Back to Obedience Dog Training

Classical Conditioning

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC

Request Free Assessment


Request Free Assessment


A dog walking on a leash after finishing a classical conditioning dog training in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC.

Dog Training Techniques

Classical Conditioning Dog Training in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC

Classical conditioning is a learning process also known as the Pavlovian method or respondent conditioning. Discovered by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, classical conditioning involves developing automatic reflexes to specific conditions. This leads to creating behaviors.

Pavlov is considered to be the father of “classical conditioning.” As a matter of fact, he originally tested his theory using dogs. In an experiment, Pavlov observed dogs began to salivate not just when they received food, but when the people associated with feeding them arrived. Pavlov began to ring a bell when the dogs were presented with food. Over time, the dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell ringing with food. Their mouths would salivate whenever the bell rang.

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC dog training techniques are based on classical conditioning dog training in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC to help your dog achieve deep-rooted obedience. Working with a Dog Training Elite Upstate SC trainer , your dog will become conditioned and develop those “automatic reflexes” to commands such as sit, down, heel, break, and more.

See Training Packages

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC

Training With An E-Collar

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC NEVER uses punishments like shock collars to train dogs out of bad behavior. Dog Training Elite in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC does make use of an electronic collar. The use of an electronic collar is vastly different in two main ways.

The electric collar does not shock your dog. Instead, it generates a gentle electronic pulse, similar to the tug of a leash.
The electronic collar is never used to punish a dog. It is used to simply gain the attention of a dog and help them focus on the task at hand.
Other dog trainers use harsh static collars or spray collars which have been shown to be less effective.
A dog owner playing with his german shepard, learn more about our Greenville / Spartanburg classical conditioning dog trainers.

Greenville / Spartanburg Classical Conditioning Dog Trainers

Positive Reinforcement Vs. Punishment

Read More
Read Less

Traditional dog training methods rely on punishment for errors and “low value” rewards, such as praise or petting, when a dog performs a desired behavior. Dog Training Elite Upstate SC never resorts to punishing a dog to make them unlearn bad behavior.

Using punishment as a tool can actually backfire. For example: punishing a dog for going to the bathroom inside a house won’t teach them to go outside instead. Often, the dog only understands that the mess makes their owner mad. Instead of going outside, the dog is likely to continue to make messes indoors - but where the owner can’t find them.

Research shows that focusing on positive reinforcement when a desired behavior occurs and not worrying about correcting bad behavior in dogs is more effective and has longer-lasting results. The difference between a dog who has been exposed to dog training techniques used to obey out of fear vs. a dog who learns to obey through a positive, loving bond with their owner is huge.

Positive reinforcement works with dogs because they are inherently eager to please. Rewarding your dog for good behavior as you work with a Dog Training Elite in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC trainer to help your dog be more obedient will help you create a deep, loving relationship with your dog built on trust.

Additional Obedience Training Info

Dog Training Elite Upstate SC - Positive Reinforcement Dog Training in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC
Positive Reinforcement Training
Dog Training Elite Upstate SC - Puppy Obedience Training in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC. DTE
Puppy Obedience Training
Dog Training Elite Upstate SC - Off Leash Dog Training in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC. Dog Training Elite
Off Leash Training
Dog Training Elite Upstate SC - Dog Agility Training in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC. DTE
Agility Through Basic Obedience Training
A women playing with her service dog in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC.

The Dog Training Elite Upstate SC Difference


Read More
Read Less

Dog Training Elite in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC uses modern dog training techniques and methods focused on positive reinforcement and bonding you and your dog. Dog Training Elite Upstate SC trainers never resort to punishment to help dogs unlearn behaviors.

Through a combination of commands and an electronic collar, dogs learn to follow commands at once. Dog Training Elite Upstate SC’s method of focusing on positive behavior reinforcement nurtures a dog's loving and naturally obedient nature.

After proper conditioning and working with Dog Training Elite in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC, when you say “sit,” your dog will automatically sit without thinking about it. The unique techniques of Dog Training Elite Upstate SC ensure training is a success no matter what your dog’s behavior.

Get started training your dog today. Find a trainer near you and schedule a free in-home consultation!

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!

