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An obedient puppy receiving expert puppy training in Charlotte, NC from DTE.

Professional

Puppy Training

Dog Training Elite Charlotte

Request Free Assessment


Request Free Assessment


Our Puppy Training Could Help:

Leash and potty training
Food guarding and begging
Destructive chewing and digging
Stealing food, clothing, or other objects
Barking, howling and whining
Aggression and anxiety
Jumping and hyperactivity

Dog Training Elite

Expert Charlotte Puppy Trainers

Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, but it also comes with challenges like chewing and accidents. The most common mistake new owners make is underestimating the knowledge, commitment, and effort needed to train a new puppy.

Once a puppy begins to grow, its energy can quickly feel unmanageable. It’s all too common that a well-meaning and loving family takes on a puppy lacking the knowledge and skills to train correctly. This often results in overwhelmed owners rehoming or taking these puppies to local shelters, feeling the puppy’s disposition is bad or simply that they are not cut out to be dog owners.

At Dog Training Elite, we focus on building that bond through effective training to foster trust and communication. Our experienced Charlotte puppy trainers use proven methods to help you and your puppy succeed together.

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A little puppy sitting in grass, contact Dog Training Elite Charlotte today.

Puppy Essentials Webinar

Free 70-Minute video

$45 Value

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Our trusted puppy class is now available "on-demand" from the comfort of your home! This webinar video is designed for owners of puppies age 8-16 weeks old, and will be accessible to you for free after completing the form below or with the purchase of one of our puppy packages!

Access Webinar

Our webinar includes education on the following topics:
  • Introducing a new puppy to your home
  • Health & well-being
  • Veterinary care & vaccines
  • Nurturing a good temperament
  • Scruffing & calming signals (e.g. dog yoga)
  • Basic Treat Obedience Including: Come, sit, loose-leash walking, and down
  • Puppy Corrections (Stop biting, digging, jumping, etc.)
  • Crate Training / Housebreaking
  • Socialization Tips
  • Environmental Hazards
  • Puppy Enrichment
  • Caring for Your Puppy
Three puppies receiving expert training from Dog Training Elite Charlotte.

The Importance of Puppy Training


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Almost everyone and everything a puppy will encounter will be brand new, which can be exciting. However, puppies may not know how to respond positively and safely to new experiences without proper training. That's why Dog Training Elite believes in starting puppy training as soon as possible, so you and your pup can bond and start your adventures on the right foot!

Training the DTE way provides puppies and owners with a nurturing environment where they can learn to communicate and trust each other. Puppies have an innate desire to please, so training can be fun and even easy! Of course, it can be daunting to try and figure out how to make puppies understand concepts like potty training or commands like sit and stay on your own. That's where puppy training comes in.

Keeping a puppy safe should be the number one priority of new dog owners. By working with puppy trainers in, new puppy owners can learn how to teach their pup both basic and complex obedience skills effectively. Training a pup to be home alone, walk on a leash, wait on the threshold, and avoid consuming non-edible objects will help keep them safe when out of sight.

Get Your Free Assessment

You and your canine companion really can have it all. See how easy it can be to become a member of the elite pup society by requesting a free consultation today!

