Puppy Education with Valerie Vdawg Wilson

22/09/2025

Love this! 🐾❤️ It also applies to many of the gundog breeds and also other breeds that were bred to work with humans ( thinking of the jumping up with collies and terriers too)
When we understand what our dogs were bred to do or can ascertain what their innate behaviours are we can much more easily meet their needs🤗.

✨ Your Labrador was bred to… ✨

…retrieve game from land and water, working in partnership with people. This strong retrieving drive, eagerness to work, and love of water are still very much present in the breed today.

Common ‘problems’ you might see with your Labrador:
🐾 Stealing items – they were bred to carry things, and if they don’t have an appropriate outlet, they’ll make up their own version of retrieving!
🐾 Jumping up – their close working relationship with people means they’re often very enthusiastic about greeting us.
🐾 Pulling on the lead – Labradors are energetic, curious dogs who want to get out, explore, and use their noses.

To naturally fulfil your Labrador’s instincts, you can:
✅ Play retrieval games with toys, dummies, or even everyday objects.
✅ Give them structured training – gundog-style exercises where they learn to work in partnership with you are perfect.
✅ Provide water-based activities – safe swims, paddling pools, or even fun with a garden hose.

When we let our dogs express what they were designed for, we get calmer, happier companions🐾

19/09/2025

Yes!

Three little letters form a word with enormous power… WHY.

Whenever I’m observing dogs, or listening to their caregivers describe behaviour, my default thought process is always the same: Why?

Even when I see a video on social media labeled “cute” or “funny,” I pause and wonder: Why would that animal do that? Is it really what it seems?

Take a dog walking happily down the street who occasionally does a little hop. I could normalise it and dismiss it… or I could ask, Why does this dog hop? Yes, maybe they’ve always done it, but dogs aren’t designed to hop. So why is it happening?

Or a dog who refuses kibble but happily eats meat. It’s easy to shrug it off and say, “Oh, they’re just fussy.” Instead, I ask why?

Is it personal preference (something we often deny our dogs)?

As the meat softer, could that point to a dental issue?

Has the dog felt sick after eating kibble and formed an association?

Why, why, why!

It’s easy to read something, watch something, or be told something and accept it at face value. It’s also easy to dismiss the little quirks we see in our own dogs, especially when they seem to just get on with life. “My dog has always done that, they’re fine.” But are they? Why do they sit like that? Why do they climb stairs that way?

Recently, I watched a video of a donkey. At first glance, it looked sweet. But since I don’t know much about donkeys, I asked a friend who does: Why is the donkey doing that? Thankfully, it turned out to be a sign of relaxation. Phew! But I’ve also seen “cute” videos shared where no one asked why, and what was really happening was heartbreaking.

When we share our lives with dogs, I believe we’re signing up to be lifelong students.

Students who should be curious enough to ask one powerful little word:

WHY.

( Pitcure of Derek looking sultry, why, because i was taking his picture and stopped supplying the strokes)

18/09/2025

12/08/2025

Image source:
https://veteriankey.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/B9781437708127000179_f017-006-9781437708127.jpg?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMB_P5jbGNrAwH89GV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeVusMwapAzYdj7CFw2-hiz3RumPuqoz-pG_iUU64DWHz7vhoG71ZYOgVRbJg_aem_nkNZtUGin1VqhlUz_G8vIA

12/08/2025

Why would you want to choke your best friend?

28/07/2025

Breed gives us a blueprint,it offers clues, tendencies, and patterns, but it’s not the full story.

Every dog is an individual, shaped by a mix of genetics, life experience, and personality. To truly meet a dog where they are, we need to look beyond generalisations and listen to them.

Some dogs may show strong breed traits, others barely whisper them. That’s why effective support, whether in training or behaviour support requires us to stay flexible.

It means adapting our toolbox to fit the dog in front of us, not the idea of who they’re "supposed" to be.

Nothing in dog training or behaviour should be assumed. We need to uncover each dog’s unique ingredients in order to find the right recipe. That discovery process is what builds connection, trust, and lasting change.

The only thing I do believe should be a given?

That learning should avoid being taught in a way that is scary or painful. Life already offers enough tough lessons. Our role is to guide, to be a safe space in a world that sometimes isn’t.

Let’s keep asking, adjusting, and listening. Because a dog who feels understood is a dog who can truly thrive.

19/07/2025

17/07/2025

Well explained!

17/07/2025

Totally agree!