About Us
Dogtaggs
Dogtaggs is based on green and leafy Verity Farm in South Dorset near to Dorchester. The farm is an orchard of over five hundred walnut trees growing on fifty acres of gently rolling countryside. We can welcome dogs and their people who prefer plenty of space in order to flourish and feel comfortable. The orchards are home to our beautiful poll Dorset sheep who live here to help us with our traditional sheep herding programme. Our team also includes two working shepherd dogs who not only help with managing the flock but are important members of our teaching team. They can expertly help people learn about handling skills for tracking. They also have great fun participating in lighthearted tracking activities with our corporate clients.
At Dogtaggs we train people
We train people who would like to learn how to work with the natural skills that their dogs have. We offer activities involving tracking, searching, and traditional herding (with or without sheep). Whether you are new to these activities or more advanced and seeking progression, whether your interest is recreational or professional, we can accommodate your training and development.
Come and join us if you would like to learn how to work with your dogs exceptional natural olfactory and environmental skills . Discover tracking as a means to fulfilment of mental and physical exercise for your dog. Discover herding games workshops (no sheep involved) to deepen and develop the relationship you have with your dog.
Proud Members of

Corporate Clients
We welcome Corporate clients enjoying memorable and unique employee activities. Small groups are welcomed to try the unique experience of tracking with professional tracking dogs. Experience the thrill of being taken to recover one of your ‘lost’ colleagues by one of our friendly and highly skilled tracking dogs. And experience being found by a professional tracking dog as they bring your colleagues to find you. From simple break-out activities to skilfully facilitated team building exercises, you choose.
Come along and enjoy your visit in beautiful rural environment with clean modern facilities.
Our Reviews
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Had the best time on the 2 day tracking workshop this weekend, with my pup. So informative, and fab patient coaching from Pat - rafi had a blast and I did too. I've come away feeling inspired and excited to book on for the next bit 🙂
Mary Harkness
15th March 2020Another amazing, exhilarating and inspiring Tracking Development Day with Pat Tagg. Pat shows us how to give our dogs responsibility for tracking while we “simply” follow our dogs. In doing so, Pat unlocks a remarkable relationship between human and dog, one that enables conversation and partnership to take the place of training and ownership. Our dogs know this is how our species work best together. We just have to open our eyes and our minds and listen.
Bryony Francis
2nd February 2020I attended a Foundation Tracking course. Pat has truly amazing skills of communication with humans and dogs and shares and guides participants into an understanding of how to give up control and act as follower while your dog does what they love to do. It is immensely rewarding and very, very satisfying to be part of a burgeoning partnership and come away with skills that you can really use at home after only two days. Verity Farm is lovely and the welcome is warm. Oh, and there is cake - wonderful cake - don’t make your packed lunch too large. I can not recommend this highly enough.
Rowena Padel
1st November 2019 -
Pat will teach you the common sense, simple truths about tracking and the science behind it. Learning to track here allows you to track in 'real world' scenarios unlike other courses relying on food tracking, which is actually a negative barrier to the pleasure a dog gets from sniffing. Dogs can all track, here you learn how NOT to interfere when you go along for the ride! Fascinating stuff, would thoroughly recommend anyone give it a go and open your eyes to a whole new world though your dogs' nose! Your dog will thank you for it too... 🙂
Cassie Bown
6th March 2019Rod Anderson Boyle
24th February 2019 -
I have only ever heard fabulous things about Patt as an exceptionally ethical force free trainer, and in the sector she works in, this should be particularly applauded!
Ruby Welsford
31st December 2018I attended couple of tracking weekends and would have much much more if it wasn’t so far away for me. Pat is just natural with dogs and she treats every dog differently as per their individual needs. It’s a pleasure to be trained by Pat. I Highly recommend!
Andrea Millington
27th November 2018We have just returned from a lovely holiday in Dorset where we spent the weekend on the foundation tracking course at Dogtaggs. Lola and I really enjoyed ourselves and learnt so much about tracking. It was a perfect environment to learn in and Pat was very knowledgeable and understanding. We will continue tracking at home and hopefully be back next year at Dogtaggs.
Emily Eaves
12th October 2018 -
Had the best 2 days on a foundation course with Pat. Weather was lovely, venue is lovely & Pat is such a friendly, encouraging, positive, interesting & inspirational teacher. Sorry Pat, Luna I will be back.
Shauna Lyons
12th May 2018 -
I have just spent the weekend with my dog Henny on Pat's 2 day Foundation tracking course, five stars is just not enough for this superb course. Pat is hugely welcoming and the facilities are brilliant, Verity Farm is a fabulous place. Pat has a wonderful way of giving us a insight into the wonderful scientific world of scent. It was a privilege to be supported by the tracking professionals - our dogs. Pat taught us a new way of connecting and sharing our dogs world, the sheer joy the dogs showed when they had tracked back to the track layer was immense. I can't wait to go on the next course. A weekend of fun, laughter, learning, being with our dogs, making new friends, eating Pat's homemade cake - what can be better - thank you Pat.
