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Positive Reinforcement vs. Punishment

Dog Training Elite Omaha

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A black and white corgi sitting on a skateboard smiling, choose positive reinforcement dog training in Omaha, NE.

Positive Dog Training Techniques

Positive Reinforcement Dog Training in Omaha, NE

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 than training that incorporates punishment for bad behavior.

Positive reinforcement dog training in Omaha, NE works because dogs are inherently eager to please. Rewarding your dog for good behavior helps create a deep, loving relationship with your dog built on trust, as opposed to one built on fear of punishment. The difference between a dog who has been trained to obey out of fear of being punished vs. a dog who learns to obey through a positive, loving bond with their owner is huge.

Dog Training Elite Omaha trainers use treats as an initial reward for puppies and dogs learning commands. When the trainer is absent, or you’re in between obedience classes, you can continue to use treats as a reward for your dog when they exhibit a desired behavior. Dogs tend to be highly food-motivated, so this is an extremely useful tool. You can also reward your dog with a play session, take them to the dog park or anything else you know your dog enjoys. After all, you know your dog best!

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Dog Training Elite Omaha

Your Questions Answered

Positive reinforcement training is a widely used and highly effective method for teaching dogs new behaviors while strengthening the bond between you and your pet. Below, we've answered some common questions about how this training approach works and why it's beneficial for all dog breeds.

Positive reinforcement training rewards dogs for good behavior with treats, praise, or play, encouraging them to repeat those behaviors. It focuses on creating a positive association with desired actions, making training enjoyable and effective for your dog.
Positive reinforcement builds trust and strengthens the bond between you and your dog. By rewarding desired behavior, your dog is more motivated to learn and respond willingly, whereas punishment can create fear and anxiety, hindering learning and damaging the relationship.
Yes, positive reinforcement training is effective for all dog breeds. Since it relies on rewarding good behavior, dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments can respond well, making it a flexible and universally beneficial training method.
A white poodle smiling at one of our Omaha positive reinforcement dog trainers.

Omaha Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainers

Dog Training Elite Omaha

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As for not worrying about bad behavior – it may feel strange to act like everything is fine when your dog chews on your shoes, or goes to the bathroom inside your home. But focusing on rewarding good behavior and forgoing punishment for bad behavior is more successful in the long run.

Relying on punishment for errors and “low value” rewards, such as praise or petting are long held “traditional” methods for dog training. Punishments like flicking a dog’s nose, shocking them with a shock collar, or anything else that may cause a dog pain are unfortunately still in use today by many dog trainers.

Not only is it inhumane, but 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 — where the owner can’t find them.

Punishment training also damages the relationship between dog and owner. Dogs do not understand right and wrong. Instead of associating punishment with a specific behavior they learn to avoid, as with the bathroom example, they instead learn to live in constant fear of punishment. This prevents owners from bonding with their dogs in a meaningful way.

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A recent dog graduate sitting in front of a Dog Training Elite Omaha car, contact us today for positive dog training in Omaha, NE.

The Dog Training Elite Omaha Difference


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Dog Training Elite Omaha uses modern training methods focused on positive dog training using reinforcement and bonding you and your dog. Our trainers in Omaha, NE 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. The electronic collar is not a shock collar and never used to punish bad behavior. Instead, it produces a sensation like the gentle tug of a leash, and is used to help recapture the attention of a dog who gets distracted.

Dog Training Elite Omaha’s method of focusing on positive behavior reinforcement nurtures a dog's loving and naturally obedient nature. The method is the same regardless of the situation, whether training a puppy, an older dog or a service dog. The positive reinforcement dog training in Omaha, NE ensures training is a success no matter what your dog’s behavior. If you have a brand new puppy who is stubborn and smart, or an older dog who has slipped into bad habits – or perhaps never learned – after proper conditioning and working with Dog Training Elite Omaha, when you say “sit,” your dog will automatically sit without thinking about it.

Dog Training Elite Omaha offers specialized in-home training services so your dog gets the attention and training he or she needs, and you learn alongside them so training continues when the trainer leaves. Dog Training Elite in Omaha, NE also offers group classes for dogs who are ready to take obedience training to the next level, and service training programs for a variety of needs.

