Therapy Dog Training in Asheville

Absolutely thrilled with the transformation in my once seemingly untrainable cattle dog, thanks to David! Their expertise, patience, and tailored training methods have turned my dog into an amazing companion. Highly recommend to any pet owner looking for genuine and effective training solutions!

We could not have asked for better trainers! The difference between our Luna and Rocky’s behavior is incredible! We would 100% recommend getting your puppies/dog’s trained by Dog Training Elite!

We were seeking support with our sassy pup, Murphy, who picks and chooses when she likes other dogs! Nicole and David have been incredible in helping us gain confidence in how to best support Murph and how to handle situations where she becomes aggressive/avoid them altogether! They have been super easy to communicate and schedule with, have been available if we had a quick question outside of training, and the group classes have been SO helpful in desensitizing our pup with other dogs! We have loved their calm and steady approach to training!! Highly highly recommend!!!

We have a Rottweiler puppy that came from a rough and tumble background and was struggling to feel secure in his new home. He had resource guarding issues, jumped on everyone he met, and didn’t like being groomed to the point that he would lash out. David helped us so much, and our dog Reuben is so much happier now that he feels secure in his environment. David is highly responsive at all times to his clients. Highly recommend!

Dave is a fantastic trainer and a great guy. He is both a people person and a dog person who is able to train dog and owner both with sensitivity and humor. He can lead by example or watch as you try out new techniques. You won’t be disappointed.

I would give David a 10 if I could. He knows what he is doing. David, explained to me why my dog Hugo was doing certain behavior and then he helped Hugo and me do something different. When we got Hugo our neighbors said, oh no what did u do? Now, they say, wow is that Hugo? Who helped you? I tell everyone to use David at Dog Training ELITE Asheville!

I can’t recommend David and Nicole enough. I jokingly call David and Nicole the dog whisperers. From the first training we received they were so kind and helpful. They gave both me and my kids the skills needed to train Millie. She went from a very playful, chewing, stubborn puppy to a well behaved dog I feel comfortable having around other people. Their method of in-home training allowed me to watch them train Millie in her own environment, then they would watch me do the same to make necessary corrections, so that I could continue the same skills once they were gone. I have told every friend with a new (or old) puppy to call Dog Training Elite Asheville. You won’t regret it!

Our Dog Hugo is a 70# Golden Doodle rescue, we are his 3rd home. He had issues barking, chasing cars, and being aggressive with a few of the male dogs in the neighborhood. He pulled me down a few times when we first got him. He jumped on one of my neighbors recently after she had a knee replacement and that was not acceptable. We have tried other local training facilities and Hugo didn't get much better. David and Nicole have made a huge difference in Hugo's behavior, and his quality of life. He actually has more freedom now because he knows what we are asking and he is eager to please. He enjoys the training we are doing and he seems happier now because we are able to take him more places with confidence. We are happier also. I like the approach they use in training. Treats are not used as the reward. Even our neighbors have noticed that Hugo is calmer and doesn't bark at them when they pass by our house. I am so pleased with the quality of the training. If you are a Veteran they give 10% discounts as well. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite of Asheville.

I would highly recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone. We began working with them last fall and our 1 yr old husky mix has transformed in ways that has been so good for her self-esteem and she is well on her way to beginning service dog training. She was overly submissive and did not know how to greet any new person or dog without rolling over in submission and not having confident boundaries. She now is able to perform all of her basic obedience commands and trust in her confidence when meeting new people and dogs. Because of Dog Training Elite, she is going to be able to help our family as a service dog and many others that she meets in the world! If you are considering using this company, go ahead and move forward now. You and your dog will gain what you want and a lot more!

We met the Dog Training Elite Asheville folks at the Apple Festival in Sept 2023. We were so impressed with their knowledge and their dogs onsite were trained and so well behaved...I kept the business card for when we would rescue a new dog. The time came and we have completed 5/6 training sessions and our 7 year golden lab rescue has gone from knowing only a couple of commands with no boundaries; barking; mouthing; etc., to a 180 of listening and obeying. At first we were a bit surprised at the cost BUT it's well worth the money. It's super convenient that they come to our home for our 1:1 sessions and then we work on our own with daily training. I would highly recommend them with five golden stars :)

We have a very reactive dog with massive anxiety. It was so bad that we couldn’t have people over to our house because the dog would viscously bark and lunge, and occasionally nip visitors. We worked with a few trainers who encouraged positive reinforcement with the use of treats and simple commands. Unfortunately, with our dogs demeanor and history, that method was ineffective. Within one meeting with David and Nicole our dog went from fierce growling, lunging, and muzzle punching to listening to our commands, and attempting to avoid the situation entirely. After two more sessions our dog was off muzzle, calm, and training easily. He now tolerates visitors to our house, and will quickly reverse course during a visit if he starts to become worried. We put our trust in David and Nicole and it truly paid off. I can not say enough good things about not only the way they train dogs and their humans, but also just how much they care about us and our dog.

