About
Laura M. Trumpold

CPDT | AKC Evaluator | Owner, Follow My Lead, LLC

Laura M. Trumpold’s passion for dogs began in childhood and has grown into a lifelong commitment to raising, training, and advocating for dogs in a thoughtful, practical, and ethical way. Her work is grounded in education, real-world experience, and a deep respect for the partnership between dogs and the people who depend on them.

Laura’s background includes vocational training in animal science and coursework in Veterinary Technology at SUNY Delhi, where she worked hands-on with shelter dogs—supporting both medical care and behavioral rehabilitation while preparing them for successful placement in family homes. These early experiences shaped her belief that lasting behavior is built through clarity, consistency, and purposeful guidance.

After college, Laura spent years volunteering with shelters, rescues, and foster programs. Seeing firsthand the consequences of poor breeding, lack of early structure, and inconsistent training led her to pursue dog training full-time. She became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) and AKC Evaluator, and later served for six years as a Senior Dog Trainer with a nationwide training company, working with dogs of all breeds, sizes, and behavioral backgrounds.

Laura’s training approach is balanced, science-based, and humane, using the thoughtful application of all four quadrants of operant conditioning. Her sessions focus on clear communication, fair boundaries, and meaningful reinforcement—without yelling, intimidation, or unnecessary force. Dogs are taught not just obedience, but how to navigate the world calmly and confidently.

This philosophy extends directly into Laura’s Great Dane breeding program. Living with and training seven Great Danes, Laura raises puppies with structure, enrichment, and early learning built into daily life. Her breeding program prioritizes stable temperaments, sound structure, and trainability alongside proven bloodlines—because behavior and predictability matter just as much as appearance.

In 2018, Laura founded Follow My Lead, LLC, a small, family-run dog training business based in Brooksville, Florida. She offers private in-home training and real-world training throughout Hernando County, working with dogs and owners where behavior actually happens—at home, in public spaces, and in everyday environments.

Laura has extensive experience training service and therapy dogs, including preparation for public access, mobility task training, and psychiatric service dog work. She also specializes in reliable off-leash training, utilizing top-of-the-line e-collars as a communication tool when appropriate, always introduced thoughtfully and used with clear intention and respect for the dog.

In addition to her private practice, Laura began instructing in 2022 for the Heel to Heal nonprofit program in partnership with Hernando Animal Services and the Hernando Correctional Institution. She has partnered with Sierra Delta to help veterans secure funding for professional dog training and is certified in Pet CPR and First Aid.

Today, Laura trains out of her private facility on her farmstead in Brooksville, offering private lessons, select board & trains, group classes, remote coaching, and enrichment-based programs—including an on-site agility “jungle gym.” Whether working with a family pet, a future service dog, or a puppy just starting out, Laura’s goal is the same: to help dogs and owners build a relationship based on trust, clarity, and real-world reliability.