Dog training, behaviour & scentwork · Cornwall
Understand your dog.
Enjoy life together.
Practical help that makes sense for you and your dog.
Whether walks feel difficult, you’re finding your feet with a puppy, or your dog needs a more fulfilling outlet, we’ll help you find a way forward.
Roy Young and Melissa Sirrell bring training, behaviour support and scentwork together around you and your dog, at our private field and woodland near Falmouth.
Individual dogs
Support shaped around their needs
Experienced guidance
Qualified practitioners working together
Private space
Field & woodland near Falmouth
Welfare first
No compromise on your dog
Roy Young
Training & behaviour
Melissa Sirrell
Scentwork & enrichment
You don’t have to work it out alone
What would make life better for you and your dog?
Tell us what’s happening at home or out on walks, and what you’d like to change. We’ll talk through the options with you.
Behaviour support
If your dog’s behaviour is making everyday life harder, we’ll help you understand what’s behind it and work towards changes that fit your dog and your home life.
Everyday training
Build your confidence as well as your dog’s skills, with personal support for puppies and adult dogs. Sessions are shaped around the dog and owner in front of us, with skills you can use in everyday life.
Scentwork & enrichment
Put your dog’s natural abilities to work. Melissa will guide you through rewarding searches at a level that suits them, from their first discoveries to more involved challenges.
Our flagship pathway · ADOi
The knowledge and skills to support your dog for life.
The Advanced Dog Ownership Initiative brings practical handling, owner education and canine welfare into one structured pathway.
Learn how dogs develop and behave, practise your handling, and make informed decisions about their care.
Practical skills for life together
A deeper understanding of behaviour and welfare
Confidence in the choices you make for your dog
A structured pathway offered at RY Dogs, bringing owner learning and practical skills together.
Scent & Sniff Dogs Cornwall · Part of RY Dogs
A chance to use their nose.
A new way to connect.
For your dog, a search can be much more than something to do.
It’s an opportunity to make choices, solve a problem and do something that comes naturally. For you, it’s time to notice how your dog works, understand them better and enjoy being a team.
Melissa tailors scentwork to the individual dog, giving them a purposeful activity that can help build confidence and fulfil their needs. Where appropriate, it can also support a behaviour plan developed with Roy.
For your dog
Purpose, confidence and a satisfying outlet for their natural abilities.
For you both
Shared experiences that strengthen trust, understanding and your relationship.
Melissa Sirrell
Scentwork & enrichment
Melissa teaches you to read your dog as they search, recognise their successes and work with them as a team. Her sessions give dogs a purposeful outlet, with activities adapted to their pace and ability.
Advanced Level Training Instructor, CIDBT
Member, Guild of Dog Trainers
Originally trained with UK Sniffer Dogs to Gold Level
Melissa continues her development with mentor Louise Wilson of Conservation K9 Consultancy.
Meet Roy & Melissa
Different specialisms.
The same care for your dog.
You’ll work directly with experienced practitioners who take the time to listen. Roy and Melissa bring complementary skills to the same team, so training, behaviour work and scentwork can support one another.
Roy Young
Training & behaviour
Roy works with you on the challenges you face in daily life, looking at the reasons behind behaviour and helping you put a practical plan into action. His one-to-one sessions help owners build skills that fit their dog and daily routine.
Master Trainer, Guild of Dog Trainers
Member, Canine & Feline Behaviour Association
Trained through the Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour & Training
Roy writes for the Guild of Dog Trainers and has been interviewed by the BBC about the dog industry.
Our field & woodland · Near Falmouth
Space to focus.
Room to be a dog.
Our private training field and dedicated woodland search areas near Falmouth offer calm surroundings for focused sessions, with varied spaces to explore.
From focused handling in the field to exploring new scents among the trees, the surroundings are part of the experience.
Private training field
Woodland search areas
Near Falmouth, Cornwall
Specialist workshops & visiting experts
Learn from visiting specialists.
Alongside our regular work, we welcome visiting experts from around the country to share their knowledge through specialist workshops.
Explore a subject in depth and learn practical ideas you can take into your own training.
A conversation is a good place to start
What happens when you get in touch?
01 - Tell us about your dog
What’s going well? What feels difficult? Share your concerns or what you’d like to explore. You don’t need to choose a service first.
02 - Find the right support
We’ll talk through your dog’s needs and explain a suitable starting point, the session options and the cost.
03 - Learn and move forward
Practise what you’ve learned in sessions and everyday life, with clear guidance on what to work on next.
Paws for Thought
Practical reading for life with your dog.
The 4 D’s of Dog Training
How distance, distraction, duration and difficulty shape your dog’s learning.
The Human Half of Dog Training
A closer look at the part we play in helping our dogs learn.
Scent work for all
An introduction to giving your dog a rewarding outlet for their nose.
Before you get in touch
Questions before you get started?
What if I don’t know which service we need?
That’s absolutely fine. Tell us about your dog and what you’d like help with. We’ll talk through the options with you.
Could scentwork help my nervous or reactive dog?
Scentwork can offer a purposeful activity and opportunities to build confidence. Tell us about your dog first so we can discuss their individual needs and a suitable setting. Where appropriate, Melissa and Roy can bring scentwork into a behaviour plan.
Do I need experience to get started?
No. We can help you find an appropriate starting point, whether you’re new to life with a dog or looking to develop an existing partnership.
How do I arrange a session?
Start with an enquiry. We’ll discuss what you’re looking for and explain the arrangements and prices before you decide to go ahead.
Let’s find your way forward
Tell us about your dog.
We’re here to listen.
You don’t need the perfect words, or all the answers. Share a little about your dog, your life together and what you’d like help with.
Not sure who to contact? Email roy@rydogs.co.uk and we’ll help you get started.