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Classical Conditioning

Dog Training Elite Indianapolis

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A dog walking on a leash after finishing a classical conditioning dog training in Indianapolis, IN.

Dog Training Techniques

Classical Conditioning Dog Training in Indianapolis, IN

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

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Dog Training Elite Indianapolis

Training With An E-Collar

Dog Training Elite Indianapolis NEVER uses punishments like shock collars to train dogs out of bad behavior. Dog Training Elite in Indianapolis, IN 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 Indianapolis classical conditioning dog trainers.

Indianapolis Classical Conditioning Dog Trainers

Positive Reinforcement Vs. Punishment

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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 Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis, IN trainer to help your dog be more obedient will help you create a deep, loving relationship with your dog built on trust.

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A women playing with her service dog in Indianapolis, IN.

The Dog Training Elite Indianapolis Difference


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Dog Training Elite in Indianapolis, IN uses modern dog training techniques and methods focused on positive reinforcement and bonding you and your dog. Dog Training Elite Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis’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 Indianapolis, IN, when you say “sit,” your dog will automatically sit without thinking about it. The unique techniques of Dog Training Elite Indianapolis 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!

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Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • tracy cherba
    May. 9, 2025
    Dog Training Elite has been WONDERFUL and extremely helpful in getting my Bella girl ready to be my service dog. I would highly recommend them to anyone that is looking to train their service or therapy animal.
  • Holly Gullett
    May. 7, 2025
    Elijah did a great job, focusing on the problem behaviors I reported. I’ve always been impressed with DTE training staff, during one-on-one lessons and then during group classes. Elijah’s explanations, methods, instructions were clear and easy to follow. I’m confident our pup will catch on quickly with consistent practice and we’ll both be able to enjoy our walks again soon.
  • Candace Harlan
    Apr. 22, 2025
    We were very happy with our trainer. He was very helpful and gave us a lot of information to help us with our training.
  • Hannah Shockey
    Apr. 30, 2025
    Elijah is great. He is really patient and it's so obvious he wants you and your dog to succeed. He is easy to relate to, very kind and great with my dog. I appreciate all of his help.
  • K Crosley
    Apr. 28, 2025
    I really appreciate Elijah from Dog Training Elite as he has helped me so much in training my puppy. I love the program DTE offered me and get so many compliments on how well mannered my puppy is. My neighbors have been very complimentary on my puppys progress too!!! Program well put together with concise directions from my trainer. If i have questions in between sessions I can reach out to my trainer which has been wonderful. They worked with me in personalizing sessions as needed to address any concerns or problems I had in training my puppy. Group classes review and reinforce what has been learned in individual sessions. A great help. Elijah is truly a dog whisperer!!!!
  • Thomas Korecki
    Apr. 25, 2025
    The team at Dog Training Elite did an amazing job training my sweet little girl, Olive! And providing me with the knowledge and tools to tame her rambunctious nature and calm her anxieties. A worthwhile investment in creating a happier and healthier dog!
  • Makaela Hudson
    Apr. 23, 2025
    Josh has been amazing. Have seen so much progress even with only a few sessions.
  • Chris Sargent
    Apr. 22, 2025
    My pup was very stubborn and had terrible recall. This dog training has made her one of the easiest pups to walk and call back. Worth every penny.
  • Brenda C Gordon
    Apr. 21, 2025
    My dog is a Cane Corso so proper training was a priority. I researched the available options before deciding to train with Dog Training Elite. I asked them lots of questions and let them know my expectations. The preliminary interview with the company owner, Doug, and our family (including our dog) satisfied my expectations. The first training session was great. Our trainer was Josh. We had the best first session learning how consistent and clear commands make for quick understanding. Our dog responded to Josh better than I anticipated.
