2023-12-10T18:46:21.000Z

When we lost our beloved Golden Retriever suddenly to cancer, Love in the Lead helped us find a puppy that was suited to us and spent 5 months training him to be the perfect dog for us. I have mobility challenges and our dog Rory is very well behaved on a leash, he gives me inspiration to keep moving! I can’t say enough about the work they do and the care they give to the dogs (and humans!) they train. 100% recommend

2022-11-17T01:59:49.000Z

Our dog, Boca, is two years old, and we had hoped moving out of the puppy phase would calm her down. However, our family was moving through some changes and she was feeling even more unsettled as she matured. She was beginning to exhibit severe aggressiveness toward other dogs, to the point of running out into the street to snarl and growl at them, compromising her safety and ours. We had heard about Love in the Lead and the amazing success that other families had experienced, and we felt called to try it ourselves. We drove all the way from Maryland for the program. The moment we dropped her off, we knew we were in good hands. Weekly check-ins allowed us to see her progress, and daily videos and pictures on social media channels made us feel like we were there with her. The amount that she progressed every day, let alone every week, was phenomenal. By the time we picked her up, she was heeling even without a leash. She rests in her place in a down position and holds it until she is told to come out of it. Most importantly, she no longer acts aggressively toward other animals. She is relaxed and observant but never aggressive. We couldn’t be more pleased! Rebecca and Boca’s trainer, Meagan, spent a lot of time with us to ensure we knew exactly what the commands were and how to handle different scenarios. Rebecca even came to our town in Maryland for a follow-up when she happened to be visiting family. I can’t say enough things about this team of people. They love what they do, they really bond with the dogs, and they make both the dogs and their owners feel safe and confident. Love in the Lead is worth every single penny. You may find less expensive programs, but you get what you pay for. Do to right the first time and go with the BEST!

2022-02-10T14:07:38.000Z

We sent our rescue pup, Josie, to another local trainer, but she was returned to us the same day due to fear aggression behaviors with handling around her neck/collar. I received recommendation for Love in the Lead from an acquaintance. Upon consulting with Rebecca, I was reassured that she was the trainer that Josie needed. Our main concerns were general obedience, fearful behaviors with handling, and anxiety in the car/at the vet. With the 4 week behavior modification training with Rebecca, Meagan, and the rest of the staff, Josie has returned home with AMAZING obedience, improved comfort with handling, calmness, and a boost in her confidence! I am blown away with her results! Her fear aggression was more involved than we were aware of, but Rebecca was honest and upfront with the assessment and expectations. The trainers have given us the tools to continue working with Josie to assist in reducing her fearful behaviors. HIGHLY recommend!!!

2021-11-23T17:30:29.000Z

We sent Cleo to their board and train program of 3 weeks and we received a calm, respectful, and extremely obedient dog. They did such a wonderful job teaching her calmness, as she struggled with anxiety and reactivity in and outside the home. She learned amazing commands such as heel, place, recall, and implied stay after each command which saves a step every time. We love practicing these skills with her and being able to trust her on and off-leash. We are beyond excited to continue to work with Cleo and hopefully send our other dog to train with Gabby and Rebecca! Thank you so much!

2021-10-08T18:59:42.000Z

Rebecca and team did an amazing job working with us and our sweet boy Freddie during the puppy program and the later 2-week board and train! They helped us manage that puppy teething phase, and now I’m able to take him on long walks on my own with a newborn and stroller and he heels perfectly by my side. Rebecca has always been there whenever we have questions and her advice always works! The support after the program has been the best. We also love attending the pack walks with all the other pups! We love Love in the Lead and can’t thank them enough!

2021-09-11T00:36:30.000Z

Love in the Lead was such a perfect choice for our family. Top notch training, attention and care. Our pup got one-on-one training that really supported him being such a gentleman when he came home to us. The weekly updates and pictures were always thorough and such a delight. The level of care towards shown us for our goals and our specific family dynamics was so valued by us. They even made sure we had a thorough training in our home on drop off day which was golden! We were really empowered and were set up to continue all the wonderful things our puppy learned through the started puppy program. We consider Rebecca and Love in the Lead part of our framily now and will continue to stay connected through further training and opportunities. Best choice we could have made when getting our new puppy. We have really been able to enjoy him as a new family member and focus on the joy of that transition with the benefit of him growling through the started puppy program.

