https://linktr.ee/thedogsquadofficial, http://www.thedogsquadofficial.com/

The Dog Squad, Kings Hill, Kings Hill (2025)

05/09/2025

EXCITING NEWS! Adding to our scentwork programme this Autumn, we bring you The Nosework Games!

I’ve been dabbling in NWG over the last year, using a few of them for fun in my progression programme. I think they’re super complimentary to the rest of our scentwork programme and, because it’s always about the dog for me…what I like about these is that they can all take place at the same venue, setting our environmentally sensitive dogs up for success!

We’ll be starting on Tuesday evenings in October, simply teaching the games, two at a time, and then bringing in awards and assessments next year…maybe some competition too!

Stay posted for the first dates as spaces will be limited!

https://linktr.ee/thedogsquadofficial 🐾🐾🐾

01/09/2025

PAWS IN THE PARK - 20/21 September 2025
We are back for a second year with our scentwork demonstration team AND our popular Have a Go nosework stand!

🐶 £1 Find the Paté
🐶 £1 Spin the Wheel
🐶 £3 Have a Go Scentwork including entry into our amazing raffle!

Come and visit us for some scentwork fun with lots of amazing prizes to be won, donated by my fabulous colleagues at The Dog Advisor Kent

Raffle prizes include:
UK Sniffer Dogs : Bronze Scent Detection Course
The Dog Squad Official : Nosework 121
Andrea Victoria Photography : Photoshoot +
Family Dog Services : Gundog 121
Bluebell Pet Care + First Aid : online First Aid course
Kent Canine Swim : free swim session
Calm Care 4 Pets : 3 free Bark Park sessions
Natural Paw Pet Services : half price treat bundle
Paw.Sister.Society : 30% off website order
Carly's Canine Coaching : Intro to GRC
Raising My Rescue - Canine Behaviourist: one month online access

Bring the kids along to Spin the Wheel where you could walk away with treats, chews, vouchers for Wellsies Pet Treats and Doggy Dinners Ltd and even a new lead or collar!

Don’t forget to come see The Scent Squad in the main arena from 1.15pm on both days. We are super excited and can’t wait to see you there. Tickets can be bought from Paws in the Park Kent Show!

29/08/2025

Three weeks ago, five handlers came along to my first Loose Lead Workshop. Five different dogs with different handlers, I knew there would be an element of playing it by ear but they all made such fantastic progress in the two hours that we decided a follow on session would be ideal to consolidate learning for all.

Although only three could make the additional session, these three teams made it worth my while getting out in the torrential rain at 8.30 on a Friday morning! They’ve practiced what they learned last time and they were ready to move on.

By the end we had three dogs walking on a loose lead together. That’s the dream isn’t it, for a street walk at least? To be able to walk with someone and have a conversation whilst your dog walks besides you!

I am a technical trainer and I make no apologies for it. I am picky about handler mechanics and verbal communication. If we can get our part right, we make it so much easier for the dog to succeed in theirs!

I am confident that these three dogs understand what the behaviour of loose lead walking is. I am confident that these three handlers understand how to generalise that behaviour into their own walks/streets/environments. So with continued work, these three dogs should be able to walk beautifully with and by their handlers when requested to do so! 🤩

28/08/2025

“Neutrality is just a buzzword” people say and I get that it can be bandied about without much thought of what it means. I myself could argue that ALL my other group classes practice and promote neutrality anyway so do we need a special one?

Well here are the unique benefits of neutrality classes as I see them:

SAFE SPACE: Everyone is there for a similar goal whether it’s reactivity or dogs who are overly social! Therefore it is an entirely supportive zone where no one need feel embarrassed or ashamed of their dog’s behaviour or their own handling skills.

CONFIDENCE: in this class we practice drills that will become a behavioural reference for owners AND the dogs to replicate in real life. It is enormously confidence boosting for the handlers and for the dogs.

FOCUS: in this class the handler can focus on their dog’s behaviour and body language as well as their own mechanics without trying to learn a new skill/sport at the same time.

STRUCTURE: the world is a hard space for handlers to push the limits of their comfort zone because we cannot rely on ‘the general public’ to always manage their dog appropriately, it is an unpredictable space for learning. Here we provide predictability and ‘controls’ for each handler to step out of their comfort zone with success.

EMPATHY: handlers share and empathise with one another. We laugh and joke about needing therapy but it’s true. Some of us carry trauma from our reactive dog journey and in this space, a little of that can be lifted.

So, if your dog is emotionally activated by other dogs then why not look for a neutrality class near you, because it might just help you progress in a way you’ve not been able to so far.

NEW DATES COMING SOON… please note reactive dogs will need to attend a one to one first to ensure both ends of the leash are ready for this kind of exposure.

26/08/2025

On National Dog Day let’s take a minute to remember what’s important to our dogs!