  • Sarah Randall
    Apr. 18, 2025
    We had a great experience with Dog Training Elite and highly recommend them. Elijah was easy to work with, professional, knowledgeable and made training fun.
  • Devon Sundberg
    Apr. 16, 2025
    I adopted a large dog for the first time. I knew I needed training from the get go to ensure she would follow instructions and not jump on people. Dog Training Elite was responsive. The owner was at my house in a couple of days, a few days later we had our first puppy training session in home with Elijah. He was knowledgable and never judgmental about what we accomplished or didn’t. Our dog, Olive, started training on site. She loved it and couldn’t wait to get back everyday. Now she weighs about 50lbs. She heels, sits, stays in place and comes reliably. I am still able to reach out to the staff at DTE for guidance on issues and attend their Saturday sessions. It continues to be a very good investment.
  • Elizabeth Todd
    Apr. 14, 2025
    Our Bernedoodle was much more to handle than the yellow labs we had in the past. Dog Training Elite was a godsend. Very professional. They gave us all the tools to work with our dog. Elijah, our trainer, did a great job demonstrating and explaining. Very knowledgeable. Our in-home puppy and then obedience classes followed a strong logical progression that was easy to follow and practice. It was well worth the cost. I’m looking forward to attending some group classes.
  • Melissa Hicks
    Apr. 12, 2025
    We have had the best experience with Elijah and dog training elite! They are kind, respectful, flexible and absolute experts! Scheduling is always hard for us with 2 active kiddos! They were awesome in making sure we could get everything done timely! I would absolutely use them again
  • Anne Weinblatt
    Apr. 11, 2025
    Thanks to our work with Josh, Apollo has become a great companion puppy to me. I tried two other training programs and did not have success with them. Dog Training Elite has made a big difference for both of us. I highly recommend them.
  • Jean Fox
    Apr. 9, 2025
    We can’t thank Doug, Josh and all the trainers at DTE enough for the incredible work they do with our new family member, Remy. She struggles with reactive and aggressive behaviors, but their calm, patient approach and deep understanding of dog behavior has made all the difference. They gave us practical, easy to follow training techniques that have helped her make incredible progress. Especially grateful for the coaching and encouragement we receive as her handlers. We couldn’t be happier with the team’s expertise, kindness and dedication - it was made all the difference. Highly recommended the DTE Team!
  • Sarah Clark
    Mar. 12, 2025
    I could not have asked for a better training experience. Tater was more than excited to attend the two week training every day and the trainers did an excellent job of working with him. He left the two weeks well behaved and trained to the commands the team worked on with him and is continuing to do extremely well at home. Couldn't recommend more!
  • Regan Esch
    Feb. 16, 2025
    Very happy with the progress my two pups have made. In the two week day camp training DTE taught my 7 and 5 year old doodles to heal and walk nicely on a regular leash! Much better manners and impulse control. All of the trainers have been very friendly and knowledgeable. Love the ongoing support with In home sessions and group classes. Wish we trained with you years ago! Highly recommend.
  • Courtney Colby
    Feb. 16, 2025
    I'm so grateful for Dog Training Elite! I completed the Platinum Obedience training program with my Golden Retriever George and have only great things to say about DTE and the team. George is a high energy, playful, loving, and very smart 2 year old. We had been through a training program when he was a few months old that was less involved with the owner. One of my favorite parts about training with DTE is how rewarding it has been for me to be apart of the training with George. It has strengthened the trust in our relationship so much, I've learned so much more about him through the process, and I feel so well equipped to continue to work with him and be a leader for him as he continues to grow. This team is so dedicated to the continued growth and education for you and your dog and it shows. George and I always look forward to our Saturday Group Class and our Therapy Dog in Training courses where we sharpen his focus, fine tune his skills, strengthen his confidence, and learn new activities we can practice at home. Thank you so much DTE! George & Courtney
  • Brittany Pierson
    Feb. 15, 2025
