Victoria Cooper - Certified Canine Behaviourist & Mentor

25/08/2025

For my clients with doodles and other shy dogs- I’ve been following this groomer for a little while and I’m delighted to see she is now “fear free certified”. If you are looking for a local gentle positive groomer, check her out. Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield.

🐾 Exciting news! I’m now an official Fear Free® Certified Groomer 🎓✂️
I already use their kind, gentle approach in my salon and have now been a member for the past 4 years. I’ll be adding a few extra touches to make every groom even more calm and positive for your dogs 💕🐶

22/08/2025

I Love dogs 💜

Did you know that the tiny vertical groove between a dog’s nose and upper lip actually has a purpose? It’s called the vegetal groove (or philtrum), and it’s not there by accident!

Each time a dog licks its lips, a bit of saliva collects in that groove. Through a process called capillarization, the moisture travels up to the nose — helping keep it damp.

And why does that matter? Because a moist nose is much better at capturing and holding scents from the air. 🌬️✨ That’s part of what makes a dog’s sense of smell so incredibly powerful!

Nature’s design is always so clever, isn’t it? 🐕💛

19/08/2025

Marvelous Millie

Millie has just finished her last lesson on my Silver Behaviour Rehabilitation Programme

She was a Covid puppy and had not been socialised by her first owners. She has also been mistreated and was stuck in rescue kennels a long time . Until her wonderful owners Steve and Sarah from Chesterfield adopted her and dedicated themselves to helping her develop confidence and coping skills.

We took our time as in my book it’s not ethical or kind to rush a frightened dog. My programmes are not about quick fixes or suppressing behaviour but are all about listening to the dogs needs, understanding them, treating the animal and their human with compassion, kindness and empathy with welfare as a priority.

We gradually worked on increasing her confidence and tolerance around strangers in public places and she and her owners learned various strategies on the lead and in public places. Because she had a history of defending her space we also taught her to accept wearing a muzzle. This is still a work in progress helping her to adapt to wearing it .
Primula cream cheese was the way to this girlies heart and she did so well today people watching at the supermarket whilst licking some cream cheese ! She has cracked the engage / disengage pattern game to a fine art 🧡

It’s been so lovely to watch her progress . Bull breeds get such a bad rap and it’s just not fair . Many of these dogs are just misunderstood and need some space and patience to be their best selves. There is no need to be harsh with them.
All of my methods are ethical and dog welfare first

Although Millie has come to the end of her rehabilitation programme, I’m still available to cheer them on and provide emotional support for them as they continue on their journey of transformation.
GO team Millie 🥰💖

19/08/2025

Such a great post - I sometimes see a mismatch in some dogs and their owners. Owners might have an agenda or expectation, they want the dog to do X,Y,Z and some behaviours are just not acceptable to them - however, some owners don’t understand that many instinctive traits are hard wired into the dogs dna 🧬 and genetic blueprint. The behaviours they demonstrate are perfectly adapted to the environment in which they evolved to live and thrive in. But when these dogs are transplanted to an environment they are not habituated too - we might see behaviours that owners find unacceptable. Such as herding or guarding. I’ve worked with a lot of overseas rescues - predominantly Rommies - and many of them do not adapt well to urban life with all its triggers. When you choose a dog to fit your lifestyle, make sure it can fit your environment also . Otherwise this mis match could lead to tension and problems between you and your dog. Do your research carefully when choosing a dog

When the "problem" is rooted in instinct and mismatched environment how is constant intentional physical punishment as feedback fair?

Lets take livestock guardian breeds as an example. Im not an expert on these wonderful dogs. I have had the pleasure of working with a few and each has been described and presented as non motivated by food, toys or praise rewards, and have little interest in taking direction from a human.

Yes, each dog is an individual, but these breeds were literally created to function without human direction. Their “reward system” is not toys or treats or human praise, but the satisfaction of doing the job they were bred for: calmly watching, independently deciding, and protecting, its beautiful to watch.

When we transplant them into an urban environment, full of noise, traffic, strangers, fences instead of open land, we are asking some of them to go against every fiber of their genetic blueprint. And when they “fail” (from a human’s perspective), punishing them is acceptable?

We dont think this could add stress and frustration, and still fail at changing their internal motivation?

Worse, it can erode trust with a dog whose relationship with humans is already meant to be more equal partner not obedient servant.

The real problem isn’t the dog. It’s the mismatch between environment, breed, and human expectations.

You can’t punish away independence, suspicion of strangers, or a low food/play drive, those aren’t “behaviours,” they’re identity traits.

You can punish a dog enough to shut them up, you just leave all those emotions bubbling away with a fear of expressing them, how sad.

So, no: punishment doesn’t make sense here. What does make sense is:

Education for owners about what dogs are and aren’t.

Management strategies and finding suitable outlets to meet breed triats.

Respect for their nature, understanding them for who they are.

Careful rehoming, because some of these dogs simply won’t thrive in a city, no matter how much work you put in, (the same for some street dogs, home is a prision)

It’s heartbreaking to see people blame the dog for not bending to an environment they were never designed for.

I want to be clear some will adapt, some wont, each dog varies, but.......

Just like left-handers weren’t “wrong", some breeds/types of dogs when placed in urban environments cant cope, they’re in the wrong context and intentional physical punishment to make them " fit" just doesnt sit well with me.

16/08/2025

Processing

What does it mean in terms of your dogs behaviour?

It means giving them time to look, listen, sniff, and learn. If we rush dogs through their life and don’t give them time to process it can backfire on us and lead to a dog being easily startled by triggers in their environment or worse - reactivity or aggression.

