Looking around, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such cuties in a Dublin bar in all my 47 years. There’s Max and Sonny, two statuesque blondes, who are so very handsome and mannerly.

Then Bowie, of Italian heritage, catches my eye with his sleek mane and charming dickie bow. My head is also turned by Jack – a dapper older fellow holding up the bar, with distinguished salt and pepper hair, and a quiet confidence.

No, I’m not at a singles night or a speed dating event – I’m having a sneak peek at Dolly’s, Dublin’s newest dog-friendly bar and restaurant, the first in Ireland designed with both humans and canines in mind. And let me tell you, it’s been quite the day already, and it’s not yet lunchtime.

I’ve travelled from Wicklow to the leafy south Dublin suburb of Terenure with my two Yorkshire terriers, Riley and Bowie, who both suffer from car sickness. Ironically, given their queasy paw-dicament after our journey, they’ll unlikely be able to tuck into the ‘wuffet’ I’ve been promising them.

The chic dark green and pale pink exterior is instantly Instagrammable, and locals – both two and four-legged – have been clamouring to get a sniff inside.

Once you cross the threshold, it’s clear this isn’t your typical ‘dogs welcome’ place with a token bowl of water shoved apologetically in a corner. This is a full-blown, four-storey temple to this country’s canine obsession.

Yes, Dolly’s interiors are what can only be described as unapologetically maximalist, a riot of pinks and reds, neon slogans, glitterballs, canine-themed artwork, even a flower wall for those all-important puparazzi moments. There are cosy nooks and snug corners for humans, and – crucially – thoughtfully designed elements for dogs.

Think hideaways under couches for pups who’d rather disco nap, a San Pawliggrino outdoor water tap and – of course – its famous Doggy Pick And Mix Wuffet, where an empty cup can be purchased and filled with an assortment of treats, with a portion of proceeds going to the NSPCA.

There’s even a doggy concierge – a ‘Madra D’ in the form of Rachel Cullen, who is on hand during busy times to make sure canine clients are kept happy – and a dog bed ‘menu’, featuring everything from influencer-ready banana beds to doughnut nests and snug blankets.

Some have been lucky enough to get their paws in the door for a photoshoot and I’m quickly introduced to Jack, a Froodle – that’s French bulldog meets poodle, for the uninitiated – who I’m told will be a regular. I’m just about to remark on how impeccably behaved he is when he launches into an enthusiastic and entirely unsolicited display of affection directed at his owner’s leg.

‘He’s been neutered and he’s still at that, I’ve asked the vet for a refund,’ owner Rose shrugs, with the weary resignation of someone who has long since accepted her fate.

My own usually yappy Riley unsurprisingly retreats behind me, while another sweet-faced terrier, perched confidently on a bar stool, issues a single, authoritative bark to summon service. It works. A bone-shaped treat arrives promptly, courtesy of their owner.

There is, throughout, a low-level hum of canine chaos. A fire engine screams past outside, prompting Riley to howl in solidarity, which – mercifully – distracts Jack from his romantic pursuits.

Meanwhile, my own, very cute, yet cretin-like Bowie – 13, and at this stage, quite toothless – finds himself upstaged by the sleek youth of the aforementioned Italian greyhound with the same name. It is, in short, a social hierarchy as complex and quietly competitive as any human bar, just with tails.

Dolly’s is the brainchild of Ronan Flood and his business partner Aaron Groom (fur real), and he’s been dealing with paws and pints for years as proprieter of several dog-friendly Dublin venues.

‘I started seeing a real demand for it back in 2013 in the Barber’s Bar,’ he says of his premises in Dublin’s Grangegorman. ‘Then we started to offer more options for dog owners in Pye in Dundrum, like doggie pizza, a doggy vending machine, water stations and the like.’

While Ireland still lags behind other countries in terms of practical logistics and real dog friendliness in bars and cafes, we are rapidly catching up.

‘The day of putting the dog out in the yard at night in this country is long gone,’ he reflects. ‘To dog owners, their fur balls are little babies who are part of the family.’

He flashes a knowing look down at his own fur baby, a Frenchie called Pickles, who has been eyeing her fellow four-legged compadres with some suspicion.

‘She has attachment issues,’ says Ronan, only half-jokingly of this self-styled ‘head of barketing’, whose influence is evident in every glittering, dog-centric corner. Similar brachycephalic faces peer out from cushions, while a giant flat-faced dog’s head hoisted over the bar watches over proceedings like a benevolent deity.

