A DTE trainer and german shepherd at a show demo - learn exactly why we offer the best in-home dog training in Grand Rapids, MI.

About Us

Dog Training Elite West Michigan

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A woman walking with a service dog - Dog Training Elite can train your puppy or dog in Grand Rapids, MI.

In-Home Dog Training in Grand Rapids, MI

Why Choose Dog Training Elite?

At DTE, we bring over 45 years of proven experience to every training session. Founded by a dedicated family of dog owners, our company is committed to enhancing the bond between dogs and their handlers with expert obedience training. We focus on teaching dogs to perform at their best, even amidst the toughest distractions.

Our approach is simple and professional, and we maintain the highest industry standards for training service dogs, therapy dogs, and family pets. We believe in training each dog based on their individual needs.

With our in-home dog training in Grand Rapids, MI, you can rest assured your dog receives the most effective training possible.

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About Dog Training Elite West Michigan

Dog Training Elite West Michigan - Meet Our Elite Team. Dog Training Elite in Grand Rapids

Meet the Team

Get to know the dedicated professionals behind Dog Training Elite West Michigan. 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 West Michigan - Our Reviews. DTE in Grand Rapids, MI

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 West Michigan has transformed the lives of countless dogs and their families!
Dog Training Elite West Michigan - FAQs. DTE in Grand Rapids, MI

FAQs

Our FAQs cover the most common inquiries about our training methods, programs, and what you can expect when working with Dog Training Elite West Michigan. If you’re curious about anything related to our services, this is where you will find the information you need.
Dog Training Elite West Michigan - Careers. DTE in Grand Rapids, MI

Careers

Join the Dog Training Elite West Michigan 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 West Michigan - Our Gallery. Dog Training Elite in Grand Rapids, MI

Gallery

Our gallery features photos and videos of dogs in training, successful graduates, and highlights from community events. See what Dog Training Elite West Michigan can offer your dog and get a glimpse of the work we’re passionate about.
Dog Training Elite West Michigan - Local Dog Trainers in Grand Rapids, MI. DTE

In the Community

At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, 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.

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!

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Our Values


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At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, our core values are the foundation of everything we do. These values guide our approach to dog training and define our commitment to our clients, their pets, and the community.


Commitment to Our Customers

We believe each customer is our most important customer. We understand every dog and owner is unique, and we customize our services to meet those individual needs. From the first consultation to the final training session, we are dedicated to providing prompt, courteous, and elite service. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we go above and beyond to make sure you and your dog have a rewarding and successful experience.

Integrity and Professionalism

Every training service we provide at Dog Training Elite West Michigan is designed with integrity and professionalism. Whether working with a family pet, a service dog, or a therapy dog, we maintain the highest standards in the dog training industry. Our dedication to ethical practices and professional excellence is evident in every aspect of our work.

Customer Ease and Satisfaction

We strive to make the training process as easy and rewarding as possible for our customers. By offering the tools and resources to build a lasting bond with their dog, we help owners enjoy the pride and comfort of a well-behaved pet. Our training programs are designed to exceed expectations and make the journey effective and enjoyable.

Excellence in Service

We stand behind our work with confidence. As dog training experts, we have the tools, knowledge, and experience to deliver on our promises. We are committed to continuous improvement and always strive to improve our training techniques. If a client is ever unhappy with our services, we do our best to make it right.


