Respected In The Guardian Breed Rescue Community

Roman Gottfried with Roman's Holistic Dog Training is very well respected within the Great Pyrenees community. He traveled to Idaho to work with several rescue Pyrs at this rescue and sanctuary. He knows this breed extremely well which is why we utilize and highly recommend his services for GPAT dogs. Whether it training (sit, down or stay), secure attachment (bonding with your adopted dog) or positive parenting (understanding the breed, dealing with trauma based or breed specific issues throughout their lives) Roman is the “go to” for many rescues, shelters, owners, fosters, etc. Although this rescue was fortunate enough to hire Roman to come to them, his online work is just as effective. If you don’t have access to “positive” training in your area or just prefer to work with your dog at home as a family, Roman is a preferred, recommended source.

Patty Witten - Great Pyrenees
Advocates of Texas

Healing Aggression workshop

I just watched your lecture about healing aggress and it really resonated with me! ❤️ I’m so grateful for the information, the perspective, the language used.

I knew about attachment theory in humans and I am trying to provide a secure attachment for my children but I never thought about providing a secure attachment for my dogs in those terms although I recognise now that’s exactly what I do want to do!

It’s so great to hear you talking about holding space for dogs emotions. I am familiar with holding space for children’s emotions and other adults emotions. It’s something I love to do for others because I know how much it helps when another holds space for your feelings, no judgement just acceptance and presence. But I never thought of doing that for my dogs. I’m so grateful that I can do that now. I have always found barking triggering so it has been difficult to support my dog who barks in lots of situations. I feel like now I know what I need to do for both of us.

And it means so much that you talked about being honest about your emotions with your dog. I’d convinced myself I needed to be constantly emotionless, solid and calm to be able to support my dog but I can see now I can’t deny my emotions, I am human, emotions are a part of that. And I can feel my own emotions but still hold space for another’s emotions.

I can already feel the profound impact this is going to have on my relationships with my dogs and on our lives ❤️

Thank you again. I look forward to hearing more from you in the future.

- Hanna B. UK

Absolutely fantastic to hear you speaking of healing energy fields! I run Meditation, Mutts and Mindfulness and this is our aim, helping owners understand how to work with energy and help their dogs energetically, super to connect with others doing the same/similar 😊 Thank you for this talk, I'll be back to listen to more as about to start teaching 😊

-Nina F. UK

Amazing workshop loved it 💖 I am glad to see how you fuse alternative methods with training.

Lesley T. Belgium

I loved the entire presentation!! I want to learn more 🙂, Absolutely Fascinating 💯. Thank you so much !!

Kelley Mc. Mississippi USA

This was a brilliant workshop, thank you very much 🙏🏼

And had some questions answered. 😀

Jen S. New Zealand

Online training been god send

Any of my friends who are seeking help with training their dogs, or have any issues with their dogs, Roman is amazing and he has been an absolute Godsend for our family; he has helped so much with our Cane Corsos Star and Onyx, and our Great Dane Sebastian.

You don’t have to be local, as sessions can be done online... I was skeptical at first about online training, but it ended being awesome and I prefer it because the dogs are paying attention to ME, so we aren’t wasting any time with the dogs being curious and paying more attention to the trainer than what we are trying to do in training. Please feel free to share 😃!

Dealt With Five Anatolians and Aggression.

I have five Anatolians at the beginning, I dealt with aggression from one of them. Resource guarding and generally just a jerk. I hired Roman Gottfried had online via Zoom sessions learned so much. I watch his videos and follow him religiously. He helps us help our Raggy. He now is the sweetest dog in earth. And let me tell you. It was bad.
He CARES ABOUT THIS BREED. He is well well Knowledgeable in this exact breed. I am so thankful for him and if I was you I would definitely take his advice. He’s very well known in the livestock guardian community and the best thing would be is to listen to him. We couldn’t have our dog near anybody and now when the vet comes to our house to do shots etc. he’s just a big ass love bug. That was not the case before Roman. Now our vet comes for visit for love from our “meanest” one of the bunch.

-Janine G.

Our Fosters Reported Direct Benefits

We have been working with Roman through a virtual workshop to help our rescue provide better care for the dogs we serve.

There are several benefits to the online workshop and behavior support that Roman has provided to our rescue, Mastiffs to Mutts Rescue.

