Merry Christmas!

Well it's almost Christmas, woohoo! And with that in mind we wanted to share with you some tips to keeping your furry friends safe and happy over the festive season.





 

So relaxed...

Visitors:

Christmas is a busy time in lots of households, and with people coming and going regularly, our canine chums can often get quite stressed. To help them stay relaxed and happy, make sure that they have a nice, quiet, and cosy spot somewhere that they can escape to if they want. Leave a bowl of water, their favourite toy, and a nice warm blanket/bed to snuggle into. Don't force your dog to meet guests, and if they choose to go to their safe spot, make sure that they're not disturbed.

 

 

 





Can you see where she's hidden the food?

Food:

Christmas is a particularly dangerous time of year when it comes to food and pets! Raisins in mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding are poisonous to your dog, as are chocolate, garlic, onions,  macadamia nuts, grapes, and avocados. Make sure all human food is kept out of reach of your dog (especially if they like to partake in a little counter surfing!) and if you think that your pet has eaten something that they shouldn't have, keep a very close eye on them for signs of illness. If they are vomiting, lethargic, not eating/drinking, or show any other signs that they're not well, then call the vet immediately.

 

 

 

 

Decorations:

What do you mean baubles aren't
for playing with?!

Whilst they may make our houses look festively fantastic, decorations can be an issue when it comes to dogs, and other pets. As well as the risk of your dog mistaking a bauble for a toy to be chewed on, wires from lights on the tree could also be a safety issue, with your dog getting tangled in them by accident. To be safe, make sure all wires are  tidied up and out of the way, and that your dog is never left alone with your amazingly decorated tree, or that baubles are our of reach! Don't forget that poinsettia plants, holly and mistletoe are poisonous to dog so if you've decorated your house with any of these, then again make sure that they're out of the reach of sneaky paws!

 



So there's some helpful tips to keep your pooches happy and healthy this festive season!

 

Merry Christmas everyone! The blog will be taking a break for the next two weeks, but we'll be back again in the New Year!:)

Santa Paws is back in town!

It's that time of year again when we all start to look forward to a visit from a very jolly gentleman wearing a bright red suit, and to celebrate, the Education Team are holding the festive 'Santa Paws' event again this year! 

We'll have a very special Christmas Workshop for little Elves aged 5 to 12, where they'll get into the Christmas spirit with lots of fun activities, including putting together stockings for our furry residents to make sure that they have some goodies over the festive season. Our helpful elves will also get a tour of the centre to see some of the dogs who will be on the receiving end of their creative stocking filling!

 

Our Little Elves will also get to meet Santa and have their photo taken with the man himself, who, in the spirit of Christmas, will also give presents to each of the Children!

Education dogs Sadhbh and Beibhinn will be there to show each of our guest how to safely meet a dog, and, as usual, there will be plenty of treats to munch on throughout the morning!

 

Fancy dress is optional, and all this will take place between 10.30am and 12pm in our Rehoming Centre in Finglas. €10 per elf is required to book a place, which can be done via this link!

 

If you can't make it to the workshop, you can still meet Santa and his elves, have your photo taken and receive a small gift! Come along between 12.30 and 3pm to the Rehoming centre for your meet with Santa. The cost for this is €5 per child - booking is advisable, but not essential, and can be done through here.

 

The Education Team can't wait to meet you all there! 

Safety in School

Deirdre, our South East Education Officer, recently visited Ballyduff NS in Co. Waterford.  Afterwards some of the students emailed with what they had learned during the workshops.  Here are their best bits:

Dogs Trust visited Ballyduff Lower National School.  Fifth and sixth got a visit from Deirdre and her two dogs Cónán and Sadhbh.  She was talking about safety around dogs...  Don't rub the dog while he is sleeping or eating.  Don't go up to a stray because you don't know if he's in a a bad humour or a good humour.  I enjoyed this very much.  Thank you Deirdre & Sadhbh and Cónán.