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • K Nimbus
    Dec. 20, 2024
    Working with Shawn and Sharon has been an amazing experience. It taught me how to communicate with my dog and provide leadership for him. I’ve gone through a few dog training programs before, but none have compared. Shawn takes his time with every lesson, and I never felt rushed. The support through texting that I’ve gotten has been outstanding. I can text with questions or updates anytime and I always get a very quick response. If you’re willing to do the work, you’ll 100% get the results. Without hesitation I would recommend Elite Dog Training - Charlotte to anyone looking for dog training or to build better communication with their dog.
  • Taylor Tannebaum
    Dec. 10, 2024
    Can’t thank Shawn and Sharon enough for how wonderful this process has been for me and my pup Mitch. It was an awesome experience and not only did my dog grow, but so did I as a dog owner! I feel so much better equipped and truly Mitch had a great time with Mr. Shawn! Their compassion, care and knowledge is elite. Thank you so much!
  • siddarth Prabhakar
    Nov. 16, 2024
    Around August this year I had a incident where my 7 year old husky bit my roommate and nearly bit my mom over food.I knew something had to change as I didn’t want my dog to get re homed or put down.So my girlfriend and I decided we needed help. DTE was extremely helpful in understanding and was willing to help and give their honest opinions after a free evaluation.Once we decided to go with them Shawn and patient and helped us every step of the way.We learned how to essentially demote our dog and make understand he’s not in charge,we did this by only giving him affection/love when he worked for it by sitting ,staying ,etc.We also were told to not allow him on furniture like bed or sofa, all very small things that made a difference.Shawn also taught us how to use the e collar properly as well as a prong collar.Thanks to this I feel so much more comfortable with walking my dog and calling back if I need him to.Shawn also taught us signs of how a dog is feeling in order to prevent a fight from happening which I think is extremely important. We started around September and by November I’m able to grab food out of my dogs mouth with no trouble even my roomate who my dog would ignore and not listen to was able to give my dog commands and have him listen.Its important to note Shawn taught us the tools and techniques but ultimately it’s the dog owners that will have to put in the work so be prepared for that.Additionally there were times when my dog threw temper tantrums towards Shawn , although it was hard to watch Shawn remained calm and was able to still work with my dog. I highly recommend DTE if your having trouble with your dog it helped my dog a lot and I’m so proud of my dog now.Important thing Shawn will tell you that I think most people should know is that they are there to help your dog become the best version of himself not make into a golden retriever that super sweet all the time and meeting with Shawn is only 50% of the battle it’s on the owner to train and make sure the dog learns the things Shawn teaches.Overall highly recommended here is my dog Zeus with his official certificate!!!
  • Allison Miller
    Oct. 7, 2024
    Absolutely amazing dog trainers who gave our havanese puppy, Tucker, and our family a wonderful training experience! I can truly say it has been life changing for us!
  • ABsolute Pilates
    Oct. 4, 2024
    I had my studio dog Louie, a 6 month old puppy at the tine, trained by DTE. Great experience all around, especially since I needed the training just as much as my golden retriever!:) At one year old now, he is a well behaved young dog at the studio and enjoys being around people. I could not have done this alone. The in house and hands on dog training made all the difference in our success. Thank you DTE.
  • Byron Penados
    Sep. 17, 2024
    Dog Training Elite Charlotte is undoubtedly a God-sent help with our puppy. We started noticing that our rather calm puppy was growing too fast and in part, developing bad habits he picked up at other day boarding places. We noticed rough playing behavior, jumping, barking to demand attention, counter surfing among other things. I started looking around for at-home training and DTE was the first contact I made. I submitted an online inquiry and Sharon called back within the hour. After feeling good about our conversation I called others to see what else was out there. Some didn't return my calls and/or voicemails, others had very much a one-size-fits-all approach so overall my wife and I decided to call back DTE and ask Sharon and her team to help us. Shawn was at our home the following week. We can talk all day long about our amazing experience with Dog Training Elite but here are the basic points that I hope drives home our overall experience: -Instantly calmer dog after 1st lesson -No more rough housing -Morning/afternoon walks are much better now -No more counter surfing -Peace around the house while doing daily chores -Calm puppy It's important to note that Shawn loves to educate on the behavioral aspect and psychology of why dogs are the way they are and act. This alone is very helpful because it helps dog owners understand and come up with solutions on how we can best help our dogs. We are still continuing to work with our puppy in all the areas that Shawn, Sharon and Angela have helped us during the 1-1 at home sessions and we understand this isn't a one time thing but rather a lifelong continuation of enforcing the basic rules that these pack animals abide by. This only *truly* works if you (dog owner) work at it continually for the sake of your dog if all else fails.
  • Mekkah M
    Sep. 4, 2024
    AMAZINGGG. Would recommend to any and everyone. My dog Mia has transformed right before my eyes!! She’s confident, listening and easier to maintain on a day to day. Sean, Sharon and his daughter are super attentive and passionate about their training. I trusted Mia 100% with them both every step of the way.
  • Kate Sudikoff
    Aug. 23, 2024
    Our puppy Veuve spent 10 days training with Elite dog Training of Charlotte. Even though she was only 6months old it was a great foundation for her and us too. She is now 1 year and is still learning and growing but we feel like we have a better dog because of our lessons. Highly recommended
  • Kat Billesdon
    Jul. 19, 2024
    Shawn is amazing and has helped our dogs and family so much! Our two dogs are now confident and great listeners. Even if you think your dog is perfect they is still so much they can learn. Cannot recommend Shawn and his training method enough!!!
  • Breezyday57
    Jul. 17, 2024