2021-08-09T22:36:09.000Z

We highly recommend Rebecca and her team at Love in the Lead. We had a wonderful experience with the training that our dog, Pearl, received. Pearl spent three weeks with the board and train program at Love in the Lead. We found their program to specialize and focus on the many behavioral issues that we were experiencing with our dog. They focused Pearl’s training on building her confidence, off leash obedience, and general commands. We really appreciated the ongoing communication throughout the process, the multiple in-person meetings that we were a part of, and follow up sessions with Pearl. We have enjoyed Pearl’s new found confidence and look forward to taking her on many new adventures. We really feel like the Love in the Lead program resulted in an obedient and most importantly a happy dog!

2021-06-25T02:04:23.000Z

My dog, Yennifer, completed Love in the Lead's 4-wk behavior modification training program recently for her separation anxiety. Yennifer chewed through many crates including the "indestructible" one. Each time she escaped, I had horrible destruction to clean up after. These incidents accumulated to thousands of dollars in property damage, emergency vet visits, PTOs, meds, behavioral vet visits, piles of alternative anxiety-relief products and etc. In addition, 3 years of separation anxiety fractured 13 teeth with subsequent abscesses and grounded her other teeth to the gums. I was emotionally at my wit's end. I was hesitant at first since the 4-wk program is not a light financial investment, but oh my goodness, I don't regret a single penny. Now Yennifer is not only obedient inside and outside with or without leash, but also can be alone out of the crate while I'm at work. This is a lifestyle I never thought possible. The amazing trainers especially Meagan and Rebecca worked on improving Yennifer's mindset and building confidence. Then, they focused on how I can be a stronger owner/trainer for Yennifer in multiple sessions. They are quick to answer you if you have any resurfacing behavioral issues after the training program. They communicate with you constantly and are the most amazing supporters to have in your corners when it comes to your dog. Yennifer still dislikes her crate, but while she is in one, she no longer tries to completely renovate the interior or perform exorcism. I cannot thank these trainers enough. If you are at your wit's end and looking at rehoming websites even though you love your dog so so much, consider Love in the Lead. I'm the proof that these trainers could be the best decision of your life. Now Yennifer and I will have more fulfilling life as a family.

2021-06-02T17:59:15.000Z

Love in the Lead Canine Training’s program was better than anything we could’ve hoped for! We tried multiple training styles with multiple trainers and nothing worked. Since Marlo isn’t food motivated or motivated by pleasing us, it was really tough to train him. We came across Love in the Lead videos on Instagram and were convinced that Marlo could never be trained like that. We’ve now had him back from board and train for five weeks and the progress he’s made has been incredible. He now walks beside us (even without a leash), listens in the house, is calmer overall, and can play off-leash which is something we never thought was possible! Working with trainers Mary and Rebecca was such a pleasure and we can’t recommend them enough! Participating in their training program was the best decision we’ve made as dog parents!

2021-05-30T01:13:32.000Z

I sent my one and a half-year-old golden retriever to Love in the Lead in March, and I was truly amazed at the skills she came home with. Rebecca and her staff at Love in the Lead work expertly with both the dog and the owner, which I have found to be so valuable in carrying on the work they did with her while she was there. I do appreciated the transparency of their work with the dogs too as they updated twice a week abs posted pictures and videos consistently throughout the training so you could see what all they are working on. And it just gave me so much peace to see how happy my girl was there! I chose to drive my dog there from out of state because of the great things I had heard from someone else who sent their dog. It was important to me that my dog have a strong obedience foundation because she is going to be working with me in my counseling practice, and she came home ready to show off what she learned at the office immediately! All of my clients comment on how calm she is (a 1 and 1/2 year old puppy, y’all!). Having a dog is such a wonderful gift, but having a well behaved dog is infinitely more than that!

2021-03-27T09:52:45.000Z

My dog had an amazing experience with Rebecca and her team! She did the three week board and train program. Rebecca was recommended when I was super frustrated with our puppy who had become increasingly more reactive in situations where she was resource guarding. Our puppy had issues where she was guarding spaces in our house like beds and the couch and would often become possessive of items she retrieved counter surfing. Previously we had tried to work with her with treats which ended up escalating the problem when she wouldn’t respond to the food. Now our puppy will listen and knows what is expected of her-it’s amazing to see. She seems so much happier and is much calmer because they have taught her how to settle down and stay in place and listen to the commands. We barely have to correct her behavior at home now. I was nervous to send my dog away but Rebecca keeps in contact with you and posts videos and photos for you to see the progress. The dogs look like they are having a great time as she keeps them active and they even go on field trips. We just had a follow-up session and our dog was so happy to see the trainer. You can definitely tell she was treated well! I worried that the program would be hard to implement at home but there are only a few simple commands to learn which they teach you on site and at the going home visit. We are much happier dog owners now and I think our dog is much happier too.

