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Puppy Obedience Training

Dog Training Elite Naperville

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

Dog Training Elite

Puppy Obedience Training in Naperville, IL

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 Naperville, IL. 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 Naperville 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!

Access Webinar

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 Naperville 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.

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An adorable golden doodle puppy with Dog Training Elite Naperville.

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 Naperville, IL.

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

  • Meghan Grzetich
    Feb. 22, 2025
    Amazing! Wonderful , caring staff and very effective training
  • Macie Samek
    Dec. 27, 2024
    The trainers at Dog Training Elite Western Chicago Facility are the best and most reliable people I have met! Everything is well communicated and easy on my side. The facility is so clean inside and out. DTE hosts also amazing activities themed after holidays! Overall they are an amazing experience! Pauline is Benny main trainer and let’s just say me and Benny both love her. She has made such an amazing impact with Benny basic obedience and I can’t wait for our next step with DTE and start service dog training! Thank Pauline and Grace for helping Benny get to wear he is now!
  • Antonia Tienda
    Dec. 23, 2024
    Grace and the team were so patient with our Lab Puppy Duke. They took their time with him and kept a consistent tone to keep him engaged and listening at all times.
  • phil kotas
    Dec. 18, 2024
    Grace at Dog Training Elite Western Chicago Facility demonstrated exceptional patience, reliability, firmness, encouragement, and knowledge throughout the training process, helping my dog master various commands and behaviors. Grace's expert guidance and personalized approach made Dog Training Elite, and of course Grace, the perfect choice for my puppy's in-home dog training needs.
  • Kelly N
    Oct. 14, 2024
    DTE is incredible. They have helped my dog and I develop a deeper bond and trust, all while teaching her how to be a good listener!! Grace and Pauline are super experienced, make group classes fun, and truly love what they do which the dogs can tell! The owners, Katie and Tim are so knowledgeable, I have seen them help dogs and owners come into their own (myself included). I simply cannot express how amazing DTE has been for me and my dog.
  • Carly Paluszek
    Oct. 4, 2024
    We chose Dog Training Elite because they do e-collar training, which is a really great communication tool for our stubborn Great Pyrenees. We did the 7-day training camp with trainer Pauline and noticed an improvement after day 1 in our dog’s recall. We’ve also been able to better manage her leash reactivity. The group classes are fun and engaging, and they host them at different locations around the area. All of the trainers are awesome - patient and sweet with the dogs and always willing to answer questions. We will 100% be using Dog Training Elite for any future dogs we get!
  • Gregory Long
    Aug. 22, 2024
    Our dog didn't play well with others. If another dog showed any interest she responded by lunging, barking, and generally being out of control. Not only was this embarrassing, it was unsafe. She nearly caused my son to fall as she dashed to get other dog. Prior to working with Dog Training Elite, we tried two different trainers. Both relied exclusively on positive reinforcement and neither was able to change our girl's behavior. While this approach works with a lot of dogs, it wasn't helpful for us. We found the combination of e-collar training coupled with treats and praise to be very effective. I couldn't be happier with the results.Also, I'm a fan of the Saturday morning group classes. The opportunity to interact with other dogs has made ours much more relaxed. Although she's still a work in progress, she's so much better and safer now.
  • Cindi Clark
    Apr. 8, 2024
    I am so grateful for finding Dog Training Elite Naperville, the owners and the rest of the team are off the charts amazing, kind, caring, knowledgeable and supportive. Ollie and I are forever grateful and will be their cheerleaders, we both highly recommend Katie, Tim, Pauline and the rest of the team! ☮️❤️🐾
  • Kizito Chibyke
    Mar. 25, 2024
    Dog Trainingin Naperville, IL Very interesting and good quiet place to relax,
  • Kathi Goveia
    Feb. 1, 2024
    I am so happy with the progress that my dog has made since starting at dog training elite! Pauline was absolutely fantastic in explaining everything thoroughly and I’m looking forward to seeing my dogs progress!
  • Janet Anderson
    Jan. 17, 2024
    Tim and Katie are the ultimate dog trainers! My Quinn’s behavior has improved dramatically since we trained there. They came to my home annd eventually we did location tests at various stores and locations. And this is a Western Chicago location but I love that now, no matter where I move, I can find another location and join them for weekend group training for free. My dog is now my certified service dog. She knows when she’s “on the job” and is so excited to wear her vest. Thank you Katie and Tim!
  • Nadine Stanley
    Dec. 30, 2023
    Dog Training Elite has been amazing every step of the way with my son's service dog. From assisting us in finding a dog/breeder for autism service dogs, preparing our family prior to the arrival of Scout, working with us in defining Scout's service skills, to helping us refine my son's understanding of how to be the main handler! We consistently get compliments on his manners, gentle mannerisms (he's a 95lb sweetie!), and the support others see him providing my son. Thank you Dog Training Elite!!!
  • Ana M
    Dec. 10, 2023
    Ms Katie and Ms Pauline are absolutely incredible! So much care and love in their work. They transformed my crazy pup to a manageable good girl! Of course still a puppy but now I have an amazing foundation of obedience to work with. Ms Pauline your amazing walking us through the day. Thank you so much and we will see you soon for more! BB sends hellos to Russo!!
  • Samantha Reimann
    Nov. 15, 2023
    Pauline did such a great job with Harlies (my dog) training! She makes you feel so comfortable when discussing your pups progress and you can tell she genuinely cares about the success of your dogs training. I love that we went with them for our dogs training and cannot wait for the group classes!!
  • Chelsea Ochs
    Sep. 27, 2023
    If I could give more than five stars I would! My experience with Dog Training Elite has been incredible thus far. Katie and Pauline have been incredibly kind, thorough and helpful throughout our entire training process! Every morning and evening Pauline has walked me through specific training focuses and how Hendrix,my two year old Newfie,has responded each day. Not only that, but she puts very detailed effort into training write ups & videos so that I can apply what’s been taught each day! They have been so helpful to reference for continued training at home. It can be challenging trusting others with our pets, but Hendrix loves training and spending time with Pauline. I can tell she’s so loved by your team and we are forever grateful for the hard work and help. Can’t wait to continue with group training & additional courses. :)
  • Diana Kassel
    Sep. 12, 2023
    Drop off days not helps reinforce their training, but for the young pups that need more activity when moms at work it’s great!! Money well spent
  • Karen Vetrovec
    Sep. 12, 2023
    Kate and Tim very effective. Social dog sessions beyond our home just not close to where we live like we thought.