SkellyWAGS Dog Training and Canicross has classes in various venues in Kent and online.
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It looks like being a very hot couple of days across parts of the UK this week and that can certainly be tough for some of our dogs and us. It really is worth considering what you do with your dogs during these really hot spells as heat stress can have a huge impact on your dogs, it is the UK after all and we know the hot weather will not last and we can then get back to normal!
It is looking like a few warm days ahead for some of us and whilst the sun brings with it a feel good factor for many it is not always so enjoyable for our dogs.
Please consider the type of exercise your dog does in times of high temperatures and humidity, do they really need to be walked during the hottest part of the day, would they be happier and safer being left at home instead of a day out?
Lets keep them dogs chilled, because dogs are just the coolest already so lets try and keep them that way.
Looking for something fun to do with your dog?
We have limited places available on both our Introduction to scentwork in East Studdal, Dover starting on the 12th August and our Introduction to scentwork in Old Romney at Waggy Tails Field starting on the 31st August.
These Introduction to scentwork courses are ideal for beginners and are open to dogs of all ages.
For more information click on the link below.
https://skellywagsdogtraining.co.uk/whats-on-at-skellywags-dog-training/
Bert is keen to show a few more pathways and hiding places that we have created for our scentwork, track and trail and enrichment work.
I think he approves😂
If you think it’s hot it clearly is, if you are wearing clothes to suit the conditions, if you have applied sun protection, if you are drinking more fluids, moaning in that great way we do when it is hot….then no need to check the pavement for 5 seconds with your hand… you already have your answer…YES your dog will be feeling it as well!
Bert having some fun this morning.
With the warm weather with us games like this are great for your dog, they can be played at home, in the garden, on walks (weather allowing) etc. A retrieve is not required as you can hide something your dog loves and go hunting together to find it and celebrate the find together….great for dogs with high prey drive or low in confidence as you are working with them. Keep it fun and simple, activate that seeking system and all those feel good emotions for your dog and you!
It is just a lovely game of hide and seek so keep it simple and fun.
Today some of the Scent squad took part in our 2nd fun trial of our summer series.
Each dog is allocated a start time which means we only have one dog at a time taking part, this is great for the dogs that need a bit of space but more importantly we do not have the dogs hanging around waiting for their turn, this way they arrive, search and then leave.
Today we set up 5 search zones and the scent we worked with was gun oil. It was as always great to watch the dogs of all abilities having some nosework fun with their human.
Dog sports should always be about the dog and the dog having fun, dogs do not care if they come first or last, whether they find all the hides etc. It should always be about the fun you and your dog are having together….because that is what your dog really enjoys.
This morning it was another warm one so we worked on staying relaxed and calm around other dogs. This is not always easy for pups, adolescent dogs and anxious dogs…but we had a mix of all these in this class and each did so well. We created space when needed, we asked for behaviours we knew they could do and most importantly of all we gave the dog choice and time. Dog are not robots, they are not accessories they are doing the very best they can to fit into our lives…the least we can do is give them the time and space to learn and adapt.
So it’s National Dog Photography Day today….who knew! What we do know is what a perfect excuse to put more photos of our dogs up😂
The big problem is which ones as we all have 1000’s of photos of our best friends.
Feel free to post photos of your lovely dogs sleeping, having fun etc and just being dogs.
What a great excuse to post dog photos as if you needed an excuse 😂🐾🐾
All set up for tonight’s Fun Gun Dog class!
It has been a busy couple of days with all things scent here at Skellywags. We have had Track and Trail, Scentwork at Dover and Active searches as well. If you follow us you will know we bang the drum loudly about the benefits of scent/nosework, so there is no need for us to tell you again…..however it is your dogs super power so why not work with them with it!
Here are a few photos of the dogs that found people, found a hidden scent or retrieved a scented article.
Our next Introduction to scentwork starts on the 12th August in East Studdal(Dover) and the 31st August in Old Romney(Romney Marsh). For more detail on these course click on the link. https://skellywagsdogtraining.co.uk/whats-on-at-skellywags-dog-training/
Glastopups is back!
We take keeping your dogs safe and well very seriously and provide each pup with its own shade pod, snuffle mat and space.
