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Be Your Dog's Partner Guide Leader

Book Your FREE Transformation Session

Dear Columbus Dog Owner,

Are you frustrated with taking your dog outside?

Are you tired of your dog dragging you down the sidewalk?

Are you embarrassed when your dog barks and jumps on guests?

Does your dog ignore your commands?

Does your dog lunge or bark at other dogs or people outside?

Does your dog get protective or aggressive towards your friends or family?

Is there a dream activity you always wished to be able to do with your dog when you first got them?

Don’t let frustration and embarrassment hold you back any longer! The first step towards change starts by booking your free transformation session with Taking the Lead. Click the button below to learn more!

Book Your FREE Transformation Session

How It Works

Contact Us

Call us and let us know about the issues you are facing with your dog. Or fill out the transformation session form, and we will call you back.

Book Your Session

Schedule a free transformation session that fits your schedule. Sessions usually last about 30 minutes.  

Meet Our Team

Meet our team and start your free session.

Why Work With Us

  • Personalized Training: We recognize that each dog has its strengths and challenges. Our trainers tailor the training sessions to suit your dog's specific needs, ensuring the best results for your furry friend.
  • Balanced Training: We firmly believe in clear communication. By focusing on rewarding good behavior, we create a nurturing environment for your dog to learn and thrive.
  • Certified Trainers: Our team comprises certified and experienced trainers who are committed to making the training experience enjoyable for both you and your dog.
Book Your FREE Transformation Session

Our Approach

At Taking The Lead, we understand that every dog is unique, and building a strong bond between you and your furry companion is essential. As the premier dog training company in Columbus, Ohio, we are dedicated to fostering a harmonious relationship between dog and owner through effective communication and positive reinforcement.


Our training philosophy is centered around teamwork. We don’t just teach your dog; we teach you how to become the leader your dog needs. Our experienced trainers are passionate about empowering dog owners with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand their pets better.