2021-01-15T01:42:03.000Z

Our puppy attended the 10 day puppy training and I am so happy with the growth that happened during his training! Rebecca and her team are super knowledgeable and friendly. Not only was my puppy trained but you get trained at your going home session too. I left feeling equipped to continue training at home. Our dog learned good walking skills, how to control himself around distractions better than he was and how to hold his position at his “place”. We will be back for more advanced training soon!

2021-01-09T21:49:11.000Z

After 6 months with our rescue Lucy, we realized we needed some help. Our research led us to Rebecca and her team at Love in the Lead. We couldn't be more impressed with Lucy's basic obedience, house manners, leash manners and off leash obedience - all of which allow her to enjoy so many more adventures with us. We were nervous to leave Lucy with strangers for 3 weeks but the social media updates and regular communication from Rebecca eased our concerns. The icing on the cake- Love in the Lead truly cares for your dog as their own which was evident when Lucy couldn't have been happier to see Rebecca during our follow up visit. Thanks so much Rebecca and team- we are forever appreciative!

2021-01-09T20:02:43.000Z

Rebecca and her team are phenomenal, we decided to send our 4 year old Goldendoodle Buddy to Love in the Lead to overcome his leash pulling, counter surfing and struggle with staying on task as well as other basic obedience skills. during his 3 week board and train Rebecca sent us weekly updates as well as videos of his progress and was available and attentive to any questions we had. Buddys new ability to focus, stay in place while there are distractions, as well as being able to properly heel while walking are just a few examples of the amazing job they did. I highly recommend using Rebecca and her team for all of your training needs, they are spectacular at what they do!

2020-12-30T16:27:36.000Z

Rebecca and her team are absolutely wonderful to work with! I sent my 4 year old boxer Maisey for the 3 week board and train program and she came back so much more relaxed. She went in with terrible anxiety and leash behavior and came home with the skills and confidence to lead a more comfortable life. The hands on approach with both dog and owner are so beneficial, that even I became more confident. Looking forward to continue working with Love In The Lead in the future!

2020-11-23T02:36:59.000Z

Rebecca and her team are amazing!! They helped teach us and our dog Bode how to properly communicate with each other. We can now bring him everywhere without any worries of him misbehaving. Rebecca would send us periodic updates and posted pictures and videos on Instagram of Bode everyday. I can not recommend them enough for dog training!

2020-11-02T21:59:35.000Z

I can not stress enough, the absolute WONDERFUL experience I have had with Love in the Lead Canine Training. We put our seven month old German Shepherd in their training class for three weeks. Our well loved T-Rex came home a well mannered, affectionate and obedient sweetheart. I plan on continuing with LLCT for years to come, for additional training, walks and boarding options. Rebecca and company are absolutely THE BEST!

2020-10-31T20:39:19.000Z

Our dog Henrik completed the 3 week board and stay program, and we couldn’t be happier. We just took him to the white water center and he was able to walk past other dogs, bikers, children and zip liners with absolutely no problems! All of the trainers that worked with him were fantastic and we are looking forward to being able to bring him places that we weren’t sure would be possible. Rebecca was very responsive and kept us well informed during his training and beyond. We highly recommend training with Love in the Lead and Rebecca.

2020-10-27T13:47:06.000Z

Our dog, April, participated in both the puppy program as well as the two-week board and train. We reached out to Rebecca before getting our puppy as we have an older dog with a history of aggressive behavior and wanted to make sure we handled the transition appropriately. Rebecca was so responsive throughout our experience and provided the support we needed to make the transition successful. April came into her first program as a rambunctious, distractable puppy and has transformed into an attentive, respectful dog. We are so thankful for the off-leash freedom April now is able to enjoy, which has allowed her to accompany us around our horses. We are so grateful for the training and support we've received from Love in the Lead.

2020-09-13T13:56:16.000Z

My Beyli. A beautiful puppy with a shiny black coat, big brown eyes and floppy Labrador ears. She was playful, sometimes cute and mostly OUT OF CONTROL. Beyli barked, cried and nipped when she didn’t get her way. And if she got a hold of something, well... good luck trying to get it away from her. If I was going to live a lifetime with my Beyli I needed help. Enter Rebecca and Love in the Lead. With a broken heart I dropped off Beyli for a four week program. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect but I followed her every day on Facebook and Rebecca sent personal messages and updates. Now Beyli is nearly unrecognizable. Of course she still has that super shiny black coat, big brown eyes and floppy lab ears but she is also…OBIDIENT. She sits, goes to her place and drops items from her mouth on command. She heels when walking and willingly goes to her crate for a rest. She’s a joy to be with.

