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Puppy Obedience Training

Puppy Obedience Training in Richmond, VA

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An adorable puppy being held by their owner - get professional puppy obedience training in Richmond, VA with Dog Training Elite today.

Start Training Young with DTE

Puppy Obedience Training in Richmond, VA

Training is one of the most important steps in raising a well-mannered dog. Pups are eager to learn from a young age, and structured training helps prevent unwanted behaviors before they become habits.

DTE offers professional puppy obedience training in Richmond, VA that is designed to meet your needs. Our experienced trainers focus on building strong communication, reinforcing positive behaviors, and preparing puppies for more advanced training techniques as they grow.

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A little puppy sitting in grass, contact Dog Training Elite Richmond 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!

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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

The Benefits of Puppy Training

Dog Training Elite

Early training shapes a puppy’s behavior for life. Teaching structure, commands, and impulse control early makes daily life easier and sets the stage for a well-behaved dog.

Without proper guidance, puppies can quickly develop habits like jumping, barking, or chewing that become harder to correct over time.
Training strengthens communication and trust, creating a better relationship between owner and dog.
Exposure to new people, places, and other dogs helps puppies become more adaptable and reduces anxiety in unfamiliar situations.
Obedience commands provide control in unpredictable situations, keeping puppies out of harm’s way.
An adorable puppy being trained by the experts at Dog Training Elite - get Richmond puppy obedience training today.

Puppy Training 101

Key Commands For Puppies

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Obedience commands help puppies understand what is expected of them and how to respond in different situations. These skills are fundamental for shaping a well-behaved and responsive dog:

  • Down: The "down" command teaches a puppy to lie down and stay in place until released. This command helps with impulse control and keeps a dog calm in busy environments or when guests visit.
  • Break: "Break" lets the puppy know they are free to move after following a previous command. This command helps structure training by showing the puppy when a command is over and they are allowed to move.
  • Heel: "Heel" teaches a puppy to walk calmly at the owner’s side rather than pulling ahead or lagging behind. Practicing this skill improves leash control, makes walks more enjoyable, and helps the dog stay focused in public settings.
  • Come: A reliable recall command is one of the most important skills a dog can learn. "Come" trains a puppy to return immediately when called, helping to prevent dangerous situations like running into traffic or getting lost.
  • Leave It: "Leave it" teaches a puppy to ignore or drop objects they shouldn’t touch, such as harmful food, household items, or dangerous materials. This command helps prevent destructive behavior and keeps the puppy safe.

Additional Obedience Training Info

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An golden retriever puppy outdoors - recieve expert guidance and training today from Dog Training Elite Richmond.

What to Expect from Dog Training Elite’s Puppy Program

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Training a puppy can feel overwhelming, especially for first-time owners. Professional training makes the process easier by providing clear structure, proven methods, and expert guidance to help puppies learn faster and with better results.

Dog Training Elite offers in-home training programs structured to meet the needs of each dog. When you sign up for our puppy training program, you can expect:

  1. Initial Assessment: Our trainers will provide a personalized evaluation of your puppy’s temperament, behavior, and current skills to create a customized training plan.
  2. Training Schedule: Private, in-home sessions are scheduled to fit your routine, allowing your puppy to learn in a familiar environment with real-world distractions.
  3. Clear Goals: Training focuses on impulse control and basic commands, helping your puppy develop respect and responsiveness.
  4. Owner Involvement: Hands-on guidance ensures you feel confident reinforcing commands at home for long-term success.
  5. Ongoing Support: Additional group classes and advanced training programs are available after puppy training to continue building on your puppy’s progress.

Dog Training Elite gives owners the tools and support they need to raise a well-behaved puppy without the frustration of trial and error.

A dog being trained with Dog Training Elite - book puppy obedience training in Richmond, VA today.

Start Obedience Training with Your Puppy Today


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The first few months of a puppy’s life are the most important for shaping their behavior, but training during this stage doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right approach, even the most energetic dogs can learn obedience and self-control.

Dog Training Elite provides expert guidance to make puppy training effective and rewarding. Our hands-on techniques keeps you actively involved in the process, teaching you how to reinforce good behavior even after the sessions are completed.

Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about our training programs.

