2013 | A dog's paw

Monday, November 25, 2013

Easy Ways to Help the RSPCA

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UK charities rely solely on the generosity of the British public to enable them to do their work. The RSPCA, for instance, receives no government funding but thanks to donations from the public they can rescue, heal and care for many, many animals.
People donate to the RSPCA in a number of different ways. Some give £2.00 a month or more by direct debit, which allows the RSPCA to plan future spending commitments. Other people donate generously at fundraising events or following a televised appeal for help. A number of people leave a gift of money or even a percentage of their estate to UK charities like the RSPCA in their Will.
Perhaps one of the most challenging ways to help the RSPCA is by hosting a fundraising event. There is plenty of information on the RSPCA Choices’ website on how to fundraise (how to promote your event, how to create a promotional webpage or print useful documents like sponsorship forms etc.). RSPCA Choices is the charity’s new approach to funding, allowing people to select from several suggested projects one that they would most like to support. For instance, you might click on their site and decide that you want to support a project that helps cats: you could choose the project called ‘Rehome a Cat’ and work towards raising some money towards the target amount set. Each project has a target figure but each person who contributes towards that target will be kept regularly informed of how their money has helped.
But if you feel that you do not have spare money to donate, or worry that you lack the confidence to organise a fundraising event, perhaps you could think of other ways to help the RSPCA. They are always keen to welcome people who can spare some time to volunteer at their shelters, in their offices or at their shops. Plus there are practical things that you can do to help animals that are being cared for in shelters: if you are a knitter, perhaps you could knit some blankets for the animals, or could you perhaps donate any old blankets or towels ?
You can also help animals through the RSPCA by calling them to report any abuse or neglect that you know about or suspect. Their Inspectors are there to investigate concerns about cruelty and the charity has the authority to take owners to court. You can call anonymously if you have any concerns about giving your details. The Inspectors know how difficult it can sometimes be to report abuse, especially as the Inspectors themselves often face abuse and even violence by animal owners. Indeed the RSPCA Choices’ winter campaign is called ‘Everyday Heroes’ to reflect the difficult and often thankless jobs that their Inspectors have, and the fact that Inspectors make a huge difference to the lives of animals in the UK. If you would like to support those Everyday Heroes then you can select the Sponsor an Inspector project from those listed on the RSPCA Choices site.
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Sunday, November 24, 2013

Wicklow Pound petition

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I've been always reading the update from "Chance" facebook webpage during the last few months.
What I understood is that the dogs in Wicklow Pound have a very difficult life and high rates to be put to sleep.  In 2010 the rate of dogs killed was 44%.
The association was formed in 2012 by volunteers that wanted to enter the pound to take photos of the dogs and create a profile to help rehoming them.
They have been denied it and can access only the "public gallery".
There are layers of wire that divide the dogs from the public in the gallery and the chance volunteers are going twice a week to take photos, with no collaboration from the warden.

You can learn more from this youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UNAhA1XP4w

Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Chance.Wicklow?fref=ts

Website:
http://www.chance.ie/

There is an important petition at the moment that could give an opportunity to the dogs entering the pound.
Please sign it and share!!!

Wicklow County Council and the ISPCA: Provide improved public records, accountability and service at Wicklow Pound 

All dogs entering the pound should be photograhed and given the opportunity to be reunited with their owners, rehomed or offered rescue help. Currently only dogs deemed fit for rehoming by the wardens are allowed to be photographed and dogs are regularly withheld from volunteer’s sight at Wicklow Pound. There should be no hidden dogs.
Stray and surrender information is information in the public domain and can help reunite a dog with an owner (specific areas can be targeted via social media and poster campaigns) and in the case of surrenders ensure that a dog appears on our page as an urgent case. This is vital to saving lives and positive outcomes for the dogs.
Confirmation of availability date is also vital to ensuring a dog is effectively promoted and profiled for rehoming.
Currently opening hours are not conducive to reclamation and rehoming and there is no service to leave a message when you telephone as recommended during opening hours.

https://www.change.org/petitions/wicklow-county-council-and-the-ispca-provide-improved-public-records-accountability-and-service-at-wicklow-pound#




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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Another dog lost!

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Again I found a dog lost!
People start making fun of me, telling I am stealing dogs or I have a magnet that attracts dog lost.
To be honest I see that in those situation I am the only one "doing something".

The first time I found a dog, the wee small was crossing the road at a traffic light in a dangerous situation and was shaking scared. People watching and laughing. I stopped the car and took her and after 24 hours he has been reunited with the owner.

The second time coming back from a park another small dog was running literally in the middle of a road.
Cars were slowing down, no people walking and nobody stopping.
I stopped the car again and run after the dog and been able to catch him after 10 minutes.
Again after 24 hours dog reunited with his owner that was looking for him!

