LABS Training

31/05/2026

Today, we did something new!

We did our first UK Sniffer Dog scent detection trial with Helen's Hounds - Dog Training!

We had a fun morning and learnt lots as a team of 3 (Robin included!) We came away with a Merit! Not bad for a first attempt! 🎉

Else amazes me at how she can flit between dog sport exercises without hestitation - working on the job at hand. 🫡

Thanks, Helen, for a fun morning. Looking forward to the next one!

26/05/2026

🐾 Puppy Courses!🐾

☀️ ☀️SUMMER SPECIAL - book now and get 1 FREE one to one session worth £40! ☀️☀️

📅 Starting Date: Thursday 18th June
⏰ Time: 6.15pm
📍 Location: Peasmarsh Memorial Hall

OR

📅 Starting Date: Friday 19th June
⏰ Time: 10.15am
📍 Location: Tenterden Scout Hut

Limited to just 5 puppies, this small-group course is the perfect way to give your pup the best start in life. Suitable for puppies 20 weeks and under.

What’s Included:

✅ 6-week course
✅ Basic training
✅ Puppy play and socialisation
✅ Confidence-building handling exercises
✅ Weekly handouts with training tips and homework
✅️ ... and so much more!

PLUS..
Welcome pack with useful goodies 🛍
Certificate and rosette upon completion 🏅

Don’t miss out!
Book now to secure your spot and start your puppy off on the right paw! 🐾

🐶 APDT & ABTC Accredited Trainer
🎓 Animal Behaviour Degree Qualified
✨️ Kind, Fun and Effective Training

DM or email [email protected] for more information.

23/05/2026

☀️ Happy Bank Holiday weekend! ☀️

With the warmer weather here, don’t forget to help keep your dogs safe and cool 🐶💦

🐾 Walk early morning or later in the evening
🐾 Check pavements before walks — if it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for paws
🐾 Provide plenty of fresh water and shady spots
🐾 Snuffle mats, enrichment and training games are great alternatives to long walks in the heat
🐾 Never leave dogs in cars, even for a few minutes

Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine! ☀️🐕

20/05/2026

🐾 ACE Freework Workshop 🐾

I’m so excited to be hosting an ACE Freework Workshop with ACE Advanced Practitioner and Behaviourist Denna Tennant from Redefined Dog

📍 Held at Off The Leash at Headcorn Place
📅 Sunday 14th June
⏰ 10am – 2pm

Spaces available:
🐶 handler places - NOW SOLD OUT
👀 3 spectator places – £60

ACE Freework is a calm, enriching activity designed to help dogs explore, process information, build confidence, improve emotional regulation, and develop better movement and body awareness — all at their own pace.

Freework can benefit all dogs, but in particular:
✨ Nervous or sensitive dogs
✨ Over-aroused or busy dogs
✨ Adolescent dogs
✨ Dogs recovering from injury or needing low-impact enrichment
✨ Dogs who struggle in more traditional training environments
✨ Puppies building confidence and resilience

During the workshop, dogs will work through carefully designed Freework setups using different surfaces, textures, enrichment items, and movement opportunities. You’ll learn how to observe your dog more closely, understand their choices and communication, and see how small environmental changes can have a huge impact on behaviour and wellbeing.

The day will include:
🐾 Individual Freework sessions
🐾 Discussion and observation of canine body language
🐾 Understanding arousal, emotional regulation, and processing
🐾 How to use Freework at home and in training
🐾 Plenty of opportunities to ask questions and learn from Deanna’s experience

Dogs will work one at a time, so dogs attending must be comfortable waiting between sessions in the car parked next to the field.

Whether you attend with your dog or as a spectator, this workshop is packed with fascinating insights into behaviour, learning, and emotional wellbeing.

Please message or email [email protected] to secure your place ✨

18/05/2026

🐾 Continuation Dog Training Classes – Keep Growing Together! 🐾

Training doesn’t stop after puppy class – it evolves! Our continuation classes are designed to support you and your dog at every stage, building skills, confidence and an even stronger partnership along the way.

✨ Puppy Courses✨️
The perfect place to start your training journey. We focus on foundations, life skills and setting you and your puppy up for success right from the beginning.

🐕 Improver Level🐕
Ideal for dogs who have completed a puppy course or foundation course. We build on core skills, improve focus and reliability, and continue developing calmness around distractions.

🐾 Intermediate Level🐾
For our improver graduates who are ready for the next step. This level introduces fun new challenges, including a taste of dog sports such as scentwork, gundog-style exercises and hoopers – a great way to discover what your dog enjoys while boosting engagement and teamwork.

🎓 Advanced Level🎓
For intermediate graduates looking to refine skills, increase difficulty and work towards higher-level training goals, all while keeping sessions enjoyable and motivating.

🌟 Why continuation training matters🌟
Ongoing training isn’t just about cues – it’s about fun, teamwork, bonding and real-life skills. Each level follows the Good Companion Awards, with clear criteria and life skills that every team learns and must pass before moving on. This ensures solid progress, confidence and consistency at every stage.

Whether you’re just starting out or ready to level up, our classes support you and your dog to become the best team you can be 🐶💛

📩 Get in touch to find the right level for you and your dog.

15/05/2026

And finally... another big well done to Bertie who completed his puppy course! ❤️🐾

He is such a sweetie!

15/05/2026

A big Well Done to Teddy and Aksel for completing their Intermediate Good Companion Award! 🎉🐾🤩

The intermediate level is a big step up, but they took everything in their stride and learnt new skills!

Well done teams! 🌟❤️

15/05/2026

A huge well done to my silver class at Folkestone and District Dog Training Club for passing their Kennel Club Good Citizen Silver test! 🎉🙌🐕

Amazing Silver GC passes! Well done, Poppy, Sam, Chase and Molly (and their owners! Tracy, Yvonna, Chloe and Paula)

14/05/2026

JUNE SOCIAL WALKS
Monday 1st @ 12.30
Saturday 6th @ 10.30 Smarden Field - DM to book

13/05/2026

🐾 Let's talk about heelwork...

Heelwork requires the dog to walk by the handlers side, requiring the dog to maintain a strict position regardless of duration and distraction, keeping focus on the handler.

💥It is a hugely underestimated skill!

Too often, we are shown, on social media, dogs learning to walk to heel in a matter of seconds and maintaining a period of duration in highly distracting environments. This is an unfair representation of what is actually achievable for the average person and dog in 1 training session.

In most of these cases ⬆️ tools have been used that are uncomfortable for the dog.

Heelwork takes time and a hell of a lot of practice!

There are so many factors that can play into heelwork that aren't considered...

❗️Dogs naturally walk faster than we do - they have 4 legs, we have 2 👀

❗️Poor handler training mechanics

❗️Broken relationship between dog and guardian

❗️Lack of confidence

❗️Stress

❗️Pain - for some dogs, if they're painful, it can be more comfortable to walk faster

❗️Poor rear end awareness, stiffness or balance

❗️Arousal regulation - poor ability to regulate their emotions generally and in stimulating environments

🐾Truthfully, heelwork has been our nemesis. It has taken A LOT of work to get to this point 🙌...

✅️ Addressing pain and discomfort
✅️ Building confidence
✅️ Working on arousal regulation
✅️ Clear communication, criteria, expectations and understanding
❌️ Slip leads, prong collars or e-collars

Dogs aren't being stubborn because they can't walk to heel... For most people, you dog doesn’t have to walk to heel - all we can ask for is that they can walk on a loose lead.

If you need help understanding why your dog is struggling with lead walking or heelwork, I'd love to help.