Hi! I’m Emily!
I am the trainer behind Golden Hour, and throughout the site you’ll see my mascots, Bella and Ruby! For them being my world, and for the happiness, comfort and renewal that the golden hour of the day brings, I wanted my business to reflect that. I strive for my dogs to feel safe, happy and excited to train, and aspire to reflect those same devotions to any dog I get the honor to work with. Along with my passion to work with dogs, I do feel just as eager to work with the ones on the other end of the leash! Seeing the bond between a dog and their owner grow stronger through training brings me such immense joy and fulfillment. Its what every family deserves to have!
I was born and raised in Upstate NY, in a pet loving household that ultimately made me who I am today. I was blessed with the opportunity to learn at a very young age, how to love and respect animals, and just knew that one day my life would be instilling the same on others. I was blessed in particular with some of the best dogs throughout my upbringing and you can learn all about them, the impact they have had on me, and the values I uphold in honor of them, under Golden Hour’s Mission.
In 2014, I moved to Southern California with my husband, Derek, along with our golden Bella and our cat Zeus. A job change for him led me to opportunities to branch out myself and truly start doing work I love. I became a Rover dog sitter shortly after we settled in and I loved getting to experience all the different kinds of breeds that took comfort in my home when their owners were away. Along with that, I began volunteering at the San Diego Humane Society. Luckily for me, I hit the jackpot with it becoming my full time job. Hired on as an Adoption Counselor for the organization, I got to educate adopters on their new pet and how to set them up for success upon bringing them home. Aside from play yard interactions, socializing dogs and promoting adoptions, I had the opportunity to partake in behavioral assessments for new dogs in intake. Through this I was able to discover the ins and outs of dog behavior, body language and communication, from shadowing a certified and highly experienced dog trainer at the shelter, resulting in a direction I knew my future self would want to take.
In 2017, my husband and I moved back east to start our family closer to our loved ones. We settled down in Hastings NY, just 20 miles north of Syracuse, and are so proud to call this area home. We have two amazing daughters and being a stay at home mom to them these last several years has been a huge blessing, but I have missed the part of my life immensely that was making a difference with dogs and their humans.
I am more than ready to make it all such a staple part of my life again, making me feel beyond excited for this journey and to bring my knowledge, passion and experience to Central Square!
Education
June of 2024, I completed CATCH Canine Trainers Academy Masters Class Program, Graduating with distinction, and becoming CCDT Certified. Aside from training terminology and methods, the course also covered dog psychology, breeds and genetics, behavior problem solving, how dogs think and learn and so much more! Not to mention a hands on mentorship program with a local and heavily experienced, positive reinforcement trainer, who I got to shadow in private lessons and group class settings.
Aside from this certification, I am also actively working towards my CCPDT and regularly attending seminars and conferences to remain up to date on my training practices. Its a field with endless growth and I do not plan to stop here!
