Annual KWWSPCA’s Wag & Bone Dog Show - 17th September 2017
15th Annual KWWSPCA’s Wag & Bone Dog Show @ Punchestown Racecourse
This year will be the 15th Anniversary of the Kildare and West Wicklow Society for the Prevention of Cruelty’s Wag and Bone Dog Show. The Show takes place in and around the Parade Ring at Punchestown Race Course. Every type of dog is welcome. A list of classes is given below.
Some of the KWWSPCA dogs in need of homes will be there; ‘Noah’s Ark’, the KWWSPCA Charity Shop, will have a stall and there will also be stalls selling cakes, pet products and much, much more. There will be face painting, a lucky dip and a raffle.
Light refreshments available.
DOG SHOW CLASSES 2017
€5 entry per class – €20 for 5 classes
No dogs under 9 months old to be entered in any class apart from the Puppy Class.
1. Waggiest Tail
2. Girl under 12 with Dog
3. Boy under 12 with Dog
4. Veteran Dog (9 years or over)
5. Senior Citizen with a Dog
6. Puppy Class – For Dogs under 9 months
7. Dog Most Like its Owner
8. Rescue Dog
9. Fancy Dress – Dog and Owner
10. KWWSPCA Rescue Dog – ‘The Brian Cup’ – this class is restricted to dogs that have been adopted from the KWWSPCA or who are in the care of the KWWSPCA waiting to be adopted.
11. Child under 16 with Dog
12. Fanciest Female Dog
13. Handsomest Male Dog
14. The Dog You Would Most Like To Take Home – The Steven Lawlor Perpetual Trophy – winners picked by Clapometer
15 BEST IN SHOW to win the Pam O’Mahony Perpetual Trophy. The winner of each of the above Classes is entered automatically – no charge.
HIGH JUMP – This will take place after ‘Best in Show’ on the upper grass area. Pay as you enter. €2 entry. There will be one competition for Small Dogs and one for Large Dogs
For more information: Please call 087 6803295
DSPCA Great Irish Dog Walk 2017
This year the DSPCA’s Great Irish Dog Walk, in partnership with PURINA, will be held on Saturday, 9th September in the grounds of the DSPCA in Rathfarnham.
Enjoy a fun filled walk and doggie themed festival in the grounds of the DSPCA Campus surrounded by spectacular views over Dublin Bay and the surrounding countryside. This event is open to all dog owners or simply people who love animals and wish to enjoy a fun day out, while supporting the lifesaving work of the DSPCA.
Don’t miss all the exciting attractions and activities on the day which include: DSPCA adoption parade, The Wetnose Studio photo booth, exotic pets by Kinsealy Pet Shop, free dog training and Agility by Dog Training at the DSPCA, doggie fun zones and picnic chill out areas, kids fun zones with face painting, bouncing castle, merrier go round, electric zoo, BBQ, pooch pampering stalls and lots lots more BUT you can not forget the freebies and goody bag.
Walk Date: Saturday, 9th September (09/09/2017).
Where: DSPCA Campus, Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.
Start Time: 11am to 4pm – Staggered Starting times – 11.00am, 12.00 noon, 1.00pm, 2.00pm, 3.00pm and 3.30pm.
Registration: Registration is €12.00 per adult log on to www.dspca.ie
How to prepare your dog for a new baby
There’s so much to think about when you’re getting ready for a baby, but if you have a dog it’s worthwhile preparing early to ensure a safe and happy start to the relationship between your pet and your new baby.
Solve existing behavioural issues
Finding the time to do behavioural training might be difficult after baby comes, as you won’t want to be dealing with tough behaviour issues with your dog while also trying to look after a new baby. Behaviour that seems harmless now, such as your dog jumping up on you, may become dangerous if you are heavily pregnant or holding a brand new baby in your arms. If your dog has serious behaviour issues such as aggression, you may need to consult a professional dog behaviourist to help solve these issues before the arrival of your new baby.
Safe Walks
Ensure your dog walks well on a lead, without pulling, tugging you or lunging unexpectedly. This will make it easier for you to keep taking your dog out on walks if you have a pram to manage as well. So, why not try some practice walks with the pram before baby arrives, to help your dog get used to it.
Socialise
Begin socialising your dog with babies and young children, and rewarding it for any positive interactions with them. If your dog hasn’t been socialised with children much, you will need to be very cautious when you get started and keep your dog on a lead. You may also need to put a muzzle on your dog if necessary.
Baby Sounds
Desensitise your dog to baby noises beforehand so they are unfazed by the real thing when it comes along. Play recordings of babies crying, laughing and screaming to your dog on a regular basis at all times of the day. Start at a low volume, then increase the volume slowly in small increments only when your dog is acting calmly and not stressed. Reward your dog for calm behaviour while these sounds play.
Baby's sleeping space
It is important that you make the nursery off-limits to your dog. Through careful and consistent training, you should be able to condition your dog into understand this is a place they are not allowed go without you. Once your dog understands the rules, you can let them to enter the room. But, it is important to maintain enough control to send your dog out of the room when you need to. If you find it difficult to maintain this flexibility then it’s best to keep it fully off limits.
