A service dog and their owner outside - find elite service dog training in Cleveland, OH with Dog Training Elite.
Dog Training Elite

Service Dog Training in Cleveland, OH

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Our Service Dog Training Could Help:
Veterans or civilians with PTSD, anxiety, or depression
Children or adults with autism
Individuals with epilepsy
(participating locations)
Advanced medical training (participating locations)

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro

Service Dog Training in Cleveland, OH

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service dog as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” Disabilities include mental or physical impairments that affect an individual’s ability to perform one or more major life activities (walking, seeing, etc.).

Because service dogs play such a key role in the life of disabled individuals, they are protected by the law. Places of residence, employment, and commercial facilities cannot discriminate against disabled individuals with service animals. If you are wondering how to get a service dog, you can either purchase a fully trained dog or purchase a service puppy and train it.

With our service dog training in Cleveland, OH, we ensure that your dog is trained to meet the specific needs of your disability, providing personalized support and empowering both dog and handler for long-term success.

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A man and his support service dog - learn more about our positive training methods at Dog Training Elite.

Our Positive Approach to Service Dog Training


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At Dog Training Elite, we believe that successful dog training requires dedication, patience, and balance. That’s why we are committed to using positive reinforcement techniques in all of our training programs.

Through balanced training, our team helps owners build trust with their dogs. This approach is especially important for service dog training because strong relationships and communication are essential for dogs to reliably assist their handler.

By focusing on encouragement rather than punishment, we created confident, well-behaved dogs that are eager to perform their best and impress their owners.

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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!

