Dublin Neighborhood Guidance

Hi. My boyfriend, dog and I are moving to Dublin in February/March Protected content 2 years (to start). We are in our early to mid thirties who currently live in Los Angeles. We will want a 2 bed/2 bath furnished or partially furnished apt or duplex in an area with an easy commute to downtown for work and walkable for nightlife and weekend activities. As we plan to take advantage of the convenience of traveling throughout Europe while we are there, we don't want to spend all of our money on an apt however we do have moderate taste. From what we have seen online, we think that we should be spendig from Protected content per month. Is this reasonable?

Any leads or tips on areas we should concentrate our search?
What is the process for searching for apts? Online? Search firm?
What is the current rental demand? Is it a quick process?
What rental terms are common and negotiable ( such as deposit, lease term, utilities, parking, etc)?
As we have a dog (7 pound adorable mutt), will it be difficult to find pet friendly apts?

Much thanks!