Welcome to Ruff to Ready Dog Behavior

Helping Jacksonville families and their dogs build stronger bonds, lower stress, and enjoy life together.

Meet Amanda Lunsford, CBCC-KA

I’m Amanda, a certified canine behavior consultant in Jacksonville, dedicated to improving communication and happiness between families and their dogs.

I believe every family and dog is doing their best with what they have. I’m here to help you overcome challenges, reduce stress, and build a strong relationship with your dog rooted in trust and understanding.

I am dedicated to continuous learning, always keeping up-to-date with the newest advancements in dog behavior science.

Proud to call Jacksonville home, I live here with my husband Nathan (born and raised in Jacksonville), our teenager, and our pets: Applejack (my heart dog), Sonny (who’s taught me so much as a consultant), Strax (the cutest Maine Coon mix), and Bond (who deepened my experience with dog-cat dynamics).

My own pets remind me daily why I love this work and keep me learning every day.

Services Overview

Starter Session

$175

New dog or puppy owners
Families wanting a clear plan
Anyone seeking to address dog behavior problems

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Foundational Skills Day Training

$1250

Puppies
New rescues
Dogs who need better manners and routines

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Behavior Solutions Day Training

$1700

Dogs with fear, reactivity, or anxiety
Families needing extra support for challenging behaviors

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Why Choose Ruff to Ready?

Certified and Experienced

I’m a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA)

Evidence-Based Methods

I use humane, science-backed techniques – no harsh training, just real results.

Personalized Support

Every family and every dog is unique. I listen to your needs and create a plan that fits your lifestyle.

Specializations

You’ll always know the cost and exactly what’s included. No hidden fees or surprises.

In-Home Services

All training is in the comfort of your own home, helping your dog develop skills where it matters most – your home.

Success Stories

Ruff to Ready Dog Training

5.0

Based on 32 reviews

review us on

Nicole Toothaker

21:22 15 Apr 25

Amanda is great and so patient. We have two rescue dogs from a hoarding situation that have a lot of different anxiety. I really appreciated how much time and care she put into their behavior plan. – customizing it to tailor to our lifestyle, the dogs needs and how they were reacting to the training. She also worked with our vet to help us get them on anxiety medicine. She cares a lot and it definitely shows!

Dr. Ed Garbin

00:24 08 Apr 25

We have two Australian Shepherd littermates, boy and girl, who came into our lives with more energy and intensity than we ever could’ve imagined. Within weeks, it was clear we were in over our heads. They were non-stop: barking, wrecking-ball style wrestling, destructive, impossible to manage. We were told this was “normal Aussie behavior,” and a previous trainer even gave us shock collars and basically told us to brace ourselves.
Then we met Amanda.

Amanda brought experience, empathy, and a smart, clear plan. No gimmicks. No shame. Just a thoughtful, well-structured approach tailored to our dogs and our life. She helped us shift from just surviving to actually enjoying our dogs. The chaos turned into calm. We can now work from home without constant disruption, and our home feels like a place of peace again—something we couldn’t imagine just a few months ago.

These dogs were on a fast track to becoming a lifelong problem. Amanda changed their trajectory—and ours.
If you’re struggling, don’t wait. Amanda at Ruff to Ready is the best decision we made. She is an absolute expert, a professional, and a genuinely kind person who loves our dogs like they are her own.

Lauren Rauch

19:22 07 Apr 25

Amanda at Ruff to Ready is a miracle worker.

My husband and I have two Australian Shepherd siblings—Luna and Loki—who were, frankly, a nightmare when we brought them home as puppies. “High energy” doesn’t begin to cover it. We both work demanding jobs from home and have two busy teenagers, so chaos doesn’t even scratch the surface of what life felt like.

Before finding Amanda, we hired another trainer who handed us shock collars and a series of frankly ridiculous recommendations. Things didn’t improve, and we were even told we might need to re-home one of our dogs because it “realistically wouldn’t get better.”

