SkellyWags Dog Training Kent

A Busy Week That Reinforced an Important Lesson

As another busy week at SkellyWAGS comes to an end, I’ve found myself reflecting on just how many different dogs, people and conversations I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of.

It’s been one of those weeks where no two days have looked the same. There have been one-to-one sessions with dogs working on very individual goals, puppy and Life Skills classes full of learning and laughter, scentwork sessions where dogs have amazed their owners with just how capable they really are, and plenty of planning for our exciting new Adventure Dogs class.

Away from the training field, I also had the opportunity to take part in a webinar with Nathan from The Dog Walking Mentor discussing wellbeing and how Skellywags begun and much more, you can watch the podcast here. I also got to chat with Rebecca Hanlon from Atticus Academy for Animals talking about why trainers and behaviourists should work together rather than against one another and how the crossover helps not just the dogs but us as well. This discussion was for a fantastic course that Atticus have just launched to help people understand dogs and animals better.

Although these all seem like completely different experiences, they all reminded me of one thing that has sat at the heart of my training for many years.

Everything starts with connection.

Building Relationships Before Building Behaviours

People often ask what I believe is the most important thing to teach a dog. Some expect the answer to be recall, loose lead walking or perhaps calmness around distractions.

Those skills are all valuable, but I don’t believe any of them come first.

Before a dog can learn confidently, they need to feel safe. Before they choose to listen, they need to trust us. Before we can ask them to work with us, we need to become someone worth working with.

That relationship isn’t built during a single training session. It’s built through hundreds of small moments every single day. Every game we play, every successful walk, every time we allow our dogs to make good choices and every occasion we celebrate rather than criticise, we’re strengthening that bond.

Once that connection exists, the training becomes far more enjoyable for both ends of the lead.

Every Dog Taught Me Something This Week

Working one-to-one with dogs is one of my favourite parts of the job because no two sessions are ever the same.

Some dogs arrive needing confidence. Others are full of enthusiasm but need a little guidance. Some simply need the opportunity to enjoy learning in an environment where nobody expects perfection.

This week reminded me once again that there isn’t a single training plan that fits every dog. Instead, it’s about taking the time to understand the individual standing in front of you.

The more we understand our dogs, the more successful we become at helping them.

That understanding comes through observation, patience and communication rather than trying to rush towards a result.

Why Scentwork Is Really About Trust

People often think scentwork is simply about teaching dogs to find hidden treats or specific scents.

Of course, that’s part of it, but it’s also so much more than that.

When a dog searches, they’re making decisions independently. They’re solving problems, using their incredible noses and discovering that success comes from trusting themselves. At the same time, their handler learns to trust their dog rather than trying to control every movement.

It’s a partnership.

Watching that partnership grow is one of the reasons I enjoy teaching scentwork so much. The searching is fascinating, but seeing the relationship between dog and guardian develop is even more rewarding.

Adventure Dogs Is About More Than Adventures

Planning our new Adventure Dogs class this week has been incredibly exciting.

Yes, there will be different environments to explore. Dogs will experience new surfaces, confidence building challenges and plenty of opportunities to try something different every single week.

However, underneath every exercise is exactly the same philosophy that runs through everything we do at SkellyWAGS.

The goal isn’t simply to complete an obstacle or explore somewhere new.

The goal is for dogs and their humans to experience those adventures together.

Confidence doesn’t grow because a dog walked across a wobble board.

Confidence grows because they realised someone they trusted was right there beside them.

Sometimes Fun Is the Best Training Plan

One of my favourite sessions every week is probably one of the simplest.

Thirty minutes, One dog, One human, No pressure.

Our 30 minute 1-1 sessions aren’t always about solving a problem. Quite often they’re simply about creating enjoyable experiences together. We might play scentwork games, search straw bales, hide keys or invent something completely new on the day. At these sessions this week I asked my clients what they would like to do with their dogs and all of them blew me away with what they said, “Can they just have some fun with Uncle Mark”. So that is what we did, this all came back to the connection and trust that these lovely dogs have with me and their humans.

There’s plenty of laughter, a few surprises and usually a dog that leaves thinking they’ve just had the best half hour imaginable.

The funny thing is that learning still happens.

In fact, I’d argue that some of the best learning happens when neither the dog nor the human feels under pressure to get everything right.

Connection Between People Matters Too

One of the other highlights of my week wasn’t actually on the training field.

Speaking alongside a Rebecca Hanlon reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time. Dog training isn’t about competing with one another or proving who knows the most.

It’s about working together.

Behaviourists, trainers, veterinary professionals and guardians all bring something different to the table. When we communicate openly, respect each other’s knowledge and focus on the welfare of the dog instead of our own egos, everybody benefits.

The same applies to wellbeing.

The webinar with Nathan also reminded me that behind every dog is a person trying their very best. Sometimes people simply need reassurance that they’re making progress, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.

Kindness, encouragement and community are every bit as important as good training techniques.

The Heart of SkellyWAGS

Looking back over the week, I realised that although I had worn lots of different hats, my job had remained exactly the same.

Help people understand their dogs, Help dogs understand their people, Everything else grows from there.

Whether someone joins us for puppy training, Life Skills, scentwork, a one-to-one session or our new Adventure Dogs class, my aim isn’t to produce robots that perform on cue.

It’s to help people build stronger, happier relationships with the dogs they already love.

I’ve always believed that great dog training doesn’t begin with exercises or techniques.

It begins with connection.

And after a week like this, I believe that more than ever.

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Ready to Build a Stronger Connection With Your Dog?

Whether you’re looking for puppy training, Life Skills classes, 1-1 dog training, scentwork, flexible classes or our brand-new Adventure Dogs sessions, you’ll find the same philosophy running through everything we do at SkellyWAGS.

We believe that dogs learn best when they feel safe, understood and motivated. Our goal isn’t perfection—it’s helping you build the kind of relationship that lasts a lifetime.

Take a look at our upcoming classes, workshops and one-to-one sessions, or subscribe to the website to receive regular blogs, training tips and updates from Bert and me.

Because every great partnership starts with one simple thing…

Connection.