DTE offers flexible, in-house payment plans tailored to fit your budget, ensuring a worry-free experience.
A well-trained dog with training from an expert Dog Training Elite dog behaviorist in Sarasota / Venice, FL.
Dog Training Elite

Dog Behaviorist in Sarasota / Venice, FL

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Request Free Assessment

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

Sarasota / Venice 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 Sarasota / Venice, FL, 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.

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Our Behavioral Solution Programs

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida - Dog Socialization Classes in Sarasota / Venice, FL

Socialization

Our Sarasota / Venice 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 Southwest Florida - Dog Training Elite. How to Stop Puppy Biting Sarasota / Venice

Biting

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

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida - Reactive Dog Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL. DTE

Fear & Reactiveness

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

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida - Destructive Chewing & Digging Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL

Destructive Chewing & Digging

Our destructive chewing and digging training in Sarasota / Venice, FL addresses your dog’s destructive chewing and digging by redirecting these behaviors toward more appropriate and constructive outlets.

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida - Separation Anxiety Training for Dogs in Sarasota / Venice, FL

Separation Anxiety

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

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida - Excessive Barking Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL. DTE

Excessive Barking

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

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida - Staying and Coming Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL. DTE

Staying & Coming

Our staying and coming training in Sarasota / Venice, FL 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 Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida -

Excessive Licking

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

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida -

Leashing

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

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida -

Escaping

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

Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida -

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 Southwest Florida - Dog & Puppy Potty Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL. DTE

Potty Training

We help dogs learn to relieve themselves outdoors with our Sarasota / Venice 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 Southwest Florida.

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

  • Jacqueline Liszak
    Oct. 25, 2025
    Kelsie is amazing! We are learning so much from her! Very happy with Maddies progress. Kelsie is patient, focused and has great communication skills.
  • Frank Cioffi
    Oct. 29, 2025
    Kelsie is great! Very patient, caring and down to earth. She makes it all make sense for Rusty and myself.Couldnt ask for a better trainer.
  • Michael Hook
    Mar. 14, 2025
    Working out well😎
  • Gary Byers
    Oct. 23, 2025
    Justin is great! He goes above and beyond with us working with our dog Hoss. He has become more like a good friend since we’ve met him. Five stars for this young man!!
  • Debbie Ellen
    Sep. 17, 2025
    I cannot say enough awesome things about Anthony. He has helped me and my rescue dog Beau tremendously over the last few months. Beau has formed a great bond with Anthony and is very comfortable with him. It was great to have a male trainer because Beau was not comfortable around most men. The picture attached to this post is just a visual of just how comfortable my dog was with Anthony. He would not sit next to me after our session LOL Recently my mother passed away, and as a result I was slacking on my homework assignments. Anthony has been very patient, positive and encouraging with me throughout the process. He is thorough and really has a gift at dog training. I have to say that I have a whole new dog now. He is confident and well-mannered thanks to anthony. I would highly recommend him!
  • Paul Schur
    Sep. 6, 2025
    Anthony is very patient with us humans!
  • Paul Schur
    Aug. 19, 2025
    Anthony is fantastic...if you have any behavior you would like to modify....in my case its "Off" when he gets over rambunctious and place, when I want him to leave the grandkids alone...its well worth it. If you want an obedient and happy dog...the training is great!
  • Albert Doreste
    Aug. 18, 2025
    Jessica was our trainer for Leila, our female Cavapoo. She's truly a dog whisperer. She got Leila to do things we thought were not possible... and in no time!!! We highly recommend her.
  • Ruben Gonzalez
    Jan. 31, 2025
    I've had the pleasure of having Anthony, at the group training several times. Anthony is a professional trainer and I'm very pleased with the training he's given me and my dog sailor. I just had Anthony and the rest of the super trainers at a CGC testing, even though my dog sailor did not pass, it was his first time taking the test at just nine months old. he did get alot of hands-On training. Next CG cgc testing which I'm pretty sure he'll pass. Thank you, Anthony
  • Frank Alessio
    Aug. 13, 2025
    -I absolutely recommended Dog Training Elite.- Short story but here is my situation I had. I adopted my own Belgian Malinois to train. My personal mistake was not doing enough research on the breed beforehand. I then went with a previous trainer who didn't work out so well. Lacked structure and inconsistent results. Life gets pretty busy for me as I have 4 kids and only so much time to train and I couldn't figure out how to move forward. After I hit a point of defeat and self loathing for adopting my dog as I didn't feel I could provide her what she deserved, I contacted DTE once I saw their outstanding reviews. I thought the reviews might not even be real because there were just too many good ones! We'll.... "I'll tell you hwat" There is a reason the reviews are so good. I contacted DTE and told them my story. I'm a disabled veteran struggling to keep up with an amazing dog that's very much intelligent but I lacked proper guidance and structure to really get her to improve on behavior and reliability. Denise and Alisa told me they would work with me and They gave me a foundation of knowledge to build upon. At first I had a dog that couldn't listen to anything except "sit". Now she goes potty on command, does various other tasks, has outstanding behavior in public... she went from not knowing hardly anything to becoming a FULL SERVICE DOG. yes. That is correct. I'm typing this today after her testing successfully and becoming a service dog! I'm very happy with the results and forever grateful for their time and patience. Everyone that worked with me was down to Earth and very polite. Lastly I want to extend my gratitude to Anthony. He was the trainer that continued training with me and my dog to further her talents and obedience. He is an amazing man that has limitless patience and vast knowledge in his field. I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone who needs their dog to perform tasks and become a service dog. Just remember going into this, as a handler, you must be willing to put in the work. I cannot stress that enough. My dog is so intelligent but nothing would have improved as fast as it did without training her at home with the knowledge and tips given to me after each session. Goodluck to anyone reading this and I wish you the best luck on your journey whether it's improving on your dog's obedience or training your dog to perform tasks and reliability assist you everywhere you go.
  • Kimberly DeYoung
    Aug. 13, 2025
    Anthony is a knowledgeable trainer! He communicates clearly what is needed with me and my dog. He listens to my concerns and gives support and direction. He advocates for a healthy relationship between me and my dog. Very happy to have him as our trainer!
  • Yovary Ortiz
    Jul. 10, 2025
    We are only on our first lesson with our lab puppy, but everything has been great so far. Denise came out first to do the initial assessment and meet our boy. She was informative and her dