Petmania Host Puppy Care Classes Nationwide for New Pet Owners this New Year

Petmania Puppy 2 scaled 1

Getting a new puppy is an exciting time for any family but if you’re a first time pet-owner or are just new to everything puppy-related, it can be a daunting prospect too. For anyone who has welcomed a puppy into their home over the Christmas period, or if they’re simply thinking about getting a new puppy in the coming weeks or months, Petmania is offering free puppy care classes for new and upcoming pet owners in all stores nationwide.

 

Taking place on the second Saturday every month, with the next date taking place on January 13th, Petmania will provide new puppy owners or soon-to-be puppy parents with the knowledge and information they will need to welcome their new dog into their forever home.

 

The aim of these puppy care classes is to help owners and their families integrate their new furry friend into the family and set up a lifetime of good habits. Petmania will share everything puppy owners need to know in order to care for, feed and protect the health and well-being of a new puppy.

 

Speaking about the importance of arming new puppy owners with the correct information needed to properly care for them, Petmania’s own champion dog trainer, Dawn Greer, says:

 

“Despite general advice discouraging people from committing to new pets during the festive season every year, and reminders that dogs ‘aren’t just for Christmas’, we do tend to see a rise in new puppy-owners during December and into January. We want these new pet-owners to have a healthy and successful relationship with their new pets so we are eager to share as much advice with them as possible to ensure that they have the tools to hand to help train and care for their new puppy.”

 

“Bringing home a new puppy is a big responsibility and with the reality of day to day commitments such as work and family, it can often be quite overwhelming for new pet families. Our Petmania puppy care classes aim to help alleviate some of that pressure and help provide puppy owners – and those planning on bringing a new puppy into their home soon – with expert guidance and advice on all aspects of a puppy’s new life.”

 

“While puppy is welcome to join us (once they’ve had their shots!), it isn’t necessary to bring your pup to this class. We’ll be training you, not your puppy!

 

Petmania’s Puppy Care Classes are a great way for new puppy parents to get to grips with the basics of bringing a new puppy into their lives. Covering everything from that first night home to what to feed your pup, healthcare essentials and that all-important house training. Classes last approximately an hour and are recommended for anyone who has just gotten, or who is preparing to bring their new puppy home.

 

The classes are free to attend and take place at Petmania stores nationwide on Saturday, 13th January. Spaces are limited and registering in advance is essential via www.petmania.ie/puppy-care-class and each participant will receive a free puppy care-gift pack.

 

Delivered by experienced Pet Care Advisors, the hour-long class covers everything from diet and nutrition for puppies to grooming, dental care, exercise and play.

 

Petmania’s experts will also advice on house training and things to consider settling a puppy into its new home. It also advises on essential products needed for new puppies.

 

In addition, Petmania have also introduced new puppy training classes in a number of their store locations including Athlone and Waterford. The new store location in Athlone features a custom-built training facility on the second floor, which will be delivered by trainer Dawn Greer with four types of courses on offer, from puppy pre-school to an intermediate certificate for adult dogs.

 

Petmania also offers its customers free access to the Petmania Puppy Club, providing puppy owners with expert guidance on all aspects of a puppy’s health, diet, training and grooming – with timely emails issued to pet-owners throughout their pup’s first year to help navigate through those all-important developmental milestones. The Petmania Puppy Club also provides customers with exclusive access to discounts, care advice and step-by-step guidance through their puppy’s first year. See www.petmania.ie/puppy-club for more information.

 

Petmania now has 16 stores across Ireland with over 260 employees and the largest dog grooming business in the country.

 

For more information on Petmania and their services, follow their socials:

Instagram: petmania_ireland

Twitter/X: @PetmaniaIreland

Facebook: petmaniaireland

 

 

Unlock
Momentum

Home

Work

Culture

Team

News

Contact

DEI REPORT & TOOLKIT

Harrislogowhite

© 2026 Harris Public Relations Ireland. All rights reserved.

Denny Redmond

JUNIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Denny brings a rich and varied background across PR, HR, and theatre production, with PR agency experience and an in-house role with The Gate Theatre, as well as several roles in the HR sector. After taking time to travel and pursue further studies, he returned to the world of PR in 2025, joining the Harris PR team where he supports clients in the food, motoring, retail, festivals & events, and NFP sectors.

 

Denny’s creative waters run deep, and his communication skills, signature energy and collaborative approach make him an invaluable addition to the team.

Viktoriia Hurska

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Vika joined Harris PR following her selection as the recipient of the 2025/26 Harris PR Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Bursary, developed in partnership with the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) and the Open Doors Initiative. Originally from Ukraine and displaced by war, Vika came to Ireland in 2022 and brings over eight years of experience in communications including a wealth of strategic insight, creativity, and international perspective.

 

As part of the Bursary, Viktoriia is completing the PRII Diploma in Public Relations, combining academic study with hands-on agency experience at Harris PR, where she supports clients in the retail, health & wellness, festivals and NFP sectors.

Eve McSweeney

Account Manager

Eve is a skilled communications specialist who joined Harris PR in 2026 bringing extensive experience in strategic PR across the business, technology, and consumer sectors.

 

Eve previously spent over four years at tech-focused communications agency Beachhut PR, where she delivered strategic positioning, executive profiling, and global media relations for high-growth companies and multinational brands, often translating jargon heavy language into clear messaging. Her experience spans fintech, automotive, e-commerce, Web3, med-tech, supply chain, and enviro-tech industries.

 

She plays a key role in shaping and delivering integrated communications strategies, working closely with clients to build strong narratives, deliver insight-led storytelling, and drive meaningful media engagement.

Emma Geraghty

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Emma started her career in Internal Communications before undertaking a Masters in Public Relations and Strategic Communications. She moved on to become a Public Relations Manager in a fast-paced retail environment for over two years before joining Harris PR in 2025.

 

Experienced in delivering and executing PR campaigns across corporate, consumer and sustainability communications, whilst nurturing brand reputation, Emma manages clients in the health & wellness, retail, festivals and NFP sectors. A true media relations pro, her passion lies in storytelling and identifying news angles that will generate positive coverage while landing key messages.

Niamh McCarrick

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

With over 20 years’ experience, both agency and in-house, Niamh is a versatile and passionate PR expert who joined the Harris PR team in 2020.

 

During the course of her career she has worked with a broad range of corporate entities and consumer brands from industries spanning retail, telecoms, and FMCG, and has been the recipient of a number of PRCA awards in recognition of her work. She later served on the judging panel for the annual industry awards for several years.

Niamh specialises in strategy, planning, media relations and influencer management at Harris PR, and is the account lead for a number of brands in the retail, food & beverage, health & wellness and travel & tourism sectors.

Sonia Harris Pope

FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

Sonia established Harris PR in 2009, following a decade in agency PR and three years as a journalist with the Sunday Independent.  Her vision is to provide a truly people centric service, delivering standout creative work that moves the dial, while acting as an extension of client teams

 

While taking an active role in client work, alongside running the business, Sonia is responsible for strategic counsel, creative oversight and KPI delivery.  She has advised multinationals, start-ups, NFPs, and more over the course of her career and is deeply committed to advancing the PR industry by investing in talent and building an agency culture rooted in fairness and inclusivity.

 

Sonia is committed to advancing DEI in the PR Industry, and recently commissioned research and prepared the first benchmark report and toolkit for employers on the state of DEI in PR Ireland.  An active member of the PRII, and co-founder of the DEI PR Bursary now in its third year, Sonia has recently joined the board of the PRCA, and is committed to driving more inclusive hiring and workplace practices throughout the industry.