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Military / Retired Vet Programs

Dog Training Elite Richmond

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A military veteran and service dog - Dog Training Elite offers elite veteran service dog training in Richmond, VA.

Dog Training Elite

Military Veteran Service Dog Training in Richmond, VA

At Dog Training Elite Richmond, we strongly believe in the healing power of service dogs for military veterans. That’s why we dedicate our time and passion to providing veteran service dog training in Richmond, VA.

Service dogs can greatly assist with both the mental and physical challenges veterans may face after serving our country. Many veterans experience PTSD, physical disabilities, or other impairments, and our service dogs have been proven to help reduce symptoms and support veterans in returning to their daily routines.

Learn more about our programs designed for veterans and discover why Dog Training Elite is committed to making a difference in the community.

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A service puppy in training - Dog Training Elite offers veteran service dog training in Richmond, VA for those who have served our country.

Dog Training Elite Richmond

Why We Offer Service Dog Training for Military Veterans

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At Dog Training Elite Richmond, we are passionate about helping military veterans through the support of service dogs. We offer specialized service dog training options in Richmond, backed by scientific research and proven by our own success stories.

In a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans paired with service dogs experienced a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms and fewer self-harm ideations. The mental health and medical communities increasingly recognize service dogs’ positive impact on emotional well-being and independence, making them one of the most effective tools for veteran recovery.

At Dog Training Elite, we are dedicated to providing exceptional dog training services that provide the tools and support needed for our veterans and their dogs to thrive, offering a path toward healing and better quality of life.

A beautiful golden retriever service dog - Dog Training Elite Richmond.

Popular Service Dog Breeds


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Finding a service dog that fits your individual needs is important, especially for military veteran support. While most dogs can be trained to become service dogs, a few breeds stand out due to their personalities and inherent traits.

Here are a few of the most popular service dog breeds:

  1. Labrador Retrievers: Labradors are intelligent, versatile, and eager to please, making them ideal for PTSD service dogs. Their trainability allows them to excel in roles like guide dogs, mobility support, and emotional support, making them highly adaptable for veterans.
  2. Golden Retrievers: Golden Retrievers are known for their calm, gentle nature and strong work ethic. They are excellent at providing mobility assistance and emotional support, especially for veterans with PTSD, due to their patient and loving temperament.
  3. German Shepherds: German Shepherds are strong, loyal, and highly intelligent, making them excellent service dogs. Their protective instincts and trainability allow them to assist with mobility, search and rescue, and provide emotional support for veterans.
  4. Malinois: Belgian Malinois are known for their deep loyalty and intelligence. Malinois are not for everyone due to their energy and drive, but for retired veterans who appreciate discipline, structure, and a deep connection, they can be life-changing companions.

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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A service dog and his veteran owner - Dog Training Elite Richmond.

Our Veteran Service Dog Training in Richmond, VA

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Service dogs undergo extensive specialized training to perform their tasks and assist their owners. Our training process involves a combination of obedience training, task training, and public access training.

  • Obedience Training: This training focuses on teaching a dog basic commands, such as sit, down, heel, come, as well as proper leash manners and socialization skills.
  • Task Training: Task training is tailored to fit the needs of each individual. It involves teaching the dog to perform tasks that mitigate the person’s disability, such as retrieving items, opening doors, or providing deep pressure therapy.
  • Public Access Training: This type of training is crucial to ensure the dog remains calm, well-behaved, and non-disruptive in various public settings. This training includes exposure to different environments, distractions, and social interactions to provide a dog that can confidently navigate public spaces.
A beautiful service dog standing outside - Dog Training Elite Richmond.

Service Dogs for Veterans & PTSD

Get Specialized Training with DTE Today

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Training with Dog Training Elite is tailored specifically for military veterans dealing with PTSD and other service-related challenges. Our programs focus on helping veterans regain independence, emotional stability, and confidence through the support of a well-trained service dog.

