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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Harry (GSD) and I had a fantastic afternoon with Pat on a tracking taster workshop earlier this month. Pat explained everything so clearly and I learnt so much more than I realised I could in one afternoon. Pat was very sympathetic to each personality (dog and human) and I can't wait to go back and learn more!
Tracey Wright
25th August 2021Wow! I had a totally enlightening experience on my Taster workshop at Dogtaggs with Pat. It was truly humbling to learn more about our dogs’ amazing olfactory skills and to see it in action in a different way to what I’ve seen before. Pat’s guidance was delivered beautifully and she truly has a wealth of experience and insight. I’m already booked on my Foundation workshop to learn more. My dog also had an amazing experience and I truly feel that he felt listened to, and understood.
Rebecca Elliott
18th August 2021Elsie and I have just finished the phenomenal adolescent course with Jo Caldwell and Pat Tagg, before that I did the phenomenal puppy course with both Ivan and Elsie. Both courses were thought provoking, I think the learning was mainly on my part as both pups just seemed to grasp what was wanted, I’m not sure of the right words but as someone else put it, it’s like learning how to conduct yourself in a way the dog can understand, and once I’d controlled me both pups just got on with it. It’s brilliant and if I can ever come up with better words to explain I’ll write another review.
Pippa Bentham
17th June 2021 -
Jemma Whitford
2nd June 2021 -
Had the most amazing tracking day today with Dudley, who is now a very sleepy boy, Pat is incredibly patient and explains everything very clearly, I don’t think we appreciate how clever our dogs are, we also had a great laugh, would highly recommend these courses, can’t wait to do another one, thank you Pat for a great day
Belinda Wederell
28th September 2020Had 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 2020 -
I 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 2019Pat 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 2019 -
Pat is one of the most wonderful people in the business. Her understanding of the relationships we have with our animals and how we can change that to help our dogs is just fantastic. Love being taught by her.
Ellen Ward Lindley
14th January 2019 -
We 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 -
A brilliant day in lovely countryside. To be shown the pathways to enter the amazing world of dogs is truly inspiring. I’m hooked. The cake is great as well! � Thank you.
Geraldine Feilden
14th October 2017I 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 2017 -
Throw 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 2017Ruby 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 2017 -
This 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 2017Just 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 -
Really enjoyed the presentation at the APBC conference yesterday. Off to begin tracking with my elderly sheepdog later on today! Your teaching is even more fantastic than when I learned to train dogs with you courtesy of Southampton Uni way back in 2003 🙂
Jenni Nellist
1st May 2017
Popular Courses

Tracking Taster
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Tracking Taster
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Tracking Taster
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