Emily Strong, Behavior Consultant

  • Services include: Mentor through our Mentorship Program, Intensive Behavior Packages, Professional Consultations
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Emily Strong is a behavior consultant and co-owner of Pet Harmony, LLC. She is committed to a Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) and science-based approach to training, behavior modification, and teaching people. She loves working with learners of all species, and the list of species she’s worked with so far includes dogs, cats, horses, parrots, ramphastidae, corvids, a wide variety of other bird species, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, rats, mice, horses, donkeys, pigs, goats, tortoises, leopard geckos, snakes, pygmy octopi, fish, and a few species of insects.

Emily has been working and volunteering in various animal welfare fields since 1990, including several different shelters and rescue groups; as a vet tech in a wide variety of animal hospitals; in stables, aviaries, and wildlife rehabs; as a pet sitter for animals with medical and behavioral special needs; as a freelance journalist and editor; and finally, as a behavior consultant.

In Austin, she co-founded and ran Austin Parrot Society, served on the board of Wings of Love Bird Haven, and served as both the Volunteer Medical Coordinator and a medical and behavioral special needs foster home for Austin Pets Alive!. In 2013 she was offered a job at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah and worked there as a behavior consultant, which is where she met and began collaborating with Allie Bender.

In 2016 Emily moved to Salt Lake City, UT to go back into business for herself. She and Allie developed and founded First Train Home, co-authored the book Canine Enrichment for the Real World, and created and launched a mentorship program to help people become behavior consultants. In 2019 it became apparent to Allie and Emily that merging their consulting businesses and keeping all of their projects under one roof made the most sense, so she joined the Pet Harmony team as co-owner.

Emily is TAG Teach certified at the primary level.

 

 

“We adopted a rescue dog that we loved but he had some significant behavioral problems (separation anxiety, resource guarding, fear-based aggression). We managed them as best we could for several years before we learned about Emily Strong and the rest of the amazing team at Pet Harmony. We will be forever grateful we found them! We have learned so much and are much better equipped to understand and manage our dog’s behavior. Cannot recommend this team highly enough!”
– Katie B

“My dog was having tons of problems with extreme anxiety, (growling at men, specific women, kids, etc.) and when she bit my friend despite multiple trainers, I decided it was time to get some specialized help. I used Emily through their intense behavior rehabilitation program and I cannot recommend her enough! I have a completely different dog now. She used to not be able to be around my fiancé without growling, now she cuddles him and is excited to see him when he comes home. It is truly amazing. Emily was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and helpful. After the 10 weeks I could not believe how much of a difference there was. Pet Harmony focuses on teaching the owners how to deal with problems as they arise as well so I feel well equipped to handle any future behavior concerns. I tell everyone who has any kind of problems with training to talk with Emily and the Pet Harmony team!!”

– Nicole J.