Even these pods can not stop classes being cancelled sometimes due to it just being too hot, but we never hesitate to cancel in the interest of the dogs in our care. This morning we started early to avoid the heat as much as possible and have now rearranged all other classes due today to mid week evening slots, when hopefully it will be cooler.
Well it seems like summer has arrived for a few days.
It is really important to consider our dogs well being during these periods, we should tailor their walks to suit the dog and the conditions, we should consider how to keep them cool and we should certainly not over exert them. It can only take the smallest rise in body temperature for a dog to start to feel the impact of heat stress.
So if in the UK you know the summer will not be that long and there is plenty of other things you can do with your dog than walk them or run them when too hot! If lucky enough to have some sun then kick back and enjoy it, create a shady area for your dog and just enjoy being in the moment with your dog.
We actually remembered to take a few photos at some of our classes this week…not all of them and we are so sorry for the classes and dogs we left out😢
We had a great variety as always for the week, Pups on Sups, Scentwork, Puppy, Lifeskills, Track and Trail, Fun gun dog, 1-2-1’s and our Stay Fit For Your Dog sessions.
Again so sorry for the dogs we did not get photos of😢.
https://skellywagsdogtraining.co.uk/whats-on-at-skellywags-dog-training/
Good luck England.
When you are doing Track and Trail and you get the feeling you are being spied on in your hide😂
I was sent this by a good friend this morning and instantly thought….Bert does own something …he owns my heart!
Dogs are so special and ask for so little and give so much. All my dogs have owned my heart and the dogs we work with also find their way into it as well, feel free to share you’re dogs that own your heart.
This weekend we started our Stay Fit for Your Dog sessions that we are running throughout summer to get fitter for our dogs when we return to canicross/canitalk. But it is also about our own fitness and wellbeing and the benefits being outdoors and healthy has on us.
A massive well done to those who could attend this weekend you all did an amazing job and we are really excited in what the coming weeks will bring.
We have had an amazing response to these sessions and look forward to welcoming those taking part who could not attend this weekend, we have set them homework.
As always with Skellywags it is not about how far or how fast, it is about the journey and wellbeing.
Today the UK goes to the polls and already social media is alive with lots of debates and most are not very nice, social media alogrithm's are loving it.
One of the reasons we do not post lots of stuff on here is that we just do not have time and also do not want to play that game and just want to do our thing and train. We will be doing more posts because it is the way a lot of small businesses like ours attract potential new clients, however we will not be just posting just to get likes and follows we will continue to keep it all in the dogs best interests and wellbeing, we will absolutely continue to keep it ALL POSITIVE and if you like us and follow us that is great.
So stay POSITIVE and KIND.
Once again we have not taken many photos this weekend of our training sessions, which is a real shame as we do love sharing photos when we take them of your lovely dogs.
We did however take this one today during our Track and Trail the Next Step class. The photo in itself may not seem that amazing to you but for some in the class it is. Not all the dogs in this photo could always cope with other dogs or people and certainly not in some of the more traditional class setups! However with the right space, the right amount of time, giving the dogs choices and generally paying attention to what our dogs are telling us…….here they are, relaxed and happy to be here. Well done everyone.
So there may not be that many photos from us this weekend but this one is just perfect and really is very special for all the right reasons.
Have a great Sunday everyone.
Today Bert and I spent the whole day together, no classes, no 1-2-1’s and no having to pop out, this does not happen often so we made the most of it.
We started our day with a lovely relaxed walk in the meadow, we had breakfast, caught up on a few emails and then spent the rest of the day doing jobs in the garden. Whilst doing all of this I was constantly reminded how amazing just being in the company of my best mate was and how lucky I am. Bert spent the day choosing which log he would spend July whittling down to a small stick, he found a new friend and best of all he just did dog stuff…he wandered around, sniffed things, laid down, got involved in what I was doing and just did whatever. Sometimes we really do expect too much from our dogs rather than just enjoying their company. I know it can be tricky at times caring for your dog but please do celebrate the good stuff as it is so important for us and them.
Canicross and Canitalk News.
If you follow this page you will know that we have stopped our canicross and canitalk sessions until Autumn now. We made this decision purely in the best interest of the dogs that attend our sessions as we rarely get out in the summer months as it is too hot, too humid or both combined so we decided to just let them have the summer off and keep them safe. We the humans however will not be just putting our feet up waiting until the cooler weather again, we will be staying active throughout the summer and will be running programs to keep our members and non members in shape for our dogs.
