Nick Smith is the best dog trainer we have ever had. Over decades as dog owners, we've had numerous dog trainers and by far, Nick's patience and love for dogs shines through. We had recently adopted a pitbull from the shelter that had severe anxiety issues. There was some destructive behavior because of separation anxiety. We started training with Nick and our dog changed overnight. She's in therapy dog training with him right now and I cannot explain how much she enjoys going through her training regime each day. I implore people to get Nick to train their dog if they're having issues because you will not regret it.

We were incredibly lucky to welcome our goldendoodle, Fozzie, into our family at just 4 months old. As he grew (and grew!), his energy and strength became a challenge — especially with him jumping on guests and pulling on the leash when our kids walked him. More than just obedience, we were looking for a lifestyle change. I didn’t want to keep taking Fozzie out while constantly worrying about his behavior instead of enjoying the moment. Several coworkers recommended Nick’s dog training company, and after seeing the results firsthand, we decided to reach out. From our very first consultation, we knew we were in good hands. Nick immediately connected with our family and with Fozzie, and he created a training plan tailored specifically to our needs. Within just the first two sessions, the biggest concerns — leash pulling, jumping — had already improved dramatically. The remaining sessions helped us build a whole new rhythm with Fozzie. He now responds to commands like come, off, place, heel, stay, and lay down, and he even walks off-leash with confidence and control. It’s important to say this: Nick gives you the tools and structure, but it’s the consistency at home that brings lasting change. That balance is what makes his approach so effective — it’s not just about training the dog, but about equipping the whole family. A few more things we loved: 1. Nick worked with our sons as well, showing them the same patience and guidance he gave Fozzie. 2. Even after the 5 private sessions, he offers Saturday group classes to continue building skills and socialization. 3. He’s reliable and flexible — scheduling was always smooth, and he never canceled or no-showed, which means a lot to a busy family of five. 4. He makes it all feel doable. His calm, patient approach builds confidence in both people and pups. We truly couldn’t recommend Nick more. If you’re looking not just for training, but for a real lifestyle shift with your dog, don’t hesitate to reach out to him. 5 stars

Thank you Nick and Dog Elite Training for being the best dog trainer out there for our silly bull terrier Rocket. We have been seeing Nick for a full year now. We appreciate his patience and how thorough he is when he is training our pup. We have learned so much about dog training and we know this investment will be great for our pup’s future. Highly recommend !!

Nick is amazing! He is patient and very knowledgeable!!!

Nick, the owner and trainer, for Dog Elite Training, worked wonders with our Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mixed breed; named Buddy. Nick provided five in person training sessions, and we are in the midst of 12 group lessons, for Buddy. Buddy was a shy 15 month old puppy when Nick started training him. Nick brought Buddy out of his shell. Buddy gained confidence in learning how to come to his name, sit, lie down, go to place, break from place, heal, and use the dog door. We work with Buddy on what was learned, and continue to take him to group sessions. Now Buddy is a confident and loving dog. Thanks Nick!

Nick is patient and has a calm demeanor that makes it easy for my dog to trust him. He is a great teacher and gives me the tools to continue training until our next session. I’ve recommended him to others without hesitation. Amazing service!

Nick did awesome job training my wife and me in techniques for how to train our dog. Nick used techniques for training that has helped Merlin be the best dog ever. When meeting up with other dog walkers and people on the street, they all comment about how well trained Merlin is. I credit that to the basics that Nick taught us. We would not hesitate to recommend Nick and his staff train your dog. Next group training session at the park was very helpful as well. Ask him about it.

Nick of Dog Training Elite is on time and is responsive to questions I have as a first-time dog owner. The training he provided was well-paced and practical. I appreciate his availability to attend group training for refresher training and socialization with others dogs, even after the individual sessions are utilized. Nick is pleasant and firm with each of the dogs at the group training, and consistently caring.

