A well-trained dog with training from an expert Dog Training Elite dog behaviorist in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM.

Behavioral Solutions

Dog Training Elite New Mexico

Request Free Assessment


Request Free Assessment


A happy leash trained dog walking with their owner - if you are in need of Albuquerque / Santa Fe dog behavior training, contact Dog Training Elite today!

Albuquerque / Santa Fe Dog Behavior Training

Does your dog chew on things, pee indoors, or bark excessively? If so, your dog may benefit from a dog behaviorist in Albuquerque / Santa Fe. NM, and DTE is here to help. Our experienced trainers specialize in correcting unwanted behaviors and can address various issues your dog may face at home.

Behavior-focused training differs from basic obedience training and requires knowledgeable, experienced trainers. DTE trainers can identify and address the root causes of problematic behaviors, such as separation anxiety or excessive barking, and teach your dog to respond more appropriately to those triggers.

Through consistent training and positive reinforcement, your dog can learn new, desirable behaviors that last.

See Training Packages

Our Behavioral Solution Programs

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Albuquerque / Santa Fe Dog Socialization Classes. DTE
Socialization

Our Albuquerque / Santa Fe dog socialization classes teach dogs to maintain control and obedience around other dogs, people, and various distractions, reducing fear and aggression while promoting calm, confident behavior.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Stop Puppy Biting in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. DTE
Biting

Through targeted puppy biting training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM, we address aggressive tendencies and teach dogs to inhibit biting, helping them develop better self-control.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Reactive Dog Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. DTE
Fear & Reactiveness

Our reactive dog training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM, focuses on managing and reducing fear-based reactions to common triggers, helping dogs be more relaxed and well-adjusted.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Destructive Chewing and Digging Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM
Destructive Chewing & Digging

Our destructive chewing and digging training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM addresses your dog’s destructive chewing and digging by redirecting these behaviors toward more appropriate and constructive outlets.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Separation Anxiety Training for Dogs in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. DTE
Separation Anxiety

Our separation anxiety training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM helps dogs overcome the stress of being alone, which curbs destructive behaviors and makes departures easier for everyone.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Excessive Barking Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. DTE
Excessive Barking

We address the root causes of barking with our excessive barking training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM, teaching your dog to communicate appropriately and reduce unnecessary noise.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Staying and Coming Training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. DTE
Staying & Coming

Our staying and coming training in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM focuses on improving your dog’s reliability in following essential commands like down and come, ensuring they respond promptly in any situation.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Stealing Food, Clothing, or Other Objects

Our trainers work with your dog to curb the habit of stealing items, teaching them to respect boundaries and avoid problematic behaviors.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Resource Guarding

We tackle resource guarding behaviors by addressing the underlying causes of your dog's insecurity. Our training helps your dog feel more secure, which reduces aggression over food, toys, or personal spaces.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Food Guarding & Begging

Through consistent and focused training, we teach dogs to eat politely and reduce persistent begging behaviors. This approach creates a more peaceful and enjoyable mealtime experience for everyone involved.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Mouthing, Nipping & Rough Play

Our program teaches dogs to play gently, reducing the risk of injury and making playtime safe and enjoyable.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Anxiety & Submissive Urination

We work with anxious dogs to build their confidence. This program will help to reduce incidents of submissive urination and make your dog feel more secure.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Jumping Up & Hyperactivity

This program helps dogs learn to greet people calmly and manage their energy levels, reducing hyperactivity and inappropriate jumping.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Excessive Licking

We address compulsive licking behaviors, helping dogs find more appropriate ways to express themselves and reducing skin issues.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Leashing

Our leashing program teaches dogs to walk politely on a leash, making walks more enjoyable and less stressful for you and your dog.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Abnormal Repetitive Behaviors

We help your dog break free from compulsive actions like spinning or tail chasing, focusing their energy on healthier habits.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Escaping

We train your dog to respect boundaries, significantly reducing the risk of escape and keeping them safe at home.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico -
Heeling

Our training improves your dog’s ability to heel, keeping them close by your side during walks and improving their overall leash manners.

Dog Training Elite New Mexico - Dog & Puppy Potty Trainer in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM. DTE
Potty Training

We help dogs learn to relieve themselves outdoors with our Albuquerque / Santa Fe dog potty training, reducing accidents in your home and fostering good habits that last a lifetime.

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!

A dog with expert behaviorial training from Dog Training Elite New Mexico.

What is Behavioral Training?


