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Featured Kennel: Corrib Gun Dogs

Name of Kennel: Corrib Gun Dogs What age were you and how did you become involved in the world of Dogs?: My father bought be my first dog (Black Labrador bitch) in 1992 when I was 12 years old. What Breeds of Dogs have you had over the years? English Springer Spaniels, Irish Setters and Labrador Retrievers What Breeds of Dogs have you got now? Same as above! What would you consider to be your main breed and the one people associate you with? Labrador Retrievers What attracted you to this breed? Living on the Shannon Estuary there is no better companion in the field than a Labrador Retriever What advice would you offer to anybody that is interested in becoming an owner of the breed? Make sure that both parents are from healthy lines, if people are asking alot of money for a pup then it's your right to ask for all proof of the health and achievements of the pup's parents. When you get yourself a puppy try and join a local dog club and learn …

Lolmar Goldens – Golden Retriever & Miniature Schnauzer Stud Dogs PLUS full canine reproduction package

Can you tell us about Lolmar Goldens and the services you provide: Lolmar Goldens offers numerous canine reproductive services. We can offer a full reproduction package from ovulation detection, Artificial Insemination/Natural Mating to ultrasound scanning at 30 days post mating or Insemination. So this isn’t your run of the mill stud service; Well, yes and no. The traditional stud service is available however, taking a more scientific approach, we can dramatically improve the chance of a bitch going home in pup. Scientific Approach ? Yes. Mark is fully trained and Accredited in Canine Reproduction, Canine Artificial Insemination and Canine Cytology. We can accurately predict a bitch’s fertile period and mate her on her most fertile days. Cytology can also detect split and silent heats which can save everyone lots of time and hassle and allows us prepare a plan for the bitch and her owner for her next cycle. Artificial Insemination is a very useful service to off…

Featured Kennel: Mossbawnhill Whippets

Name of Kennel: Mossbawnhill What age were you and how did you become involved in the world of Dogs?: I became involved in the dog world at a very young age via my parents,as my father bred long haired GSD's and my mother always had a miniature poodle in the house,so I basically grew up with dogs and have actually never had a time in my life when I haven't lived with at least one dog. What Breeds of Dogs have you had over the years? I have lived with quire a few different breeds over the years,as I say as a young child it was miniature poodles and long haired GSD's,then in the early eighties my father bought me a whippet to go to the stables with me and also keep up with the ponies whilst out hacking,when I left home I had a flat coated retriever and a wiemaraner and then when I met my husband Ryan and bought our first home we took on his old golden retriever and then got a rescue border collie,after that came a harlequin great dane and then the working gundogs..…

Featured Kennel : Lolmar Goldens

Name of Kennel: Lolmar Goldens What age were you and how did you become involved in the world of Dogs?: My fathers a vet so I was exposed to the welfare and care of animals from a very early age. Dogs obviously were my favorite. We always had dogs in our house but I bought my first dog, a springer spaniel age 14, I sold my drum kit to finance the purchase. What Breeds of Dogs have you had over the years? My springer spaniel Bracken, was my first dog, but over the years I have owned and bred Great Danes, English Bulldogs, Golden Retrievers and Mini Schnauzars. What Breeds of Dogs have you got now? Lolmar Goldens concentrate solely on Golden Retrievers and mini Schnauzars now, both fantastic breeds and we love working with them every day. What would you consider to be your main breed and the one people associate you with? I suppose people would associate me with Golden Retrievers more so than the Schnauzars but mainly because of the retrievers popularit…

In memory of Daisy

Daisy Irish Champion Dessaur “Driving Miss Daisy” 03/08/2018 – 12/10/2018 Sadly we had to give our final hugs to our beautiful Dachshund, Daisy on the 12th October. In early June Daisy had been diagnosed with Intervertebral Disc Disease . This horrible disease is common in certain breeds like Shih tzus,Cocker Spaniels, Beagles. IVDD however is most prevalent in Dachshunds and it is just heartbreaking to watch your dog go through it. We fell in lovely with this adorable breed 18 years ago when we saw them for the first time while on holidays in Italy. They just looked so cute, stylish and classy and we were besotted. Unfortunately like a lot of people we did not do our research on the breed and just fell in love with how they looked ! We knew nothing back then of Intervertebral Disc disease that is way too common in Dachshunds. We don’t regret a single day we have had with this wonderful breed as they are so affectionate, loyal and great watch dogs but I never want to …

Gilabbey Veterinary Hospital, let our dog fall on his head

Danno AKA Irish Champion Dessaur Hawaii Five O - 03/08/08 – 09/05/16 Danno was born in our kitchen on the 03rd of August 2008 and the first and last voices he ever heard was ours, his life was brought to an abrupt end on the 09th May this year due to the negligence at one of Ireland's leading veterinary practices, Gilabbey Veterinary Hospital in Cork. Events leading to Danno being Put To Sleep On Monday 23rd November 2015 we attended Gilabbey Veterinary Hospital for the first time after being referred by our vet. The cause was that Danno our Male Standard Smooth Dachshund had symptoms of spinal injury. At this consultation Shane Guerin examined Danno and gave us a detailed explanation as to what was actually happening. The surgery to be performed on Danno was Thoracolumbar Hemi-laminectomy (Spinal Surgery) and the decision to carry out this procedure is based on what symptoms are present on a scale of one to six. One being the dog feeling pain and six meaning the dog w…

Donatal Cocker Spaniels

Small kennel and only breed occasionally. I mainly do parti colour from Swedish, Italian and Scottish lines. I show my dogs all over Ireland and made up several show champions. Anybody is welcome to view my kennels and my dogs! Check out our link on the Breeders Tab for more contact information

German Shepherd Dogs “Agacamp”

We are a small kennel who specialise in the German shepherd dog We show and work our dogs All our dogs are hip and elbowed scored and graded excellent for breed type Find our contact details on this list

Bye Baby

Whenever I left Kyla behind, I used throw an arm around her strong neck and say "bye baby". The dreaded day came on April 7th when I had to say my final "bye baby" to my gentle giant, Kyla, who went downhill rapidly, during the 3 days prior, with heart failure. She seemed fine up to then or maybe she was just being brave. This was one of the worst weeks of my life. I looked for help from all quarters but to no avail. She was critically ill on day 1 when she was put on oxygen and a drip of heavy meds. I was told I could take her home in the evening of day 1 with 29 tablets to be taken over the following 24 hours. I watched her tired body heave up and down, her anxious eyes just staring into space and there was no rest for this kind and gentle dog. I promised her that she'd never have to leave her home again and she didn't. The procedure was carried out at home by our favourite vet. I sat with Kyla on her bed, her head in my hands, I kissed her over and over and told…

How to lower your vet bill over the life of your dog.

With the site getting over 600 visits per day we get quite a few emails from people looking to be put in touch with a reputable owner / breeder of the breed they have researched and now want to introduce to the family. Probably the most popular requests we get are for Miniature Schnauzers, Labradors & all the different varieties of Dachshunds. In the case of one of the above breeds that I got 5 emailed enquiries for in the last 2 weeks, I wanted to see what the relative breed club had to offer by way of web presence and information for the potential owner. When on the website for the breed I clicked on the puppies / dogs for sale and noted that there were 3 litters available. Now before I put the 5 people that had emailed me in touch with one of the particular advertisers I wanted to ensure that the pups were a result of a mating between 2 adult dogs that had been tested for the minimum breed specific health tests recommended for the breed. I emailed the person wit…

Japanese Chin – Featured Breed – Lee Grogan

Name of Kennel / Prefix / Affix: Still undecided 12 years later. What age were you and how did you become involved in the world of Dogs? I have always been animal mad since as long as I can remember, always having a particular interest in dogs. When I was around 11 years old I was badly bitten by a dog while out playing with friends and became absolutely terrified of them. My parents bought me a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy to help me get over my newly developed fear of dogs and through her I made new friends who also had a Cavalier. Months later those friends where going to a dog show in search of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy and asked if I’d like to go to see some well behaved friendly dogs, I agreed and was bitten again, but this time by the dog show bug. The rest is history. What Breeds of Dogs have you had over the years? I always had a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel growing up as a child and my Dad always had a Boxer. Before I was bitten I had a Dalmat…

