If you haven’t, it’s a bright little shop with a funky dog at the front that stores everything your pet needs. Don’t be deceived by the size, once you come in you’ll find everything you’re looking for and things you never knew you needed! Whether you’re searching for good quality food, yummy dog treats, new toys or a comfy bed you'll definitely find something extra special for your pet.

Upon arriving at the store you'll be greeted by friendly faces who are truly passionate about animals and will help you find what you’re looking for. If you're simply walking by and want to have a chat about your pet you can do that too! A lot of people in the store pop in for a chat to share news about their new kitten and how they're settling in, or how their puppy is loving chewing on blankets! Whatever it is you want to chat about, you can be sure people at the little pet store will be open for a nice conversation and it might just make your day!

Following your pets journey is something the team from Barking Mad love doing so if you have any nice news you'd like to share, the little pet store is a place you can come. Whether you'd like to share some photographs with us of funny things your pet is up to or you need advice on problems they might be facing, you can ask us any time!

One of the problems you could face (which is really a problem for you both) is finding the right harness for your pet. This can be daunting if they're pullers or just very excited! But there are lots of solutions to these problems and they will make your daily walks with your buddy a lot more enjoyable. Don’t worry about figuring out how to put one on too, Barking Mad has a little mannequin used to guide you every step of the way.

Great nutrition is really important for your pet to stay feeling and looking healthy and something you might or might not have heard about it that dogs don't actually need any grains in their diet. It's surprising how much dog food contains grains, and it seems as though it's simply to fill the bag without considering what is actually the best for pets.

If you haven't heard about Mycotoxins, the are secondary fungal metabolites that cause both acute and chronic disease in humans and animals and a study from 2019 found that "the risk of mycotoxin exposure is higher in dry dog foods containing grains"(Tegzez 2019).

Although the risk of exposure is not as common in particular grains, and many wholegrains are an excellent source of nutrients, eliminating grains from a dogs diet altogether means there is no risk at all! It's completely up to you what you chose is the best option for your pet and if you'd like to read about this topic further, you can find a link to the above study at the bottom of this blog!

If you'd like your pet to try out grain-free food, Barking Mad stores own branded food which is completely grain-free, has a high meat content and is sourced from fresh ingredients and superfoods. We believe dogs deserve nothing less than the best and that’s also include Omega 3 in all our bags of food, to look after their coat and also make it shiny! This is vital especially coming up to the winter season!

If you'd like to stick with a grain diet for your pet you'll find other brands at Barking Mad such as Acana, Carnivore and Canagan so there is a wide variety for you to chose from!

If you’re looking for some treats, our little shop offers a wide selection including chews made from vegetables, shaped in funky shapes like toothbrushes or alligators. We also have chews made from Yak milk which last extra-long and natural chews like Buffalo Horns, Deer Antlers and Pig Ears! If your pet is into something meatier, we have rabbit ears, duck legs and frozen chicken feet!

What sets Barking Mad apart is that it's a Boutique which means it stores fashionable clothing for dogs, ranging from tops, jumpers, tweed coats and warm winter jackets!

What's really special about the clothing options is that you'll find hand-made in Ireland bandanas and bows, every piece made with care and love. (Blog coming soon on the making of them with pics of the process!)

Next time you’re in the Swan Centre in Rathmines why don’t you pop into our little store and don’t forget to bring your dog with you!

We will take plenty of photographs and be sure to give us your Instagram so we can post it and give your dog a moment to shine!

References:

Comparison of mycotoxin concentrations in grain versus grain-free dry and wet commercial dog foods

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24734306.2019.1648636?scroll=top&needAccess=true