If you’re looking to train a service dog, or just looking for a loyal four-legged companion, Dog Training Elite in Omaha, NE will help you get there with our positive dog training. You can get started today. Find a trainer near you and schedule a free in-home consultation!

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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

  • Kalyn Barker
    May. 11, 2025
    Dog training elite has been awesome to work with. Dexter and myself have made huge strides since starting with Dave & Bob. 12/10 recommend working with this great group of individuals.
  • Susan Ueckert
    May. 3, 2025
    I sought out help when my large black lab Blue was becoming difficult for me to handle. Bob came to my home and witnessed many of the bad habits as we spoke. After the first week with the command "come" there was a world of improvement and it has gotten increasingly better ever since. Blue and I completed 5 private training sessions and are now working at group training to continue to hone his training. I would highly recommend DTE.
  • Melody Albertsen
    Mar. 13, 2025
    Bob did a great job with Athena. She is the smartest, most stubborn dog we've ever known, and he was very patient with her. The training technique is straightforward and consistent; easy for pet parents to learn and implement. (In the photo, Athena is far right.)
  • M.Nicole Lewis
    Mar. 10, 2025
    DTE has helped so incredibly much with making our house less stressful and more joined. My boyfriend and I moved into our house in the summer and brought with us his English bulldog mix and my American pit bull terrier mix. And one cat. We kept them separate with baby gates for about four months until we were fed up with one of them always being left out. We found Bob and DTE online and after reading the reviews and meeting with him one-on-one, we decided to pull the trigger. It truly is an investment in your dogs future, and also yours. Our house is so much better off after the training and the use of the e-collars. We have loved seeing how smart out boys really are, what they’re capable of, and getting to know more of their personalities. It will always be an on-going process, but it’s so very worth it. Thank you Bob & the DTE team!
  • Kaitlyn Young
    Feb. 13, 2025
    We have an entirely different dog 🩷 By working with Bob, we now have an extremely happy dog (pics for proof). Prior to working with Bob at Dog Training Elite - Omaha, our pup would bark at strangers in our home for 30+ minutes, demand barked, whined excessively, pulled on leash, and could not be around other dogs without absolutely freaking out. Now, he appears so much more comfortable, confident, and consistently looks to us for guidance - really demonstrating a trusting relationship. We now feel comfortable introducing our pup to others without fear he will scare them! Our family and friends have noticed a major difference!! We are so grateful we reached out to Bob. He was kind and patient with us and our dog absolutely loved working with him. His tail never stops wagging now!
  • Brian Wall
    Jan. 15, 2025
    We have our golden doodle going through service dog training with Dog Training Elite. Bob, Mari and Dave have been so great with his training. They are so kind and professional and are so good at explaining what we need to do to get our pup to where he needs to be. I highly recommend using them for your dog training needs. They are also very good at teaching us how to keep up our dogs training at home and we have learned so much from them.
  • Barbara Hall
    Dec. 20, 2024
    5 Stars for the people at Dog Training Elite in Omaha. My dog and I moved from a large house to a one-bedroom apartment. Not being used to large numbers of strangers and activities, my dog became very stressed and barked constantly. I just finished the last of my 5 sessions and the change in his temperament is remarkable. I'll now start bringing him to the weekly group exercises, that are included in the training package, to get him accustomed to being around other dogs. Kudos to Bob and his dog training elite staff.
  • william gratton
    Dec. 12, 2024
    Wow what a great experience! With the care of the trainer you will receive the proper tools to teach your dog too Excell in training for your goals for your dog. Training went so fast for Captain to get her service dog status and it was a lot of fun. I am still going to training classes to keep up on the latest training. I will miss the one on one training classes with Bob.
  • Susan Bartman
    Oct. 21, 2024
    I recently completed training with my dog, Islaroo, through Dog Training Elite Omaha, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results! We went through their training program and group classes, and I’m thrilled to share that Islaroo just passed her test to become a certified therapy dog. The trainers were incredibly patient and always willing to listen and work through any issues we encountered. They work with dogs and owners at all levels of ability, which made the experience even more comfortable for us. Group classes can sometimes be unnerving because you never know how dogs will react or how much control the owners will have. However, I’ve never felt nervous or had any concerns during these classes. Their support and expertise gave me and my family the confidence to take Islaroo anywhere, and she now even goes off-leash in many places! I highly recommend Dog Training Elite Omaha for their dedication and personalized approach