Few days ago I was in Tesco in Dublin 11 when a big labrador came in and started wandering around all happy in the fruit sector.
People laughing and security just pushed him out.
He went into other two shops and same thing.
Outside the shopping center he started to jump wagging his tail inside customers' cars.

Again I took the dog with me, thanks to few treats I just bought for my dogs, and ran to a vet.
He was microchipped but not registered and had a tag.

A big happy dog, but not easy for me to manage as I have two dogs at home.
Anyway we spent a nice crazy afternoon all together and thanks to facebook again I found the owner after just few hours.

I don't think I am special, but please, microchip and put a tag on your dog collar, everything would be easier!!

See my previous article for some tips.
http://adogpaw.blogspot.ie/2013/09/what-to-do-if-you-find-lost-dog.html


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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Working from home - knee injury

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It's long time that I am not writing on the blog.. but unfortunately I had a knee injury, so crutches and no new walks for us :( :(

But I am working from home and I want to introduce you my new work colleagues


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Monday, September 23, 2013

Dog walks: enniskerry - woodland walk

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Maybe is the best walk of the last few months!

I went there with two friends and three dogs on a saturday morning.
On the M50 it took us less than 30 minutes to get there.
There are many walks in Enniskerry and we did the Woodland Walk.

Some problems to find a parking space, as we were not familiar with the area, we parked in the town, but we discovered after that there is a parking space at the entrance of the walk.

It is a beautiful walk in the forest, a lot of plants and a river (Glencullen river) for the doggies to swim and cool down.

The three doggies have been running in the forest for few hours, as the place is quite big and you will not be bored to discover new paths.
The walk that we did was circular, with two bridges on the river.
We met few people there and we stopped for a while in a beautiful area to drink and give the dogs something to eat.

You can find on these websites more information about the place, I am not very familiar, but I hope to go there soon!

http://wicklowcountywalks.com/knocksink.html

http://www.wicklowtourism.ie/village-guide/enniskerry-wicklow.html

http://enniskerry.ie/




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Friday, September 20, 2013

dog training: sit

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***Please note that I am NOT a dog trainer, so I am just sharing my experience with my own dogs.. 
I may be doing wrong things and I am open to suggestions :) ***


 Let's start the training series with a basic command: SIT

With Jago has been very easy to teach him sit, but maybe not for all the dogs is so easy.

First thing to remember is that the dog should have fun during the training and should be able to concentrate.
So it's easier to start in a quiet environment, if he is a puppy maybe not when he is hyper excited.
Slowly you can trying moving to more busy places trying to capture his attention.

Sit was the first command we learnt at the puppy classes.
We have been taught to give the command sit as verbal command without body signals.
He should be able to "understand the word" even if we are giving our back to him.

How to begin?
The easiest thing is to use the natural moments when your dog are going to sit down to tell him the word and praise him.
He will start the association and you are not forcing him but gently using his natural movements to teach something.
Then you can start with the training.

Stand up and show to your dog a treat.
Move the treat near his nose.
If the dog sit give him the command "sit" straight away and praise him.
The timing is very important.

Why we shouldn't give the command before?

When we start with a new command the dog wouldn't understand the word.
So it's better to say the command at the same time with his action.
When the association between movement and word will be better you can give the command in advance and expect a reaction.
You should avoid giving 100 times the command expecting a reaction.
If he doesn't get it he will not understand better if you repeat and the command will loose intensity.

When he will be able to execute the sit following your hand with the treat you can start to training him to only follow your command and giving the treat as praise later.

To reinforce the command you can ask him to sit before opening the door, or before letting him play or before giving him his meal.

Training is an important part of the relationship with your dog, will keep him entertained and you will feel more confident if you are able to control him!

Let me know if you have any issues, advice or experiences to share.

I am not a dog trainer and I am only sharing my experience with my dogs.
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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Dog walks: Bull Island

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Another beautiful place for a nice walk near Dublin is Bull Island, just 4 miles from the city center.
The sandy beach is called Dollymount Strand and it's long approx 5 km!!!


The island is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere reserve and is also classified as a Wetland of International importance under the Ramsar Convention.


The island is connected to the mainland by the Bull Bridge at the southern (Clontarf/Dollymount) end, and by a broad causeway at Raheny.
Usually I drive from Clontarf road heading to the Golf club / visitor centre.
There is parking space and there you have the chance to walk through the dunes or on the beautiful beach!

There is plenty of space to let you dog running and have fun, please respect the wildlife and the environment!

The first time I went there I have been walking on the beach.. for hours! You can see in the photos Jago running and jumping down from the dunes just behind the beach.

Last Sunday we have been walking with a friend and her 2 dogs on the dunes and was beautiful as well, I think that Jago enjoyed even more!
And you can see a fantastic double rainbow to create a nice atmosphere!