At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, these values are promises we keep every day as we provide elite in-home dog training to owners and families in the Grand Rapids community.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Michael Lewis
    Nov. 11, 2025
    Carrie is an amazing dog trainer. She has such a strong, calm command with the dogs and they respond to her right away. She trained our golden retriever puppy and helped refine our 4-year-old golden who had some long-standing house behavior problems. The difference has been incredible. She also gave us great recommendations for collars, leashes, grooming tools, and an overall training approach that really works. We’re so thankful for her help and can’t recommend her enough.
  • Elena
    Oct. 25, 2025
    I would highly recommend Dog Training Elite. All of my dog’s questions and concerns were answered in detail. I feel so much more confident with my dog and can’t wait to see how she continues to improve.
  • Araceli Warners
    Oct. 14, 2025
    We’ve had such a great experience working with Carrie at Dog Training Elite of West Michigan. The private, one-on-one lessons have been incredibly helpful in training our therapy pup, and Carrie’s calm, knowledgeable, and supportive approach has made all the difference. She truly cares and it shows in every session. We’re so grateful for her guidance and couldn’t recommend her more!
  • Jennifer Dykstra
    Sep. 17, 2025
    Carrie at Dog Training Elite West Michigan is great. She’s professional and a good listener. She explains everything and takes her time. I love that she comes to you to work with your dog in their environment! I highly recommend DTE!!
  • Natalie Claire
    Sep. 9, 2025
    I am working with Carie and she is THE BEST!!! I could never find a better dog trainer. I did so so much research to find the best trainer and i found Dog Training Elite and everything she says and teaches is amazing!!! They are very educated and know their stuff. I am so proud of who my dog has become and i can’t wait to continue my service dog journey with him, Carie and her business Dog Training Elite West Michigan!!! I could never recommend them enough they are so so so amazing and professional and everything they do is literally perfect i love them so much!!! If you are training a service dog or just need training CHOOSE THEM!! They are amazing lots of love to you Dog Training Elite!! 🩷
  • Kelly Barcheski
    Aug. 22, 2025
    Love Carrie and Dog Training Elite! So happy we went this route with our GSD. She’s very thorough and provides confidence to both the owner and the pup!
  • JB Jordan
    Jul. 18, 2025
    Carrie did an amazing job with our three rescue pit mix puppies. She guided us in how to properly execute the commands that result in happy obedient puppies. I highly recommend! This company earns every dollar you invest in your canine quadruped companions!
  • Rachel Smiertka
    Jul. 18, 2025
    Carrie is great and really knows her stuff. She started by helping us train some bad habits out of our Doberman. Then she helped us by picking out the perfect Golden and is now training him as a service dog for my daughter. Carrie is very patient, accommodating in scheduling and always available to answer questions.
  • Laurel Borchardt
    Jul. 9, 2025
    Carrie has been a god spend for us & our golden retriever, Sonny!! Our dog loves training with her & she is so knowledgeable, attentive, firm & loving! Our dog is so well behaved now& the biggest improvements we have seen are his listening & demeanor outside, on walks healing, and how quickly he listens to us with distractions around. We are so appreciative of these trainings& would recommend Carrie to anyone! We are finishing up or one on one sessions & looking forward to group classes soon!
  • Brad Fischer
    Jun. 25, 2025
    The best training we could have hoped for! Our dog has learned very quickly and can now be trusted off leash among other things. Would definitely recommend
  • Molly Ellis
    Jun. 9, 2025
    Carrie was terrific— good w us and great w our dogs We learned a lot and so did the dogs— we highly recommend her
  • Kayty Ihara
    May. 27, 2025
    We couldn’t be happier with the results we’ve seen from working with Carrie at Dog Training Elite. From the very first session, it was clear that Carrie is not only highly knowledgeable and professional, but also genuinely passionate about helping dogs and their owners succeed. She took the time to understand our dog (Boomer) unique personality and needs, and tailored the training accordingly. Her calm, confident, and engaging approach put both us and our dog at ease, and we saw real progress after just a few sessions. What we appreciated most was how she empowered us as owners to feel confident and in control, using clear, effective techniques that truly work. Thanks to Carrie, our dog is more focused, better behaved, and happier overall. We’re so grateful for the positive impact she’s had on our lives and are looking forward to our next few weeks of training. Highly recommend Carrie to anyone looking for high-quality, compassionate dog training!