  • Desteny Lashay
    Oct. 19, 2024
    Where do I even begin… Bob, Mari, and Dave came into Maverick and my life at one of the lowest points in my life. From a really traumatic experience, I learned that I wanted my high energy, slightly out of control golden retriever to be my service dog. However, I didn’t know where to go to train him to sit let alone service dog tasks to help my mental health. But I found DTE and signed up for a consultation. From the moment I met Bob and his team, I immediately knew and trusted them to help me on this journey. A few weeks after our consultation I bit the bullet and decided to sign up with them officially and we got to work. Bob and his team are SO knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Not only have they helped me train my sweet Mavvy boy but they have supported me endlessly and as a result my confidence as a dog mama and a person has grown astronomically. I simply don’t have enough words for how grateful I am for DTE Omaha. If you are needing a dog trainer for ANYTHING. DTE is SO worth the investment, time, and energy.
  • Desteny Miller
    Oct. 19, 2024
    Where do I even begin… Bob, Mari, and Dave came into Maverick and my life at one of the lowest points in my life. From a really traumatic experience, I learned that I wanted my high energy, slightly out of control golden retriever to be my service dog. However, I didn’t know where to go to train him to sit let alone service dog tasks to help my mental health. But I found DTE and signed up for a consultation. From the moment I met Bob and his team, I immediately knew and trusted them to help me on this journey. A few weeks after our consultation I bit the bullet and decided to sign up with them officially and we got to work. Bob and his team are SO knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Not only have they helped me train my sweet Mavvy boy but they have supported me endlessly and as a result my confidence as a dog mama and a person has grown astronomically. I simply don’t have enough words for how grateful I am for DTE Omaha. If you are needing a dog trainer for ANYTHING. DTE is SO worth the investment, time, and energy.
  • Sandra Lopez
    Oct. 13, 2024
    Great trainers! My dog loves them and loves going to the group classes. Bob is really knowledgeable with service dog training. Overall we’ve had a great experience.
  • Brandy Clarke
    Oct. 5, 2024
    With the training our dogs have received we can take them anywhere with confidence. It has been so helpful
  • Stephanie Lewis
    Aug. 16, 2024
    Work with Bob and Mari has been game changing for our dog and family. Within one session we saw a huge difference, and now, several sessions in, we have a different dog entirely. We can take her in public, she’s less reactive to other dogs, she follows commands and is obedient. The investment into training her was so worth it and has brought a sense of calm to our home we didn’t know we could have with a large puppy around. Give Dog Training Elite Omaha a call. You won’t regret it!
  • Marc Lewis
    Aug. 16, 2024
    We are so pleased with the work Bob and his team have done! Our dog is so much better behaved and we better owners because of the skills we have learned at each of our training sessions. My only regret is not having done this sooner. I would recommend this training regiment to any looking hands on approach to pet ownership.
  • Lara Huskey
    Jun. 2, 2024
    Amazing! Dog Training Elite Omaha exceeds our expectations for both of our pups! Before we confined our fur babies when visitors came. Now they are well-mannered and delightful hostesses. 😊
  • Harleigh
    Jun. 1, 2024
    I would recommend Bob at Dog Training Elite daily! I had a reactive, misbehaved, and undisciplined Great Dane. I became overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with her behavior. I called Bob and he was confident that he could help me. After session one, I immediately saw a difference in behavior. I can now take Ellie with me almost anywhere! We had our first group class and not only was Bob extremely encouraging, everyone was so patient and very welcoming! Hiring Dog Training Elite was the best decision I have ever made for Ellie.
  • Katrina Wulf
    Jun. 1, 2024
    Bob and his team did a great job of training Lucky (& us!). The one-on-one training sessions and group classes have helped Lucky master skills and be more comfortable in different environments around other dogs. Lucky has made great progress and we are so glad that we found Dog Training Elite. 💙
  • Annis Clark
    May. 31, 2024
    Bob has done such an amazing job with Max as well as teaching us how to train Max. Max has learned so many commands and executes them very well. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite Omaha and Bob.
  • Trish Kirby
