Evaluation + Commitment + Training + Happy Dog = Success

Getting started with a FREE evaluation!

Follow Me Dog Training LLC starts out every prospective client with a FREE evaluation with you and your dog. Evaluations are scheduled by appointment at your home. This gives Renée an opportunity to talk to you about your goals and expectations for your dog. We may also do a little problem solving by discussing the foundations of how we train and why your dog may be acting like they are. The FREE evaluation also provides information of how best to outline the building blocks of training for you and your dog's optimum learning capabilities.

Dog training with Follow Me Dog Training Richmond VA Dog training success with Follow Me Dog Training Richmond VA

Why work with us?

You may have a young puppy, a teenager that is testing their limits or a mature adult dog, Follow Me Dog Training LLC has a program that will suite your training needs. It is very important to start off on the right paw with your puppy (7-16 weeks) and we do that with our Puppy Steps Program. Many of my clients have a teenage dog that is starting to test to see what their world is going to be like for the long haul. So for dogs over 16 weeks we recommend a free evaluation followed by a training program that will fit the needs of the owner. This training program is a series of lessons at the owner’s home and in the Richmond area. If your goal is for your dog to greet people calmly in every environment, or to have a rock solid off leash come command, we can help you and your dog. Changing habits, building confidence, building a rapport with your dog and creating consistency is key for you and your dog and we can teach you how to do that. No one wants a robot dog, but we do want one that will listen to us in the most distracting of environments and will trust us to make a decision for them.

Training Programs

Our Puppy Steps Program is for pups aged 7-16 weeks old only. Start your puppy off in their new home with confidence, fun and love. Our Puppy Steps Program focuses on what puppies need most - first steps first. Learn the basics of housebreaking, stopping playful biting, crate training, handling skills, basic first aid, appropriate toys, fun games, leash basics, grooming skills and more. Socialization to sights, sounds, smells and experiences are integral to our lesson plan. Read more about the Puppy Steps Program and take the first step in training you and your puppy.

This program involves a series of lessons taught in the client's home, neighborhood or another location in the Richmond VA area. We hope that our clients want to do as much with their dogs as they can. Therefore, we also train in the real world, with real world distractions. In home we concentrate on basic manners and tasks that allow your dog to live stress free and the owner to live frustration free. We keep in mind though that it is great if your dog can sit, down and come in your back yard, but we also want your dog to perform these skills wherever you take them, no matter the distractions. We can help change the relationship you have with your dog by giving you:

  • Immediate improvement with the whole family
  • A dog that comes to you reliably inside and out
  • Less stress on you and the dog
  • A dog that waits at doors
  • Training skills you can maintain in your personal life
  • A dog that doesn't steal objects or food
  • Off leash control in your home, yard and in the real world
  • Off leash control in the real world
  • A dog that stays off furniture if desired
  • A dog that is under control when you have company
  • No yelling
  • Results you can rely on

Follow Me Dog Training LLC will help you build goals that are realistic for your family no matter the dog's breed, age or personality. We will help bring out the best in your relationship with your dog by teaching you how to maintain their behavior and communication throughout the dog's lifetime.

Sometimes your dog doesn't need a full training program but we still want to help you and your dog achieve some individual goals. These may include:

  • Our popular Pre-Baby talk that helps expectant parents bring their baby into the dog's home
  • Teach your dog to run on the treadmill
  • AKC Canine Good Citizen prep class and testing
  • Housebreaking
  • And many other choices that will be announced as the schedule allows

All our lessons and classes are by appointment only. Schedule a FREE evaluation with Renée by filling out our contact form and find out more about the different programs we offer.