Ballygrooby Weimaraners

I have owned Weimaraners since 2011 but I have owned dogs all my life with breeds such as labrador, poodles and West Highland. I had long admired the Weimaraner and after much research I found the lovely Blue George (Finn). A few months later I decided to get Finn a companion and Sky Cloudy Misty Over Ballygrooby arrived. Tragically we lost Finn at just over a year old after an episode of bloat. We were devastated and threw ourselves and Sky into showing to keep ourselves busy! We were delighted when Sky's showing career took off! Hope arrived with us in 2014 and has had another extremely successful show career so far! I breed one litter every two years and each of my girls will only ever have two litters in their lifetime. Our next litter is expected around 17th April 2016, this is Hope's first litter with my homebred Ballygrooby All about Soul Irish Junior Champion, aka Hogan as the sire. I welcome enquires and am always happy to chat

Dogs & the lessons we can learn from them.

Bow Wow Wow We’re just about recovered from what can only be described as an insanely busy week end at Pet Expo. This was the 9th year that the show gave pet owners and potential pet owners their fix on all things pet related. Obviously being involved with the Dog Breed Village I am biased in saying that it ranks up there with some of the other major attractions, and based on the feedback, post Expo on my personal facebook page where I posted pictures of the Breed Village, it delivered exactly what we set out to do every year. The message that all the breed village representatives get across to the huge numbers that visited over the 2 days, is one of responsible dog ownership. Often when people hear the term breeder, they shudder. It implies something “bad” and suggests that pedigree dog breeders are creating health difficulties in dogs down the line. This 2 day event gives us the opportunity to wave our hands in the air and say, hello, we are here, and tell t…

Pet Expo 2015 RDS Dublin 07th & 08th November

We've been working on organising this years Dog Breed Village for Pet Expo which is being held in the RDS Simmonscourt on the 07th & 08th November, and here under is the list to date of the magnificent Pedigree Dog breeds you can get up close & personal with over the 2 days at this fantastic event. I'm sure you'll have to use Google (As I did) to find out what some of these breeds look like before you attend, as some of them are not only rare in this country, but endangered world wide !!!! The dogs owners will be on hand both days to answer any questions you have about the breed or just in relation to responsible dog ownership, and as they are amongst some of the most knowledgeable people in Ireland in their respective breeds, you'd be barking mad to miss this opportunity. Pyrenean Mountain Dog Gos d'Atura Catala (Catalan sheepdog) Leonberger Club Of Ireland Emerald Isle Newfoundland Club Rhodesian Ridgeback Basenji Black Russian Terrier South Russia…

Pedigreedogs.ie | Featured Kennel |Glentore Scottish Terriers

Name of Kennel: Glentore What age were you and how did you become involved in the world of Dogs?: I showed my first dog, a Cairn Terrier called Rosstemple Charmer (Ross) at the age of 12 What Breeds of Dogs have you had over the years? Cairn Terrier, Tibetan Terrier, Scottish Terrier What Breeds of Dogs have you got now? Scottish Terriers What would you consider to be your main breed and the one people associate you with? Scottish Terrier What attracted you to this breed? Initially I loved the look of the Scottie with it's strong, robust appearance and bright almond shaped eyes. When I got to know them better I loved their playful, independent temperament and how they are so loyal to their owners. What advice would you offer to anybody that is interested in becoming an owner of the breed? - Scotties are independent and like to do things their way so it is important to start training as early as possible. Positive reinforcement training techniques work best - Scott…

Responsible Dog Breeders in Ireland

Don't knock the person that researches a particular breed a wants to purchase a pedigree dog from a person that knows the breed inside out and carries out all the breed specific health tests before breeding from adult dogs that have great temperaments. The resulting pups have the very best chance of going on to lead long & healthy lives and very rarely if ever end up in a shelter / pound due to the screening that the owner / breeder does before placing a pup in a suitable home. Promoting responsible breeding / breeders and dog ownership is also a very valid form of combating the mess that back yard breeders & puppy farms create that often end up in the terrible situation of a pound / shelter due to being bred from unhealthy unsocialised dogs. By showing people there is a right way, they can then make an informed choice. But if you don't go down the above road, please visit your local shelter before you buy a dog from the back of a car on the by pass because t…

What do you think ?