    My experience with DTE Charlotte was absolutely exceptional! Shawn and Sharon went above and beyond in many ways. My dog was dealing with a lot of issues and Shawn came in and was so informative and helpful with all the questions we could ever think of, and we never felt he was rushing us through any of our (sometimes very difficult) training sessions. He is calm and steady- exactly what you need for dog training! Sharon was always quick to respond to any questions we had and was always so kind and understanding. My dog is so much better after having this training. Shawn understands dogs so deeply, and really helps you understand how a dog’s mind works and why they do what they do. My dog and I have learned so much through this experience, and have became so connected since. We use our training everywhere we go! The group classes are extremely helpful to keep up with the training, while having fun with other dog owners and spending quality time with your dog. People compliment me on my dogs behavior quite a lot and that’s all thanks to ‘Dog Training Elite Charlotte’!
  • Rita Vogel
    Jul. 2, 2024
    Highly gifted and perspicacious group. I completely entrust them with my beloved pet. They are leading us forward to a life of service to others. Thank you Elite!
  • Sharon Yaskin
    Jul. 1, 2024
    Dog Training Elite Charlotte is the most FANTASTIC organization of its kind...!!! The whole family truly cared about our pup and gave their all to make sure they answered all our questions, were exceptionally kind and caring to our family and our loving dog, Charlie!!! Angela, our main trainer , has to be the best of all there is!!!! Sharon, who answered the phone was so kind ALWAYS and had our best interests at heart...Shawn came first and had to make sure our puppy had the best match and fit.....and he was RIGHT!!!! Both my husband, Pat and I feel Dog Training Elite is the best there is..I have had 26 dogs in my life and I have found that Elite is the BEST ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thank them sooooo much!!!! They deserve more than 5 stars.....Perhaps all the stars there are!! Fondly, Sharon Yaskin
  • Coty Metz
    Jun. 29, 2024
    These guys are great! Very professional and they understand dogs really well. They helped us with our service dog training. Amazing results in just a few months.
  • Cristin Sulfridge
    Jun. 21, 2024
    We adopted our dog, Finney, from the shelter in February. As a shelter dog, he came with challenges such as nipping, pulling when walking, and severe dog reactivity. We tried what seemed like everything to resolve the issue on our own, but after many failed attempts we called Dog Training Elite and signed up for their behavior modification training which included 7 one on one sessions coming to our home and then 20 group sessions. We saw HUGE improvements with our pup after just one session. By the end of our one on one sessions we no longer have a dog who nips, pulls or barks at other dogs. We have a calm dog who looks to us for direction on what to do when he feels anxious. We went from being scared taking Finney on walks for fear of how he would react to other dogs to being able to confidently take Finney on walks with our new skills learned. We cannot thank the dog training elite team enough for everything they have taught us and continue to help us with!
  • Grayson Askew
    Jun. 21, 2024
    The trainers are extremely knowledgeable and have helped me turn my hyper puppy into my service dog in less than a year. I will be taking my service dog with me to college and can’t wait for all of the fun adventures we will be able to go on thanks to her wonderful training!
  • Ashley Liberto
    Jun. 12, 2024
    Dog Training Elite has been an absolute game-changer in my journey to prepare my dog for therapy work at my school. Shawn and Angela are phenomenal trainers who have guided us every step of the way with expertise and patience. Their dedication and knowledge are evident in every session, making the training process smooth and enjoyable for me and my dog. Sharon's behind-the-scenes work is remarkable, ensuring everything runs seamlessly. They've transformed my dog into a confident and well-behaved therapy companion. I couldn't recommend Dog Training Elite highly enough for anyone looking to embark on a similar journey or to have a well-trained dog!
  • Ashley Liberto
    Jun. 12, 2024
    Dog Training Elite is truly exceptional! Shawn and Angela are not only incredibly skilled trainers but also incredibly compassionate individuals. Their dedication to helping dogs reach their full potential is unmatched. With their guidance, my dog has transformed into a well-behaved therapy companion, ready to bring joy and comfort to those in need. Sharon's organizational skills ensure that every session runs smoothly, making the entire process a breeze. I can't thank Dog Training Elite enough for their amazing work and highly recommend them to anyone looking for top-notch training services.
  • Chandler Hudson
    May. 25, 2024
    I'm so glad I chose Dog Training Elite Charlotte as my dog trainers! They helped me train my girl all the way from puppy camp to now a graduate of their service dog program! They are fanastic with communication, teaching, and helping you understand your dog better. The group classes are a huge bonus and are so fun! Watching other clients of DTE grow in confidence with their dogs at classes was an awesome experience. Because of DTE helping me train my girl to become my service dog, I've been given more freedom and comfort by having her than I have had in years. I highly recommend DTE for any of your dog training needs, no matter the circumstance! Therapy dog, service dog, or even just a family dog, they are the ones to call! It could be truly life changing! Thank you DTE Charlotte for ALL you do!
  • Monica Hoekstra
    May. 16, 2024
    Loved everything about this experience with my golden retriever! The staff was incredible - always available to answer any questions, provided me with clear instructions after every training session and they were patient, kind and a pleasure to learn from! My dog is so well behaved ..and I am a more confident dog mom now too! Thank you.
  • courtney zenger
    May. 10, 2024
    Our puppy Navy is around a year and 2 months and desperately needed some help, she would constantly pull on walks and bark at every person and dog that walked by. She would always jump on people when they came inside and that’s where I started looking for training and I found dog training elite! They have completely transformed my dog into a respectful sweet pup that listens to all the commands I give her! I’m so grateful to have worked with them and it’s been life changing to have a dog who now respects boundaries and who can walk beside me on walks! Definitely recommend them if you need some training!!!
A Charlotte puppy trainers giving a puppy positive affirmation during an in-home training session.