Photo Gallery

See An Elite Dog in Action

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Bronwyn Bigger
    May. 8, 2025
    We had the BEST experience with Casey and our at home training sessions! Our dog has completely changed and learned such valuable skills that have allowed us to bring her more places and do more activities. I cannot recommend this organization enough!! They are fantastic!
  • Jacqueline Hudak
    May. 8, 2025
    We absolutely loved everyone at Dog Training Elite upstate SC. They did such a wonderful job helping me to feel comfortable working with my dog and his manners are stellar as a result! I would absolutely recommend their services to anyone who needs help training their perfect family pet.
  • Caryl Franckowski
    May. 5, 2025
    This training experience was something quite new to us. We are so pleased with Dog Training Elite process. DTE is always available for any additional questions. The trainers are just the best. We are completely happy with the progress our puppy is making. We are eager to refer Dog Training Elite. They are the best.
  • Bethany Henderson
    Apr. 29, 2025
    Choosing dog training elite was the best choice we could have made for us and our 7 year old German shepherd. Prior to training our dog was scared of everything, would run from people and never let anyone pet her, she also began showing signs of aggression to people in our home. After attending in person camp for only a few days our family/friends already noticed a difference in her. Now we are able to take her in public and she is learning the world is not so scary. Dog training elite is with you every step of the way and all the trainers are incredibly knowledgeable to help with your dog’s specific needs! We highly recommend them!
  • Naveya Planas
    Apr. 25, 2025
    We got Misfit a couple of months ago and we had trouble managing his unruly teenager behavior. He liked things to go his way or he wasn't doing it. With DTE Misfit and I learned to work together to achieve better communication. His manners are getting better and he seems happier now that we have clear boundaries and he can work. We are so thankful for DTE and we can't recommend them enough! I look forward to working with my other dogs with them in the future!
  • Erin Morton
    Apr. 25, 2025
    I am so proud of my puppy Palmer and appreciate you all and all yall have done SO much! I can truly see a difference and am so excited to continue to see her progress. We can't wait for group classes 🥰💛🤩
  • Caitlin Sexton
    Feb. 1, 2022
    If you’re in the Greenville area and need dog training, this is who you need! I’ve known Elizabeth and Jared for years and they’re wonderful people to work with! Here are our two dogs when sofas were getting delivered, with two strangers in the house, the door wide open, and they didn't move or bark. The delivery men couldn't believe it.
  • Michelle Roth
    Apr. 18, 2025
    The people who came to our home, were always so loving & caring with our Skylar. She wouldn’t do much of anything that we told her before Dog Training Elite. Now she is on her way to being great service dog for our blind & autistic son. Thanks to everyone at DTE who has helped in making Skylar the best that she can be!!! (In the picture, our Skylar is on the right.)
  • Cpl Runner
    Apr. 16, 2025
    Amazing group! They train the pups and the people. Full of knowledge and tools that are helping me get one step closer to having my pup as a certified service dog.
  • Tricia Nolan
    Apr. 15, 2025
    This team of dog trainers is outstanding! Our dog was aggressive and anxious,; now she is capable of following commands, and is completely off her anxiety medicine! Our family highly recommends Dog Training Elite.
  • Yuxuan
    Apr. 5, 2025
    They're very informative and helpful on the phone!
  • Michael Rowland
    Apr. 4, 2025
    I have always worried about getting my puppy properly trained. Dog Training Elite made it easy. They are AMAZING people who truly care for the dogs. I couldn’t have done any of this without their team and their processes. I HIGHLY recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone!!!!
  • Amy Kilarski
    Mar. 24, 2025
    We adopted Mazie (3 year old lab mix) in February. Introductions to our older dog became increasingly aggressive. We were afraid we made the wrong decision bringing another dog home. We called Dog Training Elite and they were able to come to our home to get started very quickly. After a week of day camp, we saw huge improvements in Mazie and we began to feel more confident. We still have more we want to accomplish but I am truly amazed at how far she has come in such a short time. Mazie has become a beloved part of our family and now there is peace in our home. We would not be here without the guidance from all of the talented and caring trainers.
  • Terry Reck
    Mar. 23, 2025
    We have completely loved our experience with Dog Training Elite! Not only the progress we have seen in our dog Brodie, (The method plain works.) but also in every interaction with every staff member. Every member of staff was wonderful, and took an active interest in our dog and his progress. If you have a dog that needs some training, do yourself a favor and give Dog Training Elite a call today.
