Raves about One Smart Puppy
(formerly known as Dog Gone Smart)

2/28/2007 by Diana C. Upper East Side (via Citysearch review)
Julie is an absolutely amazing, effective (and cost-effective) trainer! She "transformed" (it’s really the best word for it) our shy, timid dog into a friendly, sociable and well-trained puppy. Of course, she helped with all the other things -- potty training (she has a really user-friendly and positive approach), obedience (sit, stay, leave it, drop it, come, etc.). Her homework exercises and instructions were very clear, she followed up with emails after every session and was always there for additional assistance and as a resource. Her personal instruction at our home was very convenient, and I think, very effective (much more so than I think group classes would have been, at least for our puppy), for about the same cost. Pros: convenience, effectiveness of training

10/04/2006 by Sonya S. Gramercy (via Citysearch review)
Julie is fantastic! Julie helped me train my excitable Yorkie puppy. Aside from loving animals and being a total professional, Julie's approach is extremely user-friendly. She wants to know what your goals as an owner are, whether it's teaching a dog commands, tricks or addressing a specific behavioral issue. She also sends follow-up reports after each lesson. Her feedback and suggestions are invaluable and tailored to your, and your dog's, lifestyle and personality. She is patient and flexible and worth every penny! But perhaps most importantly, her methods work!! People are always commenting on how well-behaved and "un-yappy" (this is a yorkie, people!) my dog is. I HIGHLY recommend [One Smart Puppy]!! Pros: Professional, Effective Methods/Techniques, Follow-up reports

8/19/2006 by Vicki C. Upper East Side (via Citysearch review)
Happier doggie in 2 days, I should have called earlier. My dog was the sweetest little guy until he suffered a traumatic experience, since then he's been hysterically barking at strangers and other dogs. He just seemed angry and aggressive all the time. Julie really saw through his barking and told us about why he's doing this and very importantly how to help him to stop. Her approach to training is very kind and gentle, but highly effective. We couldn't believe that 2 days after our session with Julie, he's barking significantly less, and he just seems happier in general. Julie's insight into his behavior was really remarkable! I've read so much about dog behavior and training, but I was still unsure about the best way to approach my dog's particular problem (post-traumatic stress). Julie really analyzed our unique situation and devised a personalized training program to get our little guy back to his happy self. I saw Julie's great website several times, but I didn't call until the problems worsened to the point that we couldn't handle him anymore. I really wish I had called her earlier, I wasn't training him the right way. Thanks so much to Julie, he's on a very effective program that he really seems to enjoy! Pros: highly effective personalized program, techniques are kind to your dog, meet at your home

4/19/2006 by Meredith H. Upper East Side (via Citysearch review)
Now my dog is [One Smart Puppy]! What a difference! Julie from [One Smart Puppy] has worked wonders with our little Annie. Actually, Julie really taught my husband and I how to communicate and train our puppy so that she listens and responds to each command. She was a perfect match for us and her positive reinforcement methods made us very comfortable. Julie followed-up each session with a very detailed summary of what was covered and always had more than one answer to all of our questions. She is very professional and is very flexible when it came to scheduling our training sessions. She really is [One Smart Puppy]!!

3/6/2006 by Kathy D. Upper East Side (via Citysearch review)
Julie is Dog Gone the Best. My husband and I met with Julie a week before we picked up our dog from the breeder so we would be prepared for the first few days as new doggie parents. She was the utmost professional and she put us at ease immediately. She worked with us from the start and was always kind, patient, knowledgeable, and fun to work with. We were thrilled with all the new things we learned during each session. Her follow-up e-mails afterwards were especially helpful. Our puggle, Ula, is our pride and joy and well behaved, thanks to Julie!

3/4/2006 by Bob S. Tribeca
Julie [Sonenberg] knows dogs and she knows people.

She worked with my two children (then ages 9 and 6) in early 2005 when we brought a wheaten terrier puppy into our family home. She didn't train our dog; she taught us how to train Buddy. She made the whole experience great fun for my children, my wife, myself and our dog. She struck the perfect balance: showing us what to do and how to do it, assuring us that we could do it, getting us to master the skills we needed to encourage proper behavior in Buddy, and making it great fun all the time. When my 6-year son's enthusiasm waned, she showed great patience and understanding to encourage him in ways that worked for him. She has been and remains a tremendously valuable resource when we have a question to this day.

I recommend her most heartily.

2/8/2006 by Ken M. East Midtown (via Citysearch review)
Highly Recommended! It has been particularly enjoyable working with and getting to know Julie during training sessions with our dog, Gracie. Not only did we like her right away but our puppy did also!

She is a true professional with a great personality whose warmth and love of dogs is reflected in her training. She was always patient and compassionate with Gracie and us too! Julie helped to teach us how to train our dog to be obedient and for that we are truly grateful.

Her knowledge – and enthusiastic willingness to share it – helped to lay a strong foundation that we continue to build on to this day. We are proud of Gracie and happy to say that at seventeen months she has just passed her Basic Training to be a pet-therapy dog with the Good Dog Foundation!

2/8/2006 by Kelly S. Chelsea
Thank you for helping us train our older rescue dog, Jane. Despite being 8 years old and never receiving an ounce of training, she responded very quickly to the clicker method and within a month learned sit, down, and come as well as her name with use of “The Name Game.” We also can never thank you enough for helping her overcome her fear of elevators. Although Jane only lived for a year (with us) before she passed we truly believe that the bonding we did with her through training in the first month created a bond that made us feel as though we had her her whole life. We got a [new] dog about 3 weeks ago… With your expert clicker training, training of me, I have taught him to sit, down and he is working on stay. He knows his name very well and is very good with come.