Read More
Read Less

Behavioral and regular obedience training serve different but equally important roles in shaping a well-behaved dog.

Obedience training teaches your dog basic commands like sit, heel, and come. This training helps your dog follow instructions in different situations and builds clear communication between you and your pet.

Behavioral training, however, goes deeper by addressing the root causes of problematic behaviors like aggression, anxiety, or excessive barking. While obedience training tells a dog what to do, behavioral training focuses on changing undesirable habits and reactions.

Combining obedience training with targeted behavioral solutions helps dogs overcome specific issues, resulting in a more balanced and adjusted pet.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Georgene Inks
    Jan. 2, 2025
    Dog Training Elite New Mexico has provided my husband and me with the skills and confidence to safely manage our 12 month old 60 pound pup, Myrhh, and her little 9 week old bother, Frank, who has been following along! I also am the one who has been most involved in the training sessions while my husband, like Frank, watches and listens. ☺️ We live surrounded by wildlife, coyotes and wild horses. Only a 1/2 acre of our property is fenced; 6 ft. horse fence. The rest of our area is wide open. Also, residents in this neighborhood do not have perimeter fencing so we live virtually in a huge park like setting, albeit a wild park, which we walk and hike throughout everyday. So, for Myrrh’s roaming freedom, knowing heel, and knowing to come when called, is essential for her safety as well as ours. These skills, after only 5 one hour sessions, are in place! John is the insightful trainer who was sent to us from Elite Dog Training this past November. John has been coming to our home, once a week, for one hour training, five weeks in a row. In each, he taught us how to ensure that Myrrh comes to us on command, heels, stays in place, and sits. All this, yes, WITHOUT A LEASH! It is spectacular to have this kind of freedom with our dog and fun! We now have confidence with Myrrh’s ability to stay close and on command plus an irreplaceable peace of mind! Additionally, indoors, we are learning and practicing the proper way for Myrhh to sit near us. We are also working on “orbit.” As the lessons progress, all skills will transfer to Dog Training Elite group sessions, settings with other people and their dogs in unfamiliar locations for the next six months. Lots of practice ahead! Last, as a former educator, I am familiar with folks who can and cannot teach. John is one of those who CAN. My husband and I, along with Myrrh and even baby Frank, have all been very lucky to be John’s students! Of course, I highly, highly recommend Dog Training Elite and their trainer, John. We have found the sessions to be worth every dollar because of his professional, friendly, upbeat, skilled instruction. Communication is also tops from emails to reminders. John also arrives on time, if not early, to each session in a Dog Training Elite, clearly marked company car, and always professionally attired. You will discover that Dog Training Elite is not the cheapest option. Fortunately, in this case, we have gotten what we paid for - Excellence and truly amazing, transformative results!
  • Gloria Garcia
    Dec. 30, 2024
    Dog Training Elite - Santa Fe Where we started and where we ended was a huge difference! John our trainer was an outstanding trainer. He worked with our dog Blue who is an American Bully XL - 14 months old. We had many concerns at the start and each concern was dealt with until we felt comfortable with the result. John is extremely knowledgeable and carefully listened to our issues. He was patient with us and put our insecurities to rest!! We are so happy with the results and we are enjoying our dog in a more relaxed way.
  • Samantha Secular
    Dec. 29, 2024
    Where we started and where we've landed after training with John at DTE has been astounding. THE CONTEXT: I have a (now) 3.5 year old German Shepherd who was born and raised in Denver during the Covid lockdown. He was attacked by 2 other dogs as a puppy, giving rise to difficult behaviors and reactivity such as excessive barking/lunging at other people and dogs, pulling on the leash, severe anxiety, and even aggression. This made socializing him extremely challenging. His reactivity was further exacerbated when I had to move into my family home for 2 years with my mom who is terminally ill. The environment was tense and tragic no matter what we did – par for the course. When I found DTE, I had already worked with a few other reputable trainers in SF. They were competent and knowledgeable, but it didn’t “click” and it was difficult to schedule enough sessions to make it count. I then got bogged down in all the BS of Google Searches again until a local friend recommended the owner of DTE in Utah. When I called them, I thought I would have to do this process out of state, but they informed me that they had just opened an NM branch. From my initial consultation, I knew John was the right trainer for my dog, and he has far exceeded my hopes/expectations by going so far above and BEYOND for us. He didn't scold me like other trainers and vets had prior - he showed empathy, warmth, and good vibes that my dog responded well to. John is absolutely fearless – he’s even the type of guy who, when he was a dog groomer prior to becoming a trainer, would make his own products like shampoo and conditioner to be safe for the dog, as well as trying all grooming and food products for himself to ensure its safety. Through tremendously difficult times, John helped my dog not only see another dog without all