Ba(r)king Mad with Canine Cookery

All dog owners will have experienced those big sad eyes looking up at you longingly while you munch on a tasty treat, and we know how hard it is to resist giving our furry friends a little taste. However we must remember that what's okay for us to eat isn't necessarily okay for our dogs to eat. For example chocolate, onions, dried fruits and grapes can all make your dog very sick indeed!

 

With that in mind we have decided to share with you some tasty doggy friendly recipes that will have your hound howling with delight, and spare you the guilt trip while you enjoy your own tasty snack :)

 

CATHERINE'S CAKE

Here's one we made earlier...



You will need....

• 2- cups of whole wheat flour or rice flour
• 1- cup of dog kibble
• 2 large eggs
• 1tbsp of honey
• Half a cup of olive or vegetable oil
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 banana
• 2tbsp peanut butter
• 2tsp baking powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to around Gas Mark 5. Blend all the lovely-jubbly ingredients in a bowl and add more flour or oil to get the right "cake like" consistency. Sloop the gloop into a greased baking tin and bake in the oven for around 30-45 minutes.

PAWS OFF! Leave the cake to cool and start preparing your toppings. Using peanut butter or Kong Paste for glue, stick cute treats around the edge of the cake or spell your dogs name out in tiny titbits! It’s up to you!

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 BAKED DOG BONES

 

 You will need....

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted natural peanut butter (smooth)
• 1 cup skim milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Stir together the flour and baking powder; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter and milk. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes using cookie cutters or freehand. Place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
 

NOTE: These recipe are not designed to  substitute a well balanced meal. Get creative, have fun but for the love of Dog, please feed small amounts as a special "treat" and try not to eat them yourself!

 

So why not have a go at whipping up one of these doggy delights, and send us in a photo of your furry friend enjoying their very own home made treat.

Email your photo to: dogstrusteducation.ie@gmail.com and we'll try to share your photos on a future blog entry!

 

 

Scoop the Poop 2014!

You may remember a couple of weeks ago we hinted at an upcoming Education campaign- well here it is! Scoop the Poop week will take place on 6th- 10th October, and we're asking National schools in the East, South East, West and South West of Ireland to sign up.  

 

 

 

So, what is this all about? Well the name says it all - Scoop the Poop! We want to raise awareness of this  very important aspect of Responsible Dog Ownership, and we need you to help us do that. I think we can all agree that dog fouling isn't a very nice thing to see on the pavement, in the park, or around your schools, so why not join our lovely education dogs and help spread the word?

Bag it, Bin it. Any Bag, Any Bin!

 

 

 

We will be sending out packs to participating schools which will be jam packed with Scoop the Poop themed activities, competitions, stickers, information and even a rap! These packs are limited in number, and so will be given out on a first come first served basis. So if you're interested in joining and being part of the first of many Education Campaigns to come, contact your local Education Officer on the details below.

 

Dublin & East:  Fiona.simpson@dogstrust.ie

 South West Munster: Liadh.fitzgerald@dogstrust.ie  

South East: Fiona.ryan@dogstrust.ie 

Clare & South Connaught: Dawn.kavanagh@dogstrust.ie 

 

 

If you would like to book a FREE Dogs Trust Educational Workshop in your area, contact education@dogstrust.ie.



Goodbye Dee, Hello Fi!

It's all change in the South East Education Team, as Education Officer Deirdre is off on maternity leave.  Deirdre says, "Myself and Education Dogs Sadhbh, Cónán and Béibhinn would like to thank all the wonderful schools, libraries and community groups we have visited in the South East since 2012.  We've had an amazing time spreading the word about Responsible Dog Ownership and have appreciated the warm welcome we've received everywhere we've been."  Those of you who have been lucky enough to have had a visit from this pawsome foursome will agree that they have done a fantastic job educating young people about being a Responsible Dog Owner, and the Dogs Trust's Education Team would like to say a HUGE thank you to Deirdre and her four legged pals for all their amazing work since 2012. 

