-Hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, and Citra
  • Unhallowed, 6.5% ABV NE Style IPA hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, and Citra

In house pours only on all three Resident Culture kegs

On Saturday, November 17th from 1-5 p.m., join us for a complimentary wine and chocolate tasting featuring River-Sea Chocolates.

We have some fun wine sales and arrivals this week including limited edition Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut ‘Cities Magnetic Arrow Box Sets’ and Brut Rose ‘Ice Jacket’, plus an incredible sale price on Champagne Laurent-Perrier Brut ‘2-Glass Gift Sets!’

Full list of new beer arrivals, wine sales, and more details, subscribe to the Dominion Wine & Beer Weekly Newsletter at this link.

Healthy Paws: Can I Catch That From My Pet?

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

Can I catch that from my pet? This is a common question we hear as veterinarians.

So, we’re going to make this a recurring topic. This week, we’ll cover some intestinal parasites.

Intestinal parasites are the most common infectious diseases that we diagnose and several have the potential to be transmitted to humans. Most of these parasites are transmitted through the feces of an infected animal.

So, whenever handling animal feces or touching potentially contaminated areas such as soil, outdoor sandbox or a litter box, thorough hand-washing and good personal hygiene are recommended.

Keeping your pet on a year-round parasite preventative that protects against some of these parasites, as well as yearly fecal screening for asymptomatic gastrointestinal parasite infections, are important to reduce infection risk.

Giardia

Giardia is the most common gastrointestinal parasite we diagnose and we diagnose it on a daily basis. If you’ve ever heard of a human with “Hikers Diarrhea”… welp, that was Giardia.

In general, this parasite is quite species specific, however there are some strains that can be transmitted to humans so it is best to handle all Giardia cases like they may be.

Roundworms

Roundworms can be transmitted in utero and via mom’s milk, as well as via fecal/oral transmission.

Humans are not the ideal host for this parasite, but when presented with a human the larval stages will make the most of it and attempt to migrate to the gastrointestinal tract. Instead , they end up in weird places and are a cause of partial blindness in children (as they are notorious about not washing their hands well and playing in sandboxes or dirt) as they like to migrate to the retina (back of the eye) instead.

Hookworm

Hookworm larvae can penetrate intact skin and then migrate to the gastrointestinal tract of dogs and cats; and while humans are not their primary host, they will attempt their life cycle.

This can lead to a very itchy skin reaction in humans called cutaneous larval migrans, which result from an intense immune reaction to the larvae as they try to migrate and then die under the skin.

Whipworms and Coccidia

Whipworms and Coccidia are not considered zoonotic parasites, meaning we really don’t see transmission to humans (well, there are rare reported cases). However, they are important parasites in dogs and cats (coccidia) and can often cause diarrhea.

Tapeworms

There are several types of tapeworms that we seen in our pets. By far the most common one we see in this area has a life cycle that requires the flea as an intermediate host; other strains of tapeworms require small rodents and herbivores as an intermediate host.

The vast majority of dog and cat tapeworms are of low risk for transmission to humans. That said there is a tapeworm called Echinococcus which is rarely seen in North America and is actually a reportable disease here.

The Echinococcus tapeworm rarely causes disease in dogs and cats, but it is easily transmitted to humans and can lead to large cysts within our internal organs that can lead to anaphylactic shock and death if ruptured!

For more information on these individual parasites and how they may affect you or your family, please visit: ​http://www.petsandparasites.org

Small Biz Focus: Virginia Supports Veterans, V3 Certification Opportunity

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

By Sindy Yeh

In honoring our veterans this past week, we would like to share a wonderful program the Commonwealth of Virginia sponsors in support of those leaving the military seeking employment.

Did you know the Commonwealth of Virginia is one of the most veteran-friendly states in the nation?

Virginia is comprised of the most veteran-owned small businesses in the country. Not so surprising considering Virginia is home to the Pentagon in Arlington and the world’s largest naval base in Norfolk. There are hundreds of thousands of active-duty service members serving within the Commonwealth’s borders and many have chosen to call Virginia home upon leaving the military.

With more than 750,000 veterans located in Virginia, the Commonwealth has had the fastest growing veteran labor force over the past 5 years and is projected to continue to have the fastest growing veteran population over the next five years.

With such a highly skilled and adaptable workforce living here, Virginia recognizes the opportunity to promote veteran talent to the civilian workforce and to help businesses become more successful by focusing on hiring the right people for the job.

One such initiative, the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program, provides education, training and connectivity resources to assist companies to implement nationally recognized best practices in recruiting, hiring and retaining veterans. Virginia companies who have completed all V3 training requirements and have submitted a veteran hiring plan will be recognized as an official “V3-Certified Company.”

Furthermore, V3 qualified companies with fewer than 300 employees may qualify for up to $10,000 in grants, with $1,000 being awarded per eligible veteran that is hired and retained for at least one year.

Several Arlington companies are officially V3-Certified, namely Lunarline, CACI, Cydecor, G4S Secure Solutions, First Division Consulting, Shoulder 2 Shoulder, By Light Professional IT Services and National Rural Electrical Cooperative Association.

We encourage Arlington companies to consider becoming V3 certified to seize the opportunity to find the workforce they need within the veteran community.

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