    We highly recommend DTE to anyone interested in training! They came to us and worked with our schedule. Our husky, Odin, is stubborn and very energetic. DTE not only taught him commands but also gave us a better way of challenging him mentally (which really helps with his energy levels). Odin always loved seeing his trainer Elijah Turner. Elijah was great with Odin but also explained every aspect of the training techniques to us which made a world of difference. The package we purchased also had unlimited group classes and those are great for keeping everything fresh.
  • Denise Rider
    Feb. 15, 2025
    We are working with Dog Training Elite to train our daughter's diabetes alert dog. They are amazing to work with and so extremely helpful and full of great information. At 8 months old our puppy already knows how to alert for low blood sugar and sit, place, heel etc. Never knew a dog could learn so much so quickly! They make the process fun and easy for both handler and dog. Would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to train a pet to those looking to train a service dog!
  • tracy cherba
    May. 9, 2025
    Dog Training Elite has been WONDERFUL and extremely helpful in getting my Bella girl ready to be my service dog. I would highly recommend them to anyone that is looking to train their service or therapy animal.
  • Holly Gullett
    May. 7, 2025
    Elijah did a great job, focusing on the problem behaviors I reported. I’ve always been impressed with DTE training staff, during one-on-one lessons and then during group classes. Elijah’s explanations, methods, instructions were clear and easy to follow. I’m confident our pup will catch on quickly with consistent practice and we’ll both be able to enjoy our walks again soon.
  • Candace Harlan
    Apr. 22, 2025
    We were very happy with our trainer. He was very helpful and gave us a lot of information to help us with our training.
  • Hannah Shockey
    Apr. 30, 2025
    Elijah is great. He is really patient and it's so obvious he wants you and your dog to succeed. He is easy to relate to, very kind and great with my dog. I appreciate all of his help.
  • K Crosley
    Apr. 28, 2025
    I really appreciate Elijah from Dog Training Elite as he has helped me so much in training my puppy. I love the program DTE offered me and get so many compliments on how well mannered my puppy is. My neighbors have been very complimentary on my puppys progress too!!! Program well put together with concise directions from my trainer. If i have questions in between sessions I can reach out to my trainer which has been wonderful. They worked with me in personalizing sessions as needed to address any concerns or problems I had in training my puppy. Group classes review and reinforce what has been learned in individual sessions. A great help. Elijah is truly a dog whisperer!!!!
  • Thomas Korecki
    Apr. 25, 2025
    The team at Dog Training Elite did an amazing job training my sweet little girl, Olive! And providing me with the knowledge and tools to tame her rambunctious nature and calm her anxieties. A worthwhile investment in creating a happier and healthier dog!
  • Makaela Hudson
    Apr. 23, 2025
    Josh has been amazing. Have seen so much progress even with only a few sessions.
  • Chris Sargent
    Apr. 22, 2025
    My pup was very stubborn and had terrible recall. This dog training has made her one of the easiest pups to walk and call back. Worth every penny.
  • Brenda C Gordon
    Apr. 21, 2025
    My dog is a Cane Corso so proper training was a priority. I researched the available options before deciding to train with Dog Training Elite. I asked them lots of questions and let them know my expectations. The preliminary interview with the company owner, Doug, and our family (including our dog) satisfied my expectations. The first training session was great. Our trainer was Josh. We had the best first session learning how consistent and clear commands make for quick understanding. Our dog responded to Josh better than I anticipated.
  • Sarah Randall
    Apr. 18, 2025
    We had a great experience with Dog Training Elite and highly recommend them. Elijah was easy to work with, professional, knowledgeable and made training fun.
  • Devon Sundberg
    Apr. 16, 2025
    I adopted a large dog for the first time. I knew I needed training from the get go to ensure she would follow instructions and not jump on people. Dog Training Elite was responsive. The owner was at my house in a couple of days, a few days later we had our first puppy training session in home with Elijah. He was knowledgable and never judgmental about what we accomplished or didn’t. Our dog, Olive, started training on site. She loved it and couldn’t wait to get back everyday. Now she weighs about 50lbs. She heels, sits, stays in place and comes reliably. I am still able to reach out to the staff at DTE for guidance on issues and attend their Saturday sessions. It continues to be a very good investment.
