Your Neighborly Phoenix Dog Trainer

"Emma worked wonders with our Great Dane puppy, Hank. While Hank always had a heart of gold, he struggled with bad manners and a total lack of awareness of his size. When 120 lbs of puppy energy charges straight toward you, steals your ham sandwich from the middle of the kitchen island, or pounces onto your lap at full speed, it's quite an unpleasant experience. From day one, Emma started with the basics to bring Hank down to earth and center his energy in a very calming way. She taught the humans in our family tips and tricks to gently gain authority with Hank and then nip the bad behavior in the bud before we feel overwhelmed. Our biggest takeaway from Emma's program was that we could gently get Hank's behavior under control without heavy and drastic tactics. With only words of praise, treats, consistency and tenacity Hank was doing much better in only one week. Emma built on each lesson from there. We went from Get Down, Sit, Down, Drop It and Place all the way to Move, Stay, Let's Go (for crating) and eventually Heel (still a work in progress). The most important thing Hank learned is that when he obeys his commands, the energy in our home remains positive and he gets more of the pets and cuddles he cherishes. The most important thing the humans in our home learned is that when Hank is having a really tough day, it's likely boredom and he needs some mental stimulation to get out of his head and also we must remember he's still a puppy despite his size - it will pass with time. Emma is wonderful with the human psychology of the program - reminding the humans that many of these irritating puppy traits will pass with time and don't pull your hair out. Emma often reminded me that if Hank is acting crazy and won't behave, he might need a "time out" in his crate to calm down, much like toddlers need when they are overstimulated. It makes perfect sense! As both puppies and children grow, they learn to self-regulate their emotions and the behavior naturally improves. That's part of Emma's genius - she educates the humans just as much as she trains the puppies. Hank's biggest accomplishment through Emma's program has been learning to walk nicely on a leash. He's still learning his "heel" command, but his distrust of leashes has diminished because of Emma's gentle training style. For that reason, I would recommend Emma to all puppy owners. She doesn't judge any puppy and believes all puppies have the ability to be well-trained members of the family. She is positive and loving, and very calming and encouraging for humans and puppies. I cannot say enough good things about Emma - she is an amazing dog trainer and an all-around wonderful person!"