Kellie, Rang V

Deirdre told us never climb into a dog's bed and don't rub your dog when he or she is eating.  If a dog growls and you don't listen to that they could start to snap and if you don't listen to that the dog could bite so the next time you will not make the same mistake as last time... And at the end Deirdre let us rub a dog but before you rub the dog you put your hand in a fist and leave the dog lick or sniff your hand then you rub the dog where the dog likes to be rubbed.

Sophie

Deirdre also told a very good sign for meeting dogs with their owners, it was W.A.L.T.  The W in W.A.L.T. means walk to the owner.  The A means ask.  The L means let the dog sniff your fist.  The T means touch...  If you see a dog outside the shop you do not go near it and if you see a stray dog don't go rub it.  Don't run from the dog because it will think that you are playing catch and then chase after you.  So if you are in that situation Deirdre said to put your hands into the X-Factor and then do not look at the dog.  You never know if a dog is nice or not and even if it's your own dog you should never be rough... I had a great time with them coming over, it was so fun.

Grace, Age 10, Múinteoir Connie

Deirdre told us when approaching a dog first you have to close your fist and let the dog sniff it but never approach a dog when it's in bed, attached to a pole, on his own or when he is eating.  She told us if you see a stray dog and you are afraid of him, don't run away from him because the dog thinks you are playing catch so just stand still and cross your hands away from the dog so he thinks you're boring... At the end we all got to pick a dog and let them sniff our hand first and then rub them.  I picked Cónán to rub.  I thought Deirdre was really nice to let all 21 people to rub a dog.  Deirdre was really funny to hear and watch and I hope to see her and the two dogs again.

Emma

Deirdre, Sadhbh and Cónán would like to say thanks to all the pupils and staff at Ballyduff NS for such an enjoyable visit.  We're glad you learned so much.  Woof and kisses xxx

 

A Very Lovely Letter

Recently our Executive Director, Mark Beazley, received a very lovely letter from a schoolgirl called Amie from Co. Tipperary.  Amie's school had been visited by South East Education Officer Deirdre and it was clear from her letter that over 2 years later, Amie was still very much impacted by what she learned about dogs during the workshop.  Below is a copy of Amie's letter, along with the response given by Deirdre:



Dear Amie,

First of all Mark would like to thank you very much for your lovely letter, he said it made his day!  Mark has asked me to write to you on behalf of all the staff and dogs at Dogs Trust, as I am the Education Officer who visited your school two years ago with my Education Dogs, Sadhbh and Cónán.  I am so pleased that you enjoyed our visit and that you are still thinking about us two years later!  I have some good news:  I will be returning to your school this December to do some brand new educational workshops.  Myself and the dogs are really looking forward to meeting you all again!

I am glad to hear you and your sister have such a love for dogs – especially King Charles Spaniels and Pugs!  You were wondering what dogs would be suitable for younger children.  At Dogs Trust we

believe in ‘deed, not breed’ – that basically means we think any breed of dog can make a great family pet if they have an owner who does the good ‘deed’ of bringing them up with lots of care, attention and respect.  My advice to you would be to always try your best to be a responsible dog owner and to help your family make sure your dog is healthy and happy.  Remember, dogs need two meals and two walks a day, plenty of water, a comfy bed, some fun toys and most importantly, an owner who loves them.

At present we have over 200 dogs and puppies at our centre, all looking for their fur-ever homes!  Since Dogs Trust opened  in 2009 we have seen thousands of dogs come through our doors.  In fact, we rehome around 1000 dogs every year!  One dog who really sticks in my mind is a Greyhound called Brave.  He was tied up outside Dogs Trust with a broken leg, held together with tape.  Luckily our fantastic vet team managed to save his injured leg and Brave even went on to work as an Education Dog in East Munster!  It’s stories like this that make working at Dogs Trust so fulfilling. We think every dog deserves a second chance, which is why we never destroy a healthy dog.

I hope I have answered all your questions, and I’ll see you very soon!

Best wishes,

Deirdre

 

We would like to thanks Amie very much for writing to us, as knowing the positive effect an Education Workshop can have on our future dog owners is what makes the job the Education Officers and their dogs do so very worthwhile!  If you would like to book a workshop with one of our team, contact education@dogstrust.ie or find details of your local Education and Community Officer on learnwithdogstrust.ie.

