Why We’re Running Our Trail & Train Workshop This June

The idea for this workshop actually came to me while walking one of my client’s dogs.

We were out on our walk and I could feel the weather warming up, the park getting busier… more people, more dogs, more kids everywhere. We did some training to engage her brain, I gave her a good run, burned off that pent-up energy… and then I had that moment of “ahh… wouldn’t it be nice to just chill under a tree now?”

Just sit, watch the world go by, be still for a bit… while the dog relaxes beside me.

Except… for a lot of dogs, that moment just isn’t possible.

They might be brilliant at settling indoors, but outside is a completely different story. It’s more stimulating, more unpredictable, and for many dogs, especially high-energy or working breeds, it’s where they switch into what I call “self-employed mode” if you leave them to their own devices, they’ll find something to do… and it’s usually not lying calmly under a tree. They might start barking in your face, scavenge for snacks, or run up to another dog or person for entertainment. And then you'd probably just give up and walk home...

So we don’t just need to fulfil our dogs with physical exercise and mental stimulation, we also need to teach them how to switch off outdoors.

Around the same time, I’d been thinking about my mantrailing sessions too.

Every dog absolutely loves the trailing side, it taps into their natural instincts and gives them a real job to do. But not all dogs instantly enjoy the “in-between” bits… the waiting in the car, being around other dogs (even at a distance), the general busyness of the environment. The impulse control bit. AKA… patience.

And that matters. Because real life isn’t just about the exciting moments, it’s about being able to cope with the quieter ones too. And learn to enjoy them. So we can actually take our dogs along with us whereever we go, rather than leaving them alone at home.

Luckily, I’ve got some brilliant trainers who come along to my mantrailing sessions, so I floated the idea with them…

What if we combined the two?

We let the dogs do what they love, mantrailing, problem-solving, burning off that energy and we combine it with a structured neutrality session. A chance to work on calmness. To teach them how to just be in a busy environment. To watch people and dogs without feeling the need to get involved. To learn they don’t always have to be “on.”

They can just watch.

We’ll also show you how to correctly reward your dog and build real engagement with you outdoors, so you’re not competing with the environment. Because that’s a skill too.

And it becomes so important as we head into summer. When it’s too hot for long runs or big exercise sessions, being able to sit in the shade together, relax, and actually enjoy the environment becomes everything.

That’s what this workshop is about.

Not just tiring your dog out, but helping them find that balance between doing and being. So you’re not stuck indoors avoiding the chaos… but able to go out, stay out, and enjoy it together.

And the best bit? Any dog can come.

This is a small group setting (smaller than a regular neutrality class), which makes it a great opportunity if you’ve got a reactive dog and want to start teaching them how to ignore others, which is SO important as summer approaches.

It will also massively help with future mantrailing sessions, especially things like car duty and settling between trails.

But equally, if your dog is already good at settling and being calm around others, come along! We’ll help you advance those skills and give you a really nice day out together, learning something new.

And if you’ve never tried mantrailing before? You’re welcome too.

You’ll get three trainers, four hours of training, and a whole lot of fun.

So… are you in?