If there's one thing that long Irish summer days mean, it's that the dog days are far from over my friends.

Whether it's wet or dry outside, you'll find pooches being carted around for their evening constitutional one way or another. 

If you can't commit to a dog in the city, then there's only one way to curb your fix... dog-spotting. And we've got just the places. 

1. Dun Laoghaire Pier

Hail, rain or shine, you will find some of the happiest, friendliest and most beautiful pooches trotting atop Dun Laoghaire pier, without a care in the world. 

It's a prime location for dog-walkers of the southside, and due to the vast amount of kids and pups always being in the vicinity, the likelihood of you actually getting to pet one is pretty high. 

Important. 

2. St. Anne's Park, Raheny

A suitable terrain for puppies and pup-owners alike, this park is always full of wagging tails and happy panting. 

Specifically for the pooches, there’s a flat pathway throughout the park, rougher wooded patches with little hills to climb, an official off-lead dog park section AND a small stream if they feel like a quick dip to get extra muddy.

As one does. 

3. Sandymount Strand

When tide is out on the strand, there's a glorious amount of sand as far as the eye can see. And what happens then, is that the world and its mother seems to bring out the dogs for a walk.

But you don't see us complaining!

It also boasts some pretty spectacular sunsets, as the rays shine from the west on to the glistening sand, meaning you can gaze at puppers all night until the sky goes black. 

4. Dollymount Strand, Bull Island

5km of dunes and sandy beach, accessed via a wooden bridge with with a path that leads you to the seafront. 

No, this is not a dream, it's Dollymount Strand. 

More like Doggymount Strand, amirite?

5. Killiney Hill

All good dogs go to Killiney Hill, for it truly is 'doggy heaven'. 

And if you grow tired, but still yearn for canine company, there's a dog-friendly cafe – located by the Victoria Gates in the square tower – in which you can perch while you can view dogs legally let off-lead.

6. Corkagh Park, Clondalkin

Corkagh Park has an incredible dog zone, with a fully legal and official off-lead area – AND it has this handy Facebook page, to keep you up to date with all the goings-on, and loads of puppy information.

How civilised.

7. Dillon's Park, Dalkey

Dalkey is known as the epicentre of beautiful dogs in Dublin, and with loads of seafront, rugged landscape and pretty villages in the vicinity, spotting heavenly dogs is a piece of kibble. 

Dillon's Park is always packed full of friendly, happy pooches to brighten up the wet and rainy days of summer. 

8. Irish National War Memorial Garden, Islandbridge

These gardens are as beautiful as they are packed with history – but more importantly they have loads of steps, which dogs go crazy for/look really cute running up and down. 

The wide open grassy areas always have wagging tails as far as the eye can see, and the Liffey running along the bottom is sure to be the platform for some Olympic-style diving. 

9. Marlay Park

Big enclosed spaces full of room to run around Phoebe-style in search of canine companionship.

The park also hosts a smashing market on a Saturday morning for when all of your frantic running gets the better of you. 

10. Bushy Park, Terenure

The prominently residential area that is Terenure offers a lot to the canine world.

And on any given weekend, you're guaranteed to see an adorable dog, or 12, frolicking along the soft grass of Bushy Park.

The DW in D6W stands for Dog Walk, dontcha know.

11. Howth Head

The Howth Circle Loop Walk is the key to shaking off the cobwebs and drop-kicking any sign of a hangover come Sunday morning.

The loop is a long one (four hours) but it is true the definition of scenic route – it's also a top (dog) spot for walkies, solidifying its anti-hangover status. 

12. Iveagh Gardens

The heavenly sanctuary located right in the thick of it all that is the Iveagh Gardens is the city centre dog-lover's dream.

Always something going on, and always a pupper to be spotted enjoying it. 

13. Herbert Park, Ballsbridge

Lined with cherry blossoms, open water and endless patches of green, Herbert Park is a prime location for walkies. 

This is a particularly good spot to check out some proper big dogs, as this park seems to have Bernese's aplenty in their midst. 

14. Burrow Beach, Sutton

Known to locals and dog-walkers alike as the Hole-In-The-Wall beach, Burrow beach in Sutton is a puppy paradise – provided the weather isn't too good and it ends up full of easily-spooked children.

Burrow Beach boasts proximity to the beautiful northern coast, without the huge population that Howth often draws in.

Paw-fect.

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