Barks 'n' Bubbles Pet Store Bray & Greystones

12/08/2024

Gorgeous girlie Riley 🥰❤️

10/07/2024

Honey and Oakley, the best girls 🥰🎀💕✨

01/07/2024

It’s tough work being this cute 💕🎀💝

We are now booked up for grooming for all of July and August. If you are a regular client and have not pre-booked please get in touch with us so we can put you on a waiting list. A gentle reminder that we always advise booking out your regular schedule in advance to ensure we can accomodate your doggie & keep those coats in tip top shape 💕🛁🐩

29/06/2024

Lindy says have a great weekend everyone 🥰❤️

17/06/2024

All owners should have to pass a test and commit to training and understanding normal dog behaviour before they can earn the privilege of having a dog.
All breeding should be banned until the rescue and rehoming situation is under control.

Monty is a 10 month old Boxer x Great Dane looking for a new home ❤️

Almost 50% of our dogs are under a year old 💔

When you really think about this it is absolutely heartbreaking. They are only puppies and have already been given up on. Dogs have become disposable items and it’s just not acceptable.

Before you even consider welcoming a dog into your home you must be 100% committed to looking after your new family pet. Puppies are hard work and they will take up a lot of your time and patience. Training a puppy is crucial to having a happy dog and training must continue throughout their teenage months too. If you can’t provide the care, time and training that a dog needs then please don’t get one.

For the month of June anyone who adopts an adolescent dog (aged 6-14 months) from the DSPCA will receive 4 weeks free dog training DSPCA Dog Training

Dogs are amazing and can bring so much love, companionship, adventure, and laughter into our lives. In return they really don’t ask for much. Please don’t let them down.



Pictured: Monty, 10 month old Great Dane Boxer cross waiting patiently to be adopted.

The DSPCA is open to visitors Tuesday-Sunday from 12-4pm.

16/06/2024

Mars and Nestle are well known for their unethical practices in producing pet foods, (including using decaying ingredients) - this is why we actively avoid stocking products owned by either giant chain; such as Purina, Pedigree, Royal Canin, Whiskas, Eukanuba, Bakers, Perfect Fit, Orijen, Acana and more.

SOMETHING STINKS, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE DRY PET FOOD MANUFACTURING PLANTS...

I see another dry pet food factory is under the spotlight for stinky shenanigans. A Pet Food Industry magazine (link in comments) states:

"Several neighbors within a mile radius of Nestle Purina Petcare's plant in Denver claim "noxious odors" have created symptoms including headaches and nausea."

Say no more.

Actually, say a little more...

Stink is the smell of rotting, fermenting, putrifying ingredients. Or the cooking of same. Think about it, when you open your fridge, does it "stink". When you are cooking good food, does it "stink".

No.

If your fridge stinks, you go looking for the out-of-date meat item that eluded you.

And this isn't obviously isn't the first time pet food factories have been caught using rotten, mouldy ingredients.

Remember when employees of a Mars pet "food" factory sued Mars Inc due to the presence of phosphine gas in the factory?!

For those that don't know, phosphine is a HIGHLY poisonous chemical gas used to kill people in WWII.

"According to the lawsuit, the alleged exposure occurred when the fumigant remained in railcars that entered the plant from a location west of Joplin, causing the eight workers to suffer injuries to their eyes, lungs, respiratory system, and internal organs."

The workers weren't even equipped with PPE (allegedly).

But the factory did have phosphine gas alarms in it!

I say factory, they levelled and concreted over that factory soon after the case went to court. Stange that.

Now, you might ask, WHY would a "food" factory have alarms for a highly toxic poisonous gas everywhere, a gas that shouldn't be in the same town as a food factory?!

Well, they spray it on the incoming SUB-PAR grain to kill any MOULD present.

Honestly.

Now, unlike phosphine gas it seems, the mould is REALLY toxic to pets, producing mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, the most carcinogenic natural substance on the planet and which, studies show, is killing pets eating grain-based pet food.