Introducing your dog to baby
To encourage a safe and peaceful introduction, try these tips:
- Have someone bring home something that smells of your baby (such as a wrap it has been wearing), so your dog can become familiar with the scent before meeting her.
- Help your dog relax by ensuring it’s taken for a long walk and has used up some energy before the introduction.
- On arriving home from hospital, greet your dog first before introducing the baby. Remember, your dog will have missed you and will be excited to see you, so doing this will help create a calm environment.
- Make sure your dog is calm before it is allowed to come near the baby. While holding your baby, gently call your dog over and allow it to sniff baby. If there is more than one dog in the household, do this with only one dog at a time.
- Reward your dog for its calm behaviour when meeting the baby. You should do this for their first few interactions to help build a positive association.
Warning signs
Learn to read your dog’s body language for any indication that it’s not happy or comfortable in a situation. If your dog growls, has its hackles raised or bares its teeth remove the child from the situation immediately. If your dog is stressed out or fearful, this is also a warning sign. Look for things such as panting, tense body language, the dog’s tail between its legs, trembling, or the dog trying to hide or escape a situation. Pay attention to these signs and remove the child if you ever see any of them.
Finally, it is important to remember that you must always supervise all interactions between a dog and a baby or young child. Even if your dog is extremely friendly and docile, babies and young children can do unexpected things and any dog can react in a negative way if it feels scared or threatened.
If your dog gives any indication that it is frightened of or aggressive to a child, immediately separate the two and consult a qualified animal behaviourist to help resolve any issues your dog may have with the situation.
Sligo Abbey, Co. Sligo
Sligo Abbey
Abbey Street, Sligo town, Co. Sligo
Phone: +353 71 9146046
Email: sligoabbey@opw.ie
Petfriendly: Yes (dogs must be kept on a lead at all times)
Although commonly known as Sligo Abbey, the correct title for one of Sligo town's oldest surviving structures is The Convent of the Holy Cross. Sligo Abbey was built around 1252-1253 by the Norman Baron Maurice Fitzgerald , who is also credited with being the founder of Sligo. The Friars were in residence at The Convent of the Holy Cross for five turbulent centuries, until they left in 1760. A new abbey was then built in 1763 in Burton Street.
Baxter was allowed to come into the abbey with us, on condition that he was kept on a lead at all times.
Sligo Abbey is managed by the Office of Public Works, who has responsibility for the day-to-day running of over 750 National Monuments and National Historic Properties.
Admission to Sligo Abbey is from 30th March until 8th October from 10am until 6pm and costs only €3 per adult, and €1 for children, which is excellent value for money and well worth the visit.
Streedagh Strand, Co. Sligo
Map: OS Discovery series sheet no. 16
Start/Finish: Trawgar, 3km NW of Grange village and N15.
Time: 7km, about 1.5 to 2 hours
Suitability: easy, care needed on bare limestone, best enjoyed at low tide
When you arrive at Streedagh, you’ll find three kilometres of golden sand, perfect for surfing, strolls or a family picnic. Nearby at Atlantic Sheepdogs, you’ll meet some of the smartest dogs in the world!
Against the beautiful backdrop of Sligo’s Atlantic coastline, this has to be one the most amazing beach walks we've been on with Baxter. It boasts a wealth of interest, including a wedge tomb, fossils, tropical sea limestone, the Armada, a “Butter Boat”, surfing and spectacular views of Ben Bulben, Slieve League and Inishmurray.
The tide was out the day we were there, allowing us to walk the full length of the sandy beach.
King of Paws: Reactive Rover Seminar
Is your dog reactive on lead? Does your dog lunge or bark towards another dog?
King of Paws Dog Training Academy is hosting an evening seminar aimed at giving you as a dog owner an understanding and a set of practical tools that you can use to better handle and manage your dog.
The seminar will take place on Friday 25th August at the DSPCA, Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.
Date: Friday 25th August 2017.
Time: 7 pm to 9 pm
Duration: 2 Hour Seminar
Price: 1 Ticket – €40.00 / 2 Tickets – €70.00
Early Bird: 1 Ticket – €30.00 / 2 Tickets – €55.00 (Book before 31st July 2017)
For more information, or to book your place, please visit the King of Paws website at kingofpaws.com/classes/reactive-rover-seminar/
Pet Boarding & Doggy Day Care Internship Program
The DSPCA have just announced the launch of their 2017 Internship Program. They are looking for passionate and enthusiastic people to join our Pet Boarding & Doggy Day Care team.
Interns will obtain hands-on, practical experience in a real life working enviroment in the DSPCA's busy Pet Boarding facility. Each intern will receive a well-rounded basic knowledge of canine behaviour and psychology learning theory which will be applied as he/she works within our Pet Boarding facility.
Each internship is voluntary and will run for a period of six months. Every intern will be expected to commit to work 3-5 days per week.