From another website "Bull Island is a A 300 hectare island in Dublin Bay formed after the construction of the Bull Wall in the 1820's. It is now a Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary of international importance with up to 25.000 wading birds using the area in Winter"


How to Get There by bus:
30, 31 from Lower Abbey Street.

Visitors Centre is open 7 days a week, 10.00am-4.30pm.


 
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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Walk for Greyhounds

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Saturday 21st September in Merrion Square there will be the 3d walk for Greyhound.
It is a walks organized to promote greyounds as pets and raise awareness of greyhound welfare issues.
The meeting is at 12 in Merrion Square Park and the walk will begin at 1.15 and will take 1 and half hours.

More information on the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/grai.ie
I will go with Jago and Buddy!!


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Saturday, September 14, 2013

Dog walks: Portmarnock beach

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Another beach where we started to go often is Portmarnock beach.
Portmarnock is on the coast between Malahide and Baldoyle, approx 15 km from Dublin city centre.
There is a big public car park and the town is served by the No. 32B and No. 42 bus service from Dublin City Centre, with a bus stop right at the beach!

The beach is very big as  you can see on the map so if it's a sunny day and there are too many people it's not difficult to find a spot where you can let the dog off leash and don't annoy children or people walking there.

The Velvet Strand is a long sandy beach, approximately 5 km in length, consisting of a large sandy dune area.
It would be better to let the dog play on the beach and not on the dunes as I read we should protect the dunes from erosion.

Here the photos of yesterday walk with Buddy and Jago.
They met few friendly dogs and they had a lot of fun running in the water and playing with the ball!

Here the rules of dogs on Fingal beaches:

Dogs On Beaches - http://www.fingalcoco.ie/Environment/BeachesinFingal/DogsOnBeaches/
During the period 1st June to 31st August in any year persons shall be allowed bring a dog onto, or allow a dog under his or her control to remain on the beach/foreshore

(i) under adequate personal control, before the hours of 11.00am and after the hours of 6.00pm
(ii) to be on a leash in all Reserved Bathing Areas (as defined in Schedule 2) between the hours of 11.00am and 6.00pm.

Persons in charge of a dog on the beach shall ensure the following:
- It is on a leash or under adequate control
- It is not causing annoyance to any person using the beach or worrying, chasing, injuring or disturbing any animals, birds or other creatures on the beach
- Removal of its faeces and depositing it in a litter bin or other receptacle which may be designated for this purpose. (Guide dogs for the blind are exempt from this bye-law as also are dogs kept by An Garda Siochana and wholly used by a member of An Garda Siochana in the execution of his/her duty).
-  Every person bringing a dog onto the beach area shall be responsible and liable for any damage or injury to property or persons which may be caused by it.


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Thursday, September 12, 2013

Photo competition with prize!

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The first photo contest is Live now on the facebook page!

I have decided to run this photo contest to give you the opportunity to share your dog's photos and to win a small prize that I will buy from a dog charity.
If the contest will be successful I will run the contest regularly so we can give a small help to other charities / rescues!

You will find all the info here:
http://www.facebook.com/adogpaw

"1st A dog's Paw Photo Contest - Bow Wow Beef Dog Treats DSPCA

A great way to win treats to train your dog and support DSPCA!!

RULES:
Upload an original photo of your dog / dogs / friend's dog on the facebook page.
Wait to see the photo in the Contest Folder.
Share the photo if you want to have more opportunities to get a like.
The photo with more likes will win!
The prize is a pack of Bow Wow Beef Dog Treats from DSPCA shop. (200g - 100% Irish Beef - just cured and seasoned. Made in Wicklow)
Only for residents in the Republic of Ireland.

CONTEST CLOSES next Sunday September 15th at 22:00

Let me know for any question or issues."


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Monday, September 9, 2013

is it possible to train two dogs together?

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***Please note that I am NOT a dog trainer, so I am just sharing my experience with my own dogs.. 
I may be doing wrong things and I am open to suggestions :) ***


Well I am trying, just for fun :D
I've read that is not possible because they are too distracted or for other reasons.
I am not really trying to train them, but yesterday when they started to be bored / too much tennisball obsessed I started with Sit - Down command and it works really good!

Now, Buddy doesn't give paw and I saw he doesn't like to be touched on the paws.

I will progress with some "stay" maybe in the following days and then let's see :D
It's just because I don't want to stop Jago training and these first days I don't want to exclude Buddy from our activities.

Aren't they cute???


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Sunday, September 8, 2013

Puppy classes - video :)

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I found this "old" video today of Jago puppy classes last January.
They were all less than 5 months old and this was the play and recall training


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Saturday, September 7, 2013

Fostering experience - Buddy - day 2

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The fostering experience is continuing and still great!
Yesterday evening Buddy was tired after playing for hours with a 4 years old girl!
He is so gentle!

