Golden Retriever Training in Austin, TX

We cannot say enough good things about Michael and the incredible work he has done with our reactive dog, Tito. From day one, Michael was patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping both Tito and us succeed. What we appreciated most was that he didn’t just train our dog—he trained us as owners as well. He took the time to explain every step of the process, answered every question we had (and we had many!), and was always available when we needed guidance or reassurance. Working with a reactive dog can be overwhelming and emotional at times, but Michael never made us feel rushed or discouraged. He showed tremendous patience with both Tito and us throughout the entire journey. His support, encouragement, and expertise gave us the confidence to stay consistent and trust the process. The results we have seen so far have been truly amazing. Tito has made significant progress, and the positive changes in his behavior have exceeded our expectations. Seeing him become calmer, more confident, and easier to manage has made a huge difference in our daily lives. We are genuinely happier because of the progress we’ve achieved together. We are incredibly grateful that we found this company and had the opportunity to work with Michael. His dedication, professionalism, and genuine care for both dogs and their owners make him exceptional at what he does. Thank you, Michael, for everything you’ve done for Tito and for us. We highly recommend him to anyone looking for a trainer who truly cares and delivers real results.

We have two 2yo male bullies (100 & 125lbs) that were having some hierarchy/reactivity issues together. We knew they were both amazing dogs and wanted to invest in their training so that, through discipline, we could help them learn our expectations, earn our trust, and earn additional freedoms as they progress. Our trainer (Payton) has been amazing. She took the time to understand our dogs’ challenges and we saw a significant improvement immediately. This service has been exactly what we needed, and my wife and I are very glad we made the decision to move forward as our peace of mind is worth infinitely more than the price paid for some outside assistance.

Michael has changed my relationship with my dog! I have so much more compassion and understanding on my dogs communication and behaviors after working with Michael-I’m shocked how my dog has responded in such a short amount of time and I feel super empowered to keep moving our relationship forward with what I’ve learned.

Payton has been amazing to work with! We’ve completed 11 of our 12 one-on-one training sessions, and within just two months, our 5.5-month-old Goldendoodle, Cooper, became service dog certified. What I appreciated most was how much confidence she built in both Cooper and me throughout the process. From training in busy downtown environments to feeling comfortable dropping his leash in high-traffic public areas, Payton was there every step of the way with guidance, encouragement, and expertise. She doesn’t just train your dog…she teaches you how to be a confident handler too! I love that she gave me the tools and knowledge to continue reinforcing Cooper’s training at home, even when she wasn’t there. Thank you so much Payton!

Michael Kwan and the team at Dog Training Elite in Austin are fantastic, and I would recommend them to anyone. It started with a free in-home consultation, where Michael explained the process, our options, and what we could expect from training. He did it in an approachable way that made clear he has a deep understanding of dogs. We had some questions about our shelter pup, and he was very honest and direct about her breed and how that might impact the way she learns. I could ramble for days about how great it was, but I will keep it quick! In home sessions were amazing, and we could see our sweet girl learning in real time. He also equipped us really well to do our “homework” to reinforce the skills he taught our dog. 10/10, 5 stars, whatever the highest marks are is what DTE and Michael deserve.

I had a great experience having my dog trained by Michael. He was extremely friendly and my dog Jax loved every single second with him. Michael was able to take all of my concerns with Jax and create a curated plan to help Jax with those concerns. His leash manners are significantly better, he has gotten much better at recall, and he finally faced his fear of the elevator in my building. Michael really understands dog behavior and taught me so much about how to communicate with Jax. I would highly recommend Dog Training Elite and Michael for anyone looking for their dog to be trained.

We did a lot of research regarding dog trainers in our area and from our first meeting with our DTE trainer, we knew we were in good hands. Our trainer has been nothing short of fantastic. She is incredibly knowledgeable, prompt, thorough, friendly, aware, confident, tough, flexible, and helpful. The cost of our training package is high but worth every penny. You get a lot for your money in terms of one-on-one training sessions, but also with the followup and open group sessions. A+ from us.

Payton is the best! Our little guy, Monty, was a handful. He was treating us like a litter mate. She helped us gain confidence and control. We are all happier and Monty is able to have a lot more fun with us!! Would highly recommend!!

Training with Payton has been such a transformative experience for both Laney and me. Laney is a senior rescue who was picked up as a stray, so there were some basic things she needed to learn and some behaviors I didn't understand or know how to change. Payton has taken time to understand our situation and what our goals are, and takes our sessions at the right pace so we're learning rapidly but not doing too much at once. Training has strengthened my bond with Laney and we communicate so much better now. I'm blown away by her progress and all that she has accomplished! We're so grateful for Payton and DTE!