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Nancy Heineke
    Nov. 4, 2025
    Elite in North Olmstead is FANTASTIC! We now have well behaved 9 month old pug sisters who actually sit, come and stay in place! I was impressed from the start, with the detailed, thoughtful approach to our orientation, sign up and start of class. The trainers were fantastic because they explained Rosie and Frankie's behavior - broke down the why's - and taught us right along with the girls. My confidence grew with each week, despite the unexpected distractions of life (including a trip to the hospital). I was impressed with the way this group worked as a team and really cared about my furry family members. Our girls went into heat in the middle of their two week plan, and Josh called us at work so we could be prepared and assured us we would pick right back up when they finished. Sure enough! The cost is well work it. My expectations were far exceeded. These trainers know dogs, they know how to train dogs, and teach the humans as well! Pugs are for stubbornness. This is pug 7 and 8 for us, and for the first time I'm walking well-behaved dogs outside! The girls are leaving things alone, sitting when told and seem to have a certain calmness and confidence since class. These folks know what they are doing and they do it in the most professional, compassionate way!
  • Agata King
    Apr. 13, 2024
    Josh has been in my home for multiple sessions and not only is he professional and knowledgable, but also really personable as well. We have a great time each session and my 7 year old dog has made tremendous progress in just 3 sessions. I can't rave enough about these guys, you will not be sorry if you choose them for your canine family!
  • Richard Kmetz
    Nov. 2, 2025
    Josh and his team of trainers are top notch! We took our 6 month old German shepherd there for obedience training. We have noticed a huge difference in lunas behavior. Thank you all at elite dog training.
  • Kim Hofstetter
    Oct. 30, 2025
    This should have been written months ago, but because of the training our pups went through, for the first time in two years, we are no longer prisoners of our home and have been busy traveling and enjoying life with our well-behaved pups. Before Josh came my husband and I were unable to leave our house together, one of us had to remain home to ensure our home wouldn’t be destroyed. We were also unable to have friends and family over for fear of someone being bitten. We addressed our concerns with our veterinarian who HIGHLY recommended Josh and his team. She specifically named Josh because she was aware of his success turning around the behaviors of the most aggressive dogs. So now we had three choices: remain isolated, enlist the help of Josh or euthanize our pup. We trust our veterinarian completely and decided to call Josh. We signed up for the at home, 1:1 training since Bodhi was not appropriate for the group training sessions yet. On his first training day, Bodhi was a growling, gnashing, Whirling Dervish. We were scared for Josh, but he was calm. By the end of the first hour Bodhi sat still at Josh’s side. Each week brought larger improvements. Not only was the aggression gone, but other unstable behaviors ( jumping, non-stop barking, charging the fence) also diminished. We have now joined a new community with people walking their dogs in close proximity to us without an issue. Friends who were unable to visit because of Bodhi’s behaviors now enjoy interacting with him. We have been able to crate train him and are free to leave as a couple. Additionally, we have been able to apply what we learned To help our other dog be well behaved. The training that we learned can be applied to all of our future pups as well. Ours was very dire situation that was completely turned around in eight weeks due to the training Josh
  • 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.
  • Jill Petras
    Sep. 11, 2025
    Kevin was excellent with our dog. His directions for her and us were very clear. Our dog really learned a lot during these lessons. I would highly recommend his service.
  • Klevis Mone
    Oct. 28, 2025
    We cannot say enough amazing things about Dog Training Elite and their incredible team! When we first started, we honestly never thought our Yorkie would be able to listen, follow commands, or ever walk off leash—especially outside with all the distractions. But thanks to Kevin, Karly, Hayley, and Brian, our little pup has completely transformed! From day one, they were patient, knowledgeable, and so encouraging. They truly took the time to understand our dog’s personality and our goals as owners. Every session was fun, positive, and effective. The progress we saw each week blew us away. Now, our Yorkie listens, responds, and walks confidently off leash—something we never imagined possible! The team didn’t just train our dog—they taught us how to communicate better and build a stronger bond with him. Their dedication, professionalism, and genuine care for both pets and owners are unmatched. If you’re thinking about training your dog, don’t hesitate for a second—Dog Training Elite is the best decision you’ll ever make. Thank you so much, Kevin, Karly, Hayley, and Brian, for giving us the tools and confidence to enjoy every moment with our perfectly trained pup!
  • Raven Nightshade
    Oct. 28, 2025
    We were astonished by how incredible everyone involved has been. Our dog has learned so much so quickly, and everyone we have interacted with has been friendly, helpful and just overall amazing to work with. Highly recommend!
  • Jason Ashburn
    Oct. 28, 2025
    Josh and his team are great. You can tell they all love what they're do, and it shows in the training.
  • Hannah Kromer
    Oct. 28, 2025
    I honestly can’t express enough gratitude toward the whole staff for their knowledge and dedication to training dogs. My pup is very energetic and they were able to relocate that energy into training and away from destructive behaviors. I actually feel confident taking him to family events or in public now because he listens so well. We did the two week in facility training and finished our 3 follow ups, and he’s developed so much confidence. If you’re looking to strengthen your relationship with your dog I would say without a doubt you should go to Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland. They are compassionate, highly knowledgeable trainers and we couldn’t be more happy with the outcome.
  • terrell cannon
    Oct. 28, 2025
    The entire team has been great friendly and extremely helpful
  • mina khoury
    Oct. 28, 2025
    josh is absolutely amazing. because of him, my dog has finally went in the car by himself, listens more, and is a better obedient dog over all. i didn't think my dog was capable of this but josh and his team made it possible. thank you josh!!
  • Brooke Whitney
    Oct. 28, 2025
    We first enlisted help from Dog Training Elite last November, about two months after we adopted Oswald. He was extremely scared, undisciplined and reactive around other dogs. And with his large size, we knew we needed help. We chose the day camp training program to help get Oswald (and us!) the training that was badly needed. Josh’s expertise is what drove me to choose Dog Training Elite, and he and his team of trainers deeply care about the dogs and want to see you succeed. And having the continued support of Josh and his team has been invaluable. We have drop-in sessions, home sessions and weekly group training available to us, which have also been of great help. With training and time, Oswald is now a relaxed, well-behaved dog — who can now just be a dog! Friends and family who saw how Oswald behaved when we first adopted him compared to now, always comment on what a good dog he is. Dog Training Elite was recommended to us, and we would recommend them to other dog owners 100% of the time.
  • marko filipovic
    Oct. 28, 2025
    Josh is currently training our dog. He has a tendency to bite at times but Josh is taking the bull by the horns and training our dog into make him obedient and less aggressive. His tips and training methods have improved our dog significantly. One of our friends even noticed he was way better now than before the training. Josh is also very approachable and responds quickly over text if anything arises. He takes the time and effort to make sure the dog is trained with care Instead of fear.
  • Victoriya Sheyfer
    Oct. 27, 2025
    I can’t say enough great things about Josh! He’s truly amazing, so in tune with Enzo and always makes him feel completely comfortable. His patience and attention to detail are unmatched. You can tell he genuinely cares about the dogs he works with and is passionate about what he does. He’s always willing to help, answer questions, and go the extra mile. Enzo absolutely loves him, and I’m so grateful for all the progress we’ve made. I also LOVE fact that every class ends in play time for Enzo so he is nice and tired before going home. Truly the best there is.
  • Barbara Barresi
    Sep. 22, 2025
    Kevin and Andrea at Dog Training Elite, plus their team, helped us reach our goal to have Tucker become a therapy dog!
  • Heather Cappy
    Sep. 17, 2025
    We LOVED everything! We have a lab that is going to be very big, and wanted to nip training in the butt! We could tell a difference in just two days! Everyone did an amazing job training our dog Bruno! Bruno was excited to go to training and would start waging his tail as soon as we pulled in, which showed the love and care they gave him while training! I highly recommend!!!!!
  • TJ
    Sep. 17, 2025
    I can’t say enough good things about my experience with Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland. From the very first session, the trainers brought a calm, confident energy that helped both me and my dog feel at ease. Their collective knowledge and professionalism really stood out, and their consistency across sessions made it easy to build momentum and trust the process. What impressed me most was how patient, understanding, and encouraging each trainer was—especially when my dog had those high-energy, impulsive moments. The basic obedience lessons were clear, effective, and adaptable to real-life situations. The whole experience felt structured but never rigid, and always supportive. If you’re serious about results and want trainers who truly care about both you and your dog, this is the team to work with. Easily the best dog training experience I’ve had in the Cleveland area.
  • Kay Rose
    Sep. 4, 2025
    DTE is fantastic! Our pup was resource guarding and bit my wife and I. We have grandchildren and this behavior was unacceptable. We were devastated as we thought we would have to rehome her. I began searching for resources and contacted DTE. Hailey came and did an in home evaluation. She was knowledgeable and honest. Despite the cost, it has been worth every penny! We now have a well trained dog that no longer resource guards. DTE is knowledgeable, patient and kind as they want what is best for your dog and you. All of the trainers that worked with our Holly were exceptional. Hailey was Holly’s primary trainer and we can’t thank her enough for saving us and our pup. No matter how many times we asked the same question or needed a review of a command she was 100% engaged and helpful. We highly recommend Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland to anyone looking for friendly, effective dog training. Thank you for all of your dedication and hard work!!
  • Giovanna Ciaravino
    Aug. 30, 2025
    The team at Dog Training Elite Greater Cleveland demonstrated remarkable kindness, patience, professionalism, and sense of humor, making the dog training experience both enjoyable and informative expertly guiding our dog through Basic obedience lessons. As a dog owner, it was comforting to have a patient and knowledgeable Dog behavior expert working with my aggressive dog towards achieving necessary skills to take him out in public. Josh was extremely knowledgeable in answering many of my questions and patient with my dog’s progression and my family members while learning how to train my dog. Truly if it wasn’t for Dog Training Elite my dog would be in a very tough spot. With this organization I felt confident in my dog and am very proud of the progress we have made! I highly recommend this dog training especially for aggressive dogs that are deemed intolerable.
A Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro owner smiling with his dog in Cleveland, OH.