Then we found Amanda Lunsford of Ruff to Ready. And everything changed.

Amanda is calm, incredibly knowledgeable, and truly cares. She took the time to understand our pups and us as a family. Her methods are smart, positive, and actually work. Thanks to Amanda, our home is peaceful, the dogs are affectionate and (mostly!) well-behaved, and we’re finally enjoying them the way we hoped we would when we brought them home.

Amanda didn’t just train our dogs—she saved our sanity and kept our family together. We are beyond grateful and cannot recommend her highly enough. If you’re at your wits’ end with your pup, call Amanda. You can get to the other side of the chaos—and she’ll get you there.

Mikesha Spivey

19:29 03 Apr 25

Amanda is extremely knowledgeable on dog behavior and taught me how to read my dog’s body language. I have seen progress in my pup’s behavior already after 1 session. Very friendly and patient too.

Joan Horn

15:06 22 Jun 24

We love Amanda!!! We have 5 dogs, all of them old. Some were not behaving very well. We needed help with bark control and listening to commands. Amanda came on board and got us all moving in the right direction. She trains the owners, as well as the dogs, in a positive reinforcement environment. The barking is under control. The pack is listening better than ever. Amanda is the best!!!

Carlene Taylor

11:41 04 Mar 24

Amanda is an amazing animal communicator. She is a trainer, yes, but she is first and foremost a teacher. She is patient, non-judgemental and insightful about the subtle and overt issues that impact my very sensitive dogs world. So grateful for her guidance. The Portuguese Water Dog is Both a brilliant and sensitive working breed. She held me learn his language and work through my issues in being the pet parent he needs me to be.

Leah Smith

20:51 05 Jan 24

Amanda helped us so much with our overly protective dog. She is very knowledgeable in her work and definitely works some miracles! I would recommend anyone who needs help with their pup to come see Amanda!

Julie Schuneman

01:40 11 Nov 23

Amanda has a thorough knowledge of the sources of canine reactivity and understands that there are a myriad of dimensions to the discussion. She’s totally positive, and all recommendations are for positive reinforcement, nothing negative!

Nicky Grove

16:41 14 Oct 23

Amanda saved our dog and our sanity!

Our (then 8 month old) puppy nipped at a neighbor unexpectedly and broke the skin. We were upset, confused and worried about his future.
A friend recommended Amanda to us so we reached out.
We had an initial consult where Amanda observed our dog and his behavior. She immediately picked up on the fact that he was scared/nervous of anything outside of us/our house. Something we never even considered.

Amanda was extremely knowledgeable, patient, explained everything so well and gave us homework to work with our pup, Harry, between appointments. The improvement in him even after just the first two weeks was incredible!

It’s only been a few months but Harry’s behavior is night and day. He was initially terrified of my best friend but now loves when she visits. Harry is going from strength to strength and improving all the time.
We can walk around the neighborhood without him barking at everyone and he doesn’t react at all.

We highly recommend Amanda, and are forever grateful for her help.

Elizabeth Bready

17:54 14 Jul 23

Amanda was amazing with our 122 pound American Bully we rescued! He didn’t understand his size, was really rough, hard headed and was starting to make our other dogs feel very insecure. Amanda showed us how to work with him and walked us through each step to establish his new routine. It took two sessions and consistent work on our part and now our boy is doing great and meshing well with our others. It’s been 8 months since our first training session and we still implement the things she has taught us. She was professional, fun, communicated clearly and very knowledgeable. I recommend her to so many people and will continue to do so!

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How I Work

I start by listening – really listening – to your concerns and goals. I value your input and experience, because you know your dog best. I’m here to guide you, not judge you. Together, we’ll create a plan that works for your family, your lifestyle, and your dog’s unique personality.

Whether you’re struggling with a reactive dog, a nervous dog, or just want to strengthen your bond, I’m here to help with compassion, honesty, and practical advice.