Do you like Dogs ? Do you like all dogs, Cross Bred & Pedigree ? Do you think that Dogs deserve to live a life based on the Five Freedoms ? Do you think that a lot of people need to be educated in relation to owning a dog and providing this dog with the Five Freedoms ? Do you think that the government and organisations in Ireland charged with the promotion of responsible dog ownership could do more ? Do you think that events like Pet Expo (07th & 08th November RDS Dublin) are a useful tool in relation to educating the general public ? Do you think the next generation of people in Ireland will be more compassionate & more educated when it comes to being a responsible dog owner ? Do you think Ireland will ever shake off its reputation for being the puppy farm capital of Europe ? Do you think that the rise in canine disease like diabetes has anything to do with the what dogs are being fed today ? Do you think that annual vaccinations for dogs are n…

Pet Expo RDS Dublin 7th & 8th November 2015 –

The aim of the Breed Village at Pet Expo Dublin is as follows To give the potential dog owner : All the relevant information on exercise,training,grooming,feeding and housing requirements of the breed from some of the top people in their chosen breeds in Ireland Who have fully researched the breed, information on the correct route and process when considering bringing a pup or adult dog into your home A chance to see their chosen breed in the flesh, with all the coat and slobber that may go with the breed Information on breed specific health tests that both parents of any potential pup should have taken A reference point for the future should any interested persons need further information before making the decision of being "owned" by the breed The Breed Village is an opportunity to showcase Pedigree Dogs and educate the general public about potential ownership of same. If you are interested in a certain breed and go to a responsible breeder, that carries …

Diabetic Dogs – How we manged Diabetes in our Dog

Doris Dachshund 7/11/01 - 30/09/14 It was with great sadness that we had to say goodbye to our beloved Doris on the 30th September last year. We had 13 wonderful years with Doris and she brought us tremendous happiness, we will never forget her ! We very rarely had to bring Doris to the vets but unfortunately in April 2011 she had a few symptoms that caused us concern. She had started to drink a lot of water and would often shiver despite being in a warm house. We brought her straight to the vets and after taking some bloods and doing tests he diagnosed Doris as a diabetic, she was 9 years old. We were both devastated upon hearing this news as we knew a little bit about diabetes in humans but we knew nothing about it in dogs, but this would soon change. The vet explained to us what we would have to do on a daily basis to care for our diabetic dog but it was all too much to take in at the time and it took us a while to get our head around things. Doris now had …

I hate Dogs !

I hate Dogs. No that's not it. I hate the people that own dogs. That's not right either. What I have come to realise is that I hate people that think they know everything about dogs. Hate probably isn't the right choice of word as hate is a very strong emotion, and one that I don't use that often, reserved especially for people that skip queues and unhelpful employees in call centres. One thing the team here at Pedigree Dogs stated from the outset is that we are far too intelligent to suggest that we know all things about dogs, having never officially studied the subject, and we only have a slightly better knowledge than the man (or woman) on the street. However what we don't know we will always ask for advice from an expert. The basics are easy, research your breed, research a breeder, be prepared for bringing a pup or dog into your house, apply fair & consistent training from an early age, feed appropriate food and when old enough make sure to exercis…

