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Puppy Obedience Training

Dog Training Elite of Central Maryland

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An adorable puppy being held by their owner - get professional puppy obedience training in Howard County, MD with Dog Training Elite today.

Dog Training Elite

Puppy Obedience Training in Howard County, MD

When it’s time to bring your new puppy home, one of the best things you can do for their well-being and your sanity is to start obedience training as soon as possible. Puppies are eager to learn and starting training early can prevent unwanted behaviors like chewing, whining, nipping, and accidents.

At Dog Training Elite, we offer professional puppy obedience training in Howard County, MD. Our team has the resources and knowledge you need to feel confident in controlling your new companion and setting your puppy up for lifelong success.

Learn more about our specialized approach to obedience training and book a free consultation with our team to eliminate those unwanted behaviors!

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A little puppy sitting in grass, contact Dog Training Elite of Central Maryland today.

Puppy Essentials Webinar

Free 70-Minute video

$45 Value

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Our trusted puppy class is now available "on-demand" from the comfort of your home! This webinar video is designed for owners of puppies age 8-16 weeks old, and will be accessible to you for free after completing the form below or with the purchase of one of our puppy packages!

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Our webinar includes education on the following topics:
  • Introducing a new puppy to your home
  • Health & well-being
  • Veterinary care & vaccines
  • Nurturing a good temperament
  • Scruffing & calming signals (e.g. dog yoga)
  • Basic Treat Obedience Including: Come, sit, loose-leash walking, and down
  • Puppy Corrections (Stop biting, digging, jumping, etc.)
  • Crate Training / Housebreaking
  • Socialization Tips
  • Environmental Hazards
  • Puppy Enrichment
  • Caring for Your Puppy

Understanding Puppy Obedience Training

Dog Training Elite

Many behaviors that puppies exhibit are completely normal during the “puppy stage,” but if left unaddressed, they can develop into more serious concerns as your puppy grows.

Early obedience training is key to preventing these issues from becoming ingrained habits. Below are some common issues puppies often display, along with the underlying causes:

Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and teething puppies chew to soothe sore gums. While this is natural, it can become a problem when they chew on furniture, shoes, or other household items.
Nipping is a way for puppies to play and communicate, but as they grow, this behavior can become painful and unwanted. Puppies often learn bite inhibition from their littermates, but without proper guidance, they may continue to nip or bite when interacting with people.
Puppies often whine to express discomfort, fear, or a desire for attention. While it may seem cute at first, persistent whining can be a sign of anxiety or other underlying issues, and it may lead to attention-seeking behaviors if not addressed properly.
Jumping is a natural behavior for puppies as they seek to get closer to their handlers. Puppies jump to greet people, but as they grow, this behavior can become overwhelming or even dangerous, especially for small children or elderly individuals.
Puppies are still learning bladder and bowel control, so accidents are common. Without consistent training and guidance, house soiling can become a persistent issue.
Puppies are naturally excited about exploring their surroundings and often pull on the leash to get to where they want to go. Without proper leash training, this behavior can lead to difficulties controlling your dog on walks as they get bigger and stronger.
Puppies bark to communicate, get attention, or out of excitement. However, excessive barking can indicate boredom, fear, or territorial behavior. If not addressed, barking can become a nuisance, especially in social settings or shared living environments.
Digging is often a natural instinct for puppies, especially certain breeds. They may dig to bury toys, cool off, or out of boredom. Without proper intervention, this behavior can lead to damaged lawns and gardens, as well as unwanted messes.
Some puppies develop anxiety when left alone for extended periods. Signs of separation anxiety can include destructive behavior, excessive barking or whining, and even accidents inside the house. Without addressing the root of the anxiety, this behavior can escalate into more severe emotional and behavioral problems as the puppy grows.
Puppies have a natural prey drive, causing them to chase after fast-moving objects, such as squirrels, cars, or even children. Without training, this instinctual behavior can become dangerous, putting the puppy and others at risk, especially in busy areas or near roads.
An adorable puppy being trained by the experts at Dog Training Elite - get Howard County puppy obedience training today.

Puppy Training 101

How to Train a Puppy

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The #1 mistake new puppy owners make when learning how to train a puppy is waiting too long to start puppy training. Other common mistakes include:

  • Avoiding Crates: Crate training is not meant to be a form of punishment or isolation for a puppy or dog. Not only can it help with potty training, as dogs instinctively don’t want to soil their own space, but a crate can provide a safe place for a puppy or dog to go when they are feeling overwhelmed in their environment.
  • Not Puppy-Proofing Your Home: Much like baby-proofing, puppy-proofing a home is necessary to prevent the destruction of personal items, as well as to protect a puppy from harmful things like wires or toxic chemicals. Make sure these things are out of reach, or protected with a gate or another kind of barrier.
  • Scolding or Harmful Punishment: Pushing a puppy’s face into a mess or scolding them after an accident is a prime example of when focusing on positive reinforcement is far more effective than punishment. Puppies don’t understand what they’ve done wrong after the fact. Instead, they’ll associate their owner’s anger with the mess, which can lead to anxiety and cause them to hide their accidents in less obvious places around the house.
  • Failing to Socialize: The window of time between eight weeks and 16 weeks in puppy time is critical for learning to socialize with other dogs and humans. This can lead to antisocial, anxious, or even aggressive behavior when the puppy becomes a dog. Puppy classes at Dog Training Elite are a great way to achieve socialization.

