50 AUGUST 2019 By Emily Ditomasso Kristi Nolde-Morrissey’s love for training began with her childhood dog Dutch, who she taught to fetch slippers, newspapers and to how to “play dead.” “I have always loved dogs and trained them as a hobby,” Morrissey said. In 2003, Morrissey decided that she wanted more than her “corporate America” work, so she turned her passion for training into a career. “I devoted my life to dogs,” Morrissey said. “I was training obedience dogs as a volunteer, doing labrador rescue and caring for dogs at the Humane Society.” Morrissey began training hearing service dogs after a local service organization came to her, wanting to expand their mobility service animal program into the hearing realm. “After working there for a number of years, I realized I could be more effective in starting an organization that specialized in training hearing dogs,” Morrissey said. In 2015, Morrissey created her own organization called Diamond Dogz of Arizona, a nonprofit that helps people who are hearing- impaired train their own dogs to become certified hearing service animals. “There really isn’t any hearing dog training where people can come and train their own dog,” Morrissey said. “I think we are the only program that really does that.” Morrissey believes this way of training is very beneficial for the relationship between the pet and the owner. “The good part is that they really form a bond during training,” Morrissey said. “This is special that they are training their own dog.” Training can take from 12 to 18 months, depending on the dog’s age and personality. During the process, participating dogs learn how to alert their owners of certain noises, such as a doorbell, a ringing cellphone, dropped items or their owner’s name being called. “It is completely the student’s choice what they want the dog to do,” Morrissey said. Morrissey requires her students to pick three sounds to teach their dogs during class, but in some cases, some dogs need to know more. When the dog hears the sounds, the class teaches them to either nudge their owner with their nose or put their two front paws on them. Morrissey has worked with a variety of different pups and said that there is not a requirement on the type of breed required in the class. “Not every dog has the temperament or develops the skills. Not every dog has what it takes to become a service dog,” Morrissey said. Jan Martin has been training alongside Morrissey for a decade and recently started bringing her dog Shiloh to class. Shiloh is a small black terrier/poodle mix who can be found under her chair cuddled up and ready to alert Martin at any moment. Martin said she knew right away that Shiloh would make a great service dog. “He’s not shy. You can see he loves people a lot,” Martin said. Martin added that while her dog can be a handful, Shiloh has learned a lot from the class and has “become welded to her.” Mike Adler, a former student who now trains with Wilson and alongside Morrissey, said the most important step a student can take is becoming consistent with the training and make sure to work with the dog outside of class. “It’s got to be done on an everyday basis – over and over,” Adler said. The trainer added that he noticed a change in his dog’s behavior when he would take a break from training. He decided to switch up his routine to 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon. “It’s become a lifestyle,” Adler said. Diamond Dogz classes are held at the Devonshire Senior Center in Phoenix every Monday morning. For more: diamonddogzaz.org. Diamond Dogz: training hounds with sounds Diamond Dogz of Arizona helps hearing-impaired people train their own dogs, creating a stronger connection between the animals and their owners. Wilson (left) is a former student who now helps with training other dogs. Participant Ray Welty with Max. Kristi Nolde-Morrissey’s love for training began with her childhood dog Dutch, who she taught to fetch slippers, newspapers and to how to “play dead.” “I have always loved dogs and trained them as a hobby,” Morrissey said. In 2003, Morrissey decided that she wanted more than her “corporate America” work, so she turned her passion for training into a career. “I devoted my life to dogs,” Morrissey said. “I was training obedience dogs as a volunteer, doing labrador rescue and caring for dogs at the Humane Society.” Morrissey began training hearing service dogs after a local service organization came to her, wanting to expand their mobility service animal program into organization that specialized In 2015, Morrissey created her own organization called Diamond Dogz of Arizona, a nonprofit that helps people who are hearing- impaired