Emma first started training with Tabitha when she was just 8 years old, back in the days of classes at Peter Lightfoot Oval. At the time, she was training her family dog, Stig, a little Shetland Sheepdog who later achieved many titles in Obedience and Agility. This is where her love for all things dogs began, and it has only grown from there.

She got her first casual job working at a grooming salon bathing and drying dogs when she was 13 years old, and then jumped at the opportunity when she was offered a position at a local veterinary clinic as a kennel hand. She stayed at the clinic throughout high-school and worked full time for a year afterwards, having been promoted to junior vet nurse. Emma gained lots of experience in animal handling, health and behaviour that she uses everyday.

She moved to Oz Wagtails in April 2022 wen she saw that her previous trainer Tabitha was looking for a daycare attendant. Originally, she worked casually whilst she completed her Certificate III in Animal Studies (Vet Nursing), and then moved into a full time role as her passion for training her own dogs grew and her interest sparked in becoming a trainer at Wagtails. Now alongside her interest in daycare, she is learning how to instruct classes and teach 5 day intensives. Her favourite classes are definitely the Puppy Class - which she just completed herself with her own pup, and the Intro into Agility Course.

Emma loves her job at Oz Wagtails, and especially enjoys the diversity she has in her position here. One day she might be using her vet nursing knowledge, the next her grooming skills, and the day after sharing her training techniques in agility or puppy class. The job constantly keeps her on her toes, which something she really values here. A perfect day in the daycare centre for Emma would involve getting to walk the daycare dogs all morning and getting to give the boarding dogs extra cuddles and pampering in the afternoon.