  • Mary N
    May. 8, 2025
    Carrie has been great to work with It took some getting used to her approach but it works!I highly recommend Dog Training Elite West Michigan. Mary Nalbach
  • Elise VanDyken
    May. 6, 2025
    Carrie's expertise was so appreciated We needed to get our black lab that was adopted at age 3 to learn to heel on walks. Fantastic coaching!! Rocky will be great on a leash because of her.
  • Julie Schmuker
    Apr. 24, 2025
    Carrie has been absolutely amazing with my girls. We saw an immediate improvement in their focus and attitude after the first meeting. I never knew my girls were so smart and eager to learn. Thank you Carrie for helping us keep our little stubborn one. What you have taught us and them has truly transformed the way we all interact.
  • Ann-Marie Ellis
    Apr. 17, 2025
    Would HIGHLY recommend Dog Training Elite! We have worked with Carrie and are so impressed with her knowledge, professionalism, and care. She has been invaluable in teaching us how to best train our dog. She makes a point to understand our family and home so she can best help us to train our dog effectively. We have already seen such gains with our dog (that is only 6 months old). We are so grateful for Dog Training Elite.
  • amber deneen
    Apr. 15, 2025
    We have been working with Carrie for a few weeks now and are seeing some very positive results! The e-collar is an excellent tool to communicate with our dog and has helped us with some frustrations. Carrie is very knowledgeable and patient with us. In a positive way, she has brought to our attention things we were doing as owners that weren't so helpful. I have enjoyed the in home training session because I am able to learn the commands first hand. This type of personalized training has helped me gain more confidenc. I am looking forward to group training soon and learning more!
  • jodi morton
    Apr. 9, 2025
    We are so thankful for Carrie and her expertise! We contacted Carrie once we were at our wits end with our 6 month old puppy who had separation anxiety and aggression. She helped us feel more in control and she gave us tools to help our puppy (and us!) feel successful! Carrie is a life saver!
  • Heidi Maroney
    Mar. 23, 2025
    We trained with Carrie about 8 months ago. The website said she was good with training dogs with anxiety and aggression. This was why we hired her. We have 2 rescue dogs. Our youngest had a lot of anxiety and was acting aggressively. Challenge was she wasn't even a year old and we wanted to help train the fear and aggression out of her. Unfortunately, when they were tired they got into a fight. My husband put his hand in-between them and was bitten. This was NOT a normal thing and it has not happened again. As expensive as the training was, we couldn't complete the socialization group classes because she insisted we put a muzzle on her. We tried and the amount of anxiety, fear and aggression increased with the muzzle. So we couldn't go to the classes. We have been socializing her and she LOVES people now. She shows zero aggression and is no longer so fearful! The tools the trainer used were good and we are still using them. I am only doing this review so other dog parents dont try to use this company for anxiety and aggression training. What worked is a lot of love, using the buttons and keeping them from rough housing when playing. The buttons work however we now just have to show them we are about to button them for them to do exactly what we ask them to. They do seem to understand English! So in a lot of ways this training gave us some great tools. Socialization has happened on lots of walks and the vet. They sit before meeting anyone and are doing really well. Just keep in mind the suggestion for muzzles for aggressive dogs with anxiety. The pictures below are our dogs. The youngest one is the one thinking she is a cat!
  • Timothy Ellis
    Mar. 21, 2025
    Carrie has been amazing to work with, and we have seen incredible results with our Golden Retriever (Moose). We started working with Dog Training Elite West Michigan when Moose was a puppy. My wife is new to dog ownership and Carrie gave us tips and training that made even the puppy stage a blast. We are now training with the e-collar, and seeing incredible results. I'll be honest I was initially skeptical because I figured e-collar meant shock training. This is completely different, the e-collar serves more as gentle nudge to each command, not a shock for punishment. We all even tested the feeling of the e-collar as a family prior to using. I appreciate Carrie's professionalism, and highly recommend Dog Training Elite West Michigan.