Worry not though South East! While Deirdre is on her maternity leave, the Education Team's newest member, Fiona Ryan, will be visiting schools and community groups in her place. Let's find out a bit about her:

Hi Fiona, tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello, my name is Fiona Ryan. I have a degree in Earth Science. I have over five years’ experience in delivering curriculum related-education workshops to an audience of all ages. I’ve always loved dogs, so I’m really excited about joining the Dogs Trust team. 
  

Why did you want to work for Dogs Trust?

Dogs Trust aim of ‘working towards the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life free from threat of unnecessary destruction’ is something I feel very passionate about! I am truly grateful to have the chance to combine my love for dogs and education while spreading a positive message about Responsible Dog Ownership to the schools I will be visiting. 

Do you have a dog of your own?

Yes I have a dog – her name is Meg and she is a black and tan Jack Russell. Meg has yet to undergo the training and assessment all Education Dogs must undertake before being deemed suitable to visit schools with me. I really think Meg will make a great Education Dog; she loves meeting new people, especially children. I know she’ll be very excited to meet all the pupils in schools across the South East very soon. 

You will be replacing Education Officer Deirdre while she is on leave.  What areas will you be visiting?

I’ll be covering counties in the South East, so Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford and South Tipperary. 
 

The Education Officers offer a wide range of educational workshops to primary schools.  Which one is your favourite and why?

I love the, ‘Match a Dog workshop’. It’s a great, group-work based workshop where children have the chance to match the right dog with a suitable family while taking on the role of a Dogs Trust employee. I think it really makes children consider the responsibilities of bringing a new dog into their home in a fun and interactive way!

What effect do you think the Dogs Trust Education Programme has on the future dog owners of Ireland?

By educating the future dog owners of Ireland about Responsible Dog Ownership, the Education Programme aims to help bring down the number of abandoned dogs and strays we unfortunately see in Ireland today. 

Do you have any workshops booked yet?

Yes, I do I have bookings in the Carlow libraries this October with our ‘Story Time with Dogs Trust’ workshop. I am also currently taking bookings for schools across the South East during term time. 

 

If you would like to book a FREE workshop in the South East with Fiona, you can contact her on 087 296 5883 or at fiona.ryan@dogstrust.ie.





Back to School for Dogs Trust's Education Officers

Last week saw your Dogs Trust Education Officers meet up to discuss all the wonderful things that have been happening around the country for the Education Team in the last few months. It was great to hear so many lovely stories of library visits, summer camp bookings, and the recent Doggy Detective event in the Rehoming Centre, a very successful summer all around for the Dogs Trust Education team!
 

What paw-some idea is Liadh sharing?

However, not content to just pat ourselves on the back for a job well done, the Education Team also got to work on some exciting new lesson ideas and campaigns to bring to all the amazing primary schools and community groups that invite us to visit them. Now, we can't give you the de-tails just yet, but keep your eyes and ears peeled for our Education Campaign in October - when we'll be asking schools to help us spread the word about a very important aspect of Responsible Dog Ownership!
 

With the new school year in full swing, the Education Officers are once again visiting National schools with our fun, educational and FREE workshops.

 

If you would like to book a FREE Dogs Trust Educational Workshop in your school, contact education@dogstrust.ie.

Doggy Detectives Descend on Dogs Trust!

On Saturday 24th August the Dogs Trust Education Team held our first 'Doggy Detectives' event at our Rehoming Centre in Finglas.  It was a hugely successful event with 51 people in attendance!

 



 

Our intrepid Inspectors started the day by finding out all about Dogs Trust and the work we do rehoming over 1000 dogs a year.  This was followed by the participants learning how to be safe around dogs - skills they got to put into practice when they met Education Dog Jake!

 



 

Our budding Sherlock Bones' then got a behind-the-scenes tour of Dogs Trust, solving clues along the way in a fun quiz to help them become real Doggy Detectives.

 



 

 

 

Afterwards everyone settled down to watch the Inspector Paws DVD - along with plenty of popcorn and goody bags galore of course!  A fantastic family day out was had by all.  Be sure to keep your eye on this blog and the Dogs Trust Ireland Facebook page for details of future events run by the Education Team. 