Today we went to Bark in the Park, a walk in aid for the Irish Blue Cross.
Buddy had the chance to meet many other dogs, big and small, crazy and quiet, and he never had any problem! He didn't mind the confusion, all the people there, the kids approaching and he enjoyed the walk!
The only thing that still scares him are the cars.
He is very stressed when he hears a car, he tend to stop and lay down.
But we are working on that, and being together with other dogs is helping.

At home he is much more quiet than my hyperactive Jago, but he loves his walks and playing with the tennis ball!
He is really affectionate and loves cuddles a lot!

Here a photo of the two doggies tired after Bark in the Park!


20:00 Update!!
My main concern was Separation Anxiety.
Both friday morning and saturday evening when I left even for a while the flatmates told me that Buddy was crying a lot!!!
Today I left the two guys together and alone for a couple of hours and video recorded with my PC
No crying, no barking, no fighting, everything perfect!!
Ok that they were tired from the walk, but I am super happy!!!
Well done Buddy & Jago!


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Friday, September 6, 2013

Fostering experience - Buddy - day 1!

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Everything is happening quickly these days.
Two days ago I found a dog and in 12 hours I found the owner thanks to the facebook page Lors Lost dogs.

In the afternoon I saw on Dog in Distress webpage that there were few dogs in the pound that would need urgent fostering.
I applied months ago for fostering, but I never had the real chance to take a dog.

So I called and yesterday Buddy came at home with me!
He is an 8 years old border collie, that has been surrendered by the owner because he couldn't take care of him due to an illness.
When I first took him he was scared and stressed and he didn't want to go out from the car.
He is not aggressive at all, and he let me pet him and bring him out.

I took my dog Jago and we went all three for a first walk outside!
Jago and him are not playing a lot at the moment, but they are fine together!

Buddy is a very sweet dog, he ate food and slept quiet last night.
Today I had to go to work, so I brought Jago to daycare as I didn't want to leave them unsupervised for the first day.
Unfortunately my flatmate just called me to let me know that Buddy started crying as soon as I left home.
:(
I will go home in a hour during my lunch time to check him, I have toys and a very nice bone.
Hopefully he will settle down a bit.
With me he was very nice and quiet yesterday, but I can understand that he is stressed and needs to adapt to the new situation.
I will be home all these evenings and weekend and I really hope that next week the company of Jago will help him to not feel alone!


You can see here some photos..
As you can see my rule of "no dogs on my bed" had some problems last night :P













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Petition: Wicklow County Council and the ISPCA

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I am sharing this petition found online because I heard that the situation in Wicklow Pound is a bit difficult.

All dogs entering the pound should be photograhed and given the opportunity to be reunited with their owners, rehomed or offered rescue help. Currently only dogs deemed fit for rehoming by the wardens are allowed to be photographed and dogs are regularly withheld from volunteer’s sight at Wicklow Pound. There should be no hidden dogs.
Stray and surrender information is information in the public domain and can help reunite a dog with an owner (specific areas can be targeted via social media and poster campaigns) and in the case of surrenders ensure that a dog appears on our page as an urgent case. This is vital to saving lives and positive outcomes for the dogs.
Confirmation of availability date is also vital to ensuring a dog is effectively promoted and profiled for rehoming.
Currently opening hours are not conducive to reclamation and rehoming and there is no service to leave a message when you telephone as recommended during opening hours.


https://www.change.org/petitions/wicklow-county-council-and-the-ispca-provide-improved-public-records-accountability-and-service-at-wicklow-pound
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Thursday, September 5, 2013

What to do if you find a lost dog?

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For the second time I found a dog in Dublin and I found the owner as well, so I am becoming expert?
:)

Please feel free to add in the comments if you know more resources or if you have any tip or experience to share.

So what to do if you find a dog?

First of all thanks for trying to help him!
- Usually I walk in the area and I try to ask people if they recognize him or can give me some information.

- Keep the dog safe at home and don't let him wander around or he can get injured or cause accidents!

- If he has no tag or written number anywhere bring him to a vet to check if he is  microchipped.

- Take a picture of the dog and post it with the details on the following websites:

Lors lost dog facebook page (I found the owner of the last dog found here)

www.lostdogs.ie (I found the owner of the first dog found here)
 www.lostandfoundpets.ie www.lostandfound.ie www.munsterlostandfound.com www.lostdogs.ie www.IrishDogs.ie www.irishanimals.com http://www.rescueanimalsireland.ie/lost-and-found

- Contact Dublin SPCA by emailing them at lost@dspca.ie with photo,details and contact no.
https://www.dspca.ie/LostAndFoundPetAdvice

- Put some posters with the photo in the area you found the dog.

- Contact the local pound and the nearest garda station and give them your details.