    May. 31, 2024
    We highly recommend Bob. Bode has come so far in his training and has become so well mannered. Bode has learned his commands so well in such a short time. Thanks, Bob!
  • Kalyn Barker
    May. 11, 2025
    Dog training elite has been awesome to work with. Dexter and myself have made huge strides since starting with Dave & Bob. 12/10 recommend working with this great group of individuals.
  • Susan Ueckert
    May. 3, 2025
    I sought out help when my large black lab Blue was becoming difficult for me to handle. Bob came to my home and witnessed many of the bad habits as we spoke. After the first week with the command "come" there was a world of improvement and it has gotten increasingly better ever since. Blue and I completed 5 private training sessions and are now working at group training to continue to hone his training. I would highly recommend DTE.
  • Melody Albertsen
    Mar. 13, 2025
    Bob did a great job with Athena. She is the smartest, most stubborn dog we've ever known, and he was very patient with her. The training technique is straightforward and consistent; easy for pet parents to learn and implement. (In the photo, Athena is far right.)
  • M.Nicole Lewis
    Mar. 10, 2025
    DTE has helped so incredibly much with making our house less stressful and more joined. My boyfriend and I moved into our house in the summer and brought with us his English bulldog mix and my American pit bull terrier mix. And one cat. We kept them separate with baby gates for about four months until we were fed up with one of them always being left out. We found Bob and DTE online and after reading the reviews and meeting with him one-on-one, we decided to pull the trigger. It truly is an investment in your dogs future, and also yours. Our house is so much better off after the training and the use of the e-collars. We have loved seeing how smart out boys really are, what they’re capable of, and getting to know more of their personalities. It will always be an on-going process, but it’s so very worth it. Thank you Bob & the DTE team!
  • Kaitlyn Young
    Feb. 13, 2025
    We have an entirely different dog 🩷 By working with Bob, we now have an extremely happy dog (pics for proof). Prior to working with Bob at Dog Training Elite - Omaha, our pup would bark at strangers in our home for 30+ minutes, demand barked, whined excessively, pulled on leash, and could not be around other dogs without absolutely freaking out. Now, he appears so much more comfortable, confident, and consistently looks to us for guidance - really demonstrating a trusting relationship. We now feel comfortable introducing our pup to others without fear he will scare them! Our family and friends have noticed a major difference!! We are so grateful we reached out to Bob. He was kind and patient with us and our dog absolutely loved working with him. His tail never stops wagging now!
  • Brian Wall
    Jan. 15, 2025
    We have our golden doodle going through service dog training with Dog Training Elite. Bob, Mari and Dave have been so great with his training. They are so kind and professional and are so good at explaining what we need to do to get our pup to where he needs to be. I highly recommend using them for your dog training needs. They are also very good at teaching us how to keep up our dogs training at home and we have learned so much from them.
  • Barbara Hall
    Dec. 20, 2024
    5 Stars for the people at Dog Training Elite in Omaha. My dog and I moved from a large house to a one-bedroom apartment. Not being used to large numbers of strangers and activities, my dog became very stressed and barked constantly. I just finished the last of my 5 sessions and the change in his temperament is remarkable. I'll now start bringing him to the weekly group exercises, that are included in the training package, to get him accustomed to being around other dogs. Kudos to Bob and his dog training elite staff.
  • william gratton
    Dec. 12, 2024
    Wow what a great experience! With the care of the trainer you will receive the proper tools to teach your dog too Excell in training for your goals for your dog. Training went so fast for Captain to get her service dog status and it was a lot of fun. I am still going to training classes to keep up on the latest training. I will miss the one on one training classes with Bob.
  • Susan Bartman
    Oct. 21, 2024
    I recently completed training with my dog, Islaroo, through Dog Training Elite Omaha, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results! We went through their training program and group classes, and I’m thrilled to share that Islaroo just passed her test to become a certified therapy dog. The trainers were incredibly patient and always willing to listen and work through any issues we encountered. They work with dogs and owners at all levels of ability, which made the experience even more comfortable for us. Group classes can sometimes be unnerving because you never know how dogs will react or how much control the owners will have. However, I’ve never felt nervous or had any concerns during these classes. Their support and expertise gave me and my family the confidence to take Islaroo anywhere, and she now even goes off-leash in many places! I highly recommend Dog Training Elite Omaha for their dedication and personalized approach