Photo Gallery

See An Elite Dog in Action

An adorable dog outside with a trainer - Dog Training Elite West Michigan.

Our Balanced Methods

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At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, we are deeply committed to creating well-behaved dogs and empowered owners, offering more than basic commands or temporary fixes. Our goal is to be the last dog trainer you will ever need.

  • A Commitment to Compassionate Training: At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, our trainers understand dogs respond best to positive reinforcement, where good behavior is rewarded and trust is built. By focusing on rewards, praise, and encouragement, we help dogs learn desired behaviors in an effective and humane way.
  • Safety and Trust at the Forefront: At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, we know that your dog is a beloved member of your family, and their safety and well-being are our top priorities. You can trust your dog is protected and nurtured in the hands of our skilled trainers. We take pride in creating a safe, supportive environment where dogs can learn, grow, and build a strong bond with their owners.
  • Proven Methods, Positive Results: We have seen time and time again that dogs crave structure and consistency. Our training ensures long term success resulting in happier dogs and stronger relationships between dogs and their families. Whether you’re working on basic obedience or advanced training, you can feel confident our methods will bring out the best in your dog without causing fear or stress.
An image of a girl holding her puppy at home - discover the benefits of Grand Rapids in house puppy training with Dog Training Elite.

Grand Rapids In House Puppy Training

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At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, we believe in-home dog training is the most effective way to address your dog’s needs. Unlike traditional obedience schools, which often provide a one-size-fits-all approach, in-home training allows our team to observe and address your dog’s behavioral issues within the environment they naturally occur.

For instance, if your dog has a habit of barking at the mailman or chasing the neighbor’s cat, our trainers can work directly with your dog in those exact situations. This personalized approach ensures we target the root of the behavior, making it easier for your dog to understand and follow commands.

In-home training minimizes distractions and allows your dog to focus better on learning. By starting in the home and gradually introducing group lessons, our program helps your dog retain commands and respond accordingly to their surroundings.

An adorable golden retriever puppy getting in-home dog training in Grand Rapids, MI from Dog Training Elite.

Benefits of In-Home Training Techniques

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  • Develop a Strong Bond
  • Dogs thrive in training sessions when they are with their loved ones. Learning commands is a way for your dog to connect with you, and your praise and treats make the experience enjoyable and strengthen your bond.

    Sending your dog to obedience school separates you from the training process, missing out on this important connection. At Dog Training Elite, we involve you and your family in every in-home training session. Our trainers focus on teaching you how to train your dog and enhance your bonding experience.

  • Quickly Teach Obedience
  • Obedience commands are crucial for any comprehensive dog training program. They ensure your dog’s safety and prevent unwanted behaviors. At the core of successful training, these commands must be mastered before progressing.

    Our in-home training program emphasizes foundational obedience, teaching essential commands like sit, down, come, and drop it. Once these basics are solidified, our trainers will guide you and your dog through more advanced skills.

  • Correct Problem Behaviors
  • If your dog jumps on guests, charges the door when the bell rings, or begs at the table, these issues can be effectively corrected with the right training techniques.

    Group classes or basic training programs often overlook these specific problem behaviors, which usually occur in your dog's familiar home environment. Bringing a trusted trainer into your home ensures these behaviors are addressed in the context where they happen, leading to more effective solutions.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite West Michigan.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Victory Begins With Elite Education

Schedule Your Free Consultation with Dog Training Elite: A Company That Cares

Grand Rapids In-House Puppy & Dog Training


At Dog Training Elite West Michigan, we provide elite dog training services in Grand Rapids. Our unique and personalized in-home dog training approach ensures your dog’s needs are met and you’re satisfied with the results.

As passionate dog lovers, we’re committed to helping you build a positive, lifelong relationship with your pet. Our proven training methods are designed to bring out the best in your dog while fostering a foundation of trust, love, and loyalty.

Schedule your free consultation for Grand Rapids in-house puppy training and experience the difference of working with a company that truly cares.