These programs will consist of Sofa to 5K, improving running technique and stamina, core workouts etc and exercises to follow between sessions. We will also be organising more Wellbeing Walks for those that do not run or want to run. These programs will begin on the 6th and 7th July and will run for 6 weeks.
Canicross should be a partnership between human and dog and the fitter we are for them the better as it should be teamwork and not the dog doing all the work!
If you are interested in starting canicross/canitalk with us in the Autumn drop us a message as this may be a great starting point for you to gain confidence and fitness before attaching your dog to you!
https://skellywagsdogtraining.co.uk/contact/
New course date for Dover, Kent. 12th August.
We are happy to announce we able to open up another Introduction to Scentwork Course for beginners starting on the 12th of August, this course will be limited to 6 dogs so places are likely to go very quickly. This course is the perfect starting point to get involved with your dogs natural superpower and be amazed at just how clever and brilliant your dog really is.
Scentwork with Sarah.
We are also delighted to announce that we will now be offering our 1-2-1 scentwork sessions in Dover and surrounding areas, Scentwork with Sarah. It is often said that scentwork is for every dog but sometimes even with lots of space a class environment is not the ideal place for learning for them, equally this can be the same for the human at the end of the lead. So with that in mind we are offering scentwork 1-2-1's for these dogs in your own home/garden and will be tailored to your dogs needs.
For booking or any further information please click on the link below or drop us a message.
https://skellywagsdogtraining.co.uk/contact/
Once again we have been quiet on here as we are just busy working and always forget to get photos, in fact when you see the photos in this post it is clear we need to take more so we can get better at it!
Today some of our scent squad took part in our 1st Fun Scent Trial of the summer series, each dog gets allocated a search time so they can arrive, search and then leave so there is no hanging about in cars or out in the heat for long.
We split the trial into 2 categories today, the Scooby Doo's and the Scrappy Doo's. We did this as some of the dogs are at a more advanced level than others so we always want it so that the dogs succeed as much as possible...what is the point otherwise!
Some amazing searching was done today by the dogs and even better than that was the fact all the humans remembered it was about fun and not places...after all the dogs do not care about placings they just want to have fun with their human best mate!
The puppy in the ball pit had a little go at seeing if he could find his mum, mum rubbed her scent on a ball, threw it into the ball pit and asked her pup to find her. This was the first time pup had tried this and yes...he found the ball with his mum's scent on...how amazing is that!
Want to know more about getting involved then drop us a message or click on the link below.
https://skellywagsdogtraining.co.uk/2024/06/10/unlocking-the-power-of-your-dogs-nose/
Vote for BERT. A POSITIVE Future for All!
Bert apologises for the serious photo but enough is enough and he has decided to enter the bid to become the next Prime Minister!
Bert is ready to lead us into a more positive and brighter future. Here are just some of the things you can expect from Bert if elected. A full manifesto will be published once Bert has woken from his nap!
Scentwork Everyday.
Everyday will be dedicated to sniff-tastic adventures! From treasure hunts, scatter feeding to scent trails, dogs everywhere deserve and will have the chance to put their noses to work and explore the world one sniff at a time.
More Swimming Spots.
"Every dog deserves a splash!" Bert promises to create more dog-friendly swimming spots across the UK. Whether it's beaches, ponds, lakes or paddling pools, there will be no shortage of clean places to dive in and paddle around, or muddy swamp pits for dogs that love to get dirty.
I need my space zone.
Every park will have dedicated areas for the dogs that need some time and space to adjust away from the hustle and bustle.
Treat Tax Cuts
No more rationing treats! Bert will ensure that treats are abundant and accessible to all dogs. Expect gourmet dog bakeries and treat stations on every corner. Yummy times ahead! It will become illegal to break a treat in half and pass it off as 2 treats.
Nap Time.
Nap time is crucial! Bert will introduce mandatory nap times throughout the day. Because a well-rested dog (and human) is a happy one.
Join Bert’s POSITIVE Party
Support Bert’s push to be come PM and help create a world where every dog can sniff, play, swim, relax, cuddle, be a dog and enjoy life to the fullest.
Let's spread the word and make BERT'S vision a reality for all dogs.
Bert is always happy to hear what your dog would like added to the manifesto.
