Connecting with Canines! Teaching humans how dogs work, helping build relationships and love!
(19)
Gentle - Force free training with an emphasis on FUN and learning about dogs, using GENTLE methods to ensure a happy balanced dog. Puppy school, dog training, clicker training, behavioural consultations.
02/09/2024
this is SUCH a fab article - and SO much of how I train, how I think, and why my focus is NOT on creating obedient robots.
Having a pet (any pet) is a relationship - and should be FUN, for BOTH parties.
I detest the way the dog training world has gone, with robot dogs doing more and more wild things, to look cool, to look better!
What is so cool about a dog prancing next to you with his head stuck in an unnatural bend? Ego took over on SO many levels. Sure it LOOKS cool, and you can train that - but the real fun part should be loose lead walks, lots of sniffing, building trust, having fun!
Embark on the journey of finding your perfect furry companion with the "About To Adopt? Interactive Workbook" by Mandy Barrett, "The Dog Guru." This digital download offers quizzes and insights on age, breed, temperament, and gender to help you choose your ideal pet. Note: This is a digital product;...
I reviewed the Saxon MultiComb and loved it so much, we decided to include it on our special webpage !𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗧 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧! 🚨Introducing the Sax...
30/07/2024
What would your dogs Olympic Sport be?
10/07/2024
08/07/2024
Want a fantastic toy to keep your pooch busy?
Check comments!
08/07/2024
I was recently tagged in a post from a desperate owner, who had sent her dogs away for training. Sadly, this process had upset the one dog SO much that it had set off a stress related attack on the other.
Sure, this may have happened anyway, but sending your dogs away to training is ALWAYS stressful for them, and is NOT for every dog!!!!
I can not say this enough.
If you do not have the time to attend weekly training classes, you can do remote training AND behaviour work - it is actually BETTER as you can work with your own timeline and AT HOME, where your dog is paying FULL attention to YOU.
08/07/2024
My book on adopting the RIGHT dog is out!
Link in the comments
08/07/2024
It is OUT!
The Ultimate Guide to helping people through adopting the RIGHT dog!
03/07/2024
Has your dog or cat visited you from the other side after they have passed?
12/06/2024
Do you cook for your pets?
12/06/2024
Frankly, I am leaving the fray of fighting over how best to train dogs, so that I can actually get on with training them. I prefer to use a treat than a collar tool. Thats my choice as I do not like to scare or hurt anything.
I can shout as well as anyone when needed and do that often enough to wonder whether I am actually all Fear Free - but when I train, I train with methods that cause no harm. Why ? Because they work and although people love to say they do not, any failing is simply trainer error and not to do with the methods.
The best part of it for me, is that my dogs trust me. Totally. They KNOW I wont hurt them ever and I never need to worry about that.
The hardest part of training this way is the endless explanations as to why I choose NOT to hurt animals and opt to use rewards. Its a telling sign of the true nature of humans that is.
And yes. I will keep doing exactly what I do, and keep learning even better ways to understand dogs and connect with them.
12/06/2024
Ive had little Hawkey in my life for 10 years now. When I first met him at Dogtown South Africa, he fascinated me. Such gutspa! Even with a broken spine (actually broken in half) he still lives his life to the full. When he was younger, he would bite people when he could, take on any other dogs he didnt like, and given the chance, gap it out of the kennel and OFF like a bomb - trust me, I had to chase after him, much to the amusement of my co-workers!
I adopted him because I wanted to give him a better life than a kennel and I knew it would be a lot of work. I was willing to split him from my other males (he still tries to take them on, to this day!) and give him a soft, warm bed every night, inside, with extra treats (he really isnt much of fan unless its biltong or biccies now days).
He is really frail now, he cannot run like he used to and his assisted walks are just a few meters at a time. He still loves basking in the sunshine and still pulls his blankets over his head at night to sleep. He detests jerseys to this day.
He no longer battles with infections on his legs and the ground here is just better for him. He no longer bites people, but will still bark at any potential intruders and even threaten the hunting dogs (who actually just look at him like WHAT!) .
When the horses lived next door, they found him enchanting, especially when he was in his racing chair - which he can no longer use, but boy - did he used to! The horses would all come to watch this strange new version of a dog race around in his wheels.
I have enjoyed having this little boy - and although my life didnt turn out as I had planned and I got to spend less time with him than I wanted to, he has adapted well to his life with me and his crew. He spends his time with Shelley Bean - who also battles to live in a multi dog pile up and they love each other to bits.
He reminds me every day how powerful ones will can be.
It is HARD work having a disabled dog - daily blanket washing, cleaning, weekly outdoor kennel redos to add to the cleaning, and constant care - cant go away for more than a night or two, cant leave him out alone when its hot, raining or very cold. Have to bath him regularly to keep him clean and happy. But its worth it to see him staring out across the land at the sun setting on another day. I know they wont last for him (or me) forever, but he never fails to remind me of how amazingly wonderful life can be.
