This month I'm dedicating my column to some exciting recent discoveries. I'm calling it "Pawsitive Picks" and I'll write similar columns from time to time throughout the year.

This time, I've got a few terrific finds to share.

My first discovery is a vacation spot on the Chesapeake Bay. It's the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina in Cambridge, Maryland. Hotels normally don't interest me, but this place is not only really pretty, it's also dog friendly!

I'm not talking about the kind of place that allows just tiny dogs, either. This Hyatt welcomes furry friends up to 80 pounds! It's even okay to bring two dogs! My people recently went to the resort for a conference, and they told me all about it. They saw dogs frolicking on the lawns, playing Frisbee and fetching, being walked by hotel staff, and accompanying their owners inside the elegant hotel.

The resort even provides do not disturb signs that feature paw prints and say "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie … Dog Vacationing in Room."

This is a great place to go for a weekend get-away with pets. From Middleburg, vacationers and their four-legged friends can drive less than 3 hours and find themselves at a truly relaxing, waterfront escape. The rooms are clean and well-appointed, and there is no end to the list of amenities and activities. I highly recommend visiting their website to learn more. (www.chesapeakebay.hyatt.com)

The next discovery I want to share relates to grooming. Middleburg has two excellent new grooming options. The first is Middleburg Humane Foundation's new grooming salon, which is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Funds raised through the grooming salon directly benefit the abused and neglected animals that MHF rescues. Please call (540) 364-4766 for more information.

The other new grooming option is a mobile grooming service named Move Over Rover. The owner, Ashley, is an award-winning groomer who is professional, talented and absolutely wonderful with animals. The best part is that she comes to her clients. That worked out really well for my furry family, because one of us does not like car rides.

When she came to my house to groom us, we had tons of fun and looked fantastic. The mobile salon is just the right size and it even has air conditioning!

If you think a grooming service that comes to your house might be right for you, just give Move Over Rover a call at (540) 229-6402 to find out if Ashley can come to your area.

Finally, I'm going to shamelessly plug a product, which I never do. This product, however, is worth its weight in gold to any dog or cat with shedding issues. It's a brush called the Furminator, and it is available at major pet stores, online, and at many smaller pet supply stores too. It actually does what it claims to do, which is to comfortably and gently remove copious amount of unwanted fur. It's not an inexpensive product, but you will never need another brush again.

I hope you've enjoyed my Pawsitive Picks. I'll be keeping my nose to the ground hunting for more tips to share!

Albert, a Jack Russell Terrier, is Chairman of the Board of Wylie Wagg, a shop for dogs, cats, and their people, in Middleburg and Fairfax. Email him at albertspawpals@gmail.com.