THE LAW STATES THE FOLLOWING- from Irish Control of Dogs Act 1986 Section 13.
(1) Any person, other than a dog warden or a member of the Garda Síochána, who finds and takes possession of a stray dog shall, forthwith—
( a ) return the dog to its owner, OR!!
( b ) deliver the dog to a dog warden, OR!!
( c ) IF YOU CAN KEEP the dog SAFE WITH YOU, give notice in writing containing a description of the dog, the address of the place where it was found, and the address of the place where it is detained to the member in charge at the nearest Garda Station to the place where the dog was found, or to a dog warden.
If you take the dog in you can keep it for 28 days without a licence, then the animal must be licenced and if you decide to keep/rehome the dog, ownership of the dog is not yours until a year and a day have passed. This does NOT apply to dogs adopted/rescued from pounds, only those taken in as strays




I found the owner of these two lovely dogs in 24 hours.
It's very good to be able to help and to see people and dogs happy reunited together!




With these experiences I learn more how important is microchipping our pets!
http://adogpaw.blogspot.ie/2013/09/national-chipping-month-competition.html

Please feel free to add in the comments if you know more resources or if you have any tip or experience to share.
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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Fostering dogs - today experience

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I have fostered a dog before and it has been a very nice experience.
She was a 6 months old golden retriever and Jago was 6 months as well.
Quite frantic weeks with two puppies but I could learn a lot and I am glad I helped her to find her new home!
I will write about her soon :)

Today I knew that a female german sheperd has been found alone, but unfortunately the owner could not keep her.
She is in the restricted breed list, so she would have short life in the pound as far as I know.
I went with Jago to meet her.
Unfortunately I couldn't take her and it has been a very difficult decision.

She is very nice, friendly and she was ok with Jago.
But he was like scared.
We brought them for a walk and they never tried to play together, they were ignoring each other and Jago looked like a bit stressed.

At the moment I am working full time and I unfortunately I could not leave them alone, without supervision.
I do really hope that they will find a foster home for her :(

I will consider fostering in the future for sure, obviously I would need a suitable house for that and make sure that the dog would get along well with Jago.

If you can, consider fostering please, you could really save the life of dogs!

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Monday, September 2, 2013

Bark in the Park - phoenix park - saturday 7th september

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Next Saturday there will be the 4th and last Bark in the Park 2013.
Bark in the Park is a sponsored dog walk to raise funds in aid of the work of The Irish Blue Cross animal welfare charity.

There will be a walk (dog on leash) and a raffle, music, goody bags (sponsored by Maxi Zoo) and prizes for the dog with the Best Bark, Shiniest Coat, Happiest Smile and Waggiest Tail

I have been at the 1st Bark in the Park in St. Annes Park and it has been a very nice experience!
The sun was shining and a lot of dogs were there!
I met a lot of new people, new doggies and Jago had the chance to play with many new friends!

It's very good to know that we can have a nice day out and in the same time help a good organization like the Irish Blue Cross.
The Irish Blue Cross is an animal welfare charity that provides low-cost veterinary services for people on a low income around Dublin.

You can find more information here http://www.bluecross.ie/  and here http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Irish-Blue-Cross/159508547395141

More details about Bark in the Park and photogallery of the previous events are here
http://www.barkinthepark.ie/

Saturday 7h at 3pm - Phoenix park, Dublin
Starting point: At the junction of Chesterfield Avenue and Ordnance Survey Road, near the Castleknock Road entrance

The route will be a 4km walk, will start at 3pm and will take approximately 30 – 45 minutes.
At the end every person registered will receive a doggy bag!


Will you be there?
Spread the voice to help the Irish Blue Cross!

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Jago being bad :)

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The daycare where I leave Jago send always a lot of photos.
I thought that this one was funny!
Jago looking at the other dog with his tongue out like saying "prrrr" and the other dog face so sad!
I am not the best in writing caption for photos but here an experiment :P


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Sunday, September 1, 2013

National chipping month + competition!!!

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I wrote few days ago an article about the compulsory microchipping in Ireland.

September is the Ireland's National chipping month

That means that there will be initiatives all around the country and there will be more opportunities to have your dog microchipped at reduced price or free of charge!

There are many sponsors and associations involved and you can find updated information here:
http://www.ncm.ie/ and here on the facebook page

There is also a competition  promoted by National Microchipping Month campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of microchipping pets and animals.

The overall winner will receive FREE pet insurance for their pet for one year and FREE pet food for the same animal for a year courtesy of our partners, Royal Canin and Allianz Pet Insurance.

You will find details about the competition here:
http://www.ncm.ie/rules/
It looks like a good opportunity!

If you are not sure about the microchip details you can check it for free at maxizoo stores:
http://www.maxizoo.ie/free-check-your-chip-service-to-help-dog-owners-protect-pets-2/


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Friday, August 30, 2013

Another dog friendly pub in Dublin

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Another place to add to the list of dog friendly pubs
Tonight I've been in Schoolhouse pub / hotel in Ballsbridge Dublin 4 for the leaving party of a friend.