Angela Reynolds
9th October 2017I have just been on the Foundation Tracking Weekend. I don't ever write reviews on social media and this is my first as I felt I had to tell you about it. I will keep it short but I will tell you a secret. When you attend this course, What Pat gives you is a gift. This gift is that you experience the most powerfully connecting journey with your dog because you let go and give your dog their freedom to do what they do best. The gift that Pat gives you? She shows you how to let your dog take you into their magical world and for a moment you literally feel and experience your dogs' world. They let you in and they embrace you and there is no stronger connection. If this is the only course you ever go on you will not regret it.
Michelle Underwood
8th October 2017Throw away preconceived ideas about teaching our dogs to track. The Foundation Tracking weekend blew my mind. It was an intensely emotional experience having the privilege to be shown a track by my Dora the Explorer Setter. Pat was as always highly informative, very welcoming and the cake was good. I highly recommend going on this journey with your dog.
Penny Hoare
8th October 2017 -
Ruby and I had a fantastic time in the Foundation Tracking workshop, we learned alot and something completely different for us to become involved in. Pat explained everything very well.
Sue Roberton
9th July 20172x2 course today. 4 dogs with very different requirements, but it didn't phase Pat at all, she adapted the course to ensure each dogs needs were met and achieved. Having the subtle signals explained in simple detail made everything so obvious. Can't thank you enough Pat for your individual attention to all the dogs and handlers, making sure we all came home having done some fabulous tracking at whatever level we are at.
Debs Ainsworth
13th June 2017This was a fantastic weekend (foundation tracking) in a lovely setting. Pat was very welcoming and has an amazing cross human/dog world qualifications. This is part of what makes this course very unique and the dogs thrive in the environment. The science behind the methodology is clearly explained and the dogs do their 'thing' perfectly whilst the humans are taught how to go on the tracking trip without interfering with them. When it starts to fall into place its the most freeing experience and teaches you how smart your dog is as you have to trust them... this is harder than it sounds for us humans. You work in small group numbers and get to watch each other and learn about laying tracks. It is very accommodating for dog that may struggle with certain situations. I can't wait to go back to work on my skills further and master those corners so Aled and i can go off confidently on tracking missions 🙂 Thanks Pat
Ellen Ashford
22nd May 2017 -
Just got home from a lovely tracker taster session with my two dogs. We all had a fabulous time - they're now tucked up in bed - fed, watered and very happy. Thanks so much for a wonderful introduction to a very enjoyable and interesting 'sport'. Can't recommend this course and Pat highly enough - great fun!
Jackie Hogarth
6th May 2017 -
Brilliant day. Thank you Pat for your coaching and teaching and to the others for their advice. We had a great time...onwards and hope to see you again soon.
Aidan Cowan
27th March 2017 -
Just completed a foundation tracking course. As a complete novice I've never enjoyed a course more. Pat is incredibly knowledgable, offering fascinating insight into the way each dog works and why. Each dog is seen as an individual and the 'lessons' tailored accordingly. Pat provides a safe supportive environment that makes learning a pleasure. I'm hooked and we'll be back for more.
Kelly Cordell-Morris
4th December 2016We have just completed our first tracking weekend with my boy Hunter, not only was Pat very accommodating, she was professional, happy to help with any queries or uncertainties and also explained things in a way that were easy to understand. As a novice to this I needed that! We look forward to seeing Pat in the future �
Claire Lawrence
4th December 2016I can't thank Pat enough for her patience and encouragement when I attended the tracking development day last Sunday, with Alice, my Rhodesian Ridgeback. Alice is particularly grateful to her as I've taken on board what she'd showed me & tracking is enjoyable once again for us both. Everyone on the course was friendly & welcoming. The sun shone and the cake was great too! I recommend everyone gives tracking a go. You won't be disappointed & your dog will love it too.
Liz Holland
19th November 2016 -
For lots of reasons, spending time working with Cara was just what we both needed this weekend. And trying a completely new nosework game was just perfect. As usual Cara treated it with her usual enthusiasm! We both absolutely loved this tracking weekend. With only 4 dogs working on the course we had loads of time and attention, Pat is so knowledgeable and a great trainer. I learnt loads. It was great tracking one of her lovely GSDs, and the other people and dogs on the course were lovely. I hope we can all do another course together. We certainly hope to return!
Audra Hurst
7th November 2016My blind poodle Zeppo and I had a great day with Pat last week. Since then I have been taking him to a field nearby to practise. The field is on our regular dog walk and since he went blind he has been very reluctant to enter it, in case the cattle are there, some days he wouldn't even go down the path towards the field, which has restricted our dog walking routes. Now we are a tracking team things are very different! He walks down the path with confidence and marches around the field (as long as it is cow free) sniffing everything. Every blind dog needs this! Thank you so much Pat, I now have an activity even a blind dog can do and we have our dog walking route back! Though I haven't tried walking that way without stopping to track, he might object to that!
Marion Dove
3rd November 2016
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