Category: Puppy Training
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What Is Scentwork for Dogs? A Beginner’s Guide
Have you ever watched your dog investigate one particular blade of grass for what feels like three working days? To us, it may appear that absolutely nothing is happening. To our dogs, however, that little patch of ground can contain an entire story. Who has been there, how long ago they passed through and possibly…
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VARK, Not BARK: Dog Trainers Need to Understand How Humans Learn Too
As dog trainers, we spend a great deal of time learning how dogs learn. We talk about reinforcement, association, motivation, timing, environment and whether the piece of cheese in our hand is actually more interesting than the spaniel disappearing into the undergrowth. All very important stuff. However, there is another animal standing at the end…
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How Does a Dog’s Nose Work? Scentwork, Sniffing and Hot Weather
Scentwork is often suggested as a good alternative to walking when the weather is hot. That makes sense. It can be done indoors, it doesn’t need lots of space and a dog can enjoy using their nose without racing around or covering miles. However, scentwork isn’t a magical hot weather loophole. When it becomes extremely…
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Sharing Your Lovely Words Without Feeling Like a Show Off
I’m very lucky to receive some truly lovely reviews from the people who bring their dogs to SkellyWAGS or homes I visit. I read and reply to every one of them. I appreciate every one of them. Occasionally, they even make me feel as though I might know what I’m doing. Then comes the difficult…
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Puppy Classes in Kent
Our 6 week puppy course covers all the basics to get you and your pup off to a flying start. The course covers all of the basics such as recall, sit, wait, down, loose lead walking and more.
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The Dogs Came First. Every Time.
July 2026 has officially entered the record books. It was England’s driest July on record and its second warmest, while here in Southern England it was both the warmest July and the driest month ever recorded. Those figures probably won’t surprise anyone who spent much of the month checking the temperature, looking hopefully at rain…
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One to One Dog Training Isn’t Just for Dogs Who Need Space
When people hear the words “one-to-one dog training”, they often assume it must be for a dog who is reactive, nervous or unable to cope in a group class. 1-2-1 training can certainly be a brilliant option for dogs who need more space. It allows us to carefully manage the environment, work at the dog’s…
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Why Is Sniffing So Important for Dogs?
You’ve left the house with your dog, planned a decent walk and perhaps even imagined returning home before the kettle has completely forgotten about you. Then your dog finds a particularly interesting patch of grass. They sniff it from one direction, approach it from another, investigate the neighbouring lamppost and then return to the original…
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Loose Lead Walking: How to Help Your Dog Stop Pulling on Walks
Going for a walk with your dog sounds like it should be one of the easiest and most enjoyable parts of sharing your life with them. Clip on the lead, head out of the door and enjoy a peaceful wander together. That’s the theory, anyway. The reality can sometimes involve being dragged towards every interesting…
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The Dog Training Questions Everyone Asks – And Where to Start
If you’ve ever typed “How do I stop my dog from…” into Google, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, I’m fairly sure the words “stop my dog” have been followed by everything from pulling on the lead to stealing socks, barking at the window and disappearing after a squirrel. Many of the most common dog…
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Scentwork: A Practical Guide to Building Your Dog’s Confidence Through Nosework
Scentwork: A Practical Guide to Building Your Dog’s Confidence Through Nosework Scentwork is a rewarding dog sport and enrichment activity that encourages dogs to use their most powerful sense: smell. It is suitable for almost any dog, from high energy youngsters to older dogs who need low impact exercise. Better still, it is easy to…
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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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SkellyWAGS Adventure Dogs
A New Adventure Every Week! Beginning August 2026 What if your dog’s next training class wasn’t about getting everything right? What if it was simply about having fun, trying something new and building confidence along the way? Welcome to SkellyWAGS Adventure Dogs a brand new weekly class where every session is a different adventure. Designed…
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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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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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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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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…