Additional Obedience Training Info

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An adorable golden doodle puppy with Dog Training Elite of Central Maryland.

Puppy Training with Dog Training Elite

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Dog Training Elite can help puppy owners learn how to train a puppy and avoid common mistakes, empowering owners to train at home with all the right tools. This is accomplished with our comprehensive in-home puppy training. For the first 4-6 weeks, trainers use “treat training” before moving on to more advanced puppy training. Treat training helps with the following behaviors:

  • Come, sit, loose-leash walking, and down
  • Puppy Corrections (Stop biting, digging, jumping, etc.)
  • Crate Training/ House Breaking

Trainers will also help owners learn about the following:

  • Socialization Tips
  • Environmental Hazards
  • Puppy Enrichment
  • Caring for Your Puppy
  • And more!
A dog being trained with {Fran_brand_name} - puppy obedience training in Howard County, MD.

Start Puppy Obedience Training Today


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After initial training at home, obedience classes are also a great option for exposing a young puppy to other dogs, people, new sounds, and sights. Combining obedience classes with training at home will ensure a well-behaved puppy that learns quickly.

The Dog Training Elite training method focuses on encouraging proper behaviors with positive reinforcement. Punishment is never used as a form of training as it can lead to aggression and fear in dogs.

Positive reinforcement teaches a puppy that performing obedient behaviors wins love and affection from their owner. Our professional puppy trainers include owners in the training process so that puppies learn who is in charge. By working alongside owners, trainers will help owners and puppies build a strong, healthy relationship founded on loyalty and trust.

Contact us today to start your puppy training journey!