Michael has been awesome to work with! My dog Loki is training to be a service animal, and since working with him, he has gained so much confidence. Michael is very knowledgeable about dog behavior and truly understands how to build both skills and trust. He’s also very communicative, kind, and easy to work with. If you follow his guidance and consistently put in the practice to strengthen the bond and communication with your dog, you’ll see real progress quickly.

Michael is an outstanding trainer. He has provided great insight and guidance on training my service dog and I attribute my Vizla's progress directly to Michael's calm demeanor and excellent communication skills with dogs. I can't say enough good things how effective the training has been!

Michael Kwan is a fantastic trainer. He made educating an English Bulldog look easy (which it isn’t!). Super personable guy. Would work well with anyone. Highest recommendation from me and from Moose.

Our trainer Payton has been amazing with our German Shepherd Bella. She has been patient with Bella and strict when needed. Our Bella has shown so much progress since starting her program all thanks to Payton. Payton is aslo very knowledgeable and was able to answer questions and concerns. While also helping us be better when it comes to Bella's training. Thank you so much!!!!

My wife and I wanted our Vizsla puppy, Polo, to be service trained with the goal of him becoming a full service dog when he's grown. We found Dog Training Elite and were paired with Mike — and it's been an great experience. Mike is an expert with dogs. He has a great ability to read them and always knows the right approach to take. He's respectful, friendly, and great at communicating with us as owners throughout the process. He's also realistic, which we appreciated. Life gets busy and he was able to suggest ways we could fit quick training sessions into busier weeks. That said, there's no substitute for time, care, and attention. If you want your dog to behave, you have to work for it. The good news is that the work pays dividends. In just 1-2 months, the difference in Polo is amazing. Mike has given us so many tools and commands to manage our puppy safely, whether we're at home or out in public. Highly recommend Mike and Dog Training Elite to anyone looking for a trainer who genuinely cares and knows what they're doing!

I adopted a 4 month old puppy female from Austin Pet's Alive she was a parvo survivor labeled as a terrier mix. After visiting my vet she was convinced that she was a Belgian Malinois and Gray also agreed. I had no idea what that was...... She was out of control jumping, biting, bouts of aggression. She was in the crate too long one day and Gray warned me this breed can't be in a crate more than 8 hours. I didn't listen. She was my third puppy I was not new at having a dog and training a puppy. I met Gray at Georgetown Market Days. I was impressed by how well behaved his dog was. I looked at the price of personal training and I thought there's no way. After entering into PetSmart training and nothing the trainer told me worked. I either hired a professional or I was looking at not keeping her. Gray worked out a payment plan that worked for me, after our first class she was already improving I've now finished my fifth private session and it's been life changing for her (Gigi my now 10 month old puppy) and for me. Gray is patient, he's kind, he's caring. His wife does all the scheduling and billing and she's been just as wonderful I've had many issues come up with Gigi in this journey and he's always just a text away more than willing to help with any challenge that came. We still have a bit of work to do and I will now enter into group training which I'm really looking forward to. Be honest if I had the money I would be paying Gray even more because his giftedness in training is just amazing. Gigi and I aren't in a perfect place yet but we are very well on our way. Here's a picture of us off leash in a store today something I never thought I would see. I do have to say as a dog owner you have to be committed to training and doing exactly as Gray instructs. He's been such a gift 🙏🏼

Michael from Dog Training Elite has been absolutely amazing to work with. From the very first session, his knowledge, patience, and ability to connect with both us and our dog really stood out. What impressed us most was how he helped us understand Cricket’s strengths and showed us how to use those to guide his training. After just one session, we could already see a noticeable shift in Cricket. He became more focused, more eager to please, and started moving out of that chaotic puppy phase. Michael doesn’t just train the dog. He teaches you how to communicate and work with your dog in a way that really sticks. We’re incredibly grateful for his guidance and couldn’t recommend him and Dog Training Elite more highly. If you’re considering training for your dog, you’ll be in great hands with Michael.

Michael has been working with my dog Snoopy for a little over a month now and has helped so so much with overall obedience and her reactivity. Looking forward to continuing to work with him!

Payton, Jennie and the team at Dog Training Elite Austin are AMAZING! My puppy has learned so much, alongside my senior dogs who wanted to get in on the lessons. SO grateful for their help. Most certainly recommending them to all my puppy parent friends.

We had our first training session today with Payton and our puppy, and it was a fantastic experience. Our little guy is incredibly smart — sometimes a little too clever for his own good — and Payton did an excellent job quickly addressing our biggest concerns. Within just a few minutes, we were already seeing noticeable improvements. She also took the time to highlight the positive behaviors we had already helped develop, which was both encouraging and reassuring as new puppy owners. Her approach was patient, knowledgeable, and very effective. We’re looking forward to our next session and continuing the progress we’ve started.

It was great working with trainer Michael. He is very knowledgable and helpful and we recommend him highly!