Dog Training Elite Charlotte, NC

In-Home Puppy Training

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Dog Training Elite Charlotte offers comprehensive in-home training. For the first 4-6 weeks, trainers use “treat training” before moving onto more advanced puppy training. Puppies will learn the following behaviors:

  • Come, down, loose-leash walking, and down
  • Puppy corrections (Stop biting, digging, jumping, etc.)
  • Crate training/ housebreaking
  • Focus around distractions

Trainers will also help owners learn about the following:

  • Socialization tips
  • Environmental hazards
  • Positive reinforcement techniques
  • Puppy enrichment
  • Caring for your puppy
  • And more!

Training a puppy can feel overwhelming. By pairing you with a professional trainer, not only will your puppy learn quickly, but you will feel confident and empowered to continue training your puppy after the sessions are completed. Training in your own home will help you bond with your pup so even after the professional trainer leaves, you and Fido can continue to progress together.

A puppy ready to start training with Dog Training Elite Charlotte.

Start Puppy Training Early

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First-time dog owners are often unsure of when to begin training their dogs. For the best results, it’s essential to start training your puppy as soon as possible. You can start socialization and basic commands as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Puppies are open to new experiences and people and learn quickly while they are young. It is beneficial to take advantage of this stage. Start with basic commands like "down," "come," and "stay." If you are searching for classes, Dog Training Elite offers puppy obedience classes.