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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Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • juju sandhu
    Jan. 28, 2025
    Sheru learnt a lot while in training. For myself being first time dog owner it meant a lot. Lots of very practical tips so that your puppy behaves the way you expect. I was very happy with conversations and timely responses. The meeting were scheduled taking into consideration of our other commitments. The staff is very trained and very professional. I personally will recommend Dog Training Elite of Central MD if you need help training your dog. Thank you Christy Richard and Tammy for your help. Juju Singh
  • Kate Baumgart
    Jan. 24, 2025
    We had been looking for dog training for our headstrong dog Rudder when we met Christy at a boat show. From the moment we began talking we felt safe and heard with our goals for our boy. We are boaters and were concerned about his safety on the boat as well as day to day manners that needed some sharpening. After working with other trainers prior we hesitated to hire another trainer for fear of wasting money or being unsuccessful. We spoke to Christy and her team a few times throughout the day and had every one of our questions answered with patience and respect. We continued to research and think about starting the process for a few weeks before scheduling the evaluation and as soon as she met Rudder we were confident in her abilities and impressed with how she interacted with him. We immediately signed up with the goal of him being well mannered enough to attend a large Christmas party. The only thing we would have changed was starting sooner. After one session we immediately saw improvements and by Christmas he was so well mannered he was the talk of the party. Everyone was impressed and he has only improved more since then. I went from being a skeptic of hiring another trainer to singing the praises of Christy, Richard, and Tammy. They work seamlessly as a team to ensure success and understanding every step of the way. We could not have asked for a better experience. When they say they want you to be successful and will do what it takes to get you there they mean it. I would recommend them over and over again! Thank you Dog Training Elite!
  • Michelle Walker
    Jan. 2, 2025
    Winston our puppy was crazy until we met Chrissy and Richard! The training was amazing from my first session! Chrissy answers questions 24/7 and Richard was awesome with me during my home sessions. Richard made sure I was confident with the commands before he left! Thanks Elite!
  • Veronica D
    Sep. 4, 2024
    Richard and Christy helped get our puppy super well trained..Thank you Dog Training Elite of Maryland
  • David Schilling
    Sep. 3, 2024
    Christy was awesome with our 2 yr old lab, Tucker. She was very patient with him and we saw great results from her work. They regularly followed up to see how he was doing with his homework and to see if we had any questions or problems. If he was slow to grasp a lesson , they were more than willing to go over the lesson again at the next session. Would highly recommend!!!
  • Maria Lee
    Sep. 1, 2024
    I highly recommend Dog Training Elite. My trainer, Christy, was fantastic! I had rescued a pitbull mix (Blue). A few days later, I reached out to Christy about in-home training. Christy came to my home to do an evaluation. I really liked how comfortable and confident she was when handling Blue. I signed up for their in-home training program so that we would be in our normal environment (with distractions) during the training. The best part of the training was that Christy would work with Blue first until he understood the command. Once he knew the command, Christy would than train me on how to use the command with Blue. It allowed me to watch and ask questions before trying the command myself. In addition, I felt that Christy went above and beyond what other trainers would do. I had a lot of dog related questions beyond our immediate training session. Christy patiently answered my questions and provided her insights. Even when I texted her asking for additional help with Blue, Christy made time to help me with my request. Blue is a better dog because of the training. Blue doesn't jump on people anymore, I know how to handle him when he sees rabbits & squirrels, and he knows his commands very well. Blue and I have a better relationship because of the training. Very grateful for Christy and her Team.
  • KarenSue Dean
    Jul. 17, 2024
    What a great experience we had with Dog Training Elite of CM! They took the time to understand our pooch and worked with us to help her overcome her impulsiveness and reactivity. We never dreamed in a million years that we would be able to take a walk around buses, trucks, bikes, scooter and runners let alone other dogs. We can't recommend them enough and would definitely use them again if the need ever arises.
  • kasey thomas
    Apr. 27, 2024
    We have had nothing but great experiences with Dog Training Elite for the last few months. The trainers are honest, set realistic expectations, and are dedicated to helping their clients reach their training goals. The one-on-one sessions really helped set my puppy up for success for our first group session. We have seen significant improvement with every session and I highly recommend Dog Training Elite for anyone who is looking for obedience, consistency, and overall a more well-behaved dog.
  • Ishita Rahman
    May. 10, 2024
    Christy and Richard have both been amazing. Helped train my not so well behaved older dog.
  • Kellina Nolan
    May. 6, 2024
    We absolutely love, love, love Dog Training Elite. They were so patient training our very nervous puppy. The in home training is phenomenal & we really enjoy the group sessions. The group sessions have been so helpful in socializing our puppy. It’s worth every penny & we have been so happy with the training.
  • Kevin Dunn
    Apr. 24, 2024
    A great experience and worth every penny! We are first time dog owners and this was exactly what we needed.Stanly follows all commands off, sit, down wait and finally free when he can end the commands. Walking actually became dangerous as Stanley went from 2 to 6 months we were the ones being walked or pulled down the street. We now love walks our arms are relaxed and the walks are a pleasure. Dinners are normal again as Stan will PLACE and stay down until he is told to “free” Stanley loves to please so he enjoys it also. Christie the owner is great following up and her trainer Sean is great too. Kevin
  • Carrie M
    Mar. 22, 2024
    Dog Training Elite has by far exceeded my expectations when providing guidance for both my daughter's service dog and my personal dog. They worked with us 1:1 to develop a plan tailored to our family's needs and were always available for questions or concerns. Having at home training was perfect for our scheduling and then pairing with group sessions gave us a well rounded experience for our dogs. Highly recommend!
  • LaToya Cross
    Mar. 22, 2024
    We had the pleasure of working with Christy to train my dog to be a service dog for me. She is so amazing, patient and understanding. My dog has fallen in love with her and lights up while wagging his tail so much when he sees her. I would HIGHLY recommend them for training.
  • Rachael Logan
    Mar. 20, 2024
    Highly recommend. Christy and her team truly know dogs, understand dog behaviour, and are able to help us understand and work with our highly active dog! I have seen so much improvement. The instructions are clear and very doable.
  • Dave Bond
    Feb. 5, 2024
    My Wife & I could not be more pleased with the overall experience we've had working with Christy & Richard from Dog Training Elite! We've seen a tremendous improvement in Baxter's (our 2 year old, German Shepherd Mix) responsiveness to commands, and his general behavior, and we're confident that we now have the tools we need to successfully continue his Training on our own. They came to our home for multiple sessions, addressed all of our concerns, and were very easy to work with! Their passion, communication & flexibility made Training much easier than we ever expected...Highly Recommend!
  • Cheri Chalk
    Feb. 5, 2024
    Excellent business! I can’t say enough about our trainer Christy, she was amazing with our dog Beau and us. He’s a different dog after he completed his training. I highly recommend Christy and her team at Dog Training Elite Central Maryland!
  • Nicole Mazzella
    Dec. 11, 2023
    This training is a game-changer! I was amazed at how quickly we saw results and how easy it is to follow. I would recommend to anyone!
  • Annie
    Oct. 12, 2023
    Excellent trainers and an excellent investment. I made more progress in 6 months with my goldendoodle than I did the previous year of training. Their expertise in service animal training, especially with tasks has been a wonderful help!
  • Emery Nelson
    Oct. 2, 2023
    Dog Training Elite of Central Maryland is amazing!!! Our Goldendoodle was and is an extremely high-energy dog. We were having such a hard time teaching him not to jump on people and run them over as they came into our home. After just a couple of sessions with Christy, our Oliver is like a new man. Don't get me wrong, he is still super high-energy. The difference is, he now listens to our commands. Going on walks is fun again. Thank you, Christy and Dog Training Elite!!
  • Kenneth Sarkady
    Sep. 26, 2023
    Training was excellent!! Experience with trainers were great. Highly recommend this trainer to everyone.