Our customers love us
After feeling judged or dismissed talking to many service dog trainers and organizations, finding Above The Standard and their program was a true blessing for me and my family. We were professionally matched with a wonderful dog who met our needs, supported physically and emotionally by the staff from day one, and have enjoyed becoming a part of the ATS family of trainers and handlers. I truly cannot say enough good things about this program after searching for over 4 years for understanding and support!
We have so much enjoyed working with them that we are having our pet come in for some doggy boot camp as well!
Kaitlyn Mann
Quality, consistency, clear communication, exceptional talent, and passion are just some of the qualities I would use to describe Above the Standard Dog Training. You cannot beat their expert knowledge and ability to handle any behavior issue (intense or common) that your dog may have. Training is 100% worth every penny—you establish a clear communication between you and your dog for their entire lifetime. A life of off leash freedom and peace of mind knowing they are safe. Thank you ATSDT for teaching our poodle and spaniel (more like thank you for teaching ME)!
Jen Tice, Strut Your Paws Grooming Owner
Emily did amazing work with our Dash, Labradoodle. He was a puppy but a nice size puppy and he needed some obedience training. He was biting, pulling on leash, just things I know would have gotten worse as he got older. She did amazing work with him and I now go for walks with him every single day and love it!
Betty Smith-Bermudez
We got our GSD at 7 weeks old. For reasons we will never know she was afraid of almost everything and anything. She was a low confidence high drive dog and unfortunately we didn’t know how to help her. Emily was recommended to us through our breeder and even though we really didn’t love the idea of sending our new pup away we are so glad we did. When Nymeria left to go to Emily she would not even go to the bathroom in our backyard if another dog ws barking on the street we lived on. Didn’t matter if it was 4 houses down. Walking around the block couldn’t happen. She would not even leave our driveway. We did everything we were supposed to do. A new place every day, new people, but she lacked confidence that was essential to allow her to go into these places and up to these people. She also had a horrible dog fear that we were worried would turn into aggression as she got older. So we sent her to Emily for a week. Nymeria came back a different dog. Nymeria is experiencing life because of Emily. She’s been able to go hiking, walking, and adventuring, with confidence. She can see another dog and not run and hide behind my legs. Emily is not a trainer she is a miracle worker. We still can’t believe the progress that was made in a week with Emily. She kept us informed and updated us throughout the entire process and sent us home with everything we would need to continue. She also will stay in touch and make sure you are doing well after the dog is home! It’s been two months almost since Nymeria came home and we thank God everyday for Emily. Nymeria has had play dates and is successfully completing puppy class and training. My only complaint is that Emily isn’t close enough for me to keep Nymeria training with her. We will never be able to thank her enough for how she gave us a foundation to build a great life for Nymeria around!
Holly Murray
We highly recommend Emily and Above the Standard Dog Training! Even before starting lessons, Emily was an enormous help with our highly reactive adopted German Shepherd. With just one simple suggestion she helped us find a solution to our dog’s separation anxiety and reactivity to animals and people walking by the window when we weren’t home. A total 180 change which solidified our decision to continue working with Dallas and not looking for a better suited home. After meeting Emily and Tyler a week later we knew that they were a good fit for us and our girl. And after today’s first lesson I had to write a recommendation. We really can’t say enough about Emily. Not only is she a knowledgeable dog trainer but she is also a great teacher. We have seen so much improvement with Dallas in just a few text conversations and one lesson, we would highly recommend Above the Standard Dog Training to anyone looking for help with training their dog!
Megan Diesel
Emily is absolutely incredible! I really don’t even know how to put into words how valuable her knowledge and expertise was for our Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, Boomer! Boomer went to Emily for a board and train program for a litany of challenges. Boomer is very excited, which also translates to a lot of anxious energy for him. After numerous different methods of attempting to shape Boomer’s behavior, my parents were at a loss. Emily was suggested to us by our amazing groomer, Jen from Strut Your Paws Grooming, and we’re so glad she did! Emily put in such amazing work with Boomer the month he was there. We have learned how to effectively communicate with him, in a productive way. No more endless barking, no more unenjoyable walks, no more reactivity to other dogs on walks, no more suckling on pillows at night when his anxious energy peaks (and if he starts we direct him to place to settle), no more barging through the bathroom door, no more terrible trips at the groomers…the list goes on and on! I highly recommend Emily for all of your training needs. She is available for questions that you might have and totally willing to guide you in the right direction, and problem solve if an issue is to arise. Emily loves what she does and it truly shows in her work and the relationship she develops with your dogs. So thank you again Emily, for making Boomer the best pup he could be. We knew he had it in him!