Happy dogs at Halloween! Ollie & Odie's Top Tips!

Can you believe that it's almost Halloween?! We bet that you're all looking forward to some dressing up and trick or treating this year. We here in the Education and Community Team love this time of year (so much so that we've decided to celebrate with a Howl-o-ween event! More on that later!), but we know that our dogs might not feel the same. Can you imagine how strange it must be for them, all these new visitors to the door, not to mention all the scary costumes!

 

 
 

So, we asked new boys Odie & Ollie to put together some doggy friendly tips to help us make sure our dogs aren't scaredy cats at Halloween!

 

Staying in & going out

 

At this Halloweens thing there’s lots of new peoples walking around, well, they smell like peoples, but sometimes they don’t look like peoples!!! I don’t like to go out when they’re around as it’s a little bit scarey. There’s lots of loud noises (something called fireworks? Sound like explosions to me!) and strange smells too, so Dawn’s going to bring me out for a walk early she says- then I can have lots of time in the nights to chew on my toys! Yay! I have to stay on my lead on our walks just in case I gets a fright and run off, I don’t want Dawn getting lost! I’m also going to make sure that she comes out to the garden with me on my nightly patrol and bathroom break! I feel safer if she’s there with all the strange goings on! Dawn’s also checked my ‘chip to make sure our address is on it especially cos we moved house recently!



This is how I plan to spend
Halloween!

 

My big brother Jake has told me all about Halloween. He says that the small people knock on the door a lot, and that Fiona and Ian have to give them some chocolate and sweets to get them to go away again! I don’t mind people knocking on the door, but I think if there’s as many as Jake says there’ll be, then I would feel better if I stay in the kitchen. That’s where my nice cosy bed is, and it’s far away from the front door. I have lots of toys stashed in here too so I can play with those, and Jake says the grown ups will leave the radio on for us so that we can listen to that and not pay attention to the visitors! Result!

 

Sweet Stuff

Speaking of chocolates, did you know that this yummy sweet stuffs is actually really bad for us dogs? We could get very ill if we eat any, even though we might forget that and try to eats it all!!! Dawn has some chocolates and sweets in the cupboard ready for the small peoples to call, but I can’t get to them to eat them (they smells sooooooo good though!). I have my own yummy dogs treats anyway, so it’s not so bad.

 

And and and!!!!! Don’t give us sweets either!!! Jake says they can make us ill too. I might enjoy eating one but I know I wouldn’t enjoy being sick afterward, so keep them away from us doggies, even if we look like we really want one! Don’t forget that us dogs have super smelling powers and even if you hide them under your bed, we can still sniff them out! So put them up high or somewhere we definitely can’t get to them!
 

Dressing Up?

 

 

Us dogs aren’t people you know? So don’t make us wear a dog costume if we don’t want to! Especially if it covers our eyes, nose or ears- if we can’t use these parts of us we get very scared! If you're dressing up, please remember that even though you might smell the same as always- you look different! Do you know how weird that is to us?!

 

Also, make sure your decorations aren’t tempting us doggies! We do love to pick up exciting things on the floor and give them a good chew to see if they’re tasty, so make sure any decorations are out of our reach! And don’t leave us alone in a room full of decorations- you may come back to a mess, or worse, we could hurt ourselves.

 

 

 

So there you have it, our top doggy tips for Halloween! The humans have also put together some tips below, but we think you'll agree ours are the best!

 

 

Happy Howl-o-ween!

 

World Animal Day

 

Sunday the 4th October is World Animal Day and people  all over the globe will be celebrating and paying tribute to their own animals, and also commemorating and promoting a respectful relationship with all animals that we share the Earth with.

 

In honour of World Animal Day, The Education and Community Team at Dogs Trust thought we'd share with you what we are thankful to our pets for:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our very own Deirdre also penned this lovely poem to commemorate all pets on this fantastic day.

 

 

My friend may have four paws, not feet,

A snout or muzzle, wings to beat.