  • William Hancox
    Mar. 21, 2025
    We are truly surprised with the progress our dog, Louie has made at Dog Training Elite. We were a little skeptical in the beginning but now very enthusiastic in training our Louie. We can't wait to see what Louie will learn tomorrow. Plus, the trainers are truly animal lovers and it shows in their fantastic results.
  • Maria Hancox
    Mar. 21, 2025
    We are very happy and proud of the work that you do with our Louie, excited for continuing working with you all, very professional and at the same time lovely with our puppy. Thank you for your passion and good work.🙏💝🐩🐕‍🦺🐾
  • Ally Cothran
    Mar. 19, 2025
    My husband and I brought our first family puppy Dolly, a golden retriever, to the amazing team when she was 12 weeks old. Initial puppy training made an immediate impact and we signed up for Advanced Training at 16/17 weeks old. Dolly understands and responds to every command she learned and we continue to see her skills improve. All of the trainers and experts are truly dog-lovers, so the mix of expertise and love is impactful. Every time we met a new trainer we were impressed at how much we loved each unique personality and approach. We are so thankful we found this amazing business. We are seriously considering making Dolly a therapy dog and continuing to invest in her development. Most of all, we are so thankful we can integrate Dolly safely and lovingly into her family faster because of her new skills!
  • Steven Hopkins
    Mar. 19, 2025
    We have had such a great experience with Dog Training Elite!! All the trainers have been great and very personable! They have come in and worked great/fit in with our family! Some have brought their dogs which helps with distractions for the training and getting to work with the training sessions help us be confident to continue the training through the week! Rocky has done great with the training and we are on our way to having a well behaved dog!
  • James Lehmann
    Mar. 11, 2025
    We have had 3 trainers for Honey and she has come a long way. She is a very intelligent, hard headed , athletic dog. She knew commands like come and no but she made the decision to obey or not. She has learned that her humans make the decisions. She has progressed from the attitude of a 2yo human to a 4yo. The trainers were very professional and good instructors for both Honey and her hoomans.
  • Denson Crisler
    Feb. 26, 2025
    If I could give this place 6 stars I would! Amazing staff, super sweet and personable. They truly work wonders for all dogs. My dog is super stubborn as a puppy and I was so shocked at the progress he’s made in the past few weeks. Would recommend to anyone!
  • Bronwyn Bigger
    May. 8, 2025
    We had the BEST experience with Casey and our at home training sessions! Our dog has completely changed and learned such valuable skills that have allowed us to bring her more places and do more activities. I cannot recommend this organization enough!! They are fantastic!
  • Jacqueline Hudak
    May. 8, 2025
    We absolutely loved everyone at Dog Training Elite upstate SC. They did such a wonderful job helping me to feel comfortable working with my dog and his manners are stellar as a result! I would absolutely recommend their services to anyone who needs help training their perfect family pet.
  • Caryl Franckowski
    May. 5, 2025
    This training experience was something quite new to us. We are so pleased with Dog Training Elite process. DTE is always available for any additional questions. The trainers are just the best. We are completely happy with the progress our puppy is making. We are eager to refer Dog Training Elite. They are the best.
  • Bethany Henderson
    Apr. 29, 2025
    Choosing dog training elite was the best choice we could have made for us and our 7 year old German shepherd. Prior to training our dog was scared of everything, would run from people and never let anyone pet her, she also began showing signs of aggression to people in our home. After attending in person camp for only a few days our family/friends already noticed a difference in her. Now we are able to take her in public and she is learning the world is not so scary. Dog training elite is with you every step of the way and all the trainers are incredibly knowledgeable to help with your dog’s specific needs! We highly recommend them!
  • Naveya Planas
    Apr. 25, 2025
    We got Misfit a couple of months ago and we had trouble managing his unruly teenager behavior. He liked things to go his way or he wasn't doing it. With DTE Misfit and I learned to work together to achieve better communication. His manners are getting better and he seems happier now that we have clear boundaries and he can work. We are so thankful for DTE and we can't recommend them enough! I look forward to working with my other dogs with them in the future!
  • Erin Morton
    Apr. 25, 2025
    I am so proud of my puppy Palmer and appreciate you all and all yall have done SO much! I can truly see a difference and am so excited to continue to see her progress. We can't wait for group classes 🥰💛🤩
  • Caitlin Sexton
    Feb. 1, 2022
