Taking the Lead

Our entire family had such a positive experience working with the team at Taking the Lead. Our 7-year-old Boston Terrier had been “acting out” towards her 8-year-old Boston Terrier sister. Both girls had been through “typical” puppy and dog training programs when they were younger and had gotten along well until the post-covid years hit. Separation anxiety and resource guarding became an issue for our younger Boston who would occasionally try to attack her sister. Not wanting things to get worse for either dog, we reached out to Lindsay. During our first meeting, it became evident that we as humans would need to make some changes to re-establish healthy boundaries with our dogs. We enrolled our younger dog in a 6-week TTL course and committed to doing the work necessary at home and behind the scenes to help her succeed. The results have been well worth it. We are no longer having issues with our younger Boston; she is more calm, has far less anxiety, and no longer acts out in dangerous ways with her sister. We are once again a joyful, peaceful family of 4. The bonus is that we learned so much about how to create a positive environment for everyone, not just our “problem child.” The TTL staff, to a person, loved our dog and taught her - and us - well. They were extremely accessible every step of the way, and continue to provide support and encouragement. The combination of weekly day-long sessions with our dog as well as weekly human training sessions provided much deeper learning than traditional dog training programs. TTL has been the most worthwhile investment we have made in our dogs; I wish we had known about them when our girls were much younger.

My wife and I recently completed the 6-week general obedience course with our dog, Bo, and the experience has been outstanding. Lindsay and her team made sure every aspect of the training was tailored specifically to Bo’s needs. The intake process was impressively thorough—making us confident his reactivity was manageable. It’s clear they’re invested in personalizing their approach to each dog’s unique personality and needs. One major highlight was the fact that training supplies were included. During the program, they recommended a different collar that would better support Bo’s heeling, and they even ordered and provided it free of charge. This small adjustment has made a huge difference, and Bo’s heeling has improved tremendously in a short amount of time. The staff here are truly exceptional—patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about their work. They always seemed upbeat and supportive, which speaks volumes about Lindsay’s leadership. Bo loves practicing his drills. He came back from each session happy and more engaged. I can tell he’s enjoyed the process, and it’s been fun for us too. Every dog deserves the opportunity to experience what Lindsay and her team offer! Highly recommend!

If you are considering getting your dog training, especially if they are reactive and anxious, you HAVE to reach out to Taking the Lead. I can’t recommend Lindsay and the Taking the Lead team enough! We were so nervous when we started looking into dog training working, unsure if we could help our dog, Apollo, and worried about being judged for not knowing how. But the entire team was incredibly supportive and never made us feel judged. My pup was reactive and has a lot of anxiety and the Taking the Lead team helped us figure out ways to make walks less stressful for everyone. During our training sessions team members would not only give a comprehensive lesson, but tips tailored to Apollo and his needs. They celebrated Apollo’s accomplishments with us and helped us and him overcome challenges. We felt incredibly supported every step of the way. Now our walks have little to no pulling and barking. I’m actually in charge of the walks! Steve and Kaitlyn, especially, were amazing. They were always excited and proud of Apollo’s progress, and it was clear they genuinely cared—even when Apollo wasn’t the easiest to work with. Steve would even show us videos of their work that day. We’ve learned so much, and now feel much more confident taking Apollo out on walks and around town. It’s been a huge relief, and we’re beyond grateful for everything they’ve taught us. Thank you so much!