On International Dog Day 2022, we catch up with some glossy canine friends about their summer holidays
Tilly Halliwell
For Tilly, the summer has mainly been about trying to keep cool. Despite lengthy swims across the bay, astonishing fellow swimmers, she is always hot. A paddling pool has helped, though not with the state of the house; she thunders in and out, splattering water. “Why is she always wet?” complain the visiting teen girls, shielding their outfits. She has also enjoyed visits to Jelliti’s coffee van at Seapoint for treats, and to Teddy’s on the pier to beseech for spare cones. Her hard stare is not to be ignored. Her terrible passion for stealing socks and smalls from the washing machine and chewing them to pieces continues unabated.
Coops Coffey
Coops spends his summer holidays in West Cork. He stands on the local stoney beach all day long and waits for any passers-by to throw stones for him to catch. He retires to the local pub post-beach at about 6pm for a large bowl of water and a packet of crisps. He is at happiest there, in Castletownshend, where everyone knows his name.
Sadie & Cooper O’Dwyer
Cooper and Sadie, the resident pooches at PR agency, Host & Co have had a lovely leisurely summer enjoying a mix of WFH and balmy days in the office on South William Street. They’ve been jumping off the Bull Wall regularly to cool down during the high temperatures, lots of morning and evening strolls around St Anne’s Park and generally enjoying summer snoozing as much as they can. There are plans for a little autumn staycation soon with a road trip back to some of their favourite dog-friendly hotels [check out the October issue of THE GLOSS for more information…].
Trudy Babin
Miss Trudy, a rescue pup from Mo Chara Rescue in Tipperary, may be small but she is mighty! She usually spends her summer holidays in Dublin, while the Babin family head to France, but this year she put her paw down and they had a stunning staycation instead. They set off from their home in Ballycotton in East Cork for the West Cork coastline and it didn’t disappoint with a few nights in an AirBnb in Bantry, a glorious stay at Liss Ard Estate exploring the grounds, kayaking on the lake and enjoying a night cap at the bar with owner Michael Johnston. This was followed by a night in Dunmore House in Clonakilty where Carol and the family, who run this little seaside gem, welcomed her with open arms and treats. She had the time of her life and was equally delighted to get back to beautiful Ballycotton by the sea to her three cats and a pint in The Blackbird – Trudy knows how to press paws in style!
Piggly Roe
Piggly, a tennis ball-obsessed dog, spent his summer holidays playing with his many beloved tennis balls, and also pottering around the garden with the hens. He also loves meeting customers at Hedgeroe Home, a pet-friendly interiors showroom in Carrickmines.
Dolly Cowan
Dolly lives a charmed life in Donegal all year round, though summers are wonderful in her neck of the woods … Dolly has had a great summer running through the sand dunes at Marble Hill Beach in Dunfanaghy, right on her doorstep and then straight into the water to practice her doggy paddle. She mixed it up every now and then with a walk in the woods. She loves a good sniff around exploring the many guided paths around Ards Forrest Park outside Dunfanaghy in Co Donegal.
Barney Hickey
Barney loves the summer months! The bright mornings mean more opportunity to spot tiny creatures in the grass and hedges of his owners garden, and to bark at these tiny things despite the early hour. His humans sometimes bring him along to Roots in Monkstown. While they coffee and munch on açai, he sits, hoping to be petted by kind folks in DryRobes departing sunny swims. He loves garden games like fetch – he is working on returning the ball to the thrower in order for the game to continue – and sunbathing on rugs alongside the humans. Here he is triumphantly capturing a particularly evasive tennis ball.
Jamie McCormick
As a sun worshipper, Jamie has been working on his tan this summer in Co Down and has loved finding the sunniest spots in the garden or having the canine version of a sauna in the sun room.
He has also been making progress on his driving license – gradually getting used to longer, more adventurous car journeys ahead of his staycation next week around the Fermanagh Lakelands. His most recent outing was to The Argory [pictured], a National Trust property in Co Armagh, with fab gardens for sniffing around, and a cobbled courtyard and café which was great for dog-watching.
Hopefully, for the sake of his fellow passengers, he will get over his occasional car “sickness” to venture further afield next year. What settles his tummy, though, is some ice cream – plain vanilla, no sprinkles, please.