2020-09-05T17:22:02.000Z

FIVE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I wish I had known about Love in the Lead Canine Training earlier! Rebecca and her team are so knowledgeable, dedicated, and passionate about what they do. My Luna, a 7 year old German Shepherd had leash reactivity to other dogs and people and after her time with Rebecca she is a changed doggy. The change that I have seen within Luna is incredible. Luna is a much happier dog being able to run around off leash, go on long walks, and I feel much comfortable (less anxious) taking her out with me when there are multiple distractions (people & other dogs). I am so happy with the results and I intend on keeping up my end of the training by practicing with Luna and being consistent.

2020-07-31T12:33:56.000Z

Panda and Winston have seemed to enjoy the program and we will forever be grateful for our now more calm and confident family members. We can’t express enough how wonderful you have been with them. THANK YOU, from the bottom of our hearts for helping our boys be the best they can be!

2020-07-20T00:33:47.000Z

Rebecca and her team are miracle workers! We got our papillon, Meli, when she was two months old. She’s the sweetest dog, but from the first day we brought her home we could tell she suffered from severe separation anxiety. She followed us everywhere and barked/cried whenever we weren’t home. She also had a problem with sprinting out the front door every time it opened and running down the street or across the street, never coming when called. And then there was the crate. Even with one of us in the same room, she suffered severe anxiety every time she was in it. For months, I tried training her myself—but when she, literally, almost broke her neck trying to get out of the crate one night, I knew we needed help. I had a phone consultation with Rebecca and we decided the best option for Meli would be the three-week board and train program. Rebecca was incredibly knowledgeable about dogs and their behavior, and she was able to address all my questions and concerns. We knew Meli would be in great hands. We took Meli to Rebecca’s facility when she was seven months old. It was hard to head back home without her, but Rebecca sent pictures and updates the very same day. She sent frequent emails about Meli’s progress and always answered any questions I had. The social media posts were wonderful—not only could we see how well Meli was doing and how much fun she was having, but they also explained the training and why certain exercises were being done. We had our first training session nearly three weeks after dropping Meli off and couldn’t believe our eyes. She walked into her crate on command without any hesitation. She came to me when I called her. She had a calmness about her we had never seen before. Now at home, Meli is no longer following us all over the place and she sits patiently when the front door opens. We can let her out in the backyard to play or go potty and she’ll come right back to us when called. And the crate is no longer her enemy! Our friends can’t believe the change. She’s still our spunky little Meli, but with better manners, more confidence, and no longer riddled with anxiety. We can never thank Rebecca and her staff enough for the incredible job they did with Meli, and for the support Rebecca continues to provide. We highly recommend Love in the Lead!

2020-07-09T13:16:29.000Z

I can’t express this enough: LOVE IN THE LEAD IS THE BEST!! We adopted our 2 year old dog, Oakley, back in November 2019 with little information on his background and quickly realized he was very reactive on a leash, specifically towards other dogs (and squirrels)! Before his two week board and train with Rebecca and her team, we wouldn’t take him for walks as we feared it would be a negative experience for both my boyfriend and me, as well as Oakley. Every time we tried to walk him in the past, he would lunge at other dogs and with his strength (he’s about 85lbs of muscle), he would pull us into the street to try and get to them. After just two weeks with Rebecca, we have an extremely obedient and confident dog! We take him on walks around our neighborhood, which he had negative experiences with prior, and he is so relaxed. We now can take him on beach trips with us and do so many more enjoyable outings with him that we never thought we would have been able to do. I am beyond grateful we found Rebecca and her team, and am so happy we now have a more confident dog!

2020-06-13T01:26:43.000Z

Rebecca's training far exceeded our exceptions! Our Chloe progressed so much in two weeks. Rebecca offered lots of support to us once Chloe returned home. There is no doubt that life is so much easier with a well-trained dog. Thank you so much!