We often talk about your dogs Superpower being their nose and how good scentwork/nosework is for them, well we thought we talk about the SEEKING system that your dog has!
What is the Seeking System?
The SEEKING system is a fundamental part of your dog’s brain that drives them to explore, investigate, and make sense of their environment. It’s like having a built-in curiosity engine. This system is what makes them so excited to sniff every tree, bush, and lamp post on your walks. It’s their way of gathering information and experiencing the world around them.
But that’s not all – engaging the SEEKING system releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin in your dog’s brain. These chemicals make your dog feel happy and rewarded, turning every sniffing adventure into a fantastic, fun and rewarding experience. Now imagine you are part of this experience as well and you and your dog are working together to search out a scent, track/trail a person, find a treat...what an amazing adventure you are both having. So even if it is just a bit of scatter feeding for your dog let them sniff and activate the SEEKING system.
LET THEM SNIFF.
If you would like more information about the many different scent/nosework classes and workshops we run then feel free to get in touch.
Dog Communication and Aggression workshop 15th June.
This is a great workshop for those with big emotion dogs, those that work with dogs; be it trainers, dog walkers, groomers or vets etc. This workshop will help you spot the early signs of stress and how to help those dogs.
Only 2 days to go and we are really looking forward to hosting Speak Dog Education with Rebecca Hanlon. Really excited to be part of Rebecca's tour and the first stop of her UK workshops.
A whole, interactive day, learning to understand and read the finer details of canine body language and understand why some dogs can show aggression.
We will be covering:
What factors affect communication and behaviour.
The different types of communication.
How to understand when your dog needs support.
Why dogs can behave aggressively.
The different types of aggression.
A look into how we support dogs who feel they have to use aggressive like behaviours.
Rebecca is a level 6 Canine mental health practitioner. A tutor and writer for The DoGenius Institute, a tutor on The Dog Geeks, and a level 5 education and learning tutor. She has been working within the mental health field for the last 30 years and holds various qualifications for both dogs and people. Her approach is warm, friendly, and accessible to all, both professionals and the general public.
Rebecca will be running a workshop on zoopharmacognosey (self medication with essential oils, herbs and powders for dogs) the same weekend. If you wish to attend both it will only be £150 for the 2 days.
Teas, coffee, and water are provided throughout the day.
We will all break for an hour's lunch where you can all have a packed lunch together or take a walk to stretch the legs.
This is a no-dog event as it is all about YOU learning, although there will be a couple of dogs there that we will be asking to join us so we can do some in-person (or dog) observations.
Please message Rebecca for more details on the workshop or to book.
WhatsApp on 07799350300
| Monday | 09:00 - 18:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 18:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 - 18:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 - 18:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 - 18:00 |
| Sunday | 09:00 - 14:00 |
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Bert having some fun this morning. With the warm weather with us games like this are great for your dog, they can be played at home, in the garden, on walks (weather allowing) etc. A retrieve is not required as you can hide something your dog loves and go hunting together to find it and celebrate the find together….great for dogs with high prey drive or low in confidence as you are working with them. Keep it fun and simple, activate that seeking system and all those feel good emotions for your dog and you! It is just a lovely game of hide and seek so keep it simple and fun.
The “Middle” On this mornings walk with Bert we had a lot of chill out time and enjoyed just being in the moment. However we did do a little recall training, Bert has amazing recall, be it to the whistle, verbal or visual cue and that has come with time and effort. Here we revisited an old fav of his which is “Middle”. This is a lovely behaviour and has lots of practical uses, recall, safety, reattaching the lead, sports,etc. The behaviour is where Bert is asked to do a middle and goes behind me and pops back between the legs into a sit/stand….why a sit or stand…well as long as he is in the middle position he can choose what is most comfortable. The video is a bit rubbish as did not quite get the angle of the phone right….but you should get the idea. Why did I not just refilm and make it look really slick…well real life is not really like that is it! I should add that those with large dogs can still do the behaviour but teach the dog to come around you and stop at your side. Just one of the things we teach in lifeskills and recall workshops.
Fun at the field last night with some of the scent squad.
Week 2 of our Track and Trail course. All the dogs are doing an amazing job. We have a real mix of dogs attending class and we set it up so each dog has the space it needs and deserves. I make no apology for the giddy happy voice when the dogs find me as I am having as much fun as the dogs.
