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FAQs

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland, OH

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Frequently Asked Questions

General
One of our trainers will visit your home to meet you and your dog and discuss any issues you're facing. We will then demonstrate one of our model dogs so you can see what you can expect after hiring our trainers. From there, we will discuss the various packages we offer and which we feel best suit your (and your dog's) needs.
We provide full obedience training that covers all basic commands, both on and off-leash. Our in-home visits target specific issues like counter-surfing, digging, and more. Unlike some trainers, we work with all breeds, including those often considered challenging.
Yes. You (and anyone in your family who wants to be involved) are integral to your dog getting trained. We need you to practice 5-6 days a week, about 15-20 minutes a day for optimal results.
Once a week. We come to you (with the silver, gold and platinum packages) once a week to start your dog off, then you come to park sessions which are held once a week in Cleveland.
To effectively resolve specific issues, we need to start with a solid foundation in obedience. This approach helps you become a confident leader for your dog, which is key to addressing and preventing behavioral problems.
Nope. Those are dangerous grounds to tread upon. We'd much rather train a vicious dog!
We train dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. Whether your dog is a tiny Chihuahua or a large Mastiff, we have the experience and expertise to work with them.
Yes. Working with and controlling aggression is one of our specialties in Cleveland.
We focus on training companion dogs for veterans and individuals with PTSD and other psychological conditions. In addition to service animals, we also train therapy dogs that visit hospitals, nursing homes, and treatment centers.
To be a service dog, your dog needs to have an even temperament. Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Standard Poodles, Goldendoodles, etc. typically have a great temperament for service work. For some types of service work, your dog will need to have AKC certifications (such as Canine Good Citizen or Community Canine) which we are able to certify. As always, we would be happy to assess your dog's aptitude for service work for free!

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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!

About Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Meet Our Elite Team. Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro
Meet the Team
Get to know the dedicated professionals behind Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro. Our team of experienced trainers is passionate about helping dogs and their owners build strong, lasting bonds. Learn about their backgrounds, expertise, and what drives them to deliver the highest level of training in the industry.
Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Customer Reviews. Hear from Happy Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro Clients
Reviews
Our testimonials showcase the success stories of dogs and their owners who have benefited from our training programs. From basic obedience to advanced service dog training, see how Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro has transformed the lives of countless dogs and their families!
Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Careers. Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro
Careers
Join the Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro family! If you’re passionate about dogs and interested in making a difference, explore career opportunities with us. We are always looking for dedicated individuals who share our commitment to excellence in dog training and customer service. Discover how you can grow with us and become a part of a team that truly cares about dogs and their owners.
Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Our Gallery. Dog Training Elite in Cleveland, OH
Gallery
Our gallery features photos and videos of dogs in training, successful graduates, and highlights from community events. See what Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro can offer your dog and get a glimpse of the work we’re passionate about.
Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Local Dog Trainers in Cleveland, OH. DTE
In the Community
At Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro, we’re proud to be an active part of the community we serve. Check out recent events in our area where we’ve had the privilege to participate in local events, support fellow small businesses, and promote responsible dog ownership.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Danielle Zaremba
    Feb. 12, 2025
    Dog Training Elite is truly a business with trainers who have a heart and do everything possible to help a dog. I highly recommend Josh and his team for all training needs. CLE Dog Rescue Crew
  • Kevin Mcquade
    Feb. 12, 2025
    The Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland team demonstrated exceptional patience, knowledge, and experience during my dog's Basic obedience lessons, and their dedication and enthusiasm were the perfect ingredients for achieving rapid progress and lasting results. As a bonus, having a certified Dog behavior expert guided us through the In home dog training process made us feel confident that our furry friend was in capable and knowledgeable hands during the Service Dog Training journey.
  • La Law
    Feb. 12, 2025
    The Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland team demonstrated exceptional empathy, patience, experience, knowledge, and affection as they helped us work through basic obedience lessons and overcome challenges with our puppy Training needs. Fritz had become the best Pupoy and I cannot say enough good things about everyone - they truly are the best!!
  • Cheryl Willis
    Feb. 12, 2025
    Josh and Lexi were amazing. I have a 1 year old golden retriever I thought untrainable just because he was so rambunctious. Not only were they able to work with me and Dune on training, Dune is now at the end training to become a therapy dog! I can’t not express how much they have worked with him as well as myself. I know have a well mannered dog. It is amazing. Thank you for all you guys do! We can’t what to go on our therapy journey. Cheryl
  • David Rodriguez
    Feb. 10, 2025
    Josh and his team were the greatest of help training my pup. The care and expertise they showed was amazing. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an incredibly competent training company.
  • david rodriguez
    Feb. 10, 2025
    The patience and encouragement provided by Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland's Dog Trainer was impressive during the Basic obedience lessons, expertly guiding our pup towards significant improvements.
  • Zach N.
    Apr. 21, 2023
    We cannot recommend Josh and DTE highly enough. He is very knowledgeable and exceptional with our puppy, Noli. He explains things to us in a very clear way and helps us understand how to interact and train our stubborn baby Golden Retriever. Josh is very professional and a great communicator who made scheduling classes very easy and effortless. We look forward to more classes with Josh. Look no further for your dog training needs.
  • Kent H
    Feb. 4, 2025
    Just finished training for our 15 lbs dog Winston. NIGHT AND DAY transformation! Before, Winston would bark non stop when guests were at our house, it was very frustrating, we felt we had tried everything online. Winston went in for the 1 week session and by Wednesday already had a majority of the learning done. This team is just incredible. Cannot recommend enough :)
  • Candice Parr
    Feb. 4, 2025
    Elite training is top-notch. I interviewed several facilities before we decided on Kevin & Andrea and their incredible team. We have been through a few trainings so far and see such a difference in our Brutus already! After we committed to Elite we mentioned it to a friend and she said her Pup had gone through the training and went above and beyond praising Elite and their caring staff. If you want someone with years of experience and treat both yourself and your Pup(s) with respect you want Elite. I procrastinated too long so as they say, just do it, and you will never look back!! A+++++++
  • Lisa Edwards
    Feb. 3, 2025
    I can't say enough wonderful things about my experience with Josh and Dog Training Elite. In Jan 2024, my mother and unexpectedly inherited a Cane Corso mix, an 85 lb flight risk, aggressive towards human and other animals. Josh came all the way to Akron and helped us. His training methods, patience and knowledge saved the dog's life. Today she he runs off leash and responds immediately to the commands. Thank you Josh!!
  • david silberstein
    Feb. 2, 2025
    David my German Shepherd Zeke would highly recommend Dog Training Elite Kevin , Andria are awesome really are compassionate about training Zeke is really making amazing progress very satisfied highly recommend Dog Training Elite.
  • Lance Matthews
    Jan. 31, 2025
    Josh and Lexi with Dog Training Elite are outstanding. Lexi has done wonders with my Vizsla puppy. She is being trained as my service dog; I am a disabled Vet. It is necessary for me to have a dog for specific tasks. Their commitment with training is nothing short of exemplary. Josh will be taking additional time for additional training so my pup can transition to a working dog.
  • James Hand
    Jan. 31, 2025
    They far exceeded our expectations. Josh and Lexiwere always patient and with our dog and us. I could not control Miles and now she is off leash. I would recommend them to everyone and can’t say enough good things about our experience.
  • Sean Hartnett
    Jan. 20, 2025
    Kevin was an incredible trainer for my dog, very patient & kind. Learned my dogs temperament fast & adjusted training for his personality which worked great!
  • Veronica Issac
    Jan. 18, 2025
    Great team of trainers! I have been skeptical of the use of e-collars for training but we needed something different to help with reactivity. The owners are wonderful. They come to you. They sat with me during our evaluation to understand what my pup needed. As a single person with a job with long hours, the yrainers have been very flexible with scheduling. They have been so patient with our training, working through real world scenarios. My pup has made such progress. And best of all, we have access to training for the life of my pup. I'm so grateful to have found Dog Training Elite Northeast OH. It has been such an enjoyable experience.
  • Michael Conley
    Jan. 10, 2025
    I'm am so happy that we found DTE. The Johnsons treat every dog like they are one of their own. They go above and beyond to cater to your training needs. Having used other trainers in the past, DTE far exceeded my expectations and highly recommended them. Thank you Kevin, Andresla, Jimmy and Dennis!
  • Erin Kelly
    Jan. 6, 2025
    Lexi was great to work with! We are so glad we now have the knowledge and skills to continue training our puppy. Happy we started with the puppy classes and then advanced, as she had a lot of the basics down and just needed to apply it to the ecollar. Also really love that they come and do in home sessions!
  • Dana Raponi
    Jan. 4, 2025
    Josh demonstrated exceptional patience, experience, knowledge, kindness, and professionalism throughout our entire experience, from the initial conversation and assistance with getting our E collar set up and working to our in-home dog training sessions. The expertise of their trained dog behavior expert in Basic obedience lessons a was invaluable, making the entire process seamless and highly effective. We have learned so much and it is only going to make us better dog parents as well, and it is also helped to make the transition for our new pup into our home with our other dogs! So very highly recommended!!!
  • Joseph Schafer
    Dec. 20, 2024
    Great experience very thorough and knowledgeable. Very detailed made our experience and handling our dog a breeze
  • Nicole Scholl
    Dec. 20, 2024
    Josh and his team of trainers are absolutely the best. Their professionalism, caring and knowledge made our family and dog training a breeze. In 2 weeks we had an amazing obedient dog!

Our Team

Andrea Johnson - Owner & Trainer
Andrea Johnson
Owner & Trainer

Hello and welcome to our website! My name is Andrea Johnson, I am an owner and trainer here at Dog Training Elite of Northeast Ohio. I was born and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and I am proud to call this home. I have always had dogs as pets, have always adored and admired them for their unconditional love and loyalty. I am excited to be able to help others strengthen their bond with their pets through training and service, excited to enhance others’ lives.

