Meet Amanda Lunsford
meet Amanda Lunsford
Certified Canine Behavior Consultant & Founder
Founded in 2019 by certified canine behavior consultant Amanda Lunsford, Ruff to Ready Dog Behavior began after Amanda’s corporate career led her to her true calling: helping people live less stressful lives with their dogs. Drawing on her lifelong love for animals and years of hands-on experience, Amanda built Ruff to Ready on a foundation of learning, growth, and practical, compassionate solutions—empowering every dog and family to thrive together.
Credentials and Experience
Amanda Lunsford, CBCC-KA (Certified Canine Behavior Consultant)
- Specializing in aggression, reactivity, and behavior modification
- AKC Evaluator for S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, and Urban Canine Good Citizen
- Extensive experience teaching group classes, including Reactive Dog, Puppy, and Manners Courses
- Continuing education through leading conferences and workshops in canine behavior and safety
My Approach & Philosophy
Every dog and every family is doing their best with the knowledge and resources they have. As your dog behavior consultant, my job is to help you solve challenges, understand each other better, and lower stress – all by building a strong bond. I focus on real-life solutions that fit your family and your dog. It’s not my place to tell you how to live with your dog; instead, I help you find what works for you.
I love learning new things and always keep up with the latest in dog behavior science.
A Little About Me
I grew up in Minnesota but now call Jacksonville home. I’m married to Nathan, a true Jacksonville native, and I’m a mom to a teenager. Our household also includes two dogs, Applejack and Sonny, and two cats, Strax and Bond. My pets are a constant reminder of why I love working with dogs and their families- they keep me grounded.
What Clients Say
- “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.” – Dr. Ed Garbin
- “Amanda at Ruff to Ready is a miracle worker… 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.”- Lauren Rauch
Mary Harvey
18:27 31 Jul 25
This is my Bella. She is my 6th lab and my most challenging by far. When I adopted Bella she was 2 and lived with an elderly woman who didn’t want her. She wasn’t mistreated but she had very limited contact with humans and was starved for attention. She was very shy and apprehensive.
That’s when a friend who has lots of experience raising dogs said I should call Amanda at Ruff to Ready. Great advice!!
When we meet Amanda, Bella was a bundle of nerves, afraid of everything. Hated getting in the car. Impossible to take to groomer or vet. Didn’t want to go out for walks. But did like to break out of backyard fence and run away (lucky she always came back)
Amanda didn’t let any of this phase her. She started right in showing me all the signs that Bella was a “fearful” dog and how to start making her less fearful with exercises and naps and special routines. Consistency was key, I learned. Amanda was PATIENT I also learned.
Finally, after Amanda suggested it several times, I was convinced to try mood stabilizing drugs for Bella. The doctor recommended Prozac. Just 2 weeks later Bella was a different dog!! She loves people, wants to be petted, enjoys walks and dances when I get her harness and leash. She isn’t fearful anymore.
I believe this transformation is because of the hard work and expertise of Amanda Lunsford. Bella and I would not be here and happy as we are without Amanda’s support and understanding. We are truly grateful for Amanda and recommend her whenever we have the chance.
That’s when a friend who has lots of experience raising dogs said I should call Amanda at Ruff to Ready. Great advice!!
When we meet Amanda, Bella was a bundle of nerves, afraid of everything. Hated getting in the car. Impossible to take to groomer or vet. Didn’t want to go out for walks. But did like to break out of backyard fence and run away (lucky she always came back)
Amanda didn’t let any of this phase her. She started right in showing me all the signs that Bella was a “fearful” dog and how to start making her less fearful with exercises and naps and special routines. Consistency was key, I learned. Amanda was PATIENT I also learned.
Finally, after Amanda suggested it several times, I was convinced to try mood stabilizing drugs for Bella. The doctor recommended Prozac. Just 2 weeks later Bella was a different dog!! She loves people, wants to be petted, enjoys walks and dances when I get her harness and leash. She isn’t fearful anymore.
I believe this transformation is because of the hard work and expertise of Amanda Lunsford. Bella and I would not be here and happy as we are without Amanda’s support and understanding. We are truly grateful for Amanda and recommend her whenever we have the chance.
Susan Doris
22:15 10 Jul 25
Amanda changed our dogs life and ours too! She taught all of us valuable skills and particularly helped us read non verbal signs from our dog. Lizzie was extremely fearful and anxious when we first started and now she is a new dog, we can take her places like Southern Grounds and enjoy our time together. Can't say enough about how thankful we are to Amanda.
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.
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.
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.
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!