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro

Is a Service Dog The Same As a Therapy Dog?

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Many types of working dogs increase the quality of life for their handlers. The three main categories of working dogs are service animal, therapy animal, and emotional support animal. Each category covers different areas of support and different levels of protection under the law.

  1. Service Animal
  2. As mentioned above, service animals assist individuals with disabilities. Depending on the person’s needs, the service animal learns how to perform certain tasks. Guide dogs, for example, help blind individuals safely navigate their environment. Seizure response dogs respond to their handlers when the individual is having a seizure. Service animals are highly trained and specialized, and they are also offered the most protection under the law compared to therapy or emotional support animals.

    Dogs are not the only kinds of service animals - miniature horses are often trained to support individuals with disabilities!

  3. Therapy Animal
  4. Therapy dogs provide comfort and improve the mental well-being of individuals in hospitals, hospice care, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, and more. These dogs must have a friendly, calm demeanor and be comfortable when handled by strangers.

    Therapy dogs are not trained to perform specific tasks, but they must be obedient and well-mannered. Therapy animals are permitted in some areas where pets are not, but they have fewer protections than service animals. All therapy dogs must be certified before they can offer their services to the community.

  5. Emotional Support Animal
  6. Emotional support dogs relieve loneliness, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms of mental health disorders. They provide comfort to their handlers, but they are not trained to perform specific tasks. Most emotional support animals are sensitive to the emotional changes of their handler and will remain close by at all times. Emotional support animals are not protected by the ADA, but residential buildings must permit emotional support animals.

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro

What Can Service Dogs Do?

Service dogs are crucial in assisting individuals with various disabilities and conditions, providing them with support, independence, and companionship. These highly trained dogs can perform specific tasks tailored to the needs of their handlers. Learn about breeds that make great service dogs, who can benefit from a service dog and the training that will help these pups meet their handler's needs.

Service dogs are a great help to disabled individuals thanks to their incredible ability to perform highly specialized tasks, like opening doors, switching lights on and off, assisting with balance and stability, guiding, pulling wheelchairs, answering phones and making calls, finding objects or places, unloading and loading items, clearing rooms, finding help, and many more. Service dogs improve the lives of disabled individuals by increasing their autonomy.
Individuals with certain diseases and disorders can benefit from a highly trained service dog. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and they can detect the chemical changes associated with oncoming seizures and increases in blood pressure. Alert service dogs alert their handler to these situations to prevent a life-threatening emergency. Alert dogs also help those with extreme allergies detect potential allergens in food.
Disabled or epileptic individuals are more prone to emergencies than the average person. Service dogs are trained to alert their handler to a potential emergency, and alert surrounding individuals to an active emergency. Service dogs can also call for help on pre-programmed phones.