I am a retired Dental Hygienist/Assistant, entered the dental field in 1991. I had an extremely rewarding career, thoroughly enjoyed helping make peoples’ smiles to be bright and healthy.

Married to Kevin Johnson since 1996, we have three wonderful children, two adorable Yellow Labs.

I enjoy traveling, swimming, reading, theater, and spending time with family and friends.

Thank you for considering us for your dog training needs. We look forward to meeting you and working with you!

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Kevin Johnson - Owner & Trainer
Kevin Johnson
Owner & Trainer

Hello, my name is Kevin Johnson and I want to thank you for considering Dog Training Elite of Northeast Ohio. I was born in North Carolina and raised on a farm where we bred and trained hunting dogs. I’ve always enjoyed working with dogs to enhance the lives of their human families. I left North Carolina when I joined the Air Force where I served at the Pentagon and Andrews Air Force Base for 7 years. I met my wonderful wife and business partner, Andrea, in 1994. We have 3 great children and two energetic Yellow Labradors. We have a passion for improving the bonds between families and their K9 family members through greater communication and consistency. We look forward to improving the bond you have with your dog.

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Jimmy Morelli - Trainer
Jimmy Morelli
Trainer

Hello, my name is Jimmy Morelli. I was born in Cleveland but grew up in South Florida. I moved around a lot my adult years before returning home to the Cleveland area when I retired in 2016. I retired from The Department of Homeland Security where I proudly served and protected my country at home and abroad. In my retirement, I have taken on a new passion which is fostering dogs in need. With the help of North Coast Boxer Rescue, I have rescued and found loving forever homes for multiple foster dogs. It is sad (in a way) to see them go but it is so rewarding to know you helped them find a forever home and get to help a future rescue dog. Most of my foster dogs have had heartworms or other medical issues so it’s extra rewarding to know you helped them back to good health. My buddy Scooby is my current foster dog but he is gonna be staying with me for the long haul.

In my spare time I enjoy attending live sporting events, traveling, cooking, and gardening. I am a season ticket holder for all the local sports teams. I have traveled extensively throughout the United States and overseas.

I grew up around dogs and love them for their loyalty and unconditional love. I look forward to working with you and your “best friend”.

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Josh Lopez - Owner / Lead Trainer
Josh Lopez
Owner / Lead Trainer

Josh is a military veteran, whose dog training journey started long before he decided to become a DTE Franchisee. He began training military working dogs (MWD) in 2009 and in doing so has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with his MWD Valdo. Upon completion of his military service, he also trained dogs for the Department of State in support of diplomatic operations. In his spare time Josh enjoys camping, spending time with his family and anything outdoors

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Deacon - Training Dog - Yellow Labrador Retriever
Deacon
Training Dog - Yellow Labrador Retriever

Hi! My name is Deacon. I am an 8yr old Yellow Labrador Retriever. I live with my family in a home with a nice big yard and a pool and I love to romp and swim. Some of my other favorite things to do are eat, sleep, and snuggle! I am a very laid-back kind of guy, and I prefer sneaking up onto the couch whenever I can.

Unfortunately, my brother Cooper passed away in 2020 and I was very sad. My family brought a new puppy into our home, another Yellow Lab, and they named her Minnie. I was not too sure about her at first, but now we are best buddies! I love to romp and swim and play with her now and hope to teach her all I know about eating, sleeping, and snuggling.

I am very excited to be a DTE dog and can’t wait to meet you!

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Minnie - Training Dog - Yellow Labrador Retriever
Minnie
Training Dog - Yellow Labrador Retriever

Hello! My name is Domenica Angela Rose, but you can call me Minnie. I am still just a puppy, six months old, but I am one smart Yellow Labrador! I was born in Salt Lake City as a Tattle Tails Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD), now I live with my family in Northeast Ohio where I work as a DTE demo dog. In my free time, I love to play fetch and swim and run all around our big backyard.

I am very curious, playful, and I can run really fast! Deacon can’t catch me! I love learning new tricks, training and being a demo dog. I am excited to help other dogs and puppies train and learn new tricks, too! Hope to meet you soon!

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Scooby - Training Dog - Boxer
Scooby
Training Dog - Boxer

Hi! My name is Scooby. At best guess, I am about 4 years old. You see, I didn’t have the best life early on. I was found as a stray running the streets in Cleveland and then captured and entered into the system (dog pound!). Yeah...I did some time. That is until this great company, North Coast Boxer Rescue, found me and sprung me from the clink. I went to live with Jimmy Morelli as a foster. I was heartworm positive at the time so he set up treatment for me but before I could begin that treatment they found a mass on my hind leg. It was the dreaded “C” word (Cancer). We had the mass removed and I stayed with this fellow during my recovery. Then we tackled the heartworm issue. I must have made an impression with Jimmy because I have been with him ever since.

I am a typical boxer. I am a lovable goofball with lots of energy. I do love my naps though. I live with my fur sister Bonne. She is a hound/boxer mix who was also a rescue pup. We have a big fenced-in backyard to play in. Which is great because I get to run and wrestle with her. I love people so I am excited to be a part of the Ohio DTE Team.

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