Above & Beyond is built on ten years of Cathy Grant and Andrea Ahrendt working side by side. Two people, one team — equally committed to every dog in their care.
Co-founder · NDTF Certified Trainer & Rehabilitation Therapist
Cathy has been training dogs and helping owners for over 25 years. She founded Above & Beyond Dog Training because she believes most behaviour problems have practical solutions — and most dog owners just need someone to show them the right approach.
She leads group obedience classes and private consultations for dogs with specific behaviour issues. Her focus is always the same: understand what's driving the behaviour, work with the dog in front of you, and give the owner tools they can actually use at home.
Cathy also founded Guardians of Animals in Crisis (NFPC), a not-for-profit that supports pets belonging to domestic violence survivors and people experiencing homelessness — work she carries out alongside Andrea.
Co-founder · Full-time K9 Handler & Rehabilitation Specialist
Andrea has been part of Above & Beyond for over 10 years — not in a supporting role but as an equal partner in everything the business does. She brings a lifetime of hands-on animal experience across species and a natural feel for what individual animals need that you can't learn from a textbook.
Her specialisations include fostering, rehabilitation therapy, and behavioural rehabilitation. She prepares specialised dietary meals for dogs in the program, ensures every animal in their care is properly looked after, and helps owners understand the rehab process from day one.
Andrea volunteers alongside Cathy on welfare distribution for the NFPC Guardians of Animals in Crisis, and in her own time pursues equestrian activities and dog photography — which tells you something about how completely animals are woven into her life.
The National Dog Trainers Federation (NDTF) is an Australian industry body setting professional standards for dog trainers.
When you're handing your dog's training over to someone, credentials matter. NDTF certification is Cathy's commitment that she knows what she's doing and does it responsibly.
"Cathy clearly knows her stuff. She picked up on exactly what was triggering our dog within minutes — then showed us step by step what to do about it. Genuinely impressed."
"We'd tried two other trainers before Cathy. She got results in the first session that we hadn't seen in months of work elsewhere. The difference was huge."
Group classes or private consultations — request a booking and they will be in touch to discuss the best option for your dog.
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