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic for the pets consuming the poison.

Sort of reminds me of that bit in the Simpsons when the town gets overrun with tree lizards that risk eating all the local bird eggs but then did something to help Bart and Lisa escape from a bad situation so were now being hailed as heroes by the town.

Skinner: Well, I was wrong; the lizards are a godsend.

Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?

Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.

Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?

Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.

Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!

Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death!

And this mouldy-grain issue persists today in grain-containing pet food. Study after study (see my book Feeding Dogs, for more) reveal completely unacceptable, toxic amounts of mycotoxins present in a large percentage of grain-based pet food.

Again, we have on record that grade 1 grain (for humans, meaning clean, not mouldy) is not used in pet food as it costs more. Grade 2 is, which means less clean, a bit more mouldy, a bit more toxic, so feed it to pets (and the animals we eat).

Nor was this Mars factory the only one up to all sorts in the past.

Remember that time Susan Thixton spoke at the Raw Feeding Veterinary Society conference in 2018? It was quite literally unbelievable. She told a stunned audience of another Mars factory where there were (alleged) documented instances of tularaemia killing staff members.

Again, link in bio if you want to learn more (pic used is Susan's too).

What happened there? Oh, they levelled and concreted over that factory too.

Honestly.

Funny isn't it, with all this going on, and with dry pet food poisoning far more humans and children and, of course, though we rarely mention, killing tens of thousands of pets (compared to less than 10 from complete raw dog food?!), that the veterinary industry, sworn to protect our pets, is telling us to beware of feeding pets fresh food. That is MIGHT harm them or humans or the environment or INSERT FEAR.

Something smells, and it ain't just the Mars and Purina pet food factories...

27/05/2024

How can I help you today?! 😄💗

Elwood is working hard here in Bray! 🐾

23/05/2024

👇👇👇👇👇

Here is a thought experiment:
Take out a mixing bowl.
Pour in some cornstarch, that white clumpy powder used to thicken foods like gravy.
Add in some soy protein that has been chemically cleaved into individual amino acids.
Add in a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil.
Add a tablespoon or so of canola oil preserved with TBHQ, (oil used as engine lubricant preserved with a chemical known to cause cancer).
Spinkle in powdered cellulose (cellulose is equivalent to sawdust- plant wall substance that carnivores cannot digest because they do not make very mich cellulase, the enzyme that breaks it down).
One more ingredient: a synthetic vitamin and mineral supplement most likely contaminated with heavy metals.

Now feed that to a young, growing puppy. Or imagine eating it yourself, or feeding it to your kids morning and night.

How healthy do you think an individual eating this will be?

This is what is being recommended for dogs woth dysregulated immune systems (allergies), food intolerances and inflammatory bowel disease- dogs that need all the help they can get from nutrients and antioxidants to bring their body back into balance.

I have dogs, 4 months of age and up, coming to me on this diet. What I see is a TCVM pattern of severe Blood deficiency: dry, brittle, dull hair coat, dandruff, lethargy, anxiety, restlessness, hunger.

We need to use some basic knowledge, read the labels and make better choices for our animals. And PLEASE, do not feed this to puppies!

20/05/2024

Hello Monday 😂

13/05/2024

We have had quite a lot of enquiries in the past few weeks from customers advised by their vet to feed mince and vegetables, in response to potential dietary issues.
Whilst we love that vets are moving away from promoting ultra-processed grain based kibble, it is a worry that your pets will miss out on vital nutrients if fed a DIY diet without their dietary needs in mind.
We don't like to get hung up on exact percentages here (any amount of fresh in addition is beneficial) but there are some necessary components that need to be included.
This can often be easily tweaked to create more balance, by adding meaty bones, organ meat, or the likes of power paste - a nutrient rich meal topper available lightly cooked and raw. Or, a ready made raw food like can take over if more convenient.
There are lots of ways to ensure your pets are getting the most nutrtitous (and enjoyable!) meals suited to them, and you.
We are always here to help. ❤️🦴

13/05/2024

Really looking forward to bringing positive, collaborative training to our services over the next few months 🐾❤️

We don't need to see the problem behaviour to resolve it.

