A well-trained dog with training from an expert Dog Training Elite dog behaviorist in Connecticut.
Dog Training Elite

Dog Behaviorist in Connecticut

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Request Free Assessment

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

Connecticut 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 Connecticut, 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 balance, your dog can learn new, desirable behaviors that last.

See Training Packages

Our Behavioral Solution Programs

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT - Dog Socialization Classes in Connecticut

Socialization

Our Connecticut 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 of Southern CT - Dog Training Elite. How to Stop Puppy Biting Connecticut

Biting

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

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT - Reactive Dog Training in Connecticut. DTE

Fear & Reactiveness

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

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT - Destructive Chewing & Digging Training in Connecticut

Destructive Chewing & Digging

Our destructive chewing and digging training in Connecticut addresses your dog’s destructive chewing and digging by redirecting these behaviors toward more appropriate and constructive outlets.

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT - Separation Anxiety Training for Dogs in Connecticut

Separation Anxiety

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

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT - Excessive Barking Training in Connecticut. DTE

Excessive Barking

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

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT - Staying and Coming Training in Connecticut. DTE

Staying & Coming

Our staying and coming training in Connecticut 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 of Southern CT -

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 of Southern CT -

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 of Southern CT -

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 of Southern CT -

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 of Southern CT -

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 of Southern CT -

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 of Southern CT -

Excessive Licking

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

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT -

Leashing

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

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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 of Southern CT -

Escaping

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

Dog Training Elite of Southern CT -

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 of Southern CT - Dog & Puppy Potty Training in Connecticut. DTE

Potty Training

We help dogs learn to relieve themselves outdoors with our Connecticut 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 of Southern CT.

What is Behavioral Training?


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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