the excessive barking and lunging, but even be AROUND them without a muzzle at the park and in the home. We are now at the stage where my dog is participating in DTE’s group classes, and no one (I mean NO one) would believe where we are now if they had met my dog prior. It’s like a movie. Even some of the people at the group class recognized my dog from the park when we started our socialization sessions, and they were so happy/amazed to see him there. It’s miraculous. In fact, when John began my dog’s socialization training, my dog’s reaction was scary and he was too strong for me to handle on my own. John literally strapped my dog around his body and wore it as a belt to ensure that he had full control for my dog’s first meeting with another dog just to finally break the ice. I have never seen anyone do something like this or met anyone like John who will go THAT far for an animal and get THIS creative towards tailoring their training in any context. Top tier resourcefulness right there. And the thing is, it’s not just about my dog - John is the most patient and positive person you’ll find where he really transforms both you AND your animal. He has given me so much confidence to handle a reactive German Shepherd despite being a small woman with chronic illness. Where we’re at now is a testament to his unique talent in reaching both the dog and the trainer where they are at AND going the extra mile…and then some…and then some more. SUMMARY: You won’t get this kind of support for your animal anywhere else in the state that I know of, and I did my research for 2 years. Training is HARD, and it’s a lifetime journey for our animals AND us. If you want to take your training seriously and give your dog their absolute best shot at a whole and happy life like I did, please consider DTE. P.S. If you are worried about scheduling since consistent training is key (and yet very difficult to land with a good local trainer these days), the DTE team is so accommodating and will do their best to help you get your 8 sessions in a row. Thank you SO much, Justin and John! My schedule was so hectic for the first 8 weeks and you guys were rockstars about it. I'll edit in some before/after pics and videos soon!
  • Denika Vigil
    Dec. 19, 2024
    Our trainer worked miracles with our one year old lab. She went from ripping apart everything in the house and being a crazy (but loving) little terror to a calm and well trained angel in just a few sessions. If you put in the work as a family and listen to your trainer, you will get amazing results. Can't recommend they're program enough, and our family is extremely grateful to Dog Training Elite New Mexico and our wonderful trainer, John.
  • Samantha D'Anna
    Dec. 11, 2024
    John has been helping me with my miniature dachshund. Flexible scheduling, great tips and tricks!
  • Linda Seebantz
    Nov. 30, 2024
    We came to Elite with a tall order. As a hound dog, Eddy's nature is to lead us to prey, not come when called. Before he became our 3rd hound dog, he had been found in Santa Fe, adopted, and returned twice to the animal shelter. How do we get him to stay near us when he's off-leash and free to run in the wild BLM land behind our house? With baby steps, John advised. Then, he proceeded to carefully take us through the stages of training that brought us to the desired result. Off-leash. Free to run. And he comes when he's called. He also sits, places, and heels. We're ecstatic, and so is Eddy. I can't say enough about John and the team at Dog Training Elite—patient, persistent, kind, and reliable. Now we get to love up this sweet fella, and skip the drama.
  • Jeff Voris
    Nov. 28, 2024
    Dog Training Elite New Mexico help me learn how to control my dog better and help her feel more comfortable and around people and dogs. They are pretty expensive but are very flexible with payments.
  • Brisa Porter-Garcia
    Nov. 22, 2024
    Stephanie and John are awesome! Extremely knowledgeable and introduced me to a lot of great tools and techniques I can use with my dog.
  • Leticia Moedano
    Nov. 22, 2024
    I highly recommend Dog Training Elite for anyone looking for dog training services and especially if you are considering getting your dog service trained. It's a wise investment for you and your dog. The owner, Justin is professional and knowledgeable in dog training and especially in the process required to get a dog properly serviced trained. John Herrera was a phenomenal dog trainer; he is a great at working with you and your pup as a team. You can tell he loves his work and loves dogs. He was prompt and professional for each of our weekly lessons and encouraging with tips on how to improve/what to work on each week before the next lesson. Our goldendoodle started training when he was around 4 months old and just completed his service task training to be a service dog. John was great in training him in my home and also in public spaces to get him ready to successfully pass his public access test (grocery stores, malls, hardware stores). Now that we have completed his individual weekly lessons, we look forward to continuing to join in the group classes with John and his dog Journey . Highly recommend Dog Training Elite.
  • Ken Mashke
    Nov. 16, 2024
    These folks are fantastic! Would rate with 10 stars. Our new puppy was a handful. John visited weekly and was always available when needed. He not only assisted with our dog, but trained us as well😀. I continuously get comments on how well our dog is progressing from neighbors and others. Our biggest problem was jumping up to greet visitors. We pretty much solved that problem in two weeks! Highly recommended.
  • Mary James
    Nov. 16, 2024