There’s even a life-sized statue of a French bulldog waiter holding a tray, guiding guests upstairs, where high ceilings, a chic cocktail bar, circus-inspired décor and floods of natural light create a space that feels part cabaret, part curated fantasy.

‘We were trying to make the place fun, Instagram-friendly and most importantly, female-friendly,’ says Ronan of the kitsch glam interiors – and the name alone is a bit of a giveaway.

Speaking of which, he has an entertaining tale about how they chose Dolly’s in the first place. ‘Well, Nine To Five is playing on repeat in the ladies’ bathroom, so that’s one clue,’ he smiles.

‘But Mary Jane Murray, who was James Joyce’s mam, was born here,’ he says of the premises, which was originally Vaughan’s Eagle House pub. ‘Urban legend has it that before she died, she had a dog called Dolly.’

Ronan says that while ‘about 70 per cent’ of Dolly’s business will be targeting drinkers, it will be serving a range of mouth-watering food when it opens this weekend, such as pizza, salads, burgers and fries – and that’s just for the humans.

‘In time we will have events serving pawfenoon tea with barkcuterie boards and beef pawtare,’ he says, laughing. ‘We are thinking Valentine’s night, that kind of thing, where you can treat your pooch too.

‘We’re first and foremost the bar that does food and we’ll have lots of fun novelty and trivia nights. From 7pm the music will be cranked up and there’ll be a big party vibe.’

Which brings us to the issue of petiquette. Dog puns aside, there are rules in an establishment such as this. All dogs must be on leads and large dogs have a curfew (9pm) although lapdogs can stay later, provided they are literally kept in hand.

‘We’re very cognisant of health and safety issues,’ says Ronan, who indeed has a lengthy list of dog rules on Dolly’s website. ‘We have to use common sense I suppose, and when it gets late and people have had a few drinks, you don’t want them falling over a St Bernard.

‘We are really strict on restricted breeds wearing a muzzle,’ he adds and I can’t help but wonder if a similar strategy should be considered for lairy humans too.

‘Owners are expected to clean up after their pets, seek permission before petting any dogs, and, if necessary, escort their dog off the premises if there’s a major issue.’

And children? ‘They can come in, as long as they are on leads also,’ he quips. ‘They have to be out by 7pm as well!’

While in general, there’s been nothing but boundless enthusiasm for Dolly’s, not everyone is wagging their tails.

‘We even had a one-star review before we opened, which is hardly fair,’ Ronan says. ‘I just say to those people who are negative from the get-go that there are plenty of wonderful pubs and restaurants around if you don’t want to be around dogs. That’s fine by us.’

There are practical considerations too – no dog bowls on tables, blankets under pets if they are on the furniture and a clear emphasis on hygiene.

‘It’s nonsense to suggest dogs are dirty,’ Ronan says. ‘Sure Pickles sleeps in the bed with me.’

Having observed Pickles being cradled like a small child, I’d thought this likely already. ‘Those old dated laws of dogs being prohibited in restaurants and bars have long changed,’ he says. ‘Health authorities have absolutely no issue with dogs in a bar, but in saying that, we do try and exercise a bit of common sense as well.

‘We have hand sanitising stations all around the place for customers and staff, and we’ll always ensure that everything is sanitised at the end of a shift. Accidents may happen too and they are dealt with promptly. Mind you, we’ve only ever had a human pee in a seat,’ he shrugs. ‘In my career as a publican, dogs are not the problem.’

Anyway, if things start to get a little ruff, there’s the aforementioned Madra D on hand to help reel in the leads. Dog lover Rachel Cullen has been working in bars for years and is also a neuroscience student at Trinity College, so no doubt has some training tricks up her sleeve.

‘I’m here at the busy times during the weekends,’ she smiles. ‘Any dog-related needs or issues are under my remit, like showing customers the dog bed menu, making sure dogs are happy and hydrated and tagging dogs in their Insta account.’

She leads me to the ultimate dog posing corner, a flower wall with ‘In Dog We Trust’ emblazoned in bright pink.

Food and drink in a glamorous venue, with an occasional bark, the odd howl and in the company of the most faithful friends of all? Dolly’s gets the paws up from me. Now if only they’d open nearer my house so my two mutts could tuck into that wuffet...

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