Many of our clients want behaviours their dog's are doing to stop. Stop pulling, stop jumping up, stop lunging, barking, biting, stop pulling on the lead, stop stealing stuff. When working with these dogs, training specialists (trainers, behaviour consultants etc) will ask questions to determine why these behaviours are happening. We then set up the environment to ensure that the problem behaviours DO NOT happen and start training alternatives.

For example, your dog jumps up and barks aggressively at (and may bite) visitors when they come by your house. I give clear instructions to my clients not to greet me at the door with their dog. Do you know why? Firstly, I don't like to get bitten. Secondly, I don't want the dog to practice the behaviour we are trying to resolve. Many clients will want to show us what their dog does. I get it, it's ok though, I believe what you are saying.

Most positive dog trainers and behaviour specialists worth their salt will follow this approach. It means we don't have to "correct" anything, we resolve and teach. Trainers who focus on symptoms rather than causes want to see the problem behaviour so they can then punish it through some sort of aversive means (choke chains, grot/garotte collars, slip leads, prong collars, electric shock collars etc). The notion of "nipping it in the bud" often falls into this latter category.

Over time (and it often doesn't take much time) we can start to (start to!) approach similar conditions to the problematic ones and not see the same behaviour. An example of this would be having your dog on lead when visitors arrive, so pup can't get to the visitor and then start to reinforce alternative behaviours.

A constructive approach, which concentrates on building behaviour rather than smashing it, takes skill, knowledge, nuance. What takes a greater level of skill, building a wall so it is strong and withstands life, or taking a sledgehammer to it and knocking it down?

Which would you prefer to be? Who would you prefer to be around?

If you are needing help with recall, loose lead walking, focus and attention, and aggression and reactivity. our Triangle of Trust package is affordable and has solutions to all of these issues. Click the link to sign up. (GBP£77/USD$97)

https://glasgowdogtraineronline.thinkific.com/courses/triangle-of-trust


Photo credit
https://www.facebook.com/EvzGazPhotography

12/05/2024

Lugh loves the sun being out as much as we all do! 😆☀️💛

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.
See you tomorrow 🥰🦎

26/04/2024

These gorgeous puppies will be coming into our care soon and we are looking for 5 ⭐️ homes for them 🥰

They are 12 weeks old , Bulldog mix puppies 🥰

How beautiful are they 😍. There are 3 boys and one girl ❤️.

They can be homed with kids aged 5+ as they’re going to grow big ❤️ and are young enough to be homed with cats. They will need someone who is home part of the day to continue with their training.

If you are interested in one of these puppies please fill in the form below ⬇️ ❤️

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScD69QZmQoaQRj3TRxa0VwDkRhzQJGXILpQxtdPJtdn_k69ew/viewform

19/04/2024

15/04/2024

Bella's before & after 💕 🎀 💘

11/04/2024

Truthful Thursdays - Dentastix will do nothing for your dog's teeth, except maybe rot them.

It's hard to believe these are still being sold as a good option to pet owners & even harder to believe some vets still recommend them.
The fact that they are pliable and broken easily should be a factor, before even getting into the ingredients.
So many 'dental chews' in supermarkets and large chain pet stores would be in the same category - Dentalife, Greenies, etc - only a product of Nestle and Mars' immoral marketing.

Some beneficial alternatives would be antlers, beef scalp, coffee wood chews, and good old raw bones. Speak to us in store today about the best option for your pets. 🐶🦴♥️

30/03/2024

A reminder we are open today until 5pm and then closed tomorrow and Monday!