He may be black with silky fur,

A swishing tail and rumbling purr.

He may be giddy and such fun,

A grinning face and waggy bum.

He may be small with a long tail,

With shiny eyes and fur that’s pale.

He may not talk but he can hear.

(That’s why he’s got such giant ears.)

He may not know when I’m not there

I’m thinking of him; I still care.

He may not know he has my heart,

My pet, my friend, we’ll never part.

Deirdre Uí Dhubhda ©

 

We hope you agree that Deirdre's poem sums up perfectly the joy of having a pet, why not read it to yours on Sunday, and show him/her how much you appreciate them :)

 

 

 

For those of you celebrating World Animal Day in the South West, why not come along to PAWS for Wellbeing's pet blessing in Castletownbere on Sunday? It will be a lovely afternoon shared with lots of other animal lovers, including our ECO for the South West, Dawn.  Details below.

 

 

 

Say Hello to Ollie!

We have another new team member to introduce you to this week! Ollie the boxer is the newest member of the Dublin & East Education and Community team along with Jake and Fiona! Ollie is thrilled to be able to visit schools with Fiona, and Jake is looking forward to being able to work part time from now on :)

Ollie (left) and his big brother Jake!

Ollie was a Dog Trust dog who came to live with Fiona and Jake almost a year ago and since then Jake has been busy teaching him about life in a loving home, and helping him get ready for life as a famous education dog!

 

We asked Ollie a few questions so you could find out more about him!

 

Hi Ollie, tell us all a little bit about yourself!

 

Well, there's lots to tell about me! I'm about 3 years old and came to live with my big bro Jake almost a year ago now! I'm a boxer, but they say I'm a small one- I say good things come in small packages!!! I was found wondering around with no one looking after me, and was taken to a place called the pound. I stayed there for a while and then a lovely man from Dogs Trust came to pick me up and took me away from the pound. A short while later I moved in with that lovely man, and Fiona, and Jake!

 

What's it like having a new family?

 

I was a little nervous at first, what if they didn't like me? What if I made a mistake and did something wrong? Then I remembered, I'm awesome and everybody loves me! I did make a few mistakes at the start but Jake showed me what to do and now I'm practically perfect in every way!

 

What are your likes/dislikes?

 

I love playing with my ball, it's my favourite toy! I love going for my 2 walks everyday, it's great getting out even when it's raining, and I love to smell all the new smells :). Dinner time is also amazing, as are cuddles! There's so many things that I love to do in fact! I had my first visit to school last week and I know I'm going to love doing that too!



Once I've done all the things I love to do everyday, I like to chill out on my back with all four paws in the air-you have to try it! It's soooooo comfortable.

 

Things I don't like? Jumping into the car- Jake says I'm lazy but why would I jump in when I can be lifted in?? Mum's working on this with me though, and I think my days being lifted in are numbered!

 

I have to say though, my ultimate favourite thing in the whole wide world? My family!!! Especially my big brother Jake- he's just the best!

 

What kind of training have you had?

 

Well, when I came home with my new family, I didn't know much about living in a home. So they all showed me how to behave in a house, what I was allowed to chew on, what I wasn't allowed to chew on, things like that.  I didn't know any clever things either when I arrived, but now I can sit, lie down, and I can give the paw! I'm learning to spin at the moment too :)
 



 

What do you think about your new job, and what are you most looking forward to?

 

Ollie is ready to roll!

I love that I get to go to work, it's so cool. I used to watch Jake leave for school in the morning and imagine it was me, and now it is! We're going to share work, so Jake will go some days, and I'll go on others! Perfect!

 

I'm most looking forward to making lots of new friends while I'm out helping Fiona educate young people on being a responsible dog owner. I can't wait until I'm introduced to all the small people in schools, and to get lots of rubs off them - only after they ask Fiona of course!

 

 

 

Welcome to the team Ollie! :) 

 

 

If you're a primary school and would like a visit from our Education Team in Dublin & the East, you can contact Fiona on 0871360771 or by email on Fiona.simpson@dogtrust.ie.