Some of the benefits to interns include:
- The chance to be part of an organisation that is passionate about dogs
- Accredited, certified internship with the DSPCA
- Full training in all aspects of Canine Behaviour and Psychology
- Possible chance of career progression
To find out more about this great opportunity to work with the DSPCA and apply now at the following link: http://kingofpaws.com/pet-boarding-doggy-day-care-internship-2017/
Pets in the Park – A Paws-itively great day out for the entire family!
Fingal County Council brings the fun and excitement of Pets in the Park to Millennium Park, Blanchardstown, on Sunday 2ndJuly. Supported by the DSPCA and King of Paws, the event will transform Millennium Park into a pet paradise for the day!
This free, family-fun event is a guaranteed great day out for all animal lovers throughout Dublin, involving a range of activities, stalls and entertainment right through the event. The DSPCA King of Paws Training Team will host Dog Agility and Dog Obedience classes, where members of the public are invited to bring their own four-legged friends.
A small animal farm will give visitors the opportunity to interact with, and learn about, all kinds of animals. Children’s talks and children’s entertainment will also be featured on the day! Pet lovers can look forward to a variety of stalls offering fantastic deals on all types of animal accessories, grooming products, novelty items and toys, while the DSPCA will offer micro-chipping and pet health advice.
For More Information:
Website: www.petsinthepark.ie
Facebook : www.Facebook.com/PetsintheParkFingal
Twitter: @FingalPets
How to protect your dog from heat stroke
As the warm summer weather approaches, it's important to remember that dogs are vulnerable to heat related injuries, the most dangerous of which is heat stroke, which can often prove fatal.
Heat stoke and heat exhaustion are dangerous conditions for any dog and should be avoided at all costs. Heat stroke occurs when the dog's normal body mechanisms are unable to keep body temperature within a safe range. A dog's normal body temperature is 100-102.5 degrees. A body temperature over 106 degrees is deadly.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion, the early stages of heat stroke, occurs when the dog begins overheating. To remedy the effects of heat exhaustion, you must take immediate action to reduce the dog's body temperate and prevent the danger of heat stroke. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, rapid panting, and the skin inside the ears reddening. Should you notice any of these symptoms and suspect your dog might be suffering from heat exhaustion, take immediate action by bringing your dog indoors to a cooler environment immediately, near a fan if you have one, offer some fresh water, and dampen the dampen the skin with lukewarm water and allow it to air-dry.
Heat Stroke
Signs of heat stroke include rapid panting, a bright red tongue, red or pale gums, and thick, sticky saliva. The dog may also show signs of weakness, dizziness and vomiting.
If you suspect your dog is suffering from heat stroke, remove them from the hot enviroment immediately. Wet them thoroughly with room-temperature water (do not use not ice or very cold water, as it will trigger other life-threatening conditions), and increase the flow of cool air around them with a fan.
Five Ways to Prevent Heat Stoke
So, here are five things to remember when the temperature gets high in the summer months:
- Don’t let your dog linger on hot surfaces like asphalt and cement. Being so close to the ground can heat their body quickly and can also lead to burns on sensitive paw pads. Keep walks to a minimum.
- Provide access to fresh water at all times. Make sure an outside dog has access to shade and plenty of cool water.
- Restrict exercise when temperatures soar, and do not muzzle the dog because it inhibits their ability to pant.
- Many dogs enjoy a swim, splashing in a pool, or running through a sprinkler in warmer weather can help bring body temperatures down.
- Never leave your pet in a parked car, not even if you park in the shade or plan to be gone for only a few minutes. The temperature inside of a car can reach oven-like temperatures in just minutes, often in excess of 140 degrees. That quick errand to the shops can very quickly turn into a disaster and could be fatal for your pet.
The last point is particularly important to remember. The number of times I have seen a dog left alone in a parked car at the supermarket during the warmer summer months is horrifying. If you know you have to stop by the supermarket to pick up a few groceries, please leave your dog at home. Your dog will thank you for it!
Remember: Any dog that cannot cool itself off is at risk from heat stroke!
DSPCA Summer Kids Camp 2017
The DSPCA are running a number of one week Animal Care Summer Camps for kids in the DSPCA Campus in Rathfarnham throughout the summer.
Participants will learn about the care and handling of small animals (rabbits, guinea pgs, hamsters, etc), the importance of environmental enrichment for farmyard animals, the care and handling of cats and dogs, basic pet first aid, and much more.
The courses will run through the summer on the following dates:
- 12th - 16th June - 13 to 16 year olds
- 19th - 23rd June - 13 to 16 year olds
- 26th - 30th June - 13 to 16 year olds
- 3rd - 7th July - 10 to 12 year olds
- 10th - 14th July - 13 to 16 year olds
- 17th - 21st July - 10 to 12 year olds
- 24th - 28th July - Sibling Camp 10 to 16 year olds
- 31st July - 4th August - 10 to 12 year olds
- 8th - 11th August (this is a 4 day camp for 6-11 year olds) TBC
- 14th - 18th August - 13 to 16 year olds
For more information, please go to the DSPCA website.