Happy Easter 🐣💛

22/03/2024

Dear Customers,

We would like to notify you that as of the 2nd of April 2024 we will be implementing some price adjustments to all of our grooming services.
Although we have tried our best to avoid this, we cannot continue to absorb the cost increases we have experienced in recent months.
As a result our prices will all be increasing to reflect these cost increases. Please note that all of our prices are inclusive of VAT @ 23%.

As always, we strive to provide the best service we possibly can & continously work to expand our offering. This price increase will allow us to keep doing that.
We look forward to continuing to care for your much loved pets ❤️🐾

20/03/2024

Gorgeous girl Bailey was in for some raw food to support her renal health and a 'nervous' lead sleeve so people know to give her some extra space 😍🐾💝

19/03/2024

Bobby, super happy to see us open again today after the Bank Holiday weekend! Hope you and your pooches had a lovely weekend ♥️🐾

08/03/2024

Happy International Women's Day ❤️✨️ to all the wonderful women out there!
These two little budding independent women keep us super busy day to day.
We've taken a step back from social media as of late - it can be so challenging running a business and taking care of a little family, and pets too - almost always something has to give, sometimes it's time for ourselves, sometimes it's undisturbed time for these guys & sometimes it's the amount of time that can be dedicated to social media. As of late, I've chosen to let go of the pressure and some of the distractions and be in the moment with these two wonderful humans and their furry siblings! 🫶
Grateful today and always for other wonderful women and mums in business who advise, encourage, lift up and know the juggle and sacrifices ❤️✨️🫂homeofhair .ie

29/02/2024

😍❤️

23/02/2024

For all the Shepherd lovers ❤️

16/02/2024

Research is *everything*. We see people fall for cute, fluffy photos on ads all the time and yet a simple search will show you said breeder has 200+ registered breeding bi***es. Don't line the pockets of puppy farmers. Don't fall for their fake advertising or staged photos.

14/02/2024

Miss Lulu 🥰🎀💘

We are now able to take on new clients for grooming once again. There is always a bit of a waiting list so be sure to book in advance, we are currently booking for mid March. To book call 0872670777.

25/01/2024

Following on from our posts about foods, we have had a lot of questions & messages about what foods we do recommend.

One of our most popular foods and personal favourites is Approved Raw Pet Food.

This fresh, raw food comes frozen, ready to defrost and feed. It is a complete food made with the correct proportions of meat, bone, offal and veg. It also has added herbal & seaweed supplements.
All of the nutrients are most available to dogs and cats when served this way.

We have seen incredible results for dogs and cats changing over to this food for improving dental health, weight issues, pancreatitis, recurring skin/gut issues, other allergy symptoms & more.

Approved Raw is Irish, made with human grade meat, fully licensed, tested and traceable. It is available in 500g boxes and 1kg boxes, and works out significantly cheaper than fresh cooked brands marketed and sold online.

If you are feeding a good quality dry food, you can include any amount of fresh food as an excellent addition to the diet.

23/01/2024

Miss Penny, posing after her puppy pamper 😍🥰❤️🎀
To book an appointment for grooming call our Bray store on 0872670777

22/01/2024

17/01/2024

We went out to Dublin County Dog Shelter last weekend and met this beautiful little man 😍
We brought treats, toys, food and beds for the dogs in the pound. The staff here are so wonderful in all they do for the dogs in their care, and they were so grateful for the donations. We have added a donation box in Greystones and we will put one in Bray too.
You can add something to the box when making your purchase, however big or small will be so appreciated - a tin of food or a packet of treats goes a long way - and we will deliver them every month ❤️🐾

17/01/2024

We went out to Dublin County Dog Shelter last weekend and met this beautiful little man 😍
We brought treats, toys, food and beds for the dogs in the pound. The staff here are so wonderful in all they do for the dogs in their care, and they were so grateful for the donations. We have added a donation box in Greystones and we will put one in Bray too.
You can add something to the box when making your purchase, however big or small will be so appreciated (a tin of food or a packet of treats goes a long way) or if buying a new collar, harness or lead you can leave your old one for donation. We will then deliver them every month ❤️🐾