1/30/2006 by Lee G. Gramercy
I knew I wanted to get a puppy, but I knew nothing about raising a dog in Manhattan. That's why I initially turned to Julie! Turns out she helped me with that, and so much more. From our very first meeting throughout all our sessions she's been a tremendous source of support for both me and my cocker spaniel, Elliott.

She offers a unique mix of private training sessions in your own home, and fun puppy get-togethers in a safe and big indoor neighborhood space. Elliott responded extremely well to both of these services, and he continues to excel and progress in behavior and obedience thanks to Julie and her positive reinforcement training!

If you're thinking about getting a dog, hiring Julie should be on the top of your list.

11/16/2005 by Michael E. Woodhaven (via Citysearch review)
Julie is great, I definitely recommend her. My 6 month old Boston Terrier puppy has been terrorizing my girlfriend's older Cairn Terrier since the day we brought him home. Julie observed the dogs together, and the puppy alone, and gave us a clear (and realistic) plan of action to help remedy the situation. She gave us some tips on how to work on some other issues for each dog. Her vast understanding of dog behavior and interaction was as clear as her genuine affinity for the dogs. I would recommend Julie to anyone looking for help with their dog. Pros: Friendly, East to contact, Sets realistic goals

7/1/2005 by Sara E. Upper West Side (via Citysearch review)
The Dog Gone Best! I found Julie after feeling very overwhelmed with my very hyper lab puppy. Within 24 hours of our first session, Maddox was a different dog! Julie is amazing and taught both of us! She made me feel much more comfortable with his training, and really taught me how to have a great dog. Not only did Julie provide me with great knowledge, her follow-up emails were great in terms of reminding me what to keep working on as well as many other helpful tips and great websites for products. Maddox absolutely loves Julie, as she is truly a wonderful dog lover. Pros: In-home training, Great results, Follow-ups

5/30/2005 by Tristin L. Williamsburg (via Citysearch review)
Julie is the Best! My fiance and I hired Julie to help us with our overactive (if you can believe it) Bulldog, Precious. She was smart, thorough, nice, reassuring and her assessment has helped us tremendously. She has reduced our indoor "accidents" by 80% or more, and given us a feeding/exercise program that makes us and Precious happier and more in sync. Her thorough notes after each session are extremely helpful; she is amazing. We worked with someone else who wasn't half as good. Pros: smart, thorough, personalized

2/20/2005 by Lauren D. Flatiron (via Citysearch review)
Great experience and very effective training. I was Very Very satsified and have a well-trained and happy dog because of Dog Gone Smart!
Pros: KNOWLEDGEABLE, SKILLED, FRIENDLY

1/26/2005 by Adrienne D. Prospect Park (via Citysearch review)
Julie had an immediate impact on our Pug, Esther. Esther was quite a challenge for me, as she was my first dog. Julie made the process of training her, easy and intuitive. She is chock full of great suggestions and if she doesn’t know an answer to your question she knows how to point you in the right direction or will even send you an email once she has found the answer herself. Esther absolutely enjoys every session with Julie. She is generous with her time, with her knowledge and with her love of animals. I recommend her constantly. Pros: Flexible scheduling, One on One attention, In home training

1/6/2006 by Tracey Yajko, CTC – CARE Kennel Manager Glenwood Springs, CO (peer review for CPDT application)
Julie graduated with honors from the most progressive dog training academy in the world – the San Francisco SPCA’s Dog Training Academy. I was lucky enough to study alongside Julie for the intensive six-week course. My impression of Julie is that she is not only compassionate and dedicated to the animals she works with, but incredibly committed to their success. Her approach to training people to train their dogs comes from a foundation of practical knowledge in behavioral science coupled with a natural likeability that allows her to communicate with a diverse group of students. I would entrust any training issue with Julie. Her skill and professionalism gives all dog trainers a respected name and level of care to work towards.

Our Town & West Side Spirit
(neighborhood papers)
August 18, 2005

“Pet Peeves: Behavioral Problems in Animal Companions” by Sada Stipe (Excerpts):

[Sara Ernst] knew she had made the right choice as soon as Sontag arrived at her home on the Upper West Side.

“She was great. Right away my dog absolutely loved her,” Ernst said. “Then we sat down and talked about what my needs were with Maddox.”

Sontag specializes in private, in-home positive reinforcement training sessions with dog owners, often meeting with the owners before a new dog even arrives.

“My job is to teach the person how to train their dog,” she said. “And I work with anyone in the family who wants to be involved with the training of the dog.”

“Usually dogs are slower [to learn] when their owners are taking less time to train them,” she said. “Sometimes you can meet with a trainer just a couple of times, [if you do the work].”

Ernst added that Sontag’s sessions do not end when she leaves your home. “After each lesson she emails you a synopsis of the session and outlines what you need to keep working on,” the West Sider said. “They were so great because you could go back a couple of days later and say, ‘Oh yeah, I really need to work on this.’”

The New York Dog Magazine – February 1, 2006
“Year of the Dog”
”…Presenting all the best-kept secrets of the pet industry: The products, gadgets, clothes, toys and services that make it Year of the Dog every year.”

”Dog Gone Smart: Positive Reinforcement Training for you and your Dog. Acclaimed behavior modification, home consultation, and Dog Gone Smart Boarding School. Everything but a Spelling Bee.“