Additional Service Training Info

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - PTSD Service Dog Training in Cleveland, OH. DTE

PTSD Service Dog

If you're looking to train a PTSD service dog in Cleveland, OH, Dog Training Elite is here to help. Our service dogs are trained to assist with symptoms such as anxiety, hyper-vigilance, and panic attacks, providing grounding emotional support.

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Psychiatric Service Dog Training in Cleveland, OH

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Our psychiatric service dog training in Cleveland, OH helps individuals with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. We'll help train your dog to mitigate symptoms by offering emotional grounding and support during stressful situations.

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Mobility Service Dog Training in Cleveland, OH

Mobility Support Service Dog

Enhance your independence or help a loved one with specialized mobility service dog training in Cleveland, OH from Dog Training Elite. Our expert trainers teach dogs the skills they need to support their owners with mobility challenges.

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Seizure Response Dog Training in Cleveland, OH

Medical Response Dog Training

If you are in need of a seizure response dog in Cleveland, OH, Dog Training Elite can help. Our training program is designed to help individuals with epilepsy regain independence and confidence.

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro - Autism Support Dog Training in Cleveland, OH

Autism Support Service Dog

Bring life-changing support to your family with Dog Training Elite's autism support dog training in Cleveland, OH. Our compassionate trainers work closely with your family and dog throughout the entire process, ensuring your pup is fully prepared to provide comfort, safety, and companionship.

A service dog at a ball game with their owner - get professional Cleveland service dog training with Dog Training Elite.

Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro

Service Dogs for Anxiety, PTSD, and Autism

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Service dogs trained to assist handlers with severe anxiety or depression perform specific tasks that reduce the potential for panic attacks or self-harm attempts. Such tasks include deep-pressure therapy, tactile stimulation, alerting, clearing rooms, blocking strangers from approaching, and more. Service dogs trained to assist those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have greatly improved the lives of many veterans.

Service dogs also make a big impact on the lives of children with autism. Children with autism are often prone to meltdowns, have trouble communicating, and are quick to run off or become easily lost. Service dogs prevent and mediate all of these behaviors to provide a higher quality of life for children with autism and their families.

As autism is a spectrum disorder, each child has varying needs of assistance. Autism service dogs perform the following tasks:

  • Tracking: Children with autism often wander away, and a parent’s worst fear is turning their back for just a moment and discovering their child is gone. Autism service dogs will track the child if this ever happens.
  • Tethering: This task minimizes wandering, which is common in public settings. The child is tethered to the service dog’s leash or harness, preventing him or her from wandering away.
  • Behavior Interruption: Repetitive and ritualistic behaviors are typical of autistic children, as are meltdowns when the child becomes overstimulated. Autism service dogs recognize these negative behaviors and redirect the child’s attention when they start. A simple paw or nudge is all it takes to prevent a meltdown.
A service puppy waiting for their owner - Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro.

How Do I Get a Service Dog?

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If you are wondering how to get a service dog, there are a couple of different approaches. Some service dogs are purchased outright, fully trained. Or a compatible dog is selected and trained from an early age. Training a dog from the start is the best option, especially for those with specialized needs.

Training a dog to perform service responsibilities must start from day one. Only certain breeds are suited to service work, and breeders put a lot of time into raising puppies to be service animals. Once you have purchased a service puppy, additional training is necessary to prepare your puppy for life as a service dog. This is a complicated process that involves various steps. Dog Training Elite makes getting a service dog easier with our service dog training program.

Our talented trainers can help select puppies that are prepared for a life of service from well-respected breeders. When these puppies enter the service dog training program they are closely monitored for behavior and temperament and can be fully obedience trained by the age of six months. These puppies undergo extensive socialization and additional training to ensure they are well-suited for service and therapy needs including specialized service training alongside the new handler.

This program is ideal for handlers who want to take part in the developmental years and extensive training of their service puppy.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Victory Begins With Elite Education

A trainer, a man and his service dog - find the best service dog training in Cleveland, OH with Dog Training Elite.

We Are Committed to Making a Difference

Choose DTE for Cleveland Service Dog Training

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At Dog Training Elite, we are passionate about transforming lives through Cleveland service dog training. Our proven, balanced training methods help create highly skilled, dependable service dogs that are both obedient and loyal to their handlers.

From mobility support and physical assistance to emotional well-being and more, Dog Training Elite is committed to providing personalized, high-quality training that makes a lasting impact.

Choose Dog Training Elite in Cleveland Metro and experience the difference that elite training and compassionate care can make.