We are a foster based rescue that serves many Mid-Atlantic States. Through Roman’s workshops, our fosters across 8 different states were able to benefit from learning a skill base that can be used for their current and future fosters. He uses an interactive online method that allows him to perform live demonstrations as well as to answer specific questions during the trainings.

Additionally, his trainings are available to review at a later time for those who misses the trainings or need to refresh their memory.

Roman is not symptom-based, as he tries to provide guidance through finding the root of the problem that is causing the behavior rather than using band-aid techniques.

His focus is not to manage the behavior but to rectify it. He asks for questions regarding real-life struggles with dog behavior and will then virtually demonstrate the techniques that fosters can use and practice in between sessions.  

Roman has been helpful to both our fosters and our admin team as the virtual trainings provided a safe outlet for us to discuss concerns and experiences in a judgement-free zone where we can learn from one another while being guided by Roman.

We would highly recommend Roman as our fosters have reported direct benefits from his trainings. 

Peg Benoit

Director Of Mastiffs To Mutts Rescue   501c3   www.mastiffstomutts.org

They Were Attacking Each Other Every Day!

I received a message the other day on messenger:

“Hello, I was referred to you be a friend due to my 3 dogs attacking each other everyday for 3 days with my family visiting from out of town. They have never been this bad and now it's all the time. The stress and anxiety from all of them is at a all time high. I'm sure they are feeding some of that off my mom because she is very stressful person. One of my dogs I recently rescued in April from PiMA Animal Shelter in Tuscon AZ, the other 2 I've had for years. But they all have their own individual issues and for some reason now there's a dog fight and it's all 3 attacking one or everyone. Please let me know how I can set up something with you. I recently relocated out here and don't know anyone.“

Thats did not sound good. I immediately called and arranged an appointment in person even though it was a q90q minutes drive one way.

Rule Disputes- Aggression

This is Max 80#, I got him in April from a shelter in Tucson. He is about 1 years old and was found in a desert. Very loving dog to people. But gets very aggressive when the other dogs do something to him he doesn't like. He gets in these attack modes and goes nuts and bites anything in his way. I've learned to try and calm him instead of yelling at him one he's biting another one of my dogs. But when he bites then he doesn't let go.

Separation Anxiety- Possession Disputes

This is Spud 103# he is 6 and will be 7 on November. I've had him since he was 6 weeks and got him at a shelter in Illinois. He's the love of my life. Since I got max he won't sleep in bed with me anymore which is weird because he's always been attached to my hip his whole life. Since moving here in December his separation anxiety is at a all time high. I can't walk out the door with one of the other dogs without him or he goes nuts screaming and crying and lunging himself out of the cage or to knock the back gate now. He also has never been aggressive but this past week has been getting aggressive towards Max and growling and snapping at him. He is very bone aggressive and guards his food and will take everyone else's food.

Territorial and Possession Disputes

This is Duke 80#, I've had him since he was 5 weeks my step dad gave him to me when his dog had puppies. Duke is 5yrs old. He for the most part listens the most out of all 3. He is very toy aggressive and will take toys away from the other dogs. He also likes his personal space when he grumpy and will attack max to get him away from him or to just take the toy away even though he doesn't want to play with it he just doesn't want max to have it. He is also bone aggressive and can be aggressive about treats but it's rare.

When I arrived in the small one bedroom appointment, I found one dog isolated in the bed room, one dog gated in the kitchen, and one dog in crate. Very stressful situation!

We were dealing with multiple aggression issues, high level stress, recent relocation, big dogs, and a young owner who was ready to surrender Max back to the shelter.

I had to come up with a solid, stress free, flexible and owner friendly treatment plan.

Starting with Max, who was uneducated and has no bite inhibition. I showed Jessica to get rid of the prong collar, walked lose leash, get max attention and learn redirect him to alternative behaviors and be more obedient. Gave them tools and exercises to ground, and showed her to use emotional conditioning in combination with classical conditioning.

We had only one in person session and it seems Jessica has a gift with animals. She was able to absorb the lesson, work consistently and set new priorities in her life.

“We are doing great no issues in almost 6 months. They all love each other and know each other’s boundaries.”