Additional Puppy Training Info

Dog Training Elite Charlotte - Puppy Crate Training in Charlotte, NC. DTE
Crate Training
A well-manered puppy receiving positive reinforcement from their owner.

Charlotte Puppy Trainers

The DTE Approach

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We have developed a highly successful and unique positive puppy training program empowering dog owners to train. Hence, their dog knows who to obey at all times, in all situations or environments. We offer personalized training to deal with specific issues and behaviors. We even offers customized training schedules to offer you the support you need as a dog owner.

Involvement is Key!

Most dog training programs don’t allow for the involvement of owners and families. Our trainers greatly encourage owners and their families to be involved in the training process. Why? This ensures you and your family know what’s expected, allows for continued education and means all the progress isn’t lost. Your puppy won’t come home and forget everything he’s learned.

Our puppy training program consists of two phases, early training and advanced training. Puppies as young as eight weeks can begin learning with Dog Training Elite Charlotte. Our process allows us to efficiently complete in-home puppy training services at your home or within the environment where behaviors manifest - such as in the park or around other dogs in the neighborhood.

A Dog Training Elite Charlotte puppy training outside.

Dog Training Elite Charlotte

How Puppy Training Works

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We use a positive puppy training method paired with an electronic collar - not a shock collar. Unlike shock collars, electronic collars do not hurt or harm the pup. They are used only to obtain their attention, not to punish bad behavior. We believe in using constant praise to encourage good behavior. The difference becomes apparent when comparing a puppy trained out of fear to a puppy who truly desires to please.

Positive Reinforcement for Positive Pups

Positive reinforcement is the best option in puppy training. Punishments will only scare your dog, and fear can lead to aggression problems later in life. Our trainers use a classical conditioning program focusing on positive reinforcement of basic commands.

Dogs are eager to please. When they learn following basic commands results in affection or a treat, they will be happy to do as you ask. With patience - and the assistance of a professional puppy trainer - you'll be rewarded with a lifelong loyal pal.

We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model, also known as the "Pavlovian" response or "respondent conditioning." This means developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands, so when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking. Our unique technique ensures our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.

Contact us today to learn more about our training programs !

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite Charlotte.
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Dog Training Elite Charlotte

Tips on How to Bond

Training is a great way to establish a deep, loyal bond with your puppy. Outside of your training sessions, there is more you can do to strengthen your bond. Here are some more tips for how to bond with your puppy:

Your puppy may not understand the words you’re saying, but he or she will understand your tone of voice. Speaking in an excited tone of voice will get your pup excited and motivate them to do what you want them to. Speaking in a low, calm voice can help soothe and relax your puppy.
Puppies thrive on routine. A consistent schedule will help your puppy adjust to their new home, and to you and your family. A puppy’s schedule needs to include eating, playtime, puppy training, potty breaks, and nap times.
As mentioned above, playtime is an important part of your puppy’s schedule. Playing with your puppy will help strengthen your bond and stimulate their brains. Walks are an easy and great way to give your puppy much-needed exercise. Start small, walking around in your yard or driveway and gradually extending the distance around your neighborhood.
Creating boundaries in your home for your puppy helps strengthen your bond because your puppy will look to you for direction and guidance. It will also help your puppy avoid bad habits. Baby gates and playpens are a useful way to create physical boundaries.
Puppies can become overwhelmed about all the new things they’re exploring. Crate training is a perfect way to allow your puppy to have their own space where they feel safe and comfortable and help them develop some independence so they grow into a well-adjusted dog.
The most adorable way to bond with your puppy is by cuddling them! Snuggling with your pup can help him or her feel comforted and safe. The best time to get a cuddle session with your puppy is when they are sleepy. Cuddling also helps puppies get used to having their paws, belly, face, etc. handled, and can be a good time to introduce light grooming practices like brushing their fur.