  • Rebecca McCall
    Oct. 19, 2026
    We are so appreciative of our time with Illiana! She created an enjoyable experience that helped build our confidence in ourselves and in Duke. It has been wonderful watching Duke develop his own self-trust and learn to trust us, too. We feel Illiana tailored Duke’s training to help our family thrive, and we are so grateful that she helped us navigate his early days as a timid, unsure puppy. Now, at just 8 months old, Duke is playing with other dogs and becoming more comfortable welcoming people into our home and greeting them on walks. It was so much fun having Illiana in our home and working with us at the park! We enjoyed sharing laughs while watching Duke learn and grow in real time. A shoutout to Illiana and Jason for enriching our group experience! We love seeing Duke make more progress with his social skills every time we attend class. A huge thank-you to Wendy for accommodating our scheduling needs and preferences. Communication was always easy and timely! :-) I highly recommend this team to anyone looking for a positive, supportive dog-training experience!
  • Linda Saundry
    Oct. 15, 2026
    I would like to take this opportunity to leave a review for the dog training at Dog Training Elite of Southern Ct. The training is well organized, professionally run and very beneficial to myself and my dog Maverick. Jason and Illiana were very patient with me and Maverick and answered all of my questions!! I was also able to contact them when I needed extra guidance. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite of Ct to anyone looking for excellent training🐾 Linda Saundry
  • Erin Fado
    Oct. 11, 2026
    We can’t recommend Dog Elite enough! Our investment in training has been one of the best decision we've made when it comes to Oakley! Jason has been incredible to work with! He is extremely knowledgable and has provided us the tools to help Oakley become a well-behaved dog who listens and can go just about anywhere with us! We've done both 1-on-1 training and group classes with our Border Collie. If you’re looking for a trainer who can make a real difference, we highly recommend the entire team at Dog Training Elite of Southern CT!
  • Becky Terry
    Oct. 6, 2026
    Top notch personalized training for your Pet. Would recommend Jason and his team. Myla loved her buddy Jason!
  • Jack Feuer
    Sep. 28, 2026
    Dog Training Elite of Southern CT was excellent! After thorough research near Westport, CT, we picked DTE and we are very happy with our decision. All of our expectations were exceeded. Howie was is now fully trained as a Service Dog. All sessions were on-time with follow-up notes texted to me. Howie really enjoyed the sessions too! It was a smooth process for all.
  • Temple DaSilva
    Sep. 4, 2026
    We took in our four year old English mastiff Hank as a foster to adopt in January 2026. He came to us with zero history but it was immediately apparent he had some serious reactivity and behavioral issues. At 165 pounds, it was a very big concern. We looked into board and train but knew that would not be the appropriate solution for Hank. We tried another local training facility and found them to be a waste of time and money. Our neighbor recommended Jason, having recently trained with him for her service dog. In our first meeting with Jason, we knew he would be the right fit for us. He was undaunted by Hank’s size and reactivity. He made sure to understand our goals and the approaches we felt comfortable in trying with Hank. He never pushed us into only one method and continually checks in to see if we want to change our goals or approaches. He has been available to us when we had issues arise between training sessions. His calm, clear instruction is so appreciated. He has trained us in how to manage our new guy. His understanding of dog behavior and openness to solutions that fit the dog and family is invaluable.
  • Katie Francis
    Sep. 3, 2026
    We had an excellent experience with Jason and Iliana. Our 2 year old GSP is an amazing dog but full of energy and curiosity - we love taking him on hikes and wanted to strengthen his off leash recall, as well as leash pulling. We tried other training approaches but he seemed immune! DTE helped us strengthen our communication and trust with our pup, and his overall obedience. They come to your home, meet you out in public training locations, and offer 1:1 and group sessions. Thank you team!
  • Christyn Arisco
    Aug. 28, 2026
    We absolutely loved our training with Jason and Dog Training Elite. He was so knowledgeable and helpful working with Walnut. We have seen so much improvement in Walnut's anxiety, behavior in social settings, and in listening to our commands. We have been able to enjoy walks with him when he can meet new pup friends in our neighborhood, and we are even able to relax when we take Walnut to the brewery! Can't wait to attend our group classes to see his continued improvement.
  • Gina Desmond
    Aug. 25, 2026
    Illiana has been awesome for our dog, Lenox. She is an excellent trainer and she teaches in a way that makes it easy for me to implement everything we practice in our sessions, in every day life when she is not here.
  • Daisy Luv
    Aug. 19, 2026
    This is a great place to find a trainer for your dog, I had trainer Jay. He’s absolutely amazing! They provide you with all the possible tools you will need for your doctor to succeed with his/Her learning. Will continue to use them first service our training wouldn’t choose another place another time to recommend
  • Edwin
    Jul. 27, 2026
    Jason came for the initial visit. We were impressed with his presentation and signed up. Illiana is our trainer who comes to the house and we really like her because she has a special way about her. Pia and Shultz get all excited when she comes. Both pups are responding nice to the training methods introduced at home and at the group classes. We are very happy with the service. Thank you. Ed an Cat- Pia an Shultz
  • Courtney Cole Hurley
    Aug. 12, 2026