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

  • Arjun Kainth
    Jun. 6, 2025
    Paul and his team are fantastic and their love of animals shines in the training experience!
  • Ellan Armstead
    Jun. 2, 2025
    Very pleased with the assessment! Matt was calm, courteous and friendly with both of the dogs, and was able to very quickly and accurately understand what my dog needs to improve and was able to recommend the exact program that we need, definitely recommend!
  • Dave McGrath
    May. 22, 2025
    Dublin was a rowdy silver lab puppy. Thanks to Paul, and the Dog Training Elite program, he’s now an amazing Service Dog! Dublin’s progression from basic obedience through final Service Dog Certification was remarkable. This dog has directly impacted my quality of life. I’m constantly getting comments of how well-behaved he is and I can’t thank the DTE Richmond team enough! Their personal commitment to build on the unique bond between dog and owner is what makes them different. They are the best!
  • Linda Huckstep
    Mar. 31, 2025
    Matt Perales is a great trainer, and a very nice person.
  • Angela Haule
    May. 19, 2025
    I learned so much during our first session. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with Matt to help Ruby achieve her Therapy Dog certification.
  • Willie Addison
    Apr. 29, 2025
    Matt was prompt exactly early and seemed knowledgable.
  • Amina Alidina
    Apr. 24, 2025
    It has been pleasure meeting you Matt for home assessment it was wonderful experience and we are looking forward to start regular training.
  • Rebecca Taylor
    Mar. 7, 2025
    I absolutely believe we have the best trainer, Matt. He has come into our home and won the trust of our 10 month old GSD, Bocephus. It’s amazing the transformation we have witnessed by Matt’s training. Not only is Bocephus retaining what he has taught him, Matt, has taught us how to understand our dog as well. So, if you are reading the reviews to make sure this is the place for your dogs, then please trust in this company!! Best decision we have ever made!! Matt is THE BEST!!!
  • Katie Gurrentz
    Jan. 30, 2025
    We had our consult with Matt today for our puppy. He was very organized and helpful. We discussed a plan for our dog and I’m very excited to select a program and begin training! The whole process has been simple and straight forward. We also met and worked with Paul during our process. He was great to work with and our puppy is really catching on well to the training!
  • Kelly Gartner
    Mar. 14, 2025
    Excellent information for my introductory meeting. Would trust working with him!
  • C Pessemier
    Mar. 14, 2025
    When we started working with Paul at Dog Training Elite, our newly adopted one-year-old German Shepherd, Wyatt, was not leash trained, had tons of energy, and just about knocked us over when he jumped on us. If Wyatt saw another dog while we tried to walk him, he barked and lunged like crazy, and it was tough to hold him back. He's a big boy! He wasn't aggressive but just wanted to play with other dogs, and he made it known. After we started lessons in our home with Paul, we saw the difference immediately. By the fifth lesson, Wyatt's leash walking improved significantly, and he learned and followed the place, sit, down, heel, and off commands. Now, we can walk him anywhere and he does an amazing job. Other dogs, kids playing, and wild rabbits are still triggers for him, but it's easy to get him back in the zone with all the training we learned to apply with him. Yes, Paul trained us too! 😊 We have graduated to group lessons with other dogs, which Wyatt loves. Below is a picture of Wyatt in the place command, on a platform, in group training. We are so thankful to Paul for showing us how to train Wyatt. It has given us so much freedom to know we can take him for walks and do so many things we couldn't before because he is a pretty well-behaved dog now. 100% worth every penny!
  • Rebecca McMahan
    Feb. 21, 2025
    Matt was excellent! I am hoping to contract them to help train my greyhound to be a service animal. Fingers crossed!
  • N Carter
    Mar. 7, 2025
    Very kind and very knowledgeable with my dog! Great customer service and we so glad we made the right choice to pick Dog Training Elite! Matt is the best!!!!
  • Christopher Splisgardt
    Feb. 24, 2025
    Matt did a great job explaining how the training will work and what to expect. Looking forward to begin training with him!
  • Al Becker
    Feb. 18, 2025
    We enjoyed the visit.
  • Lissette Ramirez
    Feb. 17, 2025
    We have just recently had our 5th class with Dog Training Elite of Richmond and Matt has been great to work with. As I have an older dog, his body tires out faster than his brain… Matt gave me ideas on activities/things I can teach my dog to tire out his brain. He’s been patient and offered a wealth of knowledge on the importance of confidence building with my reactive dog. I’m am looking forward to the day that we can easily to regular dog things: walk around other dogs, go to the park, hike a trail, walk Cary street, go to the pet expo, and maybe even run the lure course at the pet expo! I’m hopeful that sometime we’ll be able to these things soon!!
  • Alexandra Kerlin
    Feb. 7, 2025
    Matt was professional, nice, and knowledgeable at our free home assessment for my dog Butch! I'm excited to start scheduling training sessions to help with Butch's separation anxiety behaviors and basic training. Thanks Matt!
  • Angel Inspire
    Feb. 6, 2025
    Very informative, knowledgeable with dog training and puppies behavior, learning tips for puppy, training programs and payment plans are available with ease. All in all a pleasant visit and looking forward to participating in a training program.
  • Hannah Mayton
    Jan. 23, 2025
    Paul was a pleasure to work with! He helped bring structure into myself & my dog’s life which has substantially improved her behavior & willingness to obey! He was so patient with her & helped me adapt & learn how to take control back over my home. I would recommend he & his business to everyone! The training techniques they use are beyond effective & I saw improvements in as little as 2 sessions.
  • Kathleen Adams
    Jan. 5, 2025
    Matt Perales gave an interesting and persuasive presentation; and I have no doubt that he would have helped me to train my dog very well. The ONLY reason that I didn't sign up for training right then and there is because Dog Training Elite uses electronic collars during their training sessions. As Matt explained, only very low settings are used except in cases of dogs who know what the commands are and the dog is refusing to obey. But I don't want to use any amount of aversive conditioning to train my dog. Thank you for coming out to see us, Matt.