Testimonials

We were referred to Renée / Follow Me Dog Training LLC by our trusted friends, and upon our first meeting with Renée it was clear why they were so eager to share her information with us. There are just some people who have a special gift with dogs, and Renée has a remarkable ability to connect and communicate with dogs and their humans. Renée's process of first assessing our dog and family and doing a thorough interview helped us to get clear as a family what our goals were for training, the kind of relationship we were looking to build with our dog, and the kind of life that we wanted to build a family with a new member. This was our first puppy, and we needed some firm and direct advice about all things dog. Renée provided us with invaluable guidance and wisdom, and provided this in a way that met us where we were at in the process. Renée kept us laughing, but also kept us on point and held us responsible to our own goals. We have learned just as much from this as our dog Rosie, and we give Renée our high recommendation without any reservations!
Our 6 year old German Shepherd, Myla, has had behavioral/aggression issues her whole life due to anxiety and a lack of socialization. We struggled to find a trainer who felt confident they could help her given her age, until our neighbors introduced us to Renée. Renée came to our house for several hours for a free consultation to meet Myla and learn about her history. Renée was realistic, yet optimistic, and we decided to give it a shot, and there is no doubt this was the best decision we have ever made for Myla. After several months of dedicated training, she is truly a different dog. On walks in the neighborhood we no longer have to cross the street to avoid other dogs or people, we can safely have people and dogs over to our house, and she is a happier, more relaxed dog. We can't thank Renée enough for everything she has done and for believing in Myla when no other trainers would. Not only do we recommend Renée, but we plan to use her as a training resource for all of our future dogs. She is the best!
Life changing. That is not an understatement. We were at our wits end with our four year old mini Golden Doodle, Casey. Her enthusiasm for visitors and out of the home visits such as the veterinarian or groomer was overwhelming for all involved. Her jumping on humans and the accompanying crying was off putting and bothersome. Not only does Renée teach obedience training in her one on one sessions, more importantly, she addresses specific issues and challenges. Her ability to zero in on the difficulties, the probable cause and strategy to resolve the issue, is amazing! She has taken our energetic Casey from a wild and crazy canine to a beautifully in control representative of the breed. We have gone from dread and embarrassment to pride for and pure joy with our fur baby! Thank you Renée!!!
Four months ago, Lea, our 1 and a half year old French Bulldog, was giving us hell. We loved her so much, but we just didn't know how to deal with her behavior beyond the basic puppy class skills we learned when she was younger. As a result of a move, quarantine, and our lack of knowledge, Lea was running the house. Not only were my husband and I stressed in many situations with our dog, but she was also getting herself so worked up that she was having tummy troubles as a result. After our five sessions with Renée, Lea has become her best self. She is more confident, aware and respectful of boundaries, and trusting in us. We are calmer and confident in scenarios that four months ago would have stressed out the whole family! I can't even count how many times we have said "We wouldn't have been able to do this with her four months ago." Our family is incredibly thankful to Renée. We are so appreciative of her responsiveness to our dog's specific needs as well as making the training a good fit for our lives. We love the opportunity of group classes after working with Renée. It not only allows us to maintain Lea's training, but also our relationship with Renée, our dog's new favorite person. We strongly recommend Renée, and we are so thankful she was recommended to us!
About 2 years ago, we brought home a mini sheepadoodle who had more energy than we knew what to do with. We were frustrated with his behavior and couldn't even walk him without him pulling on the leash. During our consultation with Renée, she shared so much knowledge with us about how to be the best dog owners we could be for Kosmo. Renée told us that she would get to know our dog better than his vet and groomer, and that she would become part of our family. She quickly followed through on her word. We enrolled Kosmo in Follow Me Dog Training's Board & Train program, and he came back home to us as a new dog. He was still his energetic and goofy self, but he was much better behaved. Renée trained us to manage his behavior, enabling us to enjoy spending time with him and taking him on adventures. Renée is one of Kosmo's favorite humans, and she truly does know him better than anyone else outside of our family. We have learned how to be better dog owners because of Renée. We would highly recommend working with her, as she is worth the wait and the investment.
I don't know what we would have done without Follow Me Dog Training LLC. Our lab had become very reactive to other dogs. We went from taking her to public places like outdoor malls, parks, and restaurants, to not going out of the neighborhood. We found Follow Me Dog Training LLC after using other trainers without any luck. Follow Me Dog Training LLC is an excellent service. Renée has a great rapport with dogs, and is able to get through the behaviors which have been difficult and stressful. Her approach and advice was very clear and easy to understand, I would recommend her services to any dog owner. Follow Me Dog Training LLC brought us and our dog closer together for a lifetime of love and memories. Beware, Renee will become your dog's favorite person!
I rescued a full-grown, likely purebred German Shepherd from the pound as we'd always had GSDs and I LOVE them. This one was amazing as well but came with some unexpected complications. A seemingly unprovoked bite of a person and numerous very stubborn walking experiences really made me worry about how to be a successfully responsible pet owner. THANKFULLY, I found a video of Renée and contacted her for assistance. She met with us and I knew right away what it would take for us to communicate more effectively with Ginger. I'm fairly knowledgeable about dogs, but I still to this day swear by Renée's knowledge and training. She taught us so much about dogs, communication with animals, and most importantly what they are telling us through their behavior and body language. Working with her was such a rewarding experience for us but mostly for Ginger because we could now understand what her needs were and how to be successful, responsible pet owners. Even with a bite history I had the confidence to now go into very public spaces with people and other animals and have a great time together. We wouldn't have gotten there without Renée's help! Ginger has since passed away, however to this day, I use the knowledge gained from the training to interact with dogs and respect their space. Even without a bite history or stubbornness, I wish more people worked with Renée to understand when they are putting their dogs, kids, and others at risk for not knowing how certain behaviors from dogs can be key indicators of a potential problem.