We are proud to announce the opening of Cork’s first luxury grooming spa — a calm, therapeutic space designed to support both the physical and emotional wellbeing of every dog.

In contrast to the fast-paced, high-volume grooming salons many owners are used to, The Canine Spa offers a slower, more meaningful approach. Each session is one-to-one, crate-free, and thoughtfully tailored to the dog in front of us — whether they’re a nervous rescue, a wiggly puppy, or a senior dog needing extra care. 

“We’ve created a space where dogs feel safe, relaxed, and genuinely cared for,” says Claire O’Donnell, founder of The Canine Clinic and qualified canine physiotherapist. “We use gentle, fear-free handling to transform grooming into something dogs enjoy — not endure

The spa offers a full range of premium wellness grooming services. The entire experience is delivered in a quiet, clean, and serene setting — with no cages, no chaos, and no rushing.

This approach is particularly beneficial for dogs recovering from injury, with mobility issues, or who are emotionally sensitive. Every appointment is built on trust, understanding, and the belief that grooming should be a calming extension of a dog’s wellness routine.

The Canine Spa is now open Wednesday to Saturday, and appointments are strictly limited to maintain the one-to-one standard. Early booking is encouraged.

There are many different treatment techniques that may be employed by the small animal physiotherapist, which may include a combination of land and water-based therapies, such as:
Therapeutic handling techniques
Electrophysical therapies
Proprioceptive rehabilitation
Manual and massage therapies
Movement therapies
Behaviour modification enrichment techniques
Aquatic therapies and hydrotherapy.

Water based physiotherapy utilises the unique physical properties of warm water, together with skilled therapeutic handling techniques, specialised equipment, manual movement and proprioceptively enriched techniques to improve movement and function on land.Pool water is maintained at 32 degrees Celsius, which is of great benefit therapeutically, as it results in vasodilation, increasing blood flow, assisting in relief of muscle tension and improving cardiorespiratory output.

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine suggests acupuncture enhances blood circulation, nervous system stimulation and the release of anti-inflammatory and pain relieving hormones.
It involves the insertion of needles into specific points on the body tissue where nerve bundles and blood vessels come together.
These collection of nervous and vascular tissue are termed acupuncture points, which course over all aspects of the bodies surface on meridians (energy channels). Each acupuncture point has specific actions when stimulated.