At Dog Training Elite, we are dedicated to providing service dog training that strengthens the bond between veterans and their dogs, guiding them toward a brighter future and supporting their healing journey.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Lisa McCall
    Jan. 4, 2026
    Dog Training Elite Richmond is the perfect place to go for excellent dog training. My 2-year-old golden retriever is training to be a working therapy dog. Our trainer, Matt, has been working with Charlie, and we have seen so many improvements. Paul worked with us at the beginning to determine where to place Charlie, as he had completed puppy training classes in NC before moving to VA and had already passed his Canine Good Citizen Test. Matt worked one-on-one with Charlie at our home, then a few sessions at various community locations. Charlie is now attending group classes, and he is doing a fantastic job. I love how Paul and Matt look at each dog and focus on what the dog needs. They are patient, they give great advice, and my dog absolutely loves them! I highly recommend Dog Training Elite Richmond! Lisa McCall
  • Carole Bourgeacq-Hardt
    Dec. 23, 2025
    Paul and his staff were very helpful with the training of our chocolate lab, Max. At the beginning the sessions happened in a calm environment by patient and knowledgeable trainers. Then, Max was exposed to busy surroundings like Lowe’s. I feel like Paul took the time to know Max and his needs. He always has helpful comments and pointers pertinent to Max.
  • Ralph Condit
    Dec. 22, 2025
    I can’t say enough good things about Dog Training Elite and especially Paul. I needed a service dog and after being told by numerous organizations that I would have to wait several years I purchased a puppy and found DTE to help me train him. Paul was amazing and flexible when it came to where we would do training because where I lived was out of the area they could do in home training. With Paul’s great training and mentorship of working with my dog I was able to get him to his Canine Good Citizen and Advanced Canine Good Citizen and Public Access in almost record time. This was a life saver for me and helped with my ability to be out in public and just live a happier life. Paul’s continual support and group classes are a great place to work my dog around other well-behaved dogs but to be able to showcase to newer people how well the training works. Ralph
  • Kylee Nicole
    Dec. 21, 2025
    After careful consideration, hours of scouring reviews and best training programs in the area, we were brought to DTE Richmond. I called Paul and set up our training—it was SO easy and Paul was so informative and welcoming. Matt has been training our dog Samson over a stretch of months now, we still have more sessions to go and Samson was already turning into a completely different dog after our first couple of sessions. Matt has been a godsend for Samson & my husband and I. We needed a good foundation to help us help our dog learn his manners and Matt has shown us how to do that. We take everything we learn and put the work in daily. Again, cannot say enough amazing things about Matt. Samson absolutely adores him and gets so excited to see his car pull up. I highly recommend DTE, especially their platinum program. We’re very excited to start group classes and love that this is a lifetime thing we can be a part of.
  • Laura Quintero
    Dec. 21, 2025
    Matt was thorough and patient with my son and his dog, Colby. He is 8 yrs on 12/22 and he flunked the beginner session at a local pet store. He passed the repeat and didn’t finish the second. He is strong willed but as time went on we tried to use what we learned and he did have a few successes. Our big issues with the Colbmyster was excessive pulling combined with never knowing when. We decided to try DTE. The change has been pretty remarkable. Our problem now is the human element. Consistency consistency consistency 🤦🏼‍♀️
  • Samantha White Cook
    Dec. 21, 2025
    We currently use them and they are amazing are puppy is 8 months and already passed his AKC and we are starting his service training in January! All thanks to Dog training elite Richmond! Our trainer is Matt and he is very thorough and explains step by step if you have a concern not only does Matt help but the owner Paul does too ! It’s hard finding a company where the owner is involved but Paul definitely is him and Matt take turns doing the weekly group classes! The structure is great and honestly the pricing is amazing too ! And the equipment is high quality. We are so glad we went with them ! Also very family oriented !
  • Alexandra Kerlin
    Feb. 7, 2025
    Matt was professional, nice, and knowledgeable at our free home assessment for my dog Butch! I'm excited to start scheduling training sessions to help with Butch's separation anxiety behaviors and basic training. Thanks Matt! Update! We've been through our in home sessions and 6 months of group classes and DTE was phenomenal! Matt was our trainer and was always on it to help with any issue that popped up with Butch and Paul and Megan are always great! We love them and hope to come back for therapy dog training some day!
  • Cliff Gregory
    Nov. 26, 2024
    Matt handled Ponyo so smoothly, and she learned so much this week. He helped us learn to walk her better. They are the very best.
  • John R. Smith
    Dec. 2, 2025
    My Bernese Mountain puppy was thoroughly trained by Matt and Paul. They took a special interest in him and we appreciated that. I recommend DTE to anyone interested in such training. It pays off and is worth the money because it is an investment that keeps on giving.
  • justin barnes
    Nov. 14, 2025
    Paul brings the highest level integrity to everything he does. Couldn’t recommend him more!
  • Chris Owens
    Nov. 9, 2025
    Dog Training Elite Richmond has been fantastic for Champ and myself! We did the in-home program with Matt and the results have been above and beyond what I expected. Champ was a very reactive dog that had trouble focusing. It was a challenge to get him to go on walks around my apartment complex with out being overly exited about other dogs, constantly pulling. I was hesitant to take him out to other places. Matt was able to provide both me and Champ the correct way to handle these situations and the walks are now so much fun for both of us! We now know all the commands, sit, down, come, off and place. My own anxiety about some of the previous ways Champ use to act has gone down tremendously and it has been wonderful for both of us. I cannot say enough good things about Matt's approach and instruction how to address situations and his training methods. We have attended the group classes with both Matt and Paul as well which are a must. This really allowed Champ and myself to gain the confidence and experience needed in an interactive environment with other dogs. Overall, Dog Elite Training Richmond has been fantastic and I could not be more please or recommend enough!
  • Ben Lever
    Oct. 20, 2025
    Matt did a great job training our dog. He is very knowledgeable about dog behavior and personalities. He is very friendly with the dog and vice versa. The dog seemed to like him very much
  • tara boyle
    Oct. 15, 2025
    Matt took the time to listen to my concerns and address them…hopefully Otis the wonder dog will find some zen!
  • Nancy Smith
    Jul. 11, 2025
    From the moment Matt arrived to our home we felt so comfortable with his energy. He is incredibly knowledgeable. His calm and positive approach ensured us we have chosen the right person to move forward with training for our anxious german shepherd. Thank you Megan and 'Matt!
  • Joshua Kidd
    Jul. 11, 2025
    Very knowledgeable! Great first experience! Excited to continue classes
  • Georgia Delamar
    Jul. 10, 2025
    Matt answered all my questions and was very informative!
  • Jeannie Friedrich
    Jul. 10, 2025
    Matt just left after the initial assessment. I am blown away. He had Chloe calm within 20 minutes. Can’t wait to work with him!
  • Kristine Adams
    Jun. 19, 2025
    I believe we are on our third in home and Matt has been amazing!! Our rescue that has gone thru severe abuse has grown to not be afraid in a short period of time and Matt has been amazing with me to answer all my questions each visit and again the most patient. I’m so happy that Elite is whom I have chosen to help us and my sweet rescue. Thank you is not enough
  • Nicole Nikolis
    Jun. 24, 2025
    Matt was awesome. He was punctual, polite and talked us through their approach. He also told us what to expect when he was introduced to our pack. We were able to see right from the beginning how the approach worked with them!
  • Aaron Swart
    Jun. 23, 2025
    Great experience with Matt today- knowledgeable, calm, and kind. Jocko can’t wait to be a therapy dog!