    We really enjoyed our experience with Elite from the very beginning! We have a large great pyreness that was challenging us thinking he was the alpha. Elite (John) came in and accessed him and told us he was not an aggressive dog but a reactive dog. We have since gotten to the point where our great pyr (PB) is back to being our gentle giant. As a result we have started training our smaller dog. Our whole experience with John, Stephanie, Mark and Justin has been wonderful and we highly recommend Elite!
  • Daryl Mashke
    Nov. 16, 2024
    This is Maggie! Trained by Dog Traning Elite- John Hererra. Her training sessions were exceptional. John taught us how to work with Maggie, how to heel, sit, stay, come, place and how to behave in public (her not us!). At every session Maggie learned a little bit more, and she is well on her way to becoming the perfect companion. John is patient, but firm, and fully understands animal behavior and how to encourage the dog to do what you want it to do. We are extremely happy with DogTraning Elite's methods. We recommend them to anyone who wants a well behaved companion dog. Especially John. He's the best!
  • Annalee Archuleta
    Nov. 8, 2024
    Dog Training Elite is a great training program. I would highly recommend this training program to anyone interested in training their dog. I would also like to shout out John. He did an amazing job training and teaching me I saw a tremendous difference in my dog and her behavior. Thank you John and Dog Training Elite!!!
  • Stephenie Potts
    Oct. 25, 2024
    I can't begin to explain how much I appreciate Elite and, more specifically, John Herra, for helping us bring out the very best in Gage. John was the perfect trainer for our oversized, misunderstood darling boy. Please don't hesitate to call and begin right away. You'll be thankful you did.
  • Lauren Hagwood
    Oct. 30, 2024
    I worked with John and he was awesome! He really helped my dog and I to feel comfortable going out into public spaces. I was so nervous to go to training because my dog had some aggressive tendencies, but John was so reassuring and helpful, he really made it a judgment free zone! I was so anxious when going out in public with my dog, but John really helped to build my confidence and my dogs confidence in a public setting! I feel so much more comfortable training my dog and I am so glad that I called Dog Training Elite. I also really love that I can go to group classes anytime now and get advice if I ever need any! Thank you, John!
  • Stephenie Duran Potts
    Oct. 24, 2024
    I can't begin to explain how much I appreciate Elite and, more specifically, John Herra, for helping us bring out the very best in Gage. John was the perfect trainer for our oversized, misunderstood d
  • Meghan O'Neill
    Oct. 24, 2024
    I cannot recommend Dog Training Elite NM enough! When my husband came home with a Belgian Shepherd, I immediately took to the internet and started researching dog trainers in ABQ. I reached out to a few and Justin was the first to get back to me and I am SO grateful. I truly believe we would be in a totally different place in our family if we hadn't signed up with Dog Training Elite. John and Stephanie were our trainers and they were the absolute kindest, most encouraging, confidence-boosting dream trainers. We saw results after the first training session with them. We worked hard each week doing our homework with our dog and it really paid off. We are forever grateful for the awesome guidance and incredible skillset that Dog Training Elite offers. We have a 9 month old giant boy who is SO sweet, SO well behaved, SO polite, and listens to all of his commands that we learned with John and Stephanie. Plus, our children (6, 8, 13) participated in training sessions and our dog also listens to them- walks in heel at their side, even! We look forward to going to the group classes and continuing to see them- we were so happy the day our dog graduated (with FLYING colors!) but we were also sad because we loved seeing John and/or Stephanie each week!! We really are forever grateful for our training with them. Worth EVERY penny. 100/100 stars! We love Dog Training Elite and highly recommend them for your dog training needs!
  • Ana Speelman-ONeill
    Oct. 23, 2024
    If you want good training for your dog that lasts and work these are the guys!! We got our dog Slime from the shelter we were told he was rescued from the streets. He is a German shepherd only about 2 and half years old so still in that velociraptor stage. When we first got him he was very crazy jumping on people lots of play biting and not listening when we called his name. The only thing he could do well was sit. I immediately looked into training for him since we like to have people over a lot and found Dog Training Elite. The price scared me a lot but I really wanted to keep Slime and wanted something that would work. The price was well worth it!! We decided with the Gold package. We had Stephanie as our trainer and she is very professional! Slime also loves her. We completed our training and slime was picking up well on everything. We were still having trouble with one thing and they came back out to help us work with him! Slime is still our crazy dog with tons of personality but he listens a lot better and is easier to control. Love these guys and will recommend them to anyone who asks!
  • Donald Meyer
    Oct. 18, 2024
    Extremely professional with all of the equipment needed for great results included in the package. My dog made amazing progress throughout the process.
  • S Habedank
    Oct. 4, 2024
    Great professional training. Our Trainer was flexible and communicated well. We feel that our dog has benefited greatly from this service.