Nick was great at teaching Lila how to behave and react to commands - I would definetly recommend him - His group lessons worked great for Lila in regards to socialization.

My dog Wilson was trained by Nick. Wilson gets many compliments on his behavior in public. Nick takes the time to educate us on how best to handle circumstances that Wilson might encounter. He follows up on Wilson’s progress and even offers weekend group classes. I would highly recommend Nick.

Nick is great and provides a wonderful service. I would highly recommend this company.

When we brought our 8-week-old English lab pups home I knew I wanted professional help with training. Nick went above and beyond our expectations. We did the work. Two years later, my girls are the most responsive dogs I've ever known. Nick's technique and approach are unmatched. I've known him to train the most challenging dogs. While mine were easy by Nick's standards, you owe it to yourself to invite him to make dog ownership all you ever dreamed it could be, and more.

Nick is doing a wonderful job training my mother in laws Yorkie! Last week was the first time Penny didn’t try to turn my pants in to shorts when we came to visit! I thought she had gotten a new dog! Dog Training Elite and Nick are the best trainers, they not only train dogs but mother in laws too!

Working with Nick was an excellent experience! When our son started walking his relationship with our dog went downhill fast. Nick gave us simple but effective tools to keep everyone safe and build a better relationship between the two. The weekly group sessions are a great way to keep the training relevant and front-of-mind. Highly recommend!

Nick was incredible with my dog, Kaya. He showed me what to do with her when she gets too excited around other dogs. My favorite was learning heel, and noticing how fast she picked up on it. If you’re looking for a place to help you and your dogs, your search is over! Thanks again, Nick!

I knew there would be obstacles adopting a young rescue shepherd from the Animal Foundation so I immediately reached out to Nick to see if he could help. I am so pleased with the experience I have had with both at home sessions as well as group training. Wynnie has made tremendous progress with basic training commands (sit, stay, heel) and has overcome the obstacle of learning to play nicely with her 12-year-old dog brother at home. The socialization skills she has gained in the group setting have made me comfortable enough to bring her out in public and to the dog park. Nick does a wonderful job accessing the needs of your dog at each session and making sure to leave you with knowledge and homework to maintain the work put in during the session. I would 100% recommend this program as it not only teaches the animal but more importantly the owner so much. Thank you Nick!

I highly recommend Nick with Dog Training Elite. He is knowledgeable, professional, personable, and training with him has been such a success for my mini dachshund, Desi. She is a therapy dog and I have so much confidence in the skills Nick has helped us with. She is attentive and off leash most of the day and I have full confidence in this due to the skills she's learned with Nick's guidance. The skills he's helped us with has made her progression into the office such a breeze. The ability to go to the group classes ongoing is so helpful to keep her skills sharp and continue to socialize with other dogs as well. Not only did he help her with baseline obedience training but she has also mastered following through with therapeutic commands as well. Any questions I have, he always has a plan ready to deal with it. Could not recommend enough!

Highly recommend Dog Training Elite Southwest Las Vegas! The one on one classes with Nick were awesome. He taught us how to have patience and to be consistent. We have seen a tremendous amount of improvement with our bull terrier, Rocket’s attention and behavior. Rocket always looks forward to group classes on the weekends !

Nick is the best. He makes sure he gives the dog his utmost attention and makes sure you understand what he is trying to accomplish and makes sure your dog understands it as well. Highly recommend this person to fulfill all your training needs for your dog

I cannot express how grateful we are to have found Nick! He is so knowledgeable, professional, personable, and ever so patient with our big puppies! We rescued two brothers and we were worried about litter mate syndrome, along with just the training involved with puppies (we're too old for all that energy ha-ha). But Nick is so fantastic, our pups love him and so do we!! He is a continuous learner and if you ask him something and he's never encountered it, I guarantee he will leave and find it out for your next training session. You can't find another more dedicated trainer than Nick!! Simply stated, he is THE BEST!!!