— Jessica R. - Phoenix AZ, USA

Online-Classes are informative and thought-provoking

I am happy to recommend Roman Gottfried.  I have had my own fosters and personal dogs evaluated and helped by Roman , and have also set up and attended an online canine holistic handler class for about 20 volunteers with the rescue that I volunteer for, National Great Pyrenees Rescue.

Roman’s presentations were informative and thought-provoking, and our volunteers who attended came away with a great understanding of their own dogs and the dogs within our rescue that we deal with on a daily basis.  The classes included homework that reinforced the learning experience, and questions during the class were encouraged.

NGPR also has recommended Roman to adopters who need help with their dogs.  NGPR also consults with Roman on dogs in our foster homes.  NGPR feels working with Roman is a great learning experience, that the adopters or fosters working with the dogs will be better able to interact and communicate with the animals in their care.  

If you have more specific questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Susan DeBili

Secretary, NGPR ​

                 National Great Pyrenees Rescue  ~ www.nationalpyr.org ~  P.O. Box 214, Maplecrest, NY 12454 

Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter Long Island NY

 " I may not have the dates exactly right, but I clearly remember the circumstances. In late 2011, I worked in a municipal shelter Town of Hempstead, LI, NY , where we had a young dog isolated from the public and most of the staff, essentially living on death row

Goliath had been hit by a car and left to die at the side of the road. He was barely 6 months old then and was somewhat friendly when initially picked up by our ACO’s. After what amounted to basic care at the shelter, followed by emergency care specialist, then, ultimately still losing his leg to gangrene, this pup underwent major physical & psychological changes.

When he returned to the shelter after several months, Goliath was a broken & changed dog.

He had definite trust & fear issues. No one was allowed near him but for a few staffers; he was not available to be adopted and rescues were unwilling to take the risk.

I had heard about Roman from a rescue friend and reached out as a last resort. From time to time, I would see a flash of the trapped puppy in Goliath’s eyes when I tossed biscuits over the kennel gate; I wasn’t sure if he could be saved but I felt we owed him that last effort.

Roman came to the shelter, was fitted into protective gear and left alone in a room with him. (Nerve wracking!) Afterward, he agreed to take him and try to give him a life worth living. Goliath left the shelter behind & became Sigmund (Siggi) that very day. 

Roman & his then partner, started Siggi on a healthy healing diet as Roman & Siggi began the road to being each other’s guides. For the rest of Siggi’s life, he was with Roman through life changes, thick & thin, better or worse. I truly feel that Roman has a gift and a rare affinity for understanding animals. I know that if not for him, Goliath would have died in the shelter and never have had the life he lived as Sigmund."

Wendy Cariello,

formerly with Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter

rescue liaison, event coordinator, adoptions counselor

Run for ever free - August 2017

Your Videos Helped Us Comunicate With Luci

September 9, 2015

Just wanted to let you know that You have been a HUGE asset to us both and Luci!  Your videos have really helped us to understand how to communicate with Luci.  She has picked up on things so quickly once we watched your videos and applied your "wise wisdom." We joke and say that we were the ones that needed the training, and not her.. Have a AWESOME Day!

 Kevin, Denise and Luci. - Jamestown, New York

Luci 2018

Rescue Testimonial: Thayne Hamilton here from Grey Muzzle Rescue.

 “Hey, Thayne Hamilton here from Grey Muzzle Rescue.

I am a firm believer in Roman Gottfried's holistic work. I have been rescuing the worst of the worst Abused Dogs for 15 years and a couple years ago he helped me evaluate (Over the Phone) a severely abused Great Pyrenees that I could not quite pin point the underlying issues that were making her snap into a Killer.

Together we came up with a Plan for her and within 2 weeks using his advise she was a different dog forever.

It was like he saw into her heart by asking all the right questions.

Some people are just that good at what they do...

Roman Gottfried is one of them.” 

Who is Thayne Hamilton? See your self. 

One of his rescue dogs was Lilla (Little Miss Stompy Feet), who spent her first 14 years living chained to a slab. She was in such bad shape when she was rescued that her legs were glued to her body. But she managed to get around with some help from Thayne and a wheelbarrow.

  

Please send your donations to the address below to support over 40 geriatric dogs in Thayne’s care. 

To visit Grey Muzzle Rescue Fb page click here