I brought Jago as I knew they have a big outdoor space.

There are tables and chairs and nobody was complaining that I was there with Jago.


So another dog friendly pub found! Finally in Dublin city!

He even met a dog, off leash, I suppose coming from the houses in the nearby and they have been playing for a while together!

This is the website: http://www.schoolhousehotel.com/

(I didn't ask anything to the staff to be honest, so I hope they don't mind I am writing this post :P maybe they won't be happy to have many dogs?)




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Back from work..

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Coming back from work one day Jago didn't run to say hello... 
I realized something was wrong.......
.........................
...................
........................................................................................................................

  
 .............
.............
....................
..........

Here he is!!!! Busy destroying the new blanket!!


Me: "what are you doing Jago???" And his face: "Who? Meeee???"
:D :D :D
..............



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Thursday, August 29, 2013

What Jago likes?

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

doggie day care

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Since I got Jago my concern was: will he be bored at home?

I live in a house with a garden, medium size garden.
I work not far from my house, 10 minutes by car.
I adopted Jago when he was a tiny 10 weeks old puppy.
I know that many people are against adopting a puppy if you work full time, but the owner couldn't find a home for the 8 puppies and he was ready to bring them to the pound.

So I took some days off and on a Friday I brought home Jago!
After a couple of days I started to get him used to stay alone, to avoid separation anxiety.
I began leaving him for few minutes in a different room, then going out for 5 minutes and so on.
Obviously he was following me everywhere!
And he was crying a bit when left alone, but he was so tiny and scared!

I bought kongs and other toys to keep him entertained.
He started to think that me going away = treats and toys.

So the time came that I had to go back to work. I put my computer to record Jago and listen what he was doing. I left a stuffed kong and treats hidden.
Jago was fine! I was bringing him outside at lunch time and again in the evening and spending a lot of time with him when not at work.

But... but.. he is an high energy dog. Growing older I saw that he started to destroy, chew furniture and the kongs were not enough. I had sometimes to stay in the office for lunch.
I started to feel guilty obviously.

So I decided to try the doggie day care!
I have a day care near my workplace. It is a dog training structure, with professional trainers, where I went for Jago puppy training classes.
I bring Jago there at 8 in the morning and I collect him at 5 when I finish working.
The first day I was soooo emotional! My puppy alone with a lot of other dogs!!
The day care staff is fantastic, they put photos on their facebook page and they explain you if the dog had any issue, or anything. They divide the dogs into groups, puppies, small dogs and big dogs.
He was coming back happy and tired and in the morning when I bring him there his tail is wagging!

I am sure it's a great opportunity for playing and for socializing.
I am glad to know that he will meet different dogs, with different behaviors and he will get used to share time and space with them.

Obviously they are supervised all the time and they have interaction with the day care staff.
There are 2 breaks during the day, to allow them eating in a safe place and to relax a bit.

There are many day cares in Ireland, I know at least Dog Training Ireland in Blanchardstown and DSPCA in south Dublin.

They are not really expensive, 15/17 euro per day.
Now I bring Jago once a week.

Obviously the dog should not be aggressive and if he is over 6 months there will be an assessment before accepting him. Some of the day care centers will not accept male dogs if not neutered.

I am sure that day care is a brilliant opportunity to entertain your dog, help socialization and avoid anxiety and boredom, but obviously it should not be a way to avoid interaction with your dog, training and play time with him!




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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Training: recall!

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***Please note that I am NOT a dog trainer, so I am just sharing my experience with my own dogs.. 
I may be doing wrong things and I am open to suggestions :) ***

Well, we all know that one of the most important things is to be able to control our dogs.
And especially... to make them come back when called!

I thought it was kind of impossible... I've never been able!
So with Jago I started early.
I got Jago when he was 10 weeks old, a scared tiny puppy.
Since his 1st walk outside I started the recall training.
I was bringing with me treats and toys.
Obviously EVERYTHING was more interesting than me.. but, as he was very young and still unsure of himself,  he wanted to stay next to me and I used this moment to make him believe that coming back to me was GOOD!

Maybe your dog is not so young, so things can be different.

Obviously you should start in a safe place, like your garden, a dog area in a park or a place where it would not be dangerous for him to be off leash.
It's better to start in a place with not too many distractions.
I started in a green area in front of my house, very quiet.
If you are not confident enough you should buy a long lead, in the pet shops they sell also these kind of equipment.
Choose a command and always use the same.
Every time that your dog comes back to you praise him a lot and give him always very special treats or reward.
He needs to associate the idea that coming back to you is something very good.
It is very important to call him "often" and release him to go play again.
He should not think that coming back means the end of the games and going back home.