    If you’re in the Greenville area and need dog training, this is who you need! I’ve known Elizabeth and Jared for years and they’re wonderful people to work with! Here are our two dogs when sofas were getting delivered, with two strangers in the house, the door wide open, and they didn't move or bark. The delivery men couldn't believe it.
  • Michelle Roth
    Apr. 18, 2025
    The people who came to our home, were always so loving & caring with our Skylar. She wouldn’t do much of anything that we told her before Dog Training Elite. Now she is on her way to being great service dog for our blind & autistic son. Thanks to everyone at DTE who has helped in making Skylar the best that she can be!!! (In the picture, our Skylar is on the right.)
  • Cpl Runner
    Apr. 16, 2025
    Amazing group! They train the pups and the people. Full of knowledge and tools that are helping me get one step closer to having my pup as a certified service dog.
  • Tricia Nolan
    Apr. 15, 2025
    This team of dog trainers is outstanding! Our dog was aggressive and anxious,; now she is capable of following commands, and is completely off her anxiety medicine! Our family highly recommends Dog Training Elite.
  • Yuxuan
    Apr. 5, 2025
    They're very informative and helpful on the phone!
  • Michael Rowland
    Apr. 4, 2025
    I have always worried about getting my puppy properly trained. Dog Training Elite made it easy. They are AMAZING people who truly care for the dogs. I couldn’t have done any of this without their team and their processes. I HIGHLY recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone!!!!
  • Amy Kilarski
    Mar. 24, 2025
    We adopted Mazie (3 year old lab mix) in February. Introductions to our older dog became increasingly aggressive. We were afraid we made the wrong decision bringing another dog home. We called Dog Training Elite and they were able to come to our home to get started very quickly. After a week of day camp, we saw huge improvements in Mazie and we began to feel more confident. We still have more we want to accomplish but I am truly amazed at how far she has come in such a short time. Mazie has become a beloved part of our family and now there is peace in our home. We would not be here without the guidance from all of the talented and caring trainers.
  • Terry Reck
    Mar. 23, 2025
    We have completely loved our experience with Dog Training Elite! Not only the progress we have seen in our dog Brodie, (The method plain works.) but also in every interaction with every staff member. Every member of staff was wonderful, and took an active interest in our dog and his progress. If you have a dog that needs some training, do yourself a favor and give Dog Training Elite a call today.
  • William Hancox
    Mar. 21, 2025
    We are truly surprised with the progress our dog, Louie has made at Dog Training Elite. We were a little skeptical in the beginning but now very enthusiastic in training our Louie. We can't wait to see what Louie will learn tomorrow. Plus, the trainers are truly animal lovers and it shows in their fantastic results.
  • Maria Hancox
    Mar. 21, 2025
    We are very happy and proud of the work that you do with our Louie, excited for continuing working with you all, very professional and at the same time lovely with our puppy. Thank you for your passion and good work.🙏💝🐩🐕‍🦺🐾
  • Ally Cothran
    Mar. 19, 2025
    My husband and I brought our first family puppy Dolly, a golden retriever, to the amazing team when she was 12 weeks old. Initial puppy training made an immediate impact and we signed up for Advanced Training at 16/17 weeks old. Dolly understands and responds to every command she learned and we continue to see her skills improve. All of the trainers and experts are truly dog-lovers, so the mix of expertise and love is impactful. Every time we met a new trainer we were impressed at how much we loved each unique personality and approach. We are so thankful we found this amazing business. We are seriously considering making Dolly a therapy dog and continuing to invest in her development. Most of all, we are so thankful we can integrate Dolly safely and lovingly into her family faster because of her new skills!
  • Steven Hopkins
    Mar. 19, 2025
    We have had such a great experience with Dog Training Elite!! All the trainers have been great and very personable! They have come in and worked great/fit in with our family! Some have brought their dogs which helps with distractions for the training and getting to work with the training sessions help us be confident to continue the training through the week! Rocky has done great with the training and we are on our way to having a well behaved dog!
  • James Lehmann
    Mar. 11, 2025
    We have had 3 trainers for Honey and she has come a long way. She is a very intelligent, hard headed , athletic dog. She knew commands like come and no but she made the decision to obey or not. She has learned that her humans make the decisions. She has progressed from the attitude of a 2yo human to a 4yo. The trainers were very professional and good instructors for both Honey and her hoomans.
  • Denson Crisler
    Feb. 26, 2025
    If I could give this place 6 stars I would! Amazing staff, super sweet and personable. They truly work wonders for all dogs. My dog is super stubborn as a puppy and I was so shocked at the progress he’s made in the past few weeks. Would recommend to anyone!