    We had such a great experience with Dog Training Elite while working with our 8-month-old Golden Retriever puppy! Jason did our initial evaluation at our home and was incredibly thorough, attentive, and thoughtful. He took the time to understand exactly what we wanted to work on and created a training plan that was truly tailored to our puppy and our goals. We really appreciated that the approach was effective without ever feeling aggressive or overwhelming for our puppy. We then continued our 1:1 training with Iliana, and we saw tangible improvements from day one! She was patient, knowledgeable, and so great at helping both us and our puppy understand what we were working toward. The entire team has been flexible, friendly, and responsive, and it’s very clear how much they genuinely love and care about dogs. We’ve been so happy with the progress we’ve made and are looking forward to continuing our training with the group classes. Highly recommend Dog Training Elite!
  • Albert H
    Aug. 9, 2026
    From day 1 Eliana from Dog Training Elite was professional and taught us many things to work with Hazel. Hazel just 11 months and has a personality befitting a Shih Tzu so it was challenging but with patience eventually she caught on. We highly recommend DTE and look forward to Hazel’s group lessons.
  • Yani Lagoutis
    Aug. 1, 2026
    We’ve had a great experience with Dog Training Elite of Southern CT so far! The personalized training they provide for Hope has made a noticeable difference with leash walking, basic obedience, confidence, and socialization. We really appreciate that the training is tailored specifically to her rather than feeling like a one-size-fits-all approach. We’ve already seen a clear improvement in Hope and are very happy with the progress she’s making. We would definitely recommend Dog Training Elite of Southern CT to anyone looking for professional, personalized dog training!
  • caroline moore
    Jul. 31, 2026
    Jason has been an awesome trainer for Berkeley. We started training when she was just 12 weeks old, and she turned one at the end of April. In less than a year, my pit mix has become a reliable psychiatric service dog that I confidently take everywhere with me. Berkeley has flown with me on four cross-country flights between Connecticut and California, comes with me to all public places, and handles those environments incredibly well. The foundation Jason helped us build from the very beginning has made all the difference. Berkeley had some anxiety in certain situations early on, and Jason gave me practical advice and tools to help us work through it. His guidance helped build her confidence just as much as her skills! If you’re willing to put in the time and effort with your dog and follow Jason’s advice, you’ll absolutely see the results. I highly recommend him!
  • Lucia Hoyte
    Jul. 27, 2026
    We had a wonderful experience working with Ileana and the team. She was able to walk my fur son through all the steps. Scheduling was extremely easy and group session were a great experience. We made meaningful progress with socializing. I would recommend the team 100%!
  • Kyle Buchanan
    Apr. 20, 2024
    From the time my dog was 8 weeks old until now two years later I have taken my dog to Jason at Dog Training Elite of Southern CT for obedience and service dog training. His skill and expertise has been nothing less than exceptional. He taught me how to understand and work with my dog effectively bringing her to the certified service level she has recently attained. I am so grateful for all that he has done. He allowed me to gain confidence within myself throughout the training process. Training me to train her. Thank you Jason for all you have done I will always recommend you to others. I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have without your guidance and support.
  • Sandy Perreault
    Jul. 15, 2026
    Had a wonderful experience with Jason and Illana. My dog has taken large strides in controlling herself around people and other dogs. She's a terrier with a spicy attitude! Still have few more group sessions. Can't wait. I now have a basic idea on how to handle her.
  • wynne mccormick
    Jul. 6, 2026
    Me and my Catalan sheepdog mix/supermutt girl, Dooley, have been learning so much with Illiana, one of the best trainers ive met in my 27 years of dog-owning. Because Dooley loves to run, we've been focused on e-collar training so that I can take her off-leash to various areas and keep her safe and under my command. You think you know dogs and then you meet a trainer like Illiana and realize there's a lot more to learn! I definitely recommend Dog Elite and their trainers.
  • Laura Lorenzo
    Jul. 3, 2026
    DTE has proven to be the right choice for our GSD. Jason has put us on the right path for this training to be successful. Coraggio responds well to Jason. We actually feel like proud parents. This was money well spent. Stratford ,CT

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See An Elite Dog in Action

Behavior Training Techniques

At DTE, we use proven techniques to encourage lasting behavior changes in dogs.

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 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 of Southern CT.

Classical Conditioning, or the Pavlovian Model

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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 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 shapes behavior effectively and creates a well-adjusted, happy dog.

A dog with classical conditioning training from Dog Training Elite of Southern CT.

Your Expert Dog Behaviorist in Connecticut

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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 of Southern CT.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

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Why Choose Dog Training Elite?

Proven Methods for Successful Dog Training


If you're looking for a top dog behaviorist in Connecticut, Dog Training Elite is the top choice.

Our experienced trainers handle various issues, including aggression, anxiety, excessive barking, and more. With a personalized approach, 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!