We attended puppy classes.
We were letting the puppy playing all together and then trying the recall.
Every few minutes.
It was sooo difficult as the puppies were all excited to play together!
Obviously Jago and me were the Worse of the class!
:)

But now I must say that he is quite good.
He is always coming back when I call him and stopping if I need to stop him.

Do you have any special suggestion you want to share?
Which is your experience with your dog?



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Monday, August 26, 2013

Dog walks: Tolka valley park

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I found that there are so many dog walks near Dublin!
Enjoying the nice Irish summer I brought my dog to many different places in the last couple of months.
Tolka valley park is one of them.

It has been quite difficult to find where it was and where to park my car!
Actually I parked at the Blanchardstown shopping center and I had to walk toward the N3/M50 entrance to find the gate for Tolka Valley Park.
I am sure there will be other accesses but I didn't find them on any website.

If you know one of them please feel free to add it in the comments!



Tolka valley is a linear park that run alongside the Tolka river and incorporates 300 acres of grassland.
It was very nice to see the change of landscape, between the big shopping center, N3 the work in progress on the road with big machines... and the quiet paths along the river, the small animals, the dogs and people jogging.
It was a Sunday morning when Jago and me went discovering this place.


Obviously he had good fun in the river, he loves water and the fetch the ball in the water :)
He also loves running on small paths when he can go to discover the "forest", but also open areas are good for sniffing :)

We met other dog owners and he could have a good run and play time with them.

Unfortunately it started raining so we couldn't explore the whole park, only a small part, but I am planning to go back again.


From the fingal website:
" The park is home to a rich variety of animal and plant species such as otters, kingfishers, dippers, bats, cowslips and willows . 
* The park offers a diverse, natural and tranquil landscape which is great for walking and jogging and the river supports an abundance of brown trout, providing for some good fishing." 

How to get to Tolka Valley Park?

N3 from Dublin to Navan, exit Blanchardstown.
Car park at the Blanchardstown shopping centre.
I hope to find new car park and entrance.
By BUS, Busses 38 and 39 from O'Connell Street, Dublin to Blanchardstown.

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Sunday, August 25, 2013

Dog neutering, Jago experience

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I have read so many discussions about if it's right or not to neuter a dog.
I spoke with many people and friends.
Obviously the first reaction is: NO!
It's against the nature, poor dog,we cannot choose for them and so on.
Then I start thinking how many abandoned animals live out there.
How many are put to sleep, just because nobody want them.

We didn't neuter our first dog.
I don't know exactly why, we were new to dogs and maybe we didn't have any strong advice to neuter him.
I know that around 2 years old he became aggressive with male dogs.
Maybe he would have also if neutered, but usually it helps to avoid aggressiveness.
Unfortunately we had to neuter him when he was already older for a testicular cancer.
He recovered and had no problems, but obviously it's always better to have surgeries when the dog is younger.
He was also started to have some prostate issue.

I neutered Jago when he was 6 months old.
First of all because I don't intend to use him for breeding.
He would not have had any sexual active life.
And he would have suffered.
My previous entire dog was suffering so much when there was a dog in heat.
He was crying for days even if the dog was living quite far from us.

Medical benefits of neutering are
  • Testicular cancer. 
  • Prostate problems. 
Neutering doesn't change the dog behavior.
He will be playful, energetic and happy, but less likely to develop some behavior like for example aggression toward other males, urine marking, roaming.

And the most important part is to avoid the birth of unwanted dogs.
Jago mother was very young when she had him.
His owner thought to wait a bit before spaying her.
They went on holidays, she had her first heat and came back pregnant.
She had 8 puppies.
The family couldn't cope with all those puppies!
They could re-home some of them, but not all! They were about giving the 4 males to the pound.

Usually neutering male dogs is a very easy surgery.
I brought Jago to the vet in the morning, he had all the blood tests and I collected him in the evening.
I was really stressed and scared.
I was expecting Jago tired and sad after the anesthetic but he was ready to play!
And hyperactive 6 months old Setter X.
The vet told me I didn't need the cone.
He was prescribed some pain killer and nothing else.
The morning after the surgery he wasn't able to walk and suffering a lot.
Unfortunately he started licking the wound.
I brought him to the vet and they gave us a plastic cone that he destroyed in 10 minutes.
They told me to put it on only sometimes, that usually dogs don't need it etc etc.
They told me to keep Jago quiet, but not in the crate.
Yeah, easy.
Jago was running and jumping even suffering and still trying to lick the wound.

I bought a soft cone, much much better than the plastic one.
James Marketing Comfy Cone Large 25-33cm After one week, when usually everything is fine, Jago was prescribed antibiotics, pain killer and the cone 24 hour.
It took 2 weeks to recover.
It has been really hard, he was suffering but still wanted to play, to jump, to run off lead.
We had been allowed quiet walks on lead after one week.
It's funny how he started playing with the tennis ball using the cone to throw it!
They can drink and eat with the soft cone and it's not that bad to sleep with it :)
Anyway, so happy to run again free when he recovered!
It was a sunny day and we went celebrating to a nice park!