Alternatively, contact education@dogstrust.ie or visit www.learnwithdogstrust.ie to find out if there's an Education and Community Officer in your area.



Fantastic FUNdraising!

Did you know that Dogs Trust is Ireland's largest dog welfare organisation and that we don't receive any funding from the government? This means that we rely solely on the generosity of members of the public to help us take care of all the dogs in our care, providing them with everything they need to be healthy and happy dogs!

 

The Education Team are fortunate enough to get to visit schools who are really keen to help raise funds for Dogs Trust, and we often get asked how schools can do this! Well, with that in mind we created a FUNdraising Kit for Schools, packed full of ideas and guidance on lots of FUN ways to help us here at Dogs Trust.

 

Some of the exciting things to be found in our new FUNdraising Kit for Schools!

 

 

We've got letters from Jimmy'n'Chew, sponsorship cards, and posters, all ready and waiting for schools to use if they decide they would like to fundraise for us!

 

Click HERE for our FUNdraising poster!

Click HERE for our Sponsor Form

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our new kit will be available on our education website www.learnwithdogstrust.ie, and can also be accessed by following this link- FUNraising Kit for Schools.

 

We think the most important part of fundraising is the FUN! So make sure you have lots of it!

Odie's On the Team!

We've had so many changes in the Education Team recently, and today we've got another two pieces of exciting news to share with you!

 

First off: we have a new member of the team! Dawn's dog, Odie, is now officially part of the Education Team, having passed his assessment with Dogs Trust's Training and Behaviour Team. Dawn is super thrilled to be able to bring Odie with her at last, and Odie is just as happy!

 

Say hello to Odie, our newest team member

We thought that you would like to get to know him a bit, so we asked him some questions about himself.

Odie, tell us a little about yourself.

 

I'm the best dog ever! Well, that's what Dawn says at least- she wouldn't lie to me would she? I'm 14 months old, and I've been living with Dawn for 7 months. I had been part of a family as a puppy, but then suddenly found myself in a place with some other dogs! I heard my people say something about jumping on the children  (boy I love to play!) and messing in the house, whatever that means! So I stayed in my new place for a while, and then I met Dawn and said that she could take me home.

 

How did you know you wanted Dawn to take you home?

 

Easy. I could smell the dog treats in her pocket.

 

What's your favourite thing to do?

 

That's so hard - I love EVERYTHING! Well, everything except baths, yuck! I do love to find Dawn's shoes and play chase with her when she tries to get them back... well it's not my fault she leaves them where I can get them!!!! I also saw one of those Andrex doggies on the TV playing with the toilet roll, it looked like fun so I tried it- it's SOOOOOO much fun!!! I like to decorate the house with it :) I love to play with my toys, and especially love to play with other dogs. I'm trying to convince Dawn to adopt another dog for me to play with!

What's your least favourite thing to do?

 

Baths, I just don't understand why Dawn makes me have one! All the treats in the world don't make up for her getting rid of the awesome smell I've spent weeks building up! I have to go to someone else every couple of months who makes me look even more handsome than I usually do, I don't mind her so much, especially when I see how good I look.

I also don't like being left alone, I'm getting used to it now a little, but I get afraid that Dawn's not coming back when she leaves. She gives me some tasty treats and my favourite Kong when she leaves, that keeps me busy!

 

Have you had any training?

 

Yes! Lots and lots! The first thing I learned was where to go to the toilet, no one had told me that it was meant to be outside before! Dawn also took me to training classes which I had great fun at, and I learned lots of new things there, and I got to show off my massive dog smarts! Dawn says that training is a great way to keep me busy, and all dogs should have some training. We do a little bit most days- I love showing off how clever I am.

 



Odie rocking his new uniform.

What do you think about your new job?

 

I'm soooooo excited!!!! I love small peoples soooooo much. I think they're my favourite kind of people! They're so much fun! Dawn says that if I stay nice and quiet and calm while she's talking to the children, that at the end I might get rubs off of some of them! How cool is that?!

I met Jake last week and he gave me some tips too, he's been doing the job for ages and knows alllllll about it. I hope I can be as good as he is!