Lisa Caldwell
★★★★★
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We were looking for help with our dog Sage who was being aggressive at the vet when we found Lindsay at Taking the Lead. Lindsay not o ly helped us with the bet but also helped us obtain total recall and helped us socialize Sage around other puppers!! She equipped us with all of the tools and guidance we needed to make Sage into a more well rounded dog. She has flexible scheduling and is affordable. Thank you, Lindsay!!
M Biddle
★★★★★
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We had a great experience working with Lindsay! We adopted 2 puppies last year - one pretty easy and one totally crazy and reactive. Lindsay helped us train both of them with walks, reactivity, basic commands and even nail trims. We still have some work to do, but the difference in our dogs already has been amazing! I highly recommend Lindsay for any dog training needs.
Josie Sheehan
★★★★★
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Reaching out to Lindsay with Taking The Lead was the best decision we could have made after rescuing an 8 month old LGD, Lady, with anxiety and trust issues. She helped us right away with potty and behavioral training in our apartment before moving on to leash training and becoming comfortable on walks, in new places, and how to manage meeting strangers. Our girl has completely transformed into a more confident pup with EXCELLENT leash manners, less anxiety, and no more marking/accidents! I love how the sessions are 1-on-1 and in our own home or out in public at parks! Lindsay gave us the tools, knowledge, and confidence to continue working with Lady, as training will continue as she matures. I can't recommend Lindsay more!!
Marina Loos
★★★★★
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Mabel and I loved working with Lindsey. We focused on her recall and interaction with other dogs. I’ve noticed a significant improvement and feel a lot more comfortable bringing her in social dog situations, and even just walking her down the street. Very thankful for Lindsey’s training!
Debra Mccormick
★★★★★
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I rescued a Rottweiler who was very reactive to other dogs Lindsey is amazing! She developed a specific plan to help us. She also was very patient with my learning curve! Dog training involves both the dog and the human! Thank you! I recommend Taking the Lead for any dog family I will be able to use these skills with any new dogs W just spent a mile walk with 4 dogs crossing our path ! Violet looked, but kept on walking!
Alison Knapke Emmons
★★★★★
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Lindsay is amazing! She worked with us on specific issues but has also has given us so many tools to use for life! We can now enjoy peaceful walks with our dogs and “chill” time! She helped us work as a team!
Alison Knapke Emmons
★★★★★
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Lindsay is amazing! She worked with us on specific issues but has also has given us so many tools to use for life! We can now enjoy peaceful walks with our dogs and “chill” time! She helped us work as a team!
Nora Durham
★★★★★
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We will never have another dog without Lyndsey. Two 4-month old Akita sisters are a daunting duo to introduce to any home. We set goals. They should be sociable with family, visitors and co-exist peacefully with our existing pets. We wanted them to have good eating manners, and go for walks we could all enjoy. We needed an experienced trainer of good repute to meet these challenges. “Taking the Lead” trainer Lyndsey Stamper is simply the best. Lindsey worked in our home. Over three months, visits every two weeks, the pups bloomed into cordial, congenial little girls. Lindsey kept every appointment, always on time. She has our resounding gratitude and admiration for work well done. Thank you, Lindsey.
Ellen Rapkin
★★★★★
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Excellent trainer. Made walking our dog a pleasure. Very knowledgeable of dog issues like how to clip her nails and brush her teeth.
Ellen Rapkin
★★★★★
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Excellent trainer. Made walking our dog a pleasure. Very knowledgeable of dog issues like how to clip her nails and brush her teeth.
Ruth Sloan
★★★★★
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Lindsay has been so incredibly helpful with both our deaf puppy and older dog. Because of her both are dogs have much better recall, which makes life so much easier. Lindsay was always helpful and explained the process of teaching the dogs new concepts in a way that made sense. I would recommend Taking the Lead to anyone I know.
Christy Weisenstein
★★★★★
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Lindsay has given me and my dog Otis so much,a good connection. Otis working better on leash,enjoyable for both of us !
Joanna Wiedl
★★★★★
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We worked with Lindsay, and she is a fantastic trainer. She helped my rescue go from lunging and barking at other dogs and people while out on walks to sitting quietly (for the most part, he’s still a dog after all). She’s a great teacher so we felt equipped to use the methods she showed us on our own, and was available if we had questions between sessions. Highly recommend.
Trudi Fisher
★★★★★
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I reached out to Lindsay for a very anxious and reactive Doodle. My dog (Ted) was VERY reactive to other people and dogs on walks. With a couple lessons Lindsay gave me tools to use with Ted while on walks and to help with the back yard contention with the neighbor dogs through the fence. Our last lesson was a trip to Petsmart…I was probably more anxious on the drive than Ted-nervous on how he was going to react in the store. Ted was awesome and was the best behaved dog in there while we were there. He had manners and didn’t bark or react to any of the dogs (cats or chinchilla)we encountered. Proud mama! Highly recommend Lindsay!
Sara Miller
★★★★★
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Lindsay is amazing!! We have a brand new dog. We came to her at our wits end with our 1 year old Bernese mountain dog. When you have 100 lbs of dog come running at you every time you or a guest walk through the door, you think nothing could help. Step in Lindsay! She has transformed our boy into the best behaved buddy. He can now walk right next to us without ripping our arms off, he can wait in his place while guests enter our home, and he can calm himself down so that everyone can enjoy his company. Not only does she listen to you and adapt her training methods to fit your lifestyle, she’s realistic and super confident in her ways, which then makes you confident to train your dog! Thank you, thank you a million times over!!!!!!
Dustin Robinson Smith
★★★★★
