Category: Blogs
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Why Connection Is the Foundation of Everything We Do at SkellyWAGS
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…
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Looking for More to Do With Your Dog Without Committing to a 5-Week Course?
Flexible Dog Training in Kent That Fits Around Your Life One of the questions I’m asked more than almost any other is, “What can we do after we’ve finished our course?” It’s a great question. For some people, another five-week course is exactly what they’re looking for. For others, life simply gets in the way.…
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When a Dog Says “Not Yet”. We Should Listen
Every dog deserves to have their voice heard Yesterday I spent some time working with a lovely dog called Nala who is weary of strangers. Like many dogs, she wasn’t being naughty or difficult, she was simply unsure of the unfamiliar person standing in front of her. That person happened to be me. Normally, I’m…
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Looking Ahead… We’re so Ready to Get Back to It!
Well… that wasn’t quite how any of us imagined the last couple of weeks would go! The prolonged heat meant making the decision to cancel all of our classes and 1-1 sessions. Of course it was disappointing, but when it comes to the welfare of the dogs there really wasn’t any other choice. They’ll always…
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A slightly different couple of weeks
If you’ve been following along, you’ll know the weather has had other ideas recently. Between the heat/humidity causing us to cancel and reschedule classes, workshops and 1-1’s etc, it’s certainly not been the summer I had planned! From a business point of view it’s never ideal, but I’ve always believed there’s little point in fighting…
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The SkellyWags Foundations
What Great Dog Training Is Really Built On. Discover the SkellyWags Foundations,Trust, Communication, Choice, Safety and Fun. Learn why building a strong relationship with your dog is the key to successful puppy training, recall, lead walking and positive reinforcement. If you’ve spent any time following SkellyWAGS, you’ve probably heard me say “Connection Before Training.” It…
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Recall Training for Dogs: How to Teach a Reliable Recall (Without Becoming the Fun Police!)
“FENTON!… FENTON!… JESUS CHRIST!” If you know, you know. For the rest of us, it’s one of Britain’s most famous examples of a dog deciding that deer were far more interesting than their human. Whether your dog disappears after a squirrel, spots another dog across the park, or suddenly develops an overwhelming interest in absolutely…
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Understanding Why Puppies Bite: Causes and Solutions
You bring your adorable new puppy home, spend approximately 17 minutes falling completely in love with them, and then they sink their tiny razor-sharp teeth into your ankle. Welcome to puppyhood. One of the most common questions I get asked as a dog trainer is: “Why is my puppy biting so much?” The good news…
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Why Do Dogs Get the Zoomies? Understanding FRAPs in Dogs
Have you ever watched your dog suddenly tear around the garden at top speed, ricochet off the sofa, perform three laps of the house and then collapse as if nothing happened? Congratulations. You have witnessed a Zoomie. While most of us call them zoomies, the scientific term is a FRAP – a Frenetic Random Activity…
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Hot Weather and Dogs: Why Sometimes the Best Walk is No Walk at All
As dog guardians, many of us are conditioned to think that our dogs need a walk every day. But when the temperature starts to climb, it may be time to rethink what our dogs really need. At SkellyWags, dog welfare will always come first. Sometimes that means cancelling classes, changing plans or swapping a walk…
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More Than Just a Field
When people visit SkellyWags for the first time, one of the comments I hear most often is: “You’re so lucky to have this.” And they’re right. But what many people don’t see is what came before. The field wasn’t always what it is today. The meadow wasn’t always full of pathways. There wasn’t always a…
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It’s Alright Not to Be Alright
I don’t often write blogs like this. Usually I’m talking about dogs, scentwork, training, learning, or the latest thing Bert has decided is extremely important. But today I’d like to talk about something else. Over the last few weeks, I’ve felt a bit vulnerable. There. I said it. As humans, we often feel pressure to…
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Introduction to Scentwork
Saturday 25th July, 14.00 start at Waggy Tails Field, Old Romney, Kent. On Saturday the 25th July we will be opening the gates to Waggy Tails field, for a special SkellyWags Introductions to Scentwork session. This relaxed 45 minute mini workshop is designed to give you and your dog a fun introduction to the world…
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The Scent Shed.
More Than Just a Scent Shed – A Space Built for Dogs (and Their Humans) When I first started building what we now lovingly call the Scent Shed, I had one main idea in mind: creating a safe, calm, weather-proof space where dogs could sniff, search and just be dogs. But as the build has…
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Scentwork for Confidence
New 4-Week Live Online Course. Begins Friday 6th February at 19.30. Helping anxious and sensitive dogs feel safer, steadier, and more connected through the simple power of sniffing. Living with an anxious or easily overwhelmed dog can feel like walking a gentle tightrope. We want them to feel safe, to enjoy the world, and to…
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The Truth About Life With Us Dogs.
“Bert here, in this weeks blog I am going to talk about the real side of sharing your life with a dog. Yes, we’re loyal, loving and absolutely the best thing since gravy bones… however that picture-perfect “human’s best friend” image you see on social media? Well, let’s just say it sometimes takes a lot…
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It’s not about control, It’s about Connection.
Bert’s Friday Blog. “It’s that time of the week again for my Friday blog, its been a busy week As Dad and I have been filming content for some new course material…oops I was asked not to mention that! We better dive straight into my blog. Don’t let on you know about the filming! Let’s…
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The Hardest part of the journey.
A note from Bert on grief and goodbyes. “Hello, friends. It’s me, Bert and I must warn you this blog was a tough one to write. Today, I want to talk about something a bit heavier than usual. You see, not every story ends with muddy paws and squeaky toys, sometimes our leads go quiet,…
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Puppy Course.
NEW 5-WEEK PUPPY COURSE ENROL NOW! Got a new puppy and no idea what day it is anymore? Shoes and socks mysteriously disappearing? Zoomies at bedtime? Biting like a tiny land shark? You’re not alone and we’ve got your back and your socks! Join our fun and friendly 5 week course is designed to help…
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SNIFFING OUT THE TRUTH
A Beginner’s Guide to Scentwork Bert “Hi, Bert here from Skellywags Dog Training. Some of you may have noticed that I am taking a bit more of a LEAD role at Skellywags these days, did you see what I did there, LEAD role! I obviously got my bad sense of humour from Dad, so lets…