The Daisy Dog Academy

22/10/2026

🐾 STOP RUSHING YOUR DOG… LET THEM SNIFF! 👃🐕

Just watch Ellie enjoying her mantrailing! ❤️

Sometimes the most important thing we can do for our dogs is… ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Just stop, wait and give them time. 🥰

Our dogs experience and understand so much of their world through their incredible noses. Sniffing isn't just about finding an interesting smell. It's about gathering information, processing what's happening around them and making sense of their environment.

And here's the really clever bit! 🧠

Sniffing can also help our dogs:
🐾 Build confidence through exploration.
🐾 Slow down and find moments of calm.
🐾 Regulate their emotions and arousal levels.
🐾 Process information and make decisions.
🐾 Develop independence and problem-solving skills.

Whether you're out on a walk, enjoying some mantrailing or taking part in another activity, sometimes your dog might wander off for a little sniff.

They're not necessarily being distracted or ignoring you. They might simply need a moment to think!

We can be so focused on getting somewhere, completing an exercise or achieving a goal that we forget our dogs might need a little more time.

And that's OK!

One of the greatest gifts we can give our dogs is the freedom to explore, make choices and learn at their own pace.

So next time your dog stops to investigate something, rather than saying "Come on, hurry up!", try giving them a little extra time.

You might be surprised by what happens when you stop rushing and start observing. ❤️

Remember, the walk isn't just about the destination. It's about everything your dog discovers along the way.

And sometimes, the best training happens when we simply give our dogs the space to be dogs. 🐕❤️

21/10/2026

💔 I would trade Heaven and Earth to have you back, Daisy. 🐾❤️

Three weeks today since we said goodbye to our beautiful girl, and the hole she's left in our lives is enormous.

This little video is of Daisy and me training one of our favourite tricks, Heaven and Earth. Watching it brings both tears and smiles, because just look at how much fun she's having. ❤️

Oh, what I would give for just one more training session, one more moment of that incredible connection we shared, one more opportunity to tell her how amazing she is.

As we try to navigate life without her, there are good days and there are really difficult ones. But one thing keeps us moving forward.

Daisy was, and always will be, the heart of The Daisy Dog Academy. ❤️

Everything she taught me, every lesson we learnt together, and every door she opened has helped shape the trainer I am today.

And now, every time I help a dog, every time I help an owner see their dog a little differently, or discover just how incredible their canine companion really is, I know she's there with me.

Watching. Encouraging. Cheering us on. 🐾

Because continuing to help dogs and their humans understand one another, build connections and enjoy life together is the greatest way I can honour her incredible legacy.

I'd give anything to have her back, but I will be forever grateful that I got to share my life with such an extraordinary little soul.

Three weeks without you, baby girl. A lifetime of loving you. ❤️🌈

Thank you for being my greatest teacher, my inspiration and my best friend.

Everything we do at The Daisy Dog Academy will always have a little bit of you in it. 🐾❤️

19/10/2026

🐾 Another fantastic afternoon of MANTRAILING madness at Sprucefield! 🐾👃

Today we welcomed Team Denny to the Mantrailing Army! 🎉🐶

Denny absolutely smashed his Intro, and what better way to learn the ropes than watching four experienced teams showing off their incredible sniffing skills!

From scent article starts to trails heading right into Pets at Home, our teams had plenty of challenges to tackle in the hustle and bustle of Sprucefield! 🛍️🐕

Busy environments, distractions, people everywhere… and did our dogs care? Not a bit! They got their noses working and showed us, yet again, just how ridiculously clever they are! 🤩

A huge well done to all our amazing teams, and a special welcome to Denny! We can’t wait to see you back out having more sniffing adventures with us! ❤️

What a brilliant way to kickstart the week! 🐾

18/10/2026

🐾 A dog really does see the world through their nose! 👃❤️

And this incredible little video gives us a glimpse into a world that we humans can barely begin to comprehend!

Just look at how odour moves away from objects, creating a whole world of information that is completely invisible to us, but absolutely fascinating to our dogs! 🤯

For our dogs, sniffing isn't just something they enjoy. It's how they gather information, explore their environment, communicate and make sense of the world around them.

🐾 Think of it as their very own social media feed!

Every lamppost, blade of grass and interesting patch of ground has a story to tell. Who's been here? How long ago? Is it someone I know? It's their very own pee-mail, and they certainly don't want to miss an update! 😂

And here's something fascinating...