Pedigree Dogs 50% Off Easter Sale

The team here at Pedigreedogs.ie are delighted to announce details of our first ever Easter Sale. Like other well know brands in Ireland, such as Aer Lingus & Ryan Air who constantly seem to be having a seat sale, we have decided to follow the same route (excuse the pun) and have our very own sale. We are having a 50% off sale, so from now until midnight on Easter Monday, ALL dogs advertised on the Pedigree Dogs website will be available to purchase for 50% less than the asking price. Yes you did just read that right, 50% off all dogs advertised on the Pedigree Dogs web site. You see over the last 5 years of running the registered web site in Ireland for dogs, we've come to the conclusion that a large percentage of people in Ireland look upon pets & dogs especially as a commodity, that can be exchanged, traded against, haggled for or simply dropped like a hot potato as quickly as the fashions change. Taking into consideration the above, and the fact that …

Pedigree Dogs Happy 5th Birthday

Today five years ago, the Pedigreedogs.ie website went live on the World Wide Web. In the 5 years since we launched the site, we have learned an unbelievable amount not just about dogs & people, but also about search engine optimisation and techy things we would never had gotten involved in only for the site. The site also got us involved with the event organisers of Pet Expo and as a result we have organised the Dog Breed Village for them for the last 4 years. The world of Dogs in Ireland is massive covering such areas as rescues, puppy farms, dog shows, agility, and so much more, and you would have to be extremely foolish to think that you can improve the life of all dogs in each of these areas. What we have come to learn over the past 5 years is that it would be extremely unlikely that we will win the war on puppy farms, but we can all make a difference by winning the odd battle along the way. Promoting responsible dog ownership and the responsible breeding o…

Straight from the farm to your house.

Hello Doris & Happy New Year (Well I hope it is for some) My name is Billy & I am a 9 week old Bichon Frise. You might already be thinking what could a 9 week old puppy be writing to you about as their life should just be beginning, but trust me, I'm not wasting your time, as even though I've only been on this planet for what must seem like the blink of an eye, I have already lived through a lot. That's even taking into consideration that the first 2 weeks of my life, my eyes were closed, but now they have been well & truly opened. The first thing I remember was how cold it was. It wasn't just me, my Brothers & 1 Sister also felt it and together with them & my Mother, we'd pack as tightly as we could to keep the little heat we had shared amongst us. The next thing I recall was the noise. Screaming & yelping seemed to be coming from every angle, but knowing myself & my siblings were not alone didn't make it any easier. When my …

Starting your puppy on raw dog food

This is a guest post by Dean Barrow who runs raw feeding website, Raw Dog Food. Raw feeding is getting increasingly popular amongst dog owners these days, and it’s no surprise that they’d like their pets to be as healthily as possible. For those of you in the dark, raw feeding is the process of mimicking a dog’s natural diet as closely as possible. This is done by feeding what dogs have been eating for thousands of years - raw meat. There are two distinct feeding methods undertaken by raw feeders, these are BARF, short for Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods, and the Prey method. That doesn’t mean you have to take sides though, some feed one, the other, or even a mix of both, whatever works best for you and your dog. BARF - Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods This is the quickest and easiest way to start feeding raw, BARF is essentially a pre-mixed blend of raw meat, bone, fruit and veg, calculated for the perfect nutritional balance for your dog. The Prey Method Pr…

Dog Breed Village Pet Expo, RDS Dublin 2014

So that’s it for another year. The Dog Breed Village as part of Pet Expo held at the week end in the RDS Dublin, was, even if I say so myself, a great success. Now obviously I am not taking the credit for this, I’m just the puppet master, not that the breed village representatives are puppets…No, start again, I’m just the organ grinder not the monkey.. Maybe I should stop digging myself a hole ! What I’m trying to say is, that without the dedication that the breed village representatives display towards their breed, & as a result, responsible dog ownership in general, there would be no dog breed village. Then there would be no success when it comes to getting our message across to the vast amount of visitors that came to the 2 day event, about the right way to go about researching a breed & then a responsible, reputable breeder. Somebody once said to me that we are just custodians of our breed, and hopefully we hand it on to the next generations in the sa…

Pet Expo 2014 RDS Dublin 22nd & 23rd November Dog Breed Village

The aim of the Breed Village at Pet Expo Dublin 2014 is as follows To give the potential dog owner : • All the relevant information on exercise,training,grooming,feeding and housing requirements of the breed from some of the top people in their chosen breeds in Ireland • Who have fully researched the breed, information on the correct route and process when considering bringing a pup or adult dog into your home • A chance to see their chosen breed in the flesh, with all the coat and slobber that may go with the breed • Information on breed specific health tests that both parents of any potential pup should have taken • A reference point for the future should any interested persons need further information before making the decision of being “owned” by the breed The Breed Village is an opportunity to showcase Pedigree Dogs and educate the general public about potential ownership of same. If you are interested in a certain breed and go to a responsible bree…

Dog food developed with Vets that gives your dog wings.