 

 

Finally, what are you looking forward to most about being an Education Dog?

 

That's easy. I can't wait to help teach the children all about what dogs like me need to be healthy and happy! I think they'll be great dog parents when they grow up, and their dogs will be as happy as I am! I also can't wait for all the rubs from the small peoples, I love rubs!

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the team Odie! :)

 

 

Our second piece of news today is that Odie, and Dawn, who was our South Connaught and Clare Education and Community Officer, are now covering the Cork and South West Munster area in place of the lovely Liadh. Dawn says:

 

"I'm so excited about taking over the Cork and South West Munster area, especially with the news that Dogs Trust will be opening a new Rehoming Centre in Cork in the not too distant future! I'll miss Connaught and Clare though, and had a fantastic year setting up the new area and meeting lots of lovely children (& teachers!) on my travels. I'm sure whoever takes over the area will love it just as much as I did"

 

Dawn has already started visiting schools in the area and is taking bookings for the academic year so if you're a Cork or Kerry school who would like to arrange a visit, you can email her on dawn.kavanagh@dogstrust.ie, or call on 087 9239221.

 

If you would like to find out if there's an Education and Community Officer in your area, visit www.learnwithdogstrust.ie or email education@dogstrust.ie.

Back to School with the Education Team

September is finally here!  While the children of Ireland are busy packing their school bags and off to meet their new teachers and classmates, the Education Team is also busy getting ready for another exciting year in the classroom.  Here’s a sneak peak at our ‘back-to-school kit’, Dogs Trust style!

The Education Dogs:

Jake, Sadhbh, Cónán, Béibhinn and Odie are the Dogs Trust Education Dogs and spend four days a week in primary schools around Ireland, teaching children how to be responsible dog owners and how to be safe around their canine pals.  These dogs-with-a-job need to be happy and comfortable in the classroom, so they never leave home without some of their favourite things:

·         a yellow Dogs Trust collar, I.D. tag and harness – Education dogs have a uniform, too!

·         a comfy bed or blanket

·         a bowl of thirst-quenching water

·         a dog toy or two for entertainment

·         a brush to tame flyaway fur

·         a tasty treat or two – maybe a bone to chew or a Kong filled with something yummy

The Education Officers:

Fiona, Deirdre and Dawn give four fantastic workshops a day – they meet nearly 500 children each a week!  As you can imagine, their bags are bursting with fun activities and exciting items for each and every pupil.  Let’s take a look inside:

·         giant flashcards with doggy items make learning fun for Junior and Senior Infants

·         the story of MacGyver the dog tells us what it’s like for a dog to come to Dogs Trust to find a home

·         workshop cards with safety situations, the cost of a dog or dog breeds make each workshop interactive and informative

·         colouring or puzzles for teacher to use after the visit

·         certificates of participation

·         information leaflets

·         stickers

·         funky Dogs Trust wristbands!

Your school can check out the website www.learnwithdogstrust.ie to find your local Education Officer, or email education@dogstrust.ie. 

Welcome back Dee!

The Education Team at Dogs Trust is delighted to welcome back Deirdre Uí Dhubhda, our South East Education Officer, and her terrific trio of education dogs!

 

 

Deirdre and her fabulous canine crew have been working hard in the South East since 2012 educating young people about being a Responsible Dog Owner and staying safe with dogs,  and we're thrilled to have them back again! After a long break, we know Sadhbh and Cónán are already getting back into the swing of things visiting libraries along with Deirdre and getting lots of attention!

 

 

 

 

Deirdre tells us that she's really looking forward to getting back into the classroom for lots of new pawsitive experiences, and that Sadhbh, Cónán and Béibhinn are thrilled to be out of their temporary retirement to help her!

Deirdre is currently taking school bookings for the new school year, so if you're a school in the South East who would like a visit from Dogs Trust, you can contact Deirdre by email on Deirdre.UiDhubhda@dogstrust.ie, or by phone on 087 2695883. You can also contact the education team on education@dogstrust.ie , or visit our education website www.learnwithdogstrust.ie to see if there's an education officer in your area.