Dogs have such extraordinary scent-processing abilities that they can recognise familiar individuals through odour, potentially even after years apart. Just imagine the information their noses can give them!

❤️ But here's what I really love about using our dogs' noses...

Giving our dogs opportunities to sniff, explore and problem-solve can help build confidence, encourage calmness, provide mental enrichment and, most importantly, give them something incredibly rewarding to do.

Whether it's taking time to sniff on a walk, enjoying scent work or heading off on a mantrailing adventure, we're giving our dogs the opportunity to do something they were quite literally born to do!

At The Daisy Dog Academy, I absolutely love helping owners discover this incredible world alongside their dogs.

Because training isn't just about teaching our dogs to do things for us. It's about understanding what makes them tick, giving them choices and helping them live happy, fulfilled lives. ❤️

🐕 Fancy discovering just how amazing your dog's nose really is?

Come and join us for Scent Work or Mantrailing. You might just discover that your dog has a few hidden superpowers! 🐾👃

18/10/2026

🐾❤️ A little extra puppy fun this morning! 🐶

We had a bonus puppy class this morning to make up for a session we missed earlier in the term, and the lovely Riley and Daisy came along for some fun! 🥰

We spent time working on loose lead walking, chatting all things puppy, having a go at some fun tricks and, most importantly, building those lovely connections between puppies and their humans! ❤️

It was wonderful watching both puppies engaging with their owners, learning new skills and having fun along the way.

Because puppy training isn’t just about teaching behaviours — it’s about building confidence, understanding each other and creating a relationship that will last a lifetime. 🐾

A lovely morning with two fabulous puppies and their humans! ❤️

18/10/2026

❤️ Remembering the happy times, even when it hurts. 🐾

These photos are from the very first time we took our beautiful Daisy to the beach. Such wonderful memories, filled with happiness, laughter and the beginning of so many amazing adventures together. ❤️

Today, Steve and I are having a difficult day. We miss our girl more than words can describe, and looking back at these photos brings both smiles and tears.

But that’s the thing about grief. Sometimes the most beautiful memories are also the ones that hurt the most. 💔

I don’t think everyone truly understands just how devastating losing an animal can be. When you’ve shared your life with a dog for so many years, they’re not just a dog. They’re family. They’re part of your everyday routines, your adventures, your happiest moments and sometimes the one who gets you through your darkest days.

And when they’re suddenly no longer there, the silence they leave behind can be absolutely heartbreaking.

I’m learning that grief isn’t something we need to rush through, push aside or apologise for. Some days we can smile and remember all the wonderful times. Other days, like today, we just need to allow ourselves to feel sad, shed a few tears and perhaps wallow in those memories for a while.

And that’s OK. We need to give ourselves permission to grieve.

Nobody should ever feel embarrassed or guilty about grieving the loss of an animal who meant the world to them. Love doesn’t become any less meaningful simply because it came with four paws and a wagging tail. ❤️

Daisy was an extraordinary little soul who changed our lives in ways we could never have imagined. She taught us so much about love, connection, patience and what it really means to share your life with a dog.

We will forever be grateful that she came into our world and turned it upside down in the most wonderful way.

So today, we’ll take a little time, shed a few tears, look back at these beautiful memories and remember just how lucky we were to have her.

We would give anything for one more adventure together, baby girl. ❤️🐾

You’ll always be part of us, Daisy. Always loved, always missed and never, ever forgotten. 🌈❤️

18/10/2026

Who is up for our Halloween spooktacular Mantrailing with our new spooky outfit 😜🤣

17/10/2026

🎃👻 ONE SPOT LEFT… ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH?! 👻🎃

Our Spooktacular Halloween Mantrailing Workshop is nearly FULL, with just ONE space remaining! 🐾🕷️

We've got a whole day of fun, learning, laughter and a little Halloween madness planned for our amazing mantrailing teams!

Expect spooky challenges, ghoulish games, plenty of opportunities to put those incredible noses to work and, of course, a few surprises along the way! 🧙‍♀️🦇

But don't be fooled by all the fun… there'll be plenty of learning too! We'll be challenging both ends of the lead, building confidence, developing skills and, most importantly, having an absolute SCREAM together! 😂🐕

We're looking for ONE more fabulous dog and handler team to join us for what promises to be a fang-tastic day!

🕸️ ONE SPACE. ONE FULL DAY. LOTS OF SPOOKY FUN!

📩 Book now at www.thedaisydogacademy.com!
Once it's gone, it's GHOUL! 👻

17/10/2026