train their own dogs to become certified hearing service animals. “There really isn’t any hearing dog training where people can come and train Diamond Dogz: training hounds with sounds Diamond Dogz of Arizona helps hearing-impaired people train their own dogs, creating a stronger connection between the animals and their owners. Wilson (left) is a former student who now helps with training other dogs. Kristi Nolde-Morrissey’s love for training began with her childhood dog Dutch, who she taught to fetch slippers, newspapers and to how to “play dead.” “I have always loved dogs and trained them as a hobby,” Morrissey said. In 2003, Morrissey decided that she wanted more than her “corporate America” work, so she turned her passion for training into a career. “I devoted my life to dogs,” Morrissey said. “I was training obedience dogs as a volunteer, doing labrador rescue and caring for dogs at the Humane Society.” Morrissey began training hearing service dogs after a local service organization came to her, wanting to expand their mobility service animal program into Diamond Dogz of Arizona, a nonprofit that helps people who are hearing- impaired train their own dogs to become certified hearing service animals. “There really isn’t any hearing dog DOG BODY LANGUAGE TRANSLATION CHART PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY DITOMASSO SOURCE: DOGS FOR DEFENSE K9  DFDK9.COM CALM & NEUTRAL ANXIOUS & NERVOUS FRIGHTENED SUBMISSIVE AGGRESSIVE DOMINANT ALERT EXCITED PLAYFUL RELAXED

51 AUGUST 2019 By Cody Kennedy In a world of hectic schedules, meetings, after-school sports and early weekend playdates, there is one constant that helps keep the world turning: coffee. Luckily for Arcadians, there happens to be a coffee joint on almost every corner. And in late May, Arcadia welcomed a new addition into its heart…and her name is Lola. Lola Coffee occupies the former Masterpiece Donuts space on the northwest corner of 40th St. and Indian School Road. This is the second location for the shop, the first being in downtown Phoenix on Third Ave. and Roosevelt. I moseyed in on a Monday, code for “I have no energy to do anything and need a pick-me-up.” The f loor-to-ceiling windows provide ample light for those inside who are studying at the community table, reading on the cushy-looking couch in the back corner or, like me, attempting to get some work done at one of the high-top tables, which look to be hand-crafted from natural wood. Add to that the modern light fixtures and local art pieces hung on the walls and you’ve got yourself a cozy spot to hang for an hour or two. Lola offers well-known coffee drinks and a few more mysterious offerings, such as the Sunrise, which is orange juice with two shots of espresso. The barista must have seen the look on my face, because she told me “Don’t knock it until you try it.” Folks can also order a standard OJ or a lemonade, or make your own concoction. I went with a cinnamon and caramel mocha. One sip and I was transported to my living room in Minnesota during winter: it was like Christmas hot chocolate, minus the frigid temperatures outside. I dreaded heading back into the heat. There is a large chalkboard menu and pastry case near the register. Lola offers fresh baked goods daily, such as scones, muffins and doughnuts, all made in-house. As soon as I saw the Strawberry Pop Tart and French Peach Tart, it was game over and I found myself ordering one of each. The sweet, flaky phyllo crust with warm, tangy strawberry filling made the pop tart ten times better than the store brand. And the peach tart? Rich, sticky-sweet and gooey, it reminded me of a dessert you might share with your significant other after an elegant meal in New York City. Lola also serves various breakfast noshes. Along with oatmeal, omelets and breakfast sandwiches, guests can order from the daily specials, such as avocado toast, quiche or frittata. You can also build your own breakfast burrito or breakfast sandwich and choose from various ingredients like spinach, mushroom, cheese, ham, bacon, jalapeños…have it your way. I tried the frittata special of the day, with bacon, tomatoes, cheddar and jalapeños. The egg was light and fluffy, but this generous slice is filling, and the best part is: you don’t feel guilty after eating it. With comfortable, spacious seating and breakfast/pastries served all morning, Lola provides all the things one might need for a productive day. Lola Coffee Arcadia is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. LOLA COFFEE 3950 E. Indian School Road #120 • lolacoffeebarphx.com Blanco Strawberry Pop Tart Mocha French Peach Tart House Frittata Build your own Burrito PLACES WE LIKE