This is the beautiful Foxy - in 6 lessons she went from an easily stressed out reactive dog towards strangers children and some other dogs, to being chilled, relaxed, calm, and tolerant. How did we achieve this? We took the pressure off, we respected her need for some space, we gave her time to process the environment, we created rewarding and positive associations with triggers, and taught her a couple of lead skills for her mum and dog walker to manage her in public areas. I’m delighted with their progress and how relaxed and happy she is . Are you struggling with your dog’s behaviour? Don’t struggle on alone Please do reach out for kind ethical support. .

16/08/2025

In my experience I see many dogs with issues of lead reactivity and over arousal after attending commercial daycare
Owners are under the illusion that an exhausted dog is a good dog and some commercial daycares capitalise on that and on the myths that dogs are ‘pack’ animals and enjoy being in large groups
This is simply not true . The domestic dog as a species can be a loner or form relationships with a small group of dog friends .

A really good experienced quality over quantity home daycare is worth their weight in gold with plenty of time and space for dogs to rest and relax together or apart. I know a handful of great home boarders where the dogs all know each other and it’s a regular routine with minimum stress.

I’ve seen some really questionable practices in commercial daycares with around 60+ dogs a day - if not more - with limited staff to dog ratio and inexperienced staff throwing 1 ball for a group of dogs to chase and compete after .
All highly dangerous and leads to over arousal or worse, dog fights.

We’re also seeing a reduction nationwide in people booking puppy classes as they are sending their puppies to daycare or out with dog walkers and neglecting their education.

I really do hope DEFRA will wake up and start regulating all pet care providers.

When Dog Daycare Goes Wrong - Do standards and safety need urgent review? 🚨🔍

There’s no doubt that many guardians need dog daycare.

But reports are emerging of serious concerns in the commercial/volume daycare sector, including sites said to have over 1,000 dogs a week in attendance 😳

How can we ensure best practices are in place so daycare works for every dog, guardian, and provider?

We’d welcome working with the industry to review standards and find practical, welfare-led solutions.

Dog Pros, what are your thoughts? What’s happening in your area, and how can we work together to make daycare safer?

Let us know in the comments below👇

14/08/2025

SO important - especially when behaviour changes or deteriorates. The are are many dogs with undiagnosed pain impacting on their behaviour . Don’t assume it’s just bad behaviour - get your dog thoroughly checked by a vet and / or physio

If a human began limping unexpectedly, even slightly, they’d likely pause, take over-the-counter pain relief, rest, and seek help if it didn’t improve. In contrast, when a dog limps, it’s often dismissed as “just the way he moves,” “typical for the breed,” or even, “he’s putting weight on it, so it must not hurt.” This discrepancy highlights a critical issue in how we understand and respond to pain in animals.

Limping is not a behaviour, it's a symptom. In veterinary terms, it’s referred to as lameness and is most often a sign of pain, injury, degeneration, or compensatory strain. But in dogs, it’s often brushed off, particularly when:

- The dog doesn’t vocalise
- The limp is intermittent
- The breed is known for “limping” (Jack Russell's/Chihuahuas)
- The dog continues to walk or play despite the limp

This misinterpretation is common because dogs are wired to hide pain. Pain expression varies widely between individuals and breeds, and absence of a yelp or whine is not evidence of comfort. A 2017 study in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia showed that behavioural signs of pain are easily missed, even by professionals.

Unlike humans, dogs don’t have the option to rest voluntarily or medicate themselves when something hurts. They continue moving, often making things worse. In fact, untreated pain alters the brain. A 2020 review in Animals discussed the impact of chronic pain on canine behaviour, often leading to increased reactivity, anxiety, or withdrawal behaviours that are frequently misunderstood as training issues.

1. Don’t ignore a limp even if it’s mild or occasional.
2. Video the behaviour to show your vet. Dogs often mask symptoms in the clinic.
3. Advocate for pain trials. A short course of anti-inflammatory or analgesic medication can help confirm if pain is a factor.
4. Seek a second opinion if you’re not satisfied with “he’s fine” particularly if your dog’s behaviour has also changed.
5. Don’t assume it's behavioural. Limping, stiffness, hesitation to move, or changes in activity should all raise the question of pain first.

If your dog is limping, shifting weight, or “just moving funny,” it’s not a harmless habit, it’s likely a message.

13/08/2025

Are you a consent based groomer? Are you ethical, kind and patient? Why not consider joining us at Yappily.

Are you a Consent-based Dog Groomer?

Then this one's for you. Share it with pride ❤️

🌿 CB+ = Consent-based grooming by Dog pros who are welfare-led

CB+ groomers put dogs first — working gently, listening to the dog’s needs, and never forcing through fear or stress.

Look for the CB+

If it’s not calm, kind, and patient — it’s not good enough for your dog.

Are you a consent-based groomer who fits the bill and wants to join us?
We want to hear you!

Get listed here 👇
https://yappily.co.uk/get-listed/

13/08/2025

11/08/2025

Just reorganising my lessons this week . Welfare first - no exceptions

Hot weather might mean a change of plans 🔥

If your dog’s walk, daycare, or grooming appointment is cancelled because of the heat, please know it’s done with care.

It's really hard for dogs in hot weather especially flat-faced breeds, older dogs, or those with health conditions.

These changes are made to help keep your dog comfortable and well.

Thanks so much for understanding 🐾☀️

07/08/2025

Brilliant 🤩 well done Leni with Bessie and Jon with Chester. They did you proud 🥹. 🥰👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