Sabrina Phelan-Dog Behaviour

23/05/2025

Microchipping day tomorrow with Leitrim Animal Welfare Centre at MAXI ZOO IRELAND Sligo!!

🐾 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶 𝗭𝗼𝗼 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗼! 🐾

We’re delighted to be teaming up with Maxi Zoo Sligo for a Microchipping Day - helping dog owners in our community stay compliant, informed, and most importantly, prepared. 🐶💚

📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Saturday, 24th May
🕛 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 12 PM – 4 PM
📍 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Maxi Zoo, Sligo
💶 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁: €25 per dog

📌 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴:
✔ Valid Photo ID
✔ Proof of Address (utility bill, bank letter, etc.)

🐶 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗴?
✅ 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Microchipped dogs are over twice as likely to be reunited with their families if lost.

✅ 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘄: In Ireland, microchipping your dog is a legal requirement. Let’s make sure your pet is fully compliant and protected.

✅ 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱: Knowing your dog is traceable gives you security if they ever wander too far.

🔍 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱? 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀?
If your dog already has a microchip but you're not sure if the details are up to date, bring them along!
We’ll scan their chip and help you check their information in our database. Updating your contact details could make all the difference in an emergency.

🐾 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 - 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗨𝗽:
🔬 𝗜𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲?
Yes! Microchipping is a quick and safe procedure. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted under the skin. Reactions are extremely rare, and there is no scientific evidence linking microchips to cancer in dogs.

📡 𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗚𝗣𝗦 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿?
No, a microchip isn't GPS-enabled. It’s a passive chip that can be scanned by a vet, shelter, or dog warden to access your registered contact details.

🌟 Whether your dog needs to be chipped or you just want to confirm their chip info, we’re here to help. No appointments needed - just drop in!

🗣 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗮𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀!

17/05/2025

Some of the gorgeous bull breeds at Dublin County Dog Shelter

17/05/2025

Ireland is in the midst of a dog welfare crisis, and while this is affecting all breeds and types, bull breed/types in particular are really suffering. Please share 🙏🤞🐶 This is just from one shelter Dublin County Dog Shelter and the tip of the iceberg. 🙁

Important information.

We at Dublin County Dog Shelter currently have 24 Bull Breed dogs in our care. These dogs consist of French Bulldogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Pocket Bully's, Pitbull Terriers and Standard American Bully's ( none of our dogs are a banned breed ). Their length of time with us vary from October 2024 up until our current dogs. We here at the shelter have decided to be the first shelter to take the initiative to hold an Adopt a Bull Breed Week starting on Monday 26th of May 2025 to try and go above and beyond to try and find our dogs that perfect home that they deserve. We truly believe that all our dogs will find a new home specifically for them, some of our dogs have quirky habits and routines here with us at the shelter and we will discuss those with you at a meet and greet. Now we are appealing to our friends, our followers, our rescues, our charities, and our members of the public to share our post, although you yourself may not be in a position to adopt a dog someone you may know may be in a position to help one of our dogs. we will also post the requirements of what is needed and a guideline of what you may need to Adopt a shelter dog, meet and greets must be by appointment only as staff are limited
Here is a list of our 24 Bull Breeds.

25/04/2025

Great day at the conference, excellent presentations and a long overdue catch up with my Olde Golde 🤣💖 worth the 5am start but super happy to get back to my little man 🥰

11/03/2025

Big celebrations last week, the best boy Reggie turned 12 🥳🎂🐶💖 He had SO much going on last year, diagnosed with an infection in his spine and bulging discs early in the year, and lung disease in September. We had 4 trips to Veterinary Specialists in Meath, where he had an MRI, CT, and a heart scan. Not to mention numerous and regular visits to our GP vets for other treatments. This was topped off with a tooth extraction and a serious choking incident during which I had to stick my hand down his throat and pull out a chew. We also moved from the temporary accommodation we had been in for a year, to my mums, and then thankfully, to our permanent home 🏡 💚 He’s taken all of this firmly in his stride and shown outstanding resilience. He’s remained his cheeky, funny, playful, sassy, loving, sweet, gorgeous self throughout it all, and I’m so proud of him 💖💖💖💖💖💖

10/03/2025

Reggie style 🤣🥰🐶💚

07/03/2025

Freddie the Frenchie 💜 This gorgeous little man was recently rescued by a wonderful family who understands it will take him time to settle and are committed to helping him feel safe and taking things slowly 🐶💚

07/03/2025

Beautiful Norbu recently turned 2 and I’ve know her since she was 8 weeks old 🥹💖 Her lovely mum wants to help her be more comfortable being washed at home and we had a great session yesterday working on this 💙

03/03/2025

Good boy Odin 💜👏

Meet Odin, a two-year-old XL Bully, who, with his owner Amy Heyes, 32, has made it to the finals of the prestigious Animal Star Awards 2025, where they are competing for Working Dog of the Year.

Odin, a scent dog for Drone SAR For Lost Dogs UK, helps to track the scent of missing and trapped dogs, with the help from Amy. Full story: https://trib.al/vKLn6aw

03/03/2025

🛑Inappropriate elimination is a common behaviour problem in adult dogs relinquished to shelters and dogs who urinate and defecate in the house are at increased risk for relinquishment to shelters. However, brief pre-adoption counselling for owners enhances successful house-training of dogs adopted from shelters.
('Effects of preadoption counselling for owners on house-training success among dogs acquired from shelters', Herron et al, 2007).
✅A few simple considerations and adjustments can help newly rescued dogs settle into a toileting routine, ensuring their biological needs are met, and reducing stress for all! 🏆
✅This post is written with adult rescue dogs in mind, and not meant to be a 'how to' for toilet training puppies - though many of the points are relevant to pups too! 🐶

01/03/2025

Thrilled to see in Mayo (close to Knock Airport!) up and running (cats are catered for too!!) 😻 The facility is fabulous and David has a ton of experience caring for and working with dogs, including dogs with behaviour challenges, so your furry pal will be in excellent hands 🐱🐶💚

22/02/2025

Supporting rescue dogs 🐶💚
Risk factors for dogs being returned to a shelter include:
🛑Age 6-24 months (adolescent) and senior age.
🛑Owner factors such as expectations and accommodation.
🛑Behaviour challenges in the home.
🛑The dog’s health.

✅I get a lot of calls from guardians with who are experiencing behaviour challenges with recently rescued dogs. ✅Rather than go straight to training, we first need to look at the dog's daily routine and specific requirements. ✅Biological needs must always be addressed first – nutrition, water, toileting, sleep/rest, shelter, temperature control, appropriate exercise, grooming/hygiene, vet care and safety (often overlooked but SO important!).
✅Rather than take the provision of these for granted, we should look at the individual dog and what we know of their history/past experiences to tailor how we provide these needs.
✅Enhancing these basics through simple adjustments to routine and environment can be a game changer!
🐶Over the next couple of weeks I'll be posting lots of tips on how to do this.
🐶First up, lets look at nutrition.
MAXI ZOO IRELAND