I am pro neutering, just be careful, if the dog is young, hyper active and licking the wound, please, use the cone!!
It will be a lot easier and faster the recovery!













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Dog walks: Ticknock wood

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We are part of  Dublin dog meetup group.
Every saturday we go to a different place and that allows me to discover new dog walks!

Ticknock forest is on the Dublin mountains, 30 minutes far from the city centre.

We met on a Sunday morning at the car park with the other doggies at 12.
The 3 crazy dogs of the group started running and playing, it is safe to leave them off lead and we didn't have problems with the people we met.

The route is very nice, you can follow the main road, big and safe or go on some lateral smaller paths.
There are scenic points with a beautiful view on the coast, Bray and Dublin.
We did a circle, about 90 minutes walk, a bit uphill but not difficult.
There were parts with water where the dogs had a lot of fun.
There are no dangerous cliffs and the dogs can enjoy, explore and run free!
 You can find more information here http://www.dublinmountains.ie/index.php?id=135










At the end of the walk we had some coffee and drinks at the local pub, with an outdoor area where dogs where allowed!
Definitely a nice dog walk, I will go there again and explore new routes! 

Parking Info:
Please use the car park facilties provided and do not block local resident's access along the public road.
Car park closes: 16:00 Nov-March; 20:00 April-Oct
Parking fee price: None

How do I get there?

From the city centre, head for Marlay Park via Rathfarnham. Passing the main entrance to the Park on your right, turn right at Ballinteer, St John's GGA Club and, following the road around the edge of the Park, turn left at the Taylor’s Grange junction onto the R113. Take the second turn on the right and this will bring you to the entrance to Tiknock forest. 

Tiknock Forest Entrance @53.255695,-6.251113


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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Canine First Responder certification - Dublin

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I am seriously thinking to attend this course (or another similar).
It looks very interesting to be able to be prepared in front of emergency.
This is a certified course that is not far away from me, but I am sure there will be others.

The Canine First Response (CFR) is a worldwide certification agency for First Aid and CPR. This course is the only one approved by Canine First Response.

The course covers the following and more:
Effective use of barriers such as gloves and face shields
Safe scene assessment
Primary Assessment
Canine CPR and rescue breathing
Spinal Injury Management
Control of serious bleeding
Shock Management
Splinting for broken limbs
Choking Management
And more
This course will give you the tools you need to be prepared should that medical emergency arise with your beloved pet.  


http://www.dogtrainingireland.ie/canine-first-aid.php
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Friday, August 23, 2013

Compulsory microchipping in Ireland

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I just read that it will be compulsory in Ireland to microchip your dog.
I had Jago microchipped few months ago and I believe that it's very important!

It's not an expensive procedure and not painful for the dog.

Unfortunately many dogs are microchipped but not registered to the actual owner.

Just beware that many vet will not register the dog to your name, so you must do it usually online.
And also remember to change online your contact details if you move or you change phone number.
Unfortunately the same thing happens with the breeder.
Often when I read of lost dogs, they are microchipped but registered only to the breeder, and often it's not possible to find the owner.

There are a lot of events to help get many dogs as possible microchipped.
I know at least two of them, Dublin DSPCA

http://www.dspca.ie/index.jsp?a=615&n=232&p=158

 

and Dog Trust Ireland


http://www.dogstrust.ie/az/m/microchipping/#.UhfWXH91uSo

"Dogs Trust are offering free microchipping for all dogs for the months of August and September. "









Some info from Dog Trust website:

1. What is a microchip?
A microchip is a small electronic device, which is the size of a grain of rice. The microchip is coded with a unique number that can be read by a scanner. A microchip works through radio wave frequency.

2. How is the microchip implanted?
Using a specially designed implanting device the microchip is injected through a sterile needle under the dog's skin.

3. Where is the microchip implanted?
In dogs, the microchip is implanted under the skin, between the shoulder blades.

4. Does it hurt?
No anaesthetic is required and the procedure should cause no more discomfort than a standard vaccination.

more info:
www.dogstrust.ie/az/m/microchipping

Here is 5 top reasons why you should Microchip your pet:

           1. Microchip identification is the most permanent way to identify your pet.
           2. Collars and pet tags are great but they can fall off or be removed.
           3. Microchipping is a safe, practical & excellent way to identify your pet.
           4. Your pets microchip is a unique 15 digit number that once registered online is linked to your details.
           5. Microchipping is a sure way to reunite you and your pet.



So remember, microchipping your dog will be compulsory, but even without a law we must know that is very important!
Unfortunately it happen quite often that a dog get lost.
A lot of times the tag could be lost as well, or the collar, so it would be very difficult to trace back the owner!
If you love your dog, please consider microchipping!


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