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Lindsay was a great help to us and our 8 month old rescue, Zeryan. There was a notable improvement in our dog’s behavior after the very first session. After four sessions and some in-between homework we accomplished all of our training goals and were able to confidently take our pup out in public. It was also incredibly convenient that she came to our house for the training. Highly recommend.
Catherine Davis
★★★★★
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Lindsay's training is superb! She is one-on-one with you and your dog. It's the most personal dog training I've ever heard of. She works with you on all your dog's needs. My dog was already two years old and had never had formal training, but she was able to teach this wild thing how to be more well behaved in public. I'm very happy with Lindsay's help!
laura english
★★★★★
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I have had no less than 4 past trainers who could only get my dogs past "sit." Now I can walk both dogs at the same time and kids have even run up to them without any excited response from the dogs. Thank u thank!
Kristyn Massie
★★★★★
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I absolutely recommend Lindsay. We have only worked with her for a short time with our puppy Bo, her training tips have really helped us navigate having a new puppy and Bo seemed to catch on quickly! He’s on his best behavior when Lindsay comes! Plus we loved the way she interacted with Bo in such a loving way! It wasn’t just training, you can tell she loves animals and what she does!
Heidi Karas
★★★★★
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Lindsay is awesome! After just 6 training sessions all of our issues with a multi-dog household were solved. Our sweet Bailey used to be such an anxious and insecure dog before Lindsay worked with her. Now she is relaxed, confident, and is much more comfortable with household guests. If you decide to sign up for training, make sure you are open to Lindsay’s suggestions because she knows exactly what your dog needs. I cannot thank Take the Lead and Lindsay enough for helping our fur family.
Lexi Jones
★★★★★
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Lindsey is AMAZING! My partner and I chose her to help us train our 1 year old Frenchton puppy, Jodi. From the first session we had there was an immediate change in Jodi’s behavior for the better. Each session went better than the last, and Lindsey treated us, our puppy, and two kittens with the upmost kindness and patience. As we get Jodi fully acclimated to her first round of sessions, we fully intent to return to Lindsey to do some more advanced training. I would fully recommend Taking The Lead for any training needs.
Julie Mastilak
★★★★★
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Best dog trainer I've ever met. LOVE Lindsay and her training methods!
mcupp62
★★★★★
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I would give Lindsay ten stars if I could. Before finding her and Taking The Lead Ohio, our dog was constantly lunging at people and pets, pulling us down the street and not coming when called. Our walks were very stressful and we would always go out of our way to avoid people and their pets coming toward us. We would never dream of letting her off- leash as she is very skittish and would just run off. She would back out of every harness we would put on her. In one instance, she got out of one and was almost killed running in a busy street at night. Against my better judgement, Lindsay (who lives to freak out owners) had me take her off leash on the second session and it went perfect. She helped train us as well our little girl with a lot more than we had asked for. Walks are so enjoyable now. I would highly recommend Lindsay to anyone.
Lauren Summers
★★★★★
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Lindsay did an awesome job with my cat Meeko! She worked with Meeko over two days. First, she helped me adjust Meeko's feeding schedule so that Meeko eats "on-demand," instead of leaving her food out all day. This was very important to me because I foresee her possibly having siblings in the future! I also got a cat treadmill to burn excess energy and add enrichment. Lindsay did some exposure sessions until Meeko was comfortable walking on it. Now, after less a week, Meeko hops right up to go for runs during the day!
Rosanne Herd
★★★★★
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We adopted a shy and anxious pit mix from the shelter and immediately knew we were in over our heads. Lindsay started helping us from the beginning to get our dog adjusted to us and to living in a neighborhood. We still have work to do but our dog has learned to walk nicely on a leash and no longer lunges and barks at other dogs and new people. A great all around experience.
Katy Barrett
★★★★★
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Lindsey is wonderful! She’s very personable and friendly; and super knowledgeable. She explained the reasoning behind every technique, which I really appreciated. My dog constantly barked at guests, passerbys, car doors closing, etc. and after 2 lessons with Lindsey, she is so much calmer. I’m able to bring guests over without worrying and I KNOW my neighbors appreciate the quiet! 🙂 I would 1000% recommend working with her!!
Cerys Owen
★★★★★
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We could not be happier with our dogs progress!! Lindsay taught us so many skills and we looked forward to each lesson. We used to avoid walking in crowded areas and now walking is an enjoyable experience again!!
Sasha Murrell
★★★★★
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Lindsay has been such a blessing. When we lost our yorkie two years ago, we didn't want another dog but time heals all wounds. So we decided to get a Golden doodle in February and he got BIG in a hurry. We weren't prepared for his size and with a 5 and 8 year old, the bad habits came quickly. He was also super anxious and she taught us a about triggers, what to do and what to avoid, and how to make him feel safe. Morgan would drag us on walks, bite/jump/knock over the kids and crate training was a NIGHTMARE. Like heavy panting, drooling, and losing teeth when trying to get out type of nightmare. In just a few short weeks Morgan has started going in the crate ON HIS OWN, and he is progressing through the rest of the training with flying colors. I'm so proud of our Morgan and very thankful to have Lindsay. She is so patient, understanding, and easy to work with. We have learned a lot and can't wait for more lessons down the road. Schedule a session, you won’t be disappointed.
Gina Cortnik
★★★★★
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Lindsay is an amazing trainer and an amazing human. I trust Lindsay with my golden retriever and I would trust her with your dog as well too. Lindsay is attentive and if she doesn’t know the answer (which is hardly ever) then she will find the answer for you! 10/10 one of the best dog trainers in columbus!
Nicole Nickolas
★★★★★
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Lindsey was incredible with our 1yo GSD. After her training, he was no longer territorial with other dogs, he walked much better on a leash, would jump into the car and even made friends with the barn cats! Highly highly recommend!