2020-06-08T03:44:49.000Z

We are extremely pleased with Rebecca and Megan. We have an Aussiedoodle named Drizzy and he is intelligent, but also very impulsive. When I first got my pup I had been looking up different training programs all around Charlotte. I read multiple reviews, met with trainers and owners from different programs, but I always loved Rebecca's program. I followed her instagram for a while before committing. I knew I wanted to send Drizzy to training. He knew his basic commands, but struggled with duration because he was so impulsive and excited. He was also smart where he chose when to listen and he was not consistent. He struggled with being obedient around distractions (people, other dogs, squirrels) he would want to run and go up to everything. I could not walk him on the leash without him pulling the entire time. I had a phone consultation with Rebecca and explained all of this to her. She was very honest, understanding, and responsive. We did the 2-week boarding program when Drizzy turned 12 months, and WOW did she amaze me. I followed Drizzy's progress closely on her social media, which I loved. She is very transparent about where the dogs are in their training so you can see them improve! She sends updates via email as well, which was nice. Drizzy returned to me still the loving, playful pup he had always been, but much more focused and obedient. He is able to walk in a perfect Heel both on and OFF leash, he will sit/stay or down/stay in distracted environments, and has an amazing recall where I feel comfortable letting him roam off leash to play. He is much calmer and knows how to control his excitement and impulses. I can take him to the park to workout with me and he is manageable where he is not running up to every person, dog or bird he sees. I am shocked and happy as I can take him anywhere now and I am not worried about him misbehaving. She uses the E collar, which is more a muscle stimulation and not a shock. She takes the time to teach the dogs properly, which I did a ton of reading on before sending Drizzy if you are worried about this. During the entire course of Drizzy's training Rebecca was responsive. She replied in a timely manner. She was professional. I can tell Drizzy adored her. She had us visit half-way through so that she could teach us what Drizzy had been learning. She even took the time out to spend time in our home and around our neighborhood at the end of the session to go over training plus a 2 week follow up session. I highly recommend Rebecca and Megan. Out of the many training programs in Charlotte (I did a ton of reviewing) I would always choose to go with Rebecca. I already have fellow coworkers signed up after they saw how focused, confident, and obedient Drizzy was after his training :)

2020-05-13T19:55:25.000Z

Life changing - truly. We sent our 3 year old boxer mix rescue, wild-man, Charlie, to Love in the Lead for a three week board and train program. Charlie was reactive to strangers and other dogs, a professional counter surfer and pantry raider, and would pull so hard on the leash walking him was unbearable - just to name a few things. We couldn't trust him around people or food so he had to be in his kennel often. Now?! He is calm, confident, obedient and polite. Friends and family who knew him before can not believe the transformation. Not only is our life less frustrating, but Charlie now gets to go on many walks, can be with us when we are eating or have guests over, has much more freedom and gets to go most places with us. When I spoke to Rebecca about her program her philosophy and process was logical and compassionate - it made sense and felt right with us. She has spent a good amount of time training us as a family so we are all consistent and can keep Charlie on track. Rebecca is a true professional and is experienced and knowledgeable. I couldn't be more thankful to her and that we made this investment - it was worth every penny.

2020-04-19T16:46:53.000Z

Rebecca and her team are wonderful! We weren’t sure what to expect, as our dog had never had obedience training before going into the 4-week board and train program. He was aggressive toward all other dogs, very reactive, and would be non-responsive as soon as he fixated on something. We were worried if he would respond to training at all, but WOW were we surprised! He came back much more confident, with a focus on us rather than anything in the environment. He has been doing wonderfully since! We can finally enjoy walking him – even off leash in some situations! He’s much happier, balanced dog than before, and we can finally enjoy taking him with us out in public again!

2020-04-14T13:54:31.000Z

I am absolutely blown away! Rebecca is a miracle worker and a dog whisperer. She transformed my 10mon old labradoodle with a whole laundry list of problematic behaviors into a calm, attentive and balanced pup. I love that Rebecca prides herself on transparency, integrity and excellent communication. I watched her social media videos for months before contacting her to discuss how she could help my boy. I believe in her and most importantly I trust her to take care of my first puppy. She did not disappoint and did an outstanding job..not just with my own pup but with every pup and client that comes under her care. Thank you so much Rebecca. 🐶🥰

2020-03-27T16:05:31.000Z

My dog Otis just completed a 2 week board and train and I could not be happier. Otis is 130+ pound dog who is super sweet but knew how to use his weight. He was good in the house but it was getting more difficult in taking him out on walks as he would get excited as people walked by and leash reactive to other dogs. It was not enjoyable taking him out and having to worry about who or what we will run into so I did not take him out much. Now we can walk and pass people, dogs and even squirrels without him lunging and pulling me. Rebecca is such a knowledgable, caring trainer. She was also patient and caring when training me! She tailors her training to the dog making sure they feel safe and confident. Otis loved her! He is not much of a tail wagger but when he sees her his tail is wagging like crazy. I also enjoyed the many video updates and emails that were sent while he was there. Otis is still his sweet goofy self but is confident on our outings and is a joy to walk with now. My neighbors now comment how well behaved he is when we pass them. Thanks Rebecca and everyone at Love in Lead Canine Training.