08/06/2024
If you want a robot dog
I'm not your guy!
If you want to jerk and pull your dog around
I'm not your guy!
If you want to discipline your dog, but not yourself,
I'm not your guy!
If you want a quick fix, or someone else to train your dog.....
I'm not your guy!!!!
If you want to learn how to work with your dog, build a relationship, communicate and get your dog to understand what it is that you want, using kindness, modern training and love....
I'm your guy!
If you want to learn, and spend actual time with your dog
Give me a shout.
04/06/2024
You have won a prize from a genie to make any changes to the welfare of animals - what would you do?
28/05/2024
Which dog breed would make the best detective?
21/05/2024
There is a war going in between almost any two sides of anything at the moment, and dog training has not escaped. Although all the trainers I personally know, even the ones who are not pain free, do love dogs and do a lot for them, some of the "famous" trainers on social media are downright idiotically cruel. I wont mention names, as I do not want to dwell on them or their methods.
At the end of the day, if you need to inflict pain, you do not know how to train. End of.
Thanks to Kyle Murphy for the words to this, they made me giggle. I really hope that this helps to get the message out.
A huge shout out to the trainers who endlessly speak out against this and take stands that I do not have the patience for. Much love to all who choose to be kind, clever and actually study dogs and how they work, think and feel.
20/05/2024
How old where you when you first started training dogs (or any animals)?
20/05/2024
What is my Remote Training and Behavioural modification system?
I will make a unique course for YOU and YOUR dog, not a generic online course. I work with specifics and tailor make each lesson for YOU. I also send videos, chat online via whatsapp and send notes for each lesson.
I work holistically, meaning that I look at your dog as an individual, and work on training, diet and their needs. I work from both a scientific and spiritual/intuitive point of view.
Its a deeply personal experience, with lots of connection, helping both YOU and YOUR DOG to connect and be an awesome team.
WhatsApp me for info
08 4 39 7 25 50
14/05/2024
Our Puppy Classes are starting THIS week! I had to change to date due to the farm fire, but we ARE going ahead this weekend!
Saturday classes are at Fig Tree Farm in Hillcrest/Waterfall and Sunday classes are in Drummond!
Drop me a whatsapp 084 397 2550
14/05/2024
Explain in 3 words, how you would transform the dog world ?
10/05/2024
What kind of food bowls do you have for your pets? Metal/Plastic......etc?
07/05/2024
Drummond Venue classes - SUNDAYS
07/05/2024
Do you want to build your dogs confidence ?
03/05/2024
02/05/2024
Okay....so use predictive text
My dog told me .....let's see what you get !
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Contact The Business
Send a message to The Dog Guru Behaviorist and Trainer:
We focus on building a relationship with your dog. From puppyhood to senior days, your dog will need entertainment, education, fun, decent nutritional intake, appropriate toys and assistance with many parts of modern society.
WE DO NOT FOLLOW PACK THEORY, DOMINANCE THEORY or use any pain causing devices. We are not whisperers or magical dog heros. We understand, study and continuously research dog behaviour and the latest scientific reviews.
Mandy Barrett has been training dogs for over 25 years, competing in Obedience and Working Trials until she took on rescue dog work and dedicated herself to helping dogs over come fear and behavioural issues.
Mandy has completed both the basic and advanced Canine Behaviour Courses, Ethology Academy, as recommended by SACAB, as well as completing the following certification courses:
Clicker training
Canine Nutrition Certificate - Natural Raw Food Diet for Dogs and Cats
Certificate - Natural Dog Nutrition and Well Being- Nature Knows Best
Mandy has 15 dogs at home and 7 cats, running a small, private rescue sanctuary as well as loving her pets to bits! She has trained all breeds and worked with aggression in dogs for the last 10 years.
She started Happy Hounds in 1994, offering puppy classes, as well as training and started grooming nervous dogs in 2003. She has spent many years working hands on with dogs and has spent the last 25 years encouraging force free training and assisting rescue organisations as much as possible. She worked full time for DogTown SA for a year, and fostered dogs for CLAW for many years, raising many litters of pups.
Her special interests are building confidence and changing dogs lives, puppy development and natural healing for ailments.
Taylar Callaway is an assistant trainer for The Dog Guru. She is a Cadet Member of the South African Board for Companion Animal Professionals (SABCAP), registered dog trainer and behaviorist. She has completed various dog behaviour and animal psychology courses, and practical courses as a dog training instructor, dog training obedience.
Taylar is passionate about dogs, and rescue dogs in particular. She runs ‘Tails-ology’ which falls under the Dog Guru umbrella. “'A Four-Legged Passion'. Striving to build the bond between Human and Canine by offering professional products and services in the pet industry, for both humans and their four-legged counterparts.”
All our trainers are dedicated and follow force free protocols and study, research and learn all the time, staying up to date and teaching dogs in a holistic manner.
Our aim is to build relationships and create a platform for safe, fear free training.
