An animal expert has promised a fun but educational day out at a lively dog festival in Dublin this weekend.
Pups in the Park is making its welcome return to Marley Park on Saturday. The festival last ran in September and offered events such as breed meet ups, agility training and plenty of food vendors for hungry humans.
Suzi Walsh is an animal therapist involved with setting up the event. Although it promises to be a fun day out for dog lovers, people can also seek out professional advice on animal behavioural issues on the day.
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Suzi explained: "It can be a financial commitment to have someone like me come to your home and care for your dog. It means people who can't afford professional dog training can get some advice on coaching their animals."
While sociable dogs will likely get great enjoyment out of the day, Suzi explained that the liveliness of the outdoor event wouldn't suit more anxious dogs. She also recommended that people take into account the warm weather this weekend, which might prove fatiguing for dogs with thick coats.
The expert also gave some insight into the behaviour of President Higgins dog Misneach when the pooch met Joe Biden at Aras an Uachtarain last week. Misneach made headlines after barking repeatedly at the US President, but Suzi explained that this behaviour doesn't necessarily point to him being an unruly dog.
She said: "He definitely needs confidence buliding in order to feel less nervous about people coming into his environment. There was also another dog barking in the background in video footage of the incident-Misneach could have been feeding off that dog's energy as well, which people don't necessarily notice."
Pups in the Park will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Further information on the event is available on the event's website.
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