  • Desteny Lashay
    Oct. 19, 2024
    Where do I even begin… Bob, Mari, and Dave came into Maverick and my life at one of the lowest points in my life. From a really traumatic experience, I learned that I wanted my high energy, slightly out of control golden retriever to be my service dog. However, I didn’t know where to go to train him to sit let alone service dog tasks to help my mental health. But I found DTE and signed up for a consultation. From the moment I met Bob and his team, I immediately knew and trusted them to help me on this journey. A few weeks after our consultation I bit the bullet and decided to sign up with them officially and we got to work. Bob and his team are SO knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Not only have they helped me train my sweet Mavvy boy but they have supported me endlessly and as a result my confidence as a dog mama and a person has grown astronomically. I simply don’t have enough words for how grateful I am for DTE Omaha. If you are needing a dog trainer for ANYTHING. DTE is SO worth the investment, time, and energy.
  • Desteny Miller
    Oct. 19, 2024
    Where do I even begin… Bob, Mari, and Dave came into Maverick and my life at one of the lowest points in my life. From a really traumatic experience, I learned that I wanted my high energy, slightly out of control golden retriever to be my service dog. However, I didn’t know where to go to train him to sit let alone service dog tasks to help my mental health. But I found DTE and signed up for a consultation. From the moment I met Bob and his team, I immediately knew and trusted them to help me on this journey. A few weeks after our consultation I bit the bullet and decided to sign up with them officially and we got to work. Bob and his team are SO knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Not only have they helped me train my sweet Mavvy boy but they have supported me endlessly and as a result my confidence as a dog mama and a person has grown astronomically. I simply don’t have enough words for how grateful I am for DTE Omaha. If you are needing a dog trainer for ANYTHING. DTE is SO worth the investment, time, and energy.
  • Sandra Lopez
    Oct. 13, 2024
    Great trainers! My dog loves them and loves going to the group classes. Bob is really knowledgeable with service dog training. Overall we’ve had a great experience.
  • Brandy Clarke
    Oct. 5, 2024
    With the training our dogs have received we can take them anywhere with confidence. It has been so helpful
  • Stephanie Lewis
    Aug. 16, 2024
    Work with Bob and Mari has been game changing for our dog and family. Within one session we saw a huge difference, and now, several sessions in, we have a different dog entirely. We can take her in public, she’s less reactive to other dogs, she follows commands and is obedient. The investment into training her was so worth it and has brought a sense of calm to our home we didn’t know we could have with a large puppy around. Give Dog Training Elite Omaha a call. You won’t regret it!
  • Marc Lewis
    Aug. 16, 2024
    We are so pleased with the work Bob and his team have done! Our dog is so much better behaved and we better owners because of the skills we have learned at each of our training sessions. My only regret is not having done this sooner. I would recommend this training regiment to any looking hands on approach to pet ownership.
  • Lara Huskey
    Jun. 2, 2024
    Amazing! Dog Training Elite Omaha exceeds our expectations for both of our pups! Before we confined our fur babies when visitors came. Now they are well-mannered and delightful hostesses. 😊
  • Harleigh
    Jun. 1, 2024
    I would recommend Bob at Dog Training Elite daily! I had a reactive, misbehaved, and undisciplined Great Dane. I became overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with her behavior. I called Bob and he was confident that he could help me. After session one, I immediately saw a difference in behavior. I can now take Ellie with me almost anywhere! We had our first group class and not only was Bob extremely encouraging, everyone was so patient and very welcoming! Hiring Dog Training Elite was the best decision I have ever made for Ellie.
  • Katrina Wulf
    Jun. 1, 2024
    Bob and his team did a great job of training Lucky (& us!). The one-on-one training sessions and group classes have helped Lucky master skills and be more comfortable in different environments around other dogs. Lucky has made great progress and we are so glad that we found Dog Training Elite. 💙
  • Annis Clark
    May. 31, 2024
    Bob has done such an amazing job with Max as well as teaching us how to train Max. Max has learned so many commands and executes them very well. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite Omaha and Bob.
  • Trish Kirby
    May. 31, 2024
    We highly recommend Bob. Bode has come so far in his training and has become so well mannered. Bode has learned his commands so well in such a short time. Thanks, Bob!