Developed with vets. Top breeders recommend it. That’s according to the people, (Mars) that bring you the Pedigree Chum brand of dog food amongst others. I came across this old piece of advertising from this company the other day, & posted it on the Pedigree Dogs Facebook page asking people for their opinion of this food. Maybe it’s a coincidence but I posted it around the same day that I leaned that the caffeinated drinks giant Red Bull was sued $13m for falsely claiming their product "gives you wings" Anyhow, out of the 73 comments that were posted, the general gist stated they wouldn’t feed it to their dogs if it were the last dog food left on the supermarket shelves. During the summer I read a fantastic book called Farmageddon The True Cost of Cheap Meat written by the CEO of Compassion In World Farming, Mr Philip Lymbrey. It deals with the production of food products around the globe, and the cost not just in monetary terms but to the planet that large indu…

Pet Expo 2014 RDS Dublin 22nd & 23rd November

Roll up, Roll up, for the greatest show this side of the Mississippi Pet Expo the once a year event which is the largest of it’s kind in Ireland is being held at it’s traditional home of the RDS on the 22nd & 23rd of November. We here at Pedigree Dogs are delighted again to be involved with the show in relation to organising the Dog Breed Village on behalf of the show organisers. Visitors to the show will be able to see up close & personal the following dog breeds & talk to some of the most respected owner / breeders of their breed in Ireland. This as well as all the other aspects of Pet Expo make this as show that is unrivalled in Ireland & one that anybody thinking of buying or adopting a dog would be mad to miss out on. Pyrenean Mountain Dog Leonberger Club Of Ireland Saint Bernard Emerald Isle Newfoundland Club Rhodesian Ridgeback Basenji Saluki Club Of Ireland Black Russian Terrier Alaskan Malamute Club of Ireland Great Dane Akita A…

Introducing a Puppy to your home. Is Christmas a good time ?

Is Christmas a good time to Introduce a Puppy to your Home ? This is a question that raises its head about this time every year and it is a very controversial topic. My human asked this question on his facebook page back in 2012 and he got a great response, the answers covered the full spectrum, from “never,never,never” to “I got my first dog as a Christmas present & it was the best one I ever received” A Puppy to the right home When my human read through all the facebook comments he posted the following comment – “Would it be safe to say that a puppy to the right home at Christmas is far better than a puppy to the wrong home any other time of the year ?” this met with a general acceptance. Different dogs are suited to different lifestyles / households, so whatever time of the year you are introducing a new puppy or dog to your household, please ensure that you have carried out in depth research into the breed, and ascertained what the breed of dog requires by way of …

Responsible Dog Breeders Please Apply Here…

Below is the list of emails that were sent via the Pedigreedogs.ie Website since the 03rd September Now as you all know we started this site due to our love of dogs & due to the lack of policing that was clearly evident on some of the dog sections of the large classified type websites. We answer each & every email that comes our way. Now we don't mind putting these people in touch with reputable Dog owners / dog breeders that we know of, but it's kind of hard to keeping doing same, when you put somebody in touch with a person that has a pending litter of a particular dog breed & they make a sale from same, & then don't even bother to contact you to say thanks for the referral or support the site by way of submitting their details to the breeders tab. It only costs €20.00 per year which is the same as a single dog entry for a championship dog show, and only a tiny percentage from the puppy fee that was gained via the contact from our site. I've eve…

Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened !

It’s with a heavy heart that I sit at the computer today and type this blog. Back in April of this year I was contacted by Cuca the Cocker Spaniel all the way from Lisbon Portugal, a lady that I never actually got to meet, but felt like she was a sister from another litter. You can read what Cuca sent me & my reply at this link Yesterday I learned that Cuca made the journey that we will all have to make someday, & peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Now I know as well as the next canine or human what an unbelievably difficult time this is for all that are left this side of the bridge. You see over 3 years ago I had to say goodbye to my soul mate Dempsey, a half brother that I took under my wing from the day he joined my household, and I still miss him terribly. Back then I wasn’t blogging or felt experienced enough to impart with my knowledge by way of a canine agony aunt, but my humans wrote a small piece about Dempsey which I know helped them tremen…

Doris Day’s in the Summer

Summer greetings to you all from Bridie’s Cottage, Sorry I haven’t been in touch lately but I have been feeling a little bit under the weather. The recent humidity a few weeks ago really took it out of me and affected my diabetes and my sugars went a bit high, but that’s another days blog ! Thankfully my loving, ever observant humans noticed my warning signs immediately and they provided me with a fan and cooled me down with a little cool mist spray on my head, belly and my little feet at regular intervals. I was feeling really drained even though I spent most of the day in the shade of a cool kitchen and I only went outside for toilet breaks. To help me recuperate I came down to my peaceful holiday retreat with my humans in lovely Clonakilty, which is in the heart of West Cork and is part of the Wild Atlantic Way, to get away from it all and to restore myself back to full health. Once the humidity lifted from the air so did my spirits and I felt vibrant again within …

Don’t become a Roley Poley Polly !

Dear Doris, I have been pondering for quite a while about putting paw to paper, but I am worried about my weight...doesn’t everyone? How rude, I ought to introduce myself, my name is Polly, I am a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel and I have recently made a trip to the vet for my annual boosters...nothing odd about that but I nearly fainted when I plonked myself on the weighing scales in the surgery, 17 1/2 kgs..... nearly a 1/3 of my body overweight! I always knew I was a bit on the plump side like my owner Dermot but the shock of this sent me reeling. I am not a lazy spaniel really (apart from nights curled up on the recliner watching the recent World Cup.... )... I am given 2 x 1 1/2 mile walks daily (the other dog in the family is a fit bearded collie and is the normal weight for his breed.) I do love to fetch tennis balls each evening and I do love a good walk down to Cork harbour, but I cannot shift this weight. I was a bit of a table surfer....when my owners turned th…

My name is Sammie, not Hannibal Lecter !

Dear Doris - It’s taken me a while to pluck up the courage to write into you about a subject that doesn’t sit too well with me. You see I wouldn’t say that I’m the type of dog that is always in your face , I usually just like to take things nice & easy and I’m definitely not one to be making a big fuss over nothing. The problem I have can be summed up in three words: Staffordshire Bull Terrier You see that’s what I am, and based on all the rosettes that I have won, I must be a pretty decent specimen. Those three words can strike the fear of dog into quite a few humans the likes of which if you gave them a penny for their thoughts, you’d get change. And that’s even before they have laid eyes on me. After that all hell breaks loose. I’ve spent many a sleepless night trying to figure out what the reason for this is, but can’t come up with anything that could justify the reaction I am sometimes met with. If they only knew me, or even allowed me close eno…

A picture paints a thousand words

Dear Doris I’m writing to you as a last resort. I’m so close to going out of my mind & if that happens I’m not sure what I might do to myself. The thing is, I was bred to work but it’s not the downturn in the economy that has affected me. It hasn’t always been this way as I don’t mind saying it but I was the most beautiful pup you could lay two eyes one. In fact it was my eyes that made me look so spectacular. They are ice blue. In a way it was my good looks that have landed me in the dire predicament that I currently find myself in. You see I was such a gorgeous pup that the first person that came to visit me and my siblings with my mother, snapped me up and couldn’t wait to show me off to their family & friends. It seemed a very slick transaction as I don’t recall too many questions being asked of the new humans about what set up they were bringing me to. Did they work all day ? Were there children in the house & if so would they have enough time to…