Connie DiCocco
To Whom it May Concern:
Marjie Alonso is a life saver! She worked with us and our dog Maya for about six months last year, and I can’t say enough about how important her work with us was. If it weren’t for Marjie, I’m not sure we’d still have our dog today.
Maya is a rescue, thus we know nothing about her past. But, it’s not hard to surmise it wasn’t good. She was very skittish when we first brought her home, had significant separation issues, and was generally pretty fearful of most people. I took Maya to a beginner class at the New England Dog Training Club, where Marjie is the training director, to learn some basic dog training techniques. However, Maya had her own ideas about what she was willing to tolerate, and after trying two different dog walking services and a dog daycare facility, I knew we needed more intensive training to get Maya past her fear of …well, just about everything.
Marjie came to our rescue. She came to our home several times to provide one-on-one consultation and advice. She was also available by phone and email whenever I needed her. She really went above and beyond the call of duty trying to help us resolve Maya’s behavior issues.
There were many techniques that Marjie suggested we try, some creative, some practical, but always offered with a great deal of humor (which we really appreciated after struggling with such a difficult dog)! Marjie knows dogs, but more importantly, she knows how to work with the people who own those dogs. The one method fits all is not her method. She assesses the situation, makes recommendations, shows you what to do, evaluates the outcomes and makes adjustments if needed. We were one of those who needed lots of adjustments – and Marjie was there with us all the way. She even went so far as to talk with my vet (with my permission) about some of the issues we were struggling with. I’m not sure many trainers would take that kind of time or care that much – Marjie did.
Our dog today is more relaxed, more confident and I believe truly happy. While she’s not perfect, she’s light years ahead of where she was a year ago. There are certainly many factors that have contributed to this success, but definitely Marjie was a major part of it. She has my wholehearted support. I would recommend her services to anyone and any dog!
Connie DiCocco