 



When Dogs Go A-Stray

Education Dog Jake is feeling very confused.  His owner, Fiona, takes him for two lovely walks every day and puts him on a lead to keep him safe.  Jake would hate to get lost or have an accident on the road!  However, Jake has noticed that sometimes there are dogs out wandering by themselves.  Who are these dogs?  Where are there owners?  Are they lost and lonely?

 

A dog that is on his or her public place without an owner is known as a 'stray' dog.  A stray dog may be lost, abandoned or even have been stolen.  Don't forget, a dog is also classed as stray if their owner lets them roam the streets on their own!  Stray dogs may be picked up by the dog warden and brought to the local dog pound, where they will stay for 5 days to see if their owner comes to reclaim them - the pound is the first place you should check if you ever lose your own dog.

 

 

But what if, like Jake, you come across a stray dog yourself.  What then?  Here is some advice from Dogs Trust about what to if you spot a stray dog:

 

• Remember, children should NEVER approach a stray dog.  Even if a dog appears happy, he might not be happy to see you - don't forget some dogs are afraid of children!  If you see a stray dog, the first thing you should do is tell a responsible adult.
• The adult may be able to check the dog's collar to see if he is wearing an ID tag if he or she thinks it is safe to do so.  An ID tag usually has the owner's name/address and telephone number.  It is the law for all dogs to wear and ID tag!
• If the dog has no ID tag, the adult may bring the dog to a local vet.  The vet will have a scanner to check the dog for a microchip containing the owner's contact details.  A microchip is usually found in a dog's neck but may 'migrate' to other parts of the dog's body.
• You can call Dogs Trust with the dog's description as we have a list of lost and found dogs and a Facebook page, so please leave your contact details with us.
• If no one is available to take the dog to the vet or pound, then call your local dog pound to alert the dog warden that there is a stray dog in the area.  The dog warden is also trained to deal with dogs that appear aggressive or injured - DO NOT approach these dogs yourself.  The dog warden can collect the dog and bring him to the pound.
• Every area has a different dog pound.  You can find contact details for your nearest pound on the internet or by calling Dogs Trust or your local animal welfare organisation.
• Dogs Trust gets 70% of our dogs from the pound and finds them new, loving forever homes.



How to make sure YOUR dog doesn't become lost/stray:

• Always walk your dog on a lead to keep him or her safe and secure.
• Children under 16 should walk their dogs in the company of an adult.
• Do not allow your dog to roam the streets on his own as your dog may become lost, stolen or injured.
• Make sure your dog is wearing a collar and ID tag - it's the law!
• Get your dog 'chipped'.  A microchip is a tiny computer chip in the back of a dog's neck containing the owner's contact details.  This can be done at your local vets or check out one of Dog Trust's FREE microchipping events this September -  details can be found on www.dogstrust.ie or on our Facebook page.  The law states that ALL dogs must be microchipped by 2016.
• If your dog does get lost, contact your local pound, Dogs Trust or other animal welfare organisation with your details and a description of the dog.  Don't forget to put up posters in your neighbour and on the internet.

Doggy Detectives

 

Calling all young Doggy Detectives - do you want to be the next 'Sherlock Bones'?  The Dogs Trust Education Team is hosting a very special event at our state-of-the-art Rehoming Centre in Finglas for children aged 6-13 to test their skills as private investigators.

Take part in a specially designed Doggy Detective workshop, inspect our centre and brand new puppy wing on a detective themed behind-the-scenes tour, preview our 'Inspector Paws' DVD along with popcorn, enjoy coluring/quizzes and go home with a free goodie bag.  What a paw-fect day out!

Here are the details, so be sure to BOOK NOW:

When - 12pm - 2.30pm on Saturday 23rd August

Where - Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre, Ashbourne Road, Finglas, Dublin 11. (Little tip, it's exit 5 off the M50)

How much - €5 per child (adults go free!)

Ages - 6 to 13 years old

Please note there are limited places for this event so book today using the following link:

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/doggy-detectives-dogs-trust-tickets-12639263377