Last night I was watching some clips of Charlie playing the Hoopers game and I felt a pang of sadness because I see how much he loves it and I wish I were better at it for him. I am certain that a less sequentially-challenged person could win stuff with him! He is awesome at it and I am not.

But then I checked myself.

Because as far as Charlie knows, he wins every Monday morning. He has the best time because it’s his time playing the Hoopers game with me and yes, his ball plays a part! But he reminds me that I am enough.

So let’s not allow human ambition to rob you of your dog’s simple truth. You are enough without the frills!

Happy National Dog Day! 🖤

24/08/2025

DID YOU KNOW we have a thriving SCENTWORK community here in Kings Hill???

Our Scent Squad currently has just over 40 pet dogs of varying breeds, ages, sizes and temperaments! All these dogs come along weekly to work their nose in a challenging but enjoyable way that leaves them feeling FULFILLED!

Dogs by nature love to sniff and there are many ways that pet dog owners attempt to fulfil that desire; sniffaris, snuffle mats, scatter feeds, food puzzles etc and all of those are ‘ok’ for a bit of fun. But none of those things tap into the dog’s olfactory system in quite the same way that scentwork does.

In scentwork we combine the physiological benefits of movement (the hunt) with the mental challenge of a focused search (for unique odour), making it hard to beat for genuine ‘enrichment’ activity. We also make it incrementally harder as the dog progresses, keeping them on their toes and ensuring they never get bored!

Our scentwork dogs are sniffing at intense rates working their cardio systems HARD! It is mentally and physically tiring and because we make it fun and worthwhile, it is emotionally enjoyable for the dogs too. Best of all, YOU learn a skill that you can use every day at home or on your walks!

Your dog will benefit SO MUCH MORE from ten minutes scentwork in your house and garden than a second walk round the block on an evening! But, you can take it on your walk and you get the best of both!

In case you haven’t guessed, Scentwork is My Thing. I work hard and continue to study so that I can bring you the most modern approaches to scent detection training for pet and sport dogs. I am a Gold Level Instructot with UK Sniffer Dogs as well as Trial Official and Judge with The National Nosework Association. I have long been a Ford K9 member to keep my learning broad and extensive but most of all, I LOVE IT and, so I am told, my passion is infectious!

You can join us for fun or you can join us with competition in mind. Either way, I just ask that you work at it between sessions to get the most of your investment!

I have one space left for my September intake in Kings Hill and three spaces remaining for my October intake in Maidstone. Come and join the fun!

https://linktr.ee/thedogsquadodfficial and if you haven’t joined me on instragram yet, be sure to do so as I share lots of scentwork hacks for free!

20/08/2025

What a fabulous mix of breeds we have in Puppy Club Foundations at the moment! Welcome to Safi, Barry, Buddy, Marley, Bluebell and Wesley! 🥰

Did you know there is so much for puppies and handlers to learn, but most of it really can wait!

My Foundations course seeks to find a balance between building a few key behaviours and, more importantly, developing partnership, engagement, confidence, play skills, clear communication, appropriate social skills and pups that find you interesting, engaging and fun to be around!

Today was all about confidence building and recall foundations and all the pups did brilliantly!

Who can guess what breeds they all are??? 🤓

20/08/2025

Guess the breeds???

Angel is a fantastic worker with plenty of food and toy drive. She also pulls like a train which is simply not safe or viable for her new owner. So Barbara has done the right thing and sought one to one help to get on top of this asap, before she gets broken!

Last week Team Angel learned all about the ‘heel’ position, which Barbara has really worked hard on all week, so much so, that Angel was able to position herself with not much more than the cue today and a small amount of shoulder to guide her.

Today was all about teaching Angel the language of the leash and how to switch off pressure if she moves outside the bubble of engagement. She picked it up super fast. I was genuinely concerned for Barbara’s physical welfare but after today, I feel much more hopeful that walks can and will be pleasurable for both human and dog. I did need to open my human First Aid kit for the first time as Angel mistook my finger for tuna cake! Ouch! 😆

Angel is a busy dog who spent the first year of her life indoors! She has lots to learn, but Barbara is determined to learn also, and I have no doubt they will make great progress together. Video to follow in my stories!

19/08/2025

Such a fabulous mix of breeds in Puppy Foundations right now! Welcome Barry, Safi, Buddy, Bluebell, Marley and Wesley! 🥰

There is so much for a puppy to learn in terms of behaviour, and most of it can actually wait! In my Puppy Foundations I aim to balance the need for a few core behaviours which our humans want to master, alongside what young puppies really need… confidence, engagement, play skills, body awareness, handling, nosework and clear communication.

Today the Pups enjoyed a sporty circuit for confidence building and learned the foundation of a recall! They all did fab!

Now who can guess what all the breeds are? There are two Xs! 🤓

The Dog Squad

05/09/2025

01/09/2025

29/08/2025

28/08/2025

26/08/2025

24/08/2025

20/08/2025

20/08/2025

19/08/2025

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