Mr & Mrs Stevens are two of the co-founders of the Doggie Do festival. They were on their best behaviour, along with their dog Ellie, as they gave us the paw about it.
What is the Doggie Do?
The Doggie Do (with Dogs Trust) is a Mardi Gras for Mutt & Man. It’s a celebration of all things canine, from the sublime to the ridiculous! The centrepiece is the ever popular Dog of Dublin canine costume competition, which this year will see over 100 dogs of all shapes and sizes competing for the crown. We also have The Cultured Canine tent featuring cultural chats about how dogs inspire us, a relaxation zone called Doggie & Soul and an off-leash play area – The Do-Run-Run. Music, food and lots of oohing and ahhhing are also central to the day!
Where did the idea come from and how does the event differentiate itself from other dog shows?
We’ve been visiting the East Village in New York every year since 2004 and missing our own dog, gravitated toward the dog run in Tompkins Square Park to get our fur fix. We noticed a great community had developed and one year we were lucky enough to be there for their annual Hallowe’en dog parade. It was such a feel good, fun event we wanted to bring a little of that flavour to Dublin. So we decided to develop the idea with our partners and started a FundIt campaign for our first year.
What are you noticing about dog culture in the city these days? What changes / improvements are most desired?
It seems like we’ve reached peak dog – in terms of awareness but we’re short of facilities and the actual acceptance of dogs as part of our city. There are a number of new apps & sites that help find pet friendly accommodation/cafés etc but there’s still a general reluctance in our culture to even allow dogs into shops! We have some way to go.
How important is an association with Dublin City Council and Dogs Trust for staging an event like this?
It couldn’t happen without them. Dogs Trust have supported us from the get-go (and introduced us to our dog Ellie 2 years ago). The wonderful work that they do finding forever homes for dogs cannot be underestimated. DCC are keen to promote responsible dog ownership so the association makes a lot of sense for both parties.
Any tips for how to win the Dog of Dublin contest?
Just like the Rose of Tralee, this is not a beauty contest. Our judges will be looking for charisma, originality and style. It’s not so much about breeding as it is about moxie and personality!
The Doggie Do in association with Dogs Trust is in Herbert Bark on Sunday September 10th. Gates 1pm. Tickets €5/€12
Photo: Killian Broderick