Kristen Burnett
By the time we decided to send our two dogs to Emily, we were so overwhelmed with their bad behaviors. Barking was the soundtrack on repeat in our house. Walks were physically and mentally unmanageable. Guests were jumped on the second they walked in the door. It was chaos in our house, ALL of the time. We truly cannot believe how Emily has transformed our dogs in three weeks. For the first time in a long time, we are fully enjoying the company of our dogs. Barking, jumping, counter surfing and reactivity are things of the past. Guests can enter our home peacefully. Walks are now so wonderful and pleasant; we’ve been taking two a day! She truly has a gift and we are so incredibly grateful for her. If you are in a similar situation and looking for an incredible trainer, Emily is your girl. We cannot recommend her enough and hope you’ll get the chance to be blessed by her talent and dedication to your furry family members.
Shelby Swanton
Emily was wonderful! We dropped off our 2 year old german shepherd, Zeno, for 3 weeks of obedience training and to work on his reactivity problems with intact males. When Emily returned Zeno to us, he was a brand new dog! Absolutely NO pulling on the leash (even on the way to his favorite park!), no barking, and very disciplined obedience all around! Emily was amazing, giving us lots of updates and great pictures while he was away, and spending time with us to ensure his training stayed active once he came home. It’s been 2 weeks since then and he has been absolutely perfect everyday. We are so grateful for Emily and her team, they took wonderful care of him and are truly the best at what they do! Thank you!!
Dereck Miller
Emily is the best! She has an incredible natural talent for working with dogs and endless patience for their human counterparts. She will work with you to create an amazing relationship with your canine companion.
Valerie Bruder, Owner-Valerie Bruder Photography
Oh my dog! What can we not say fabulous about Emily??? She transformed our “boxer from hell” into the most lovely little friend we could’ve ever imagined! We picked up a completely different dog than was dropped off! June was literally the embarrassment of the neighborhood, and our lives! We couldn’t walk her or even have guests over. She was a dog aggressive, hyper, barking, jumping, window and door attacking nightmare! She often redirected her aggression on me, and our other dog during attempted walks. If it was bad - June did it! She was such a handful, and just not the reason we have dogs in our lives. We were at our wits end and committed to a 4 week boot camp. Now we go for almost daily walks and June’s world has expanded so much! She was the dog that had to be locked away, and can now go anywhere with ease and compliments! She is neutral in any situation. She looks to me for guidance and her next move. Emily is truly is a miracle worker with a passion and gift for training. She treated June like her own, answered all our questions, and is just an all around amazing person. I could not recommend her training services enough, and would never have a dog that didn’t go through Emily’s program again. Forever thankful!
Rosanne & William Goodwin
Emily Richardson’s training techniques are world class. She knows her stuff. My boxer came to me with aggression issues. After trying 3 other training programs, and almost giving up on my fur baby, I was fortunate enough to be connected with Emily. She was truly a life saver. She listened to my concerns, never judged my frustrations & was always upfront & honest about her approach. She was able to provide disciplined yet realistic / manageable training for my boxer that has allowed her to properly integrate into the human world. She is a happier dog, and I am a happy owner. I highly recommend Emily & her training to anyone that wants a well mannered, happy pup!
Tracey Sova
Emily provided my high energy working line German Shepherd with 5 weeks of training for on leash and off leash training. She did an excellent job. She was always available to answer my questions and assist me with additional training as requested. She kept me posted with text messages and videos during this process between my visits. Emily definitely has the knowledge and skills to train your dog.
Judy Harwell
The absolute best! Definitely cares and takes time with each and every client. Professional, patient, honest, listens, clear communication (for both of us…a German Shepherd and no experience owner), exceptional talent, and passion. I’d recommend all day every day, hands down the best—worth every penny!!!
Julia Dockery
We recently adopted a shepherd mix puppy and as new dog owners, we knew we needed to hire a trainer. For the past several months we have been lucky to have Emily as our trainer, and I cannot say enough good things about her! It’s obvious she is following her true passion in life — it shows in both the way she trains your dog, and you as an owner too. Her training style is both warm and fun, and every lesson really helps you understand how to build and sustain a strong relationship with your dog. All of Emily’s instruction and demonstrations are clear, and she will calmly guide you through any issues you may experience. She will help you build the foundation, but she also expects that you follow-through and practice everything she teaches! Honestly, without her continued help and guidance, we wouldn’t be enjoying our new puppy like we have been. I would recommend her in a heartbeat to anyone looking for a highly knowledgeable and professional trainer!
Mary Lee Pence
Emily is one of the best trainers on the east coast of the US. She agreed to train our German Shepherd in her training program from beginner to advanced obedience with stellar results. Belle, our female puppy with an energetic personality, is extremely social, wise, smart, and very friendly with kids and seniors. Emily’s training has made our relationship with Belle more pleasant. Of course, like any parents, our dog is the best, but in reality, without Emily’s training, we would have never achieved the results we have today.
Aaron G.