Track and Trail fun!
Track and Trail fun today at our meadow with Bailey the NOSE.
Had to share as was sent this by Gerry’s humans. Gerry is 4 and a half months old and in only 2 weeks of his scent journey is not only searching but locating the odour…way to go Gerry.
Recall fun We have been quiet on here recently as we are just really busy and social media is always the thing that will do the least of! i was training a client yesterday and we played this recall game with them...so i decided to record Bert doing it. The idea is recall to me get rewarded and then get rewarded again at the bowl, teaching that recalling back is worthwhile. We start this game with the human and dog much closer together and on a longline if required and then build in distance, distractions, difficulty and duration etc. It is important to start with what the dog can cope with....after all we would not take a learner driver for their first lesson on a busy motorway....we would start in quiet roads and build up confidence and their skill set first!
As well as canicross at the weekend we had puppy class, scentwork for beginners, scentwork regulars, team challenges and 1-2-1’s as usual…we even had some sunshine. Apologises for those groups we did not take photos off….promise to do better this weekend. With lighter evenings coming we will be running midweek evening sessions again, dates out next week.
Incoming
What cracking bunch of dogs we had out for Canicross and Canitalk. We had trails, beaches, woodland, frost, rain, big dogs, small dogs, puddles, sunshine and rain….but most of all we had lots of happy dogs and humans 🐾🐾🐶🐕. No apologies for the photo spam!
Flooded
So the sun has finally set on another busy weekend at SkellyWags. Today saw the third round in our fun scent trial series for some of our Skellywags Scent squad. All the dogs did a brilliant job and the best bit is the humans know it’s all about the dogs. Dogs don’t care if they win or where they are placed….they just love sniffing and searching. Today the dogs worked so well and was so great watching the bond between dog and human grow. So much of today’s life is measured in things that are just not important, so enjoy the moment and spend time having fun with your dogs. Shameless photo of Bert just because I finished my day …. Just having fun in the moment with Bert.
It was a busy morning for the instructors at SkellyWags this morning, we had Canicross, Canitalk and Cani-confidence. We are so lucky that we have more classes tomorrow to come. So many lovely dogs enjoying being with their human. There are dogs in these photos that would struggle in a normal training class environment, however by creating space for them and engaging with them they absolutely thrive. It is all about time spent with your dog and enjoying the journey you are on.
New layout ready for the week ahead of Stable searching, each week we change the set up and the dogs love it as do the humans. We have a couple of midweek day slots available and a couple on Sunday afternoon left. It is a great way to spend time having fun with your dog and getting that amazing nose of theirs working. This is perfect for all dogs as no scent training is required as we tailor each session to each dog or dogs attending. Love watching the dogs grow in confidence each each and seeing them explore and search the stable. If you want any information or want to book your dog in then please message us. As always Bert gets to test it out and has given it the paws ups.
We are loving the stable searches as much as the dogs. This weekend we created a little maze of corridors, tunnels, hop ups, passive and active searches, switched the scent from previous weeks and had lots of fun with the dogs. Scentwork is for everydog, these sessions have dogs that have been doing it for years to complete newbies, each session is tailored to the dogs in attendance. Want to give it a try? If so drop us a message and we will get back to you.
Bert is happy to confirm that the SantaPaws search zones are being cleared and prepared for weekend classes and private bookings. It’s safe to say Bert enjoys working with us and although he does not do much of the heavy lifting he does supervise and test drive the zones we set up😂 Sometimes it is easy to over egg the pudding and push/expect too much from our dogs. Today I just kept hiding a scented toy and he loved sniffing around the straw bales trying to find it. Bert is very experienced in scentwork but that does not mean we have to keep raising the bar….Bert loves it because he is using his nose and he is doing it with me, it’s a win win situation and it’s FUN.
What a lovely way to start Christmas Eve, a stable search. The dogs had great fun and can confirm that SantaPaws has been cleared for take off and the dogs will get their pressies in the morning.
So hard to pick photos from our Christmas Scent Event today, so here are a few that hopefully capture the fun had by all. We had big dogs, little dogs, big emotion dogs, shy dogs, experienced and new to scentwork and all smashed it. We create the environment so that the dogs of all emotions can cope and have fun. Scentwork is for every dog. If you would like to know how to get involved do not hesitate to get in touch.
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