Julie Barrett

My name is Julie Barrett, and I am the proprietor of the above named UK company, which trades as Fitdogs.

In Spain the company is known as F.I.T Dogs. During the late 1950’s, I fell in love with a GSD, who came calling at our back gate. This dog who went by the name of Rusty was an escapee of the Metropolitan Police Dog Training Centre based at Keston, Kent UK. A handler was sent to collect him from our home. It was this handler who introduced me to the world of dogs, thereafter I would sneak off to watch the police dogs training whenever I had the opportunity. During 1987 I attended an Instructors course with ‘Anglo American Dog Training’ run by Roy Hunter, and it was he  who introduced me to my beloved breed of German Shepherd Dogs, who later become the Chief Inspector in charge of training at the Keston centre - and the handler who had collected his dog Rusty all those years previously!

At present I am owned by a Northern Inuit and a Campo Mixto dog. My Inuit goes by the name of Isis, not named after the Egyptian goddess but after the source of the River Thames in Oxfordshire. Isis, given to me by her breeder as an anorexic, weak, sickly pup who at eight weeks old weighed in at 10 kilos less than her litter mates - a measly 2 kilos, less than a bag of sugar!  I would like to “thank” Jan, her breeder, as Isis became my purpose and reason  in life when I sorely needed it. She is now 10 years old, woofs down any food put down for her and now weighs a whopping 48 kilos. She has the most wonderful temperament and is so laid back she is almost horizontal. Making her a fantastic stooge dog, her body language is easily read, she never retaliates and she just loves puppies.

Rusty Ru is my Spanish Campo (countryside), Mixto (crossbreed), who had probably been dumped from a car. He was finally caught with bribes after two weeks by the charity “Animals in Distress” whilst chasing cars on the main Coín/Malaga road, his feet were a bloodied mess and he had been hit by a car at least once. Taken by A.I.D to a vet, he was microchipped as per the law in Spain, vaccinated for Rabies, washed and cared for, placed in a foster home and posted on their website as needing a good home. That’s where I first saw him, while in the UK for Christmas 2008. A quick phone call from me and on my return to Spain 6 weeks later, Rusty Ru entered my life and has now became a very much loved and treasured friend.

In the past I have bred and worked GSDs for many years, starting in working trails, later I started training and competing in agility, until my dog had an untimely accident which prevented him from jumping, I then started competing in Open Obedience shows.

Whilst working as a Dog Warden, I became involved with a pet food manufacturer and along with them, for three years in succession during the early 90’s, I organised an annual ‘Super Dogs’ contest in conjunction with the Blackpool ‘Animal Magic Day’ to raise money for the RSPCA. With the permission of Chief Inspector Ronald Dean, I trained Lancashire Police Dogs for Hutton and their handlers in agility to enable them to take part against teams from the NW Rottweiler Club, and members of  Obedience Clubs in the Blackpool and Preston area.

When circumstances forced me to give up training and competing I decided it was time to gain and expand my knowledge, I attended many courses and seminars, passing the Federation of Dog Trainers and Canine Behaviourists, Canine Studies course (with merit) and then went on to gain a City and Guilds in Canine Studies. Recently I have attended a course with The British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers where I was awarded a 2nd grade. This allows me with their permission to run the BIPDT ‘National Code’ in Spain and UK. After studying with The Academy of Dog Trainers and Behaviourists, and passing their practical assessment, I very proudly became an Approved Instructor.

During 2007 I started spending a lot of time in Spain, where I ran a dog training service, and helped out in the local charity shop ‘Animals In Distress’, later I helped some new owners and adoptees with behavioural problems. Later I formed FITdogs to promote the BIPDT ‘National Code’  and during July 2009 I was joined by my fellow director Sabrina to promote responsible dog ownership, by running the BIPDT ‘National Code’   Since December 2009 I have become a member of the UK Kennel Club Accredited Instructors scheme. I am also a member of the Institute of Animal Care and Education.