  • Elizabeth Todd
    Apr. 14, 2025
    Our Bernedoodle was much more to handle than the yellow labs we had in the past. Dog Training Elite was a godsend. Very professional. They gave us all the tools to work with our dog. Elijah, our trainer, did a great job demonstrating and explaining. Very knowledgeable. Our in-home puppy and then obedience classes followed a strong logical progression that was easy to follow and practice. It was well worth the cost. I’m looking forward to attending some group classes.
  • Melissa Hicks
    Apr. 12, 2025
    We have had the best experience with Elijah and dog training elite! They are kind, respectful, flexible and absolute experts! Scheduling is always hard for us with 2 active kiddos! They were awesome in making sure we could get everything done timely! I would absolutely use them again
  • Anne Weinblatt
    Apr. 11, 2025
    Thanks to our work with Josh, Apollo has become a great companion puppy to me. I tried two other training programs and did not have success with them. Dog Training Elite has made a big difference for both of us. I highly recommend them.
  • Jean Fox
    Apr. 9, 2025
    We can’t thank Doug, Josh and all the trainers at DTE enough for the incredible work they do with our new family member, Remy. She struggles with reactive and aggressive behaviors, but their calm, patient approach and deep understanding of dog behavior has made all the difference. They gave us practical, easy to follow training techniques that have helped her make incredible progress. Especially grateful for the coaching and encouragement we receive as her handlers. We couldn’t be happier with the team’s expertise, kindness and dedication - it was made all the difference. Highly recommended the DTE Team!
  • Sarah Clark
    Mar. 12, 2025
    I could not have asked for a better training experience. Tater was more than excited to attend the two week training every day and the trainers did an excellent job of working with him. He left the two weeks well behaved and trained to the commands the team worked on with him and is continuing to do extremely well at home. Couldn't recommend more!
  • Regan Esch
    Feb. 16, 2025
    Very happy with the progress my two pups have made. In the two week day camp training DTE taught my 7 and 5 year old doodles to heal and walk nicely on a regular leash! Much better manners and impulse control. All of the trainers have been very friendly and knowledgeable. Love the ongoing support with In home sessions and group classes. Wish we trained with you years ago! Highly recommend.
  • Courtney Colby
    Feb. 16, 2025
    I'm so grateful for Dog Training Elite! I completed the Platinum Obedience training program with my Golden Retriever George and have only great things to say about DTE and the team. George is a high energy, playful, loving, and very smart 2 year old. We had been through a training program when he was a few months old that was less involved with the owner. One of my favorite parts about training with DTE is how rewarding it has been for me to be apart of the training with George. It has strengthened the trust in our relationship so much, I've learned so much more about him through the process, and I feel so well equipped to continue to work with him and be a leader for him as he continues to grow. This team is so dedicated to the continued growth and education for you and your dog and it shows. George and I always look forward to our Saturday Group Class and our Therapy Dog in Training courses where we sharpen his focus, fine tune his skills, strengthen his confidence, and learn new activities we can practice at home. Thank you so much DTE! George & Courtney
  • Brittany Pierson
    Feb. 15, 2025
    We highly recommend DTE to anyone interested in training! They came to us and worked with our schedule. Our husky, Odin, is stubborn and very energetic. DTE not only taught him commands but also gave us a better way of challenging him mentally (which really helps with his energy levels). Odin always loved seeing his trainer Elijah Turner. Elijah was great with Odin but also explained every aspect of the training techniques to us which made a world of difference. The package we purchased also had unlimited group classes and those are great for keeping everything fresh.
  • Denise Rider
    Feb. 15, 2025
    We are working with Dog Training Elite to train our daughter's diabetes alert dog. They are amazing to work with and so extremely helpful and full of great information. At 8 months old our puppy already knows how to alert for low blood sugar and sit, place, heel etc. Never knew a dog could learn so much so quickly! They make the process fun and easy for both handler and dog. Would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to train a pet to those looking to train a service dog!