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

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

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