Photo Gallery

See An Elite Dog in Action

Behavior Training Techniques

At DTE, we use techniques rooted in positive reinforcement to encourage lasting behavior changes in dogs. Our methods focus on rewarding desired behaviors with treats or praise, creating a positive association that motivates dogs to repeat those actions.

Here’s how we do it.

We use a clicker to mark the exact moment your dog performs the correct behavior. The click signals a coming reward and helps your dog learn which actions are worth repeating.
Similar to clicker training, this method uses a specific word or phrase like "yes" or "good" to mark the behavior. This verbal cue reinforces positive behavior and strengthens the communication between you and your dog.
By demonstrating correct behaviors with a "model" dog, other dogs in the group learn through observation. This method taps into dogs' natural tendency to imitate, making it easier for them to adopt positive behaviors.
Building a strong bond between dog and owner is key. We build trust and understand your dog's needs to create a cooperative training environment where your dog is more likely to respond positively.
A stick or specific spot is used to guide your dog to the desired behavior, encouraging them to touch or follow the target. Once they succeed, we reinforce the action with a reward. This technique is ideal for teaching complex behaviors and improving focus.
An owner and their happy, healthy dog with expert training from Dog Training Elite New Mexico.

Classical Conditioning, or the Pavlovian Model

Read More
Read Less

Classical conditioning, pioneered by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov's work, is a fundamental principle in dog training. Pavlov’s study showed dogs could learn to associate a neutral stimulus, like a bell, with food, prompting them to respond to the bell alone.

At Dog Training Elite, we apply this principle using positive reinforcement in our behavioral training programs. We pair a command with two stimuli: a clicker (or marker word) and a reward like a treat or praise. The clicker signals the correct behavior, and the reward reinforces it. This method helps dogs quickly understand what’s expected and encourages them to repeat desired behaviors.

Unlike punishment-based methods, classical conditioning with positive reinforcement shapes behavior effectively and creates a well-adjusted, happy dog.

A dog with classical conditioning training from Dog Training Elite New Mexico.

Your Expert Dog Behaviorist in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM

Read More
Read Less

Our certified, experienced trainers are experts in solving various behavior problems, from aggression and anxiety to excessive barking and destructive habits.

We focus on understanding your dog’s personality, environment, and behavior triggers to develop customized training plans. Our trainers will work to resolve these issues and their root causes to prevent them from returning.

What Makes Our Trainers Stand Out?
  • Certified and Experienced: Our trainers are certified professionals with years of experience handling behavioral challenges. With a proven track record of success, they’re equipped to deliver the best results for your pet.
  • Breed-Specific Knowledge: We understand the unique traits of different breeds and customize our training methods to match your dog’s natural behaviors, making the training more effective.
  • Friendly and Understanding: Our trainers are approachable and empathetic, working closely with you to build trust and create a supportive training environment for your dog.
A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite New Mexico.
Dog Training Elite New Mexico light star icon.

Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Victory Begins With Elite Education

Why Choose Dog Training Elite?

Proven Methods for Successful Dog Training


If you're looking for a top dog behaviorist in Albuquerque / Santa Fe, NM, Dog Training Elite is the top choice.

Our experienced trainers handle various issues, including aggression, anxiety, excessive barking, and more. With a personalized approach focused on positive reinforcement, we help dogs overcome their challenges and build stronger, happier relationships with their owners.

No matter how challenging your dog’s behavior may seem, there is hope. Whether your dog’s behavioral issues are minor or more serious, we’re here to help.

Reach out today for a free consultation!