Jacob Cox
★★★★★
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We were having issues with our Husky Gemma in regards to crate training. Taking The Lead Ohio was able to help us fix the issue very quickly, as well as help fix a couple of behavioral issues we didn't even know we needed to fix! We would highly recommend Taking The Lead. Lindsay was our trainer and she very nice and helpful.
Crystal Courvier-Pettes
★★★★★
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When Lindsay first came to us, our 3yr Mini Schnauzer was suffering from extreme anxiety, lacking self confidence and barked at everyone that wasn’t part of our family of four. He could cry and bark on car rides, bark at people outside the car and bark and lung at other dogs and people on walks. This made it a very unpleasant experience to take him anywhere. With Lindsay’s help (in just a short 4 weeks) the transformation has been incredible! We were able to take him out of town, where he met new people, horses, chickens, roosters, dogs and a trip to the beach. It was the first time we have been able to have strangers see the amazing dog he is when he’s home with us! There is still more work to be done, but if you stick to her plan and do the work - we PROMISE- you will see tremendous positive changes rather quickly. Big key - you can’t let your pups cute, big, brown eyes trick you into thinking the training is done. You have to stick with it and know the reward will last for a life time!
Bailey Hammond
★★★★★
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08/17/2021 Lindsay is a positive and comforting trainer! Her work ethic is incredible and she doesn’t back down from a challenge! Not only does she have incredible strategy, but she also gives you the tools to create a better bond between you and your dog! She helped create a safe environment for me to explore my needs and navigate what was best for me and Clover! I really couldn’t recommend her enough! EDIT: UPDATE!! 06/01/2022 It’s been over 9 months since we starting training together. Training is one of those things that takes time & consistent work for both you and your dog. Here is my updated review after this chapter is coming to a close. (She helped my train my service dog) I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your help and effort with Clover! I appreciate you taking this challenge on with me and really being such an invaluable person for us. I am just so proud of her and this past few weeks I can just tell that all of our hard work is paying off. I know that her training isn’t complete and will never really be done, but I just feel like we’ve come to this new chapter. She’s given me so much of my comfort and freedom back to me and I just couldn’t imagine my life before. And we couldn’t have done it without you 💖
Bailey Hammond
★★★★★
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08/17/2021 Lindsay is a positive and comforting trainer! Her work ethic is incredible and she doesn’t back down from a challenge! Not only does she have incredible strategy, but she also gives you the tools to create a better bond between you and your dog! She helped create a safe environment for me to explore my needs and navigate what was best for me and Clover! I really couldn’t recommend her enough! EDIT: UPDATE!! 06/01/2022 It’s been over 9 months since we starting training together. Training is one of those things that takes time & consistent work for both you and your dog. Here is my updated review after this chapter is coming to a close. (She helped my train my service dog) I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your help and effort with Clover! I appreciate you taking this challenge on with me and really being such an invaluable person for us. I am just so proud of her and this past few weeks I can just tell that all of our hard work is paying off. I know that her training isn’t complete and will never really be done, but I just feel like we’ve come to this new chapter. She’s given me so much of my comfort and freedom back to me and I just couldn’t imagine my life before. And we couldn’t have done it without you 💖
Diane Boyden
★★★★★
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Our experience with Taking the Lead was fantastic! Lyndsey was friendly, professional and very caring towards our dog. She took the time to listen to our needs and developed a training program that was unique for our dog and family! We highly recommend Lyndsey and her company!
Diane Boyden
★★★★★
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Our experience with Taking the Lead was fantastic! Lyndsey was friendly, professional and very caring towards our dog. She took the time to listen to our needs and developed a training program that was unique for our dog and family! We highly recommend Lyndsey and her company!
Kelsey Bergman
★★★★★
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Lindsey was a fantastic trainer. She was flexible with her schedule and taught us humans the foundations for success. Overall, the training really was a game changer for Vader. As his parents, we are a lot more confident and comfortable being able to communicate effectively with him. Vader has learned so much and has proven himself even in high distraction environments. Thank you so much for giving that to us! ❤️
Dana Woltz
★★★★★
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So much improvement with my dog in just two months of lessons. I was embarrassed to have guests over because of how much my dog would bark and try to break down the bedroom door, now he is much calmer and can finally relax! Guests can come over without any issues, I can walk my dog without him constantly pulling on the leash, and in general we were able to work on easing his anxiety. Lindsay is a true professional!
Katie Workman
★★★★★
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We took our five month old Bernice Mountain dog tell Lindsay! He learned a lot of great things in just five days! Definitely would recommend her training for anyone having issues with their dogs!
Hannah Rutledge
★★★★★
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Lindsay did phenomenal with our boys. We have seen tremendous growth with them in just a few short months!
Alex Ribble
★★★★★
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This is a great service being provided by a great individual. Lindsay does a great job. Highly recommend!
Mark Weiker
★★★★★
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Really appreciated the upfront pricing and effective tips for getting the training to stick. Wish we would've done this years ago.
Mark Weiker
★★★★★
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Really appreciated the upfront pricing and effective tips for getting the training to stick. Wish we would've done this years ago.
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Welcome to Taking the Lead LLC, your go-to destination for dog training excellence in Columbus, Ohio! I’m Lindsay Stamper, the proud owner, and I’m excited to share my story with you.