Our Gracie Mae has turned into a totally different dog!! David and Nikki are so loving and attentive to not only Gracie but to us! I will forever recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone who needs help with their dog!!

I had my dog Jude trained by 3 separate trainers before going to David and Nicki at Dog Training Elite. This is the first time that he is listening flawlessly without expecting a treat for the tasks. They are great with your dog and they treat you like family. Highly recommend anyone call them for your dog training needs!

Nicole and David are phenomenal in helping me establish a loving and respectful relationship with Earl my puppy. I read the great reviews and contacted them BEFORE Earl came home. Nicole and David came the very next day and started me on this wonderful journey of creating a relationship with a puppy that will grow into a wonderful member of the Asheville community. With a warm expertise, they are teaching me what I must know so that I can bond with Earl in a way that Earl trusts me, has faith in my decisions and will consistently behave like a well mannered dog every where we go in the world. Nicole and David have such a professional manner whilst being generously making themselves available to answer my questions between sessions. I wish I had partnered with Dog Training Elite Asheville years ago. I strongly recommend the Platinum training package as your family and dog deserve the best opportunity to create a safe, loving and respectful environment for all. Thank you, DTE-AVL! We are grateful for you. Dedi & Earl

We used Dog Training Elite Asheville to help get our dog trained and registered as a therapy dog for our childcare business. We looked at all other dog training options in the area before settling on them. We felt really confident that they knew what they were doing and they did a wonderful job at helping us through the process. David and Nicole are always open and honest about where our dog was in the process and never made us feel like we were taking unnecessary steps in his training. Their therapy dog testing process is very thorough! We are so excited to be able to officially make Rigby a team member at the school and it is all thanks to David and Nicole!

My dog, Abbey, had a lot of the basics down pat but was ready to do Service Dog and Therapy Dog training. David and Nicole have moved her through the training smoothly and easily. For every place I got stuck, they had a solution. The training is kind and positively reinforced without the constant trail of treats that leave the dog only performing for food in the hand. I saw new skills in Abbey very quickly each time they were introduced. She loves David and Nicole and looks forward to their arrival at our house for training days. I highly recommend them!

I cannot say enough amazing things about training with David! I told him I had to write a 12 hour miracle review. After adopting my pup in August, we were solely doing positive reinforcement training .. which actually led us to behavior issues while walking on the leash & in the house. We moved from out of state, which really stressed him out and escalated the behavior. Again, saw a behaviorist in the area with very poor results from solely positive reinforcement- it created a bratty teenage puppy. After our very first lesson with David, I didn’t even recognize my dog the next morning. That whole first week- overall SOO much better behaved. Our second lesson we worked on our sit stays with dropping the leash - before that I could never even imagined doing such a thing! It been 2 days since our second lesson and again I don’t recognize my dog in the best way. I’m 100% convinced this method of balance training and working with David is worth every penny. Bodhi was already a great dog, but now he’s even better!

I am incredibly satisfied with Dog Training Elite Asheville. David and Nicky have provided me with the tools, knowledge and skills to train my black lab, Olive. I have learned to safely and effectively use an E-Collar, it has been the best tool for training! Trust in David, Nicky and the Elite Dog training process. It has been worth every penny! I now have a well trained dog that I can take with me anywhere. Call them for a free in home consultation, you won’t be disappointed.

Best dog trainers does great with dogs. My dog went from nipping and jumping to calm and loving, and all around great personalities. Everyone wants their dogs train. Please get them trained by David and Nikki. They treat you like family.

PLEASE READ TO INSURE HAPPY WELL TRAINED DOG My wife and I have always had dogs. After our 12 and 14 year old Portuguese Water Dogs passed away we waited for 4 years before bringing a Mini-Bernese Mountain Dog into our home. Being in our 70's we just weren't up to training a puppy. We sought individual training and the first several lessons were okay. Due to the energy of our 9 month old puppy, my wife and I were strongly encouraged to board our dog for a month for more intense training. This is not what our sweet, lively puppy needed. We did not agree with giving our dog away for 4 weeks for other people to do in essence what we need to do in our home. Not giving up and realizing how much in-home training made since, we called Dog Training Elite. Our first session was a wonderful experience for us as well as for our puppy. We have had only three training sessions and have experienced great growth in the behavior of our dog, Daffodil. The technics Dog Training Elite teach encourages the dog to want to please in a loving environment. We highly recommend the professional, knowledgeable methods of Dog Training Elite, Steve and Roslyn Seneker