As a small-town girl with a lifelong passion for animals, my journey into the world of dog training was nothing short of extraordinary. Initially, my love for animals led me to pursue a career as a zookeeper and a dolphin trainer. However, life had other plans, and I faced the challenge of a bad back due to scoliosis.

This prompted me to search for a new path.
Fate smiled upon me when I found myself working with seeing-eye service dogs. It was here that I discovered my true calling and fell in love with the art of dog training. Witnessing the incredible bond between these remarkable dogs and their owners ignited a desire within me to facilitate similar connections for pet owners.

Everything changed when a rescue organization brought BooBerry into my life—a reactive pit bull that had been overlooked by potential adopters due to her behavioral issues. I took on the challenge of addressing her reactivity issues towards men.

Through patience, dedication, and a balanced training approach, BooBerry transformed into a well-behaved and loving companion.
Seeing her potential to help other dogs with similar issues, I made the decision to adopt her and make her my demo dog.

BooBerry’s journey from a misunderstood rescue to a confident and helpful assistant in training sessions became a testament to the power of proper communication between dogs and their owners.
With BooBerry’s transformation as my inspiration, I established Taking the Lead LLC, a dog training company that places great emphasis on the teamwork between dogs and their owners.

My goal is to equip clients with effective communication tools so they can build strong, loving relationships with their pets.

At Taking The Lead, we specialize in helping dogs with behavioral
challenges, ensuring they too get a chance at a happy and fulfilling
life with their families.

Using a balanced training approach, we address issues like reactivity, socialization, and more, empowering dogs to overcome obstacles and become well-adjusted members of society.

I am thrilled to embark on this journey with you and your beloved
furry companions. Whether you’re dealing with behavioral issues or
simply looking to enhance the bond with your dog, Taking The
Lead is here to guide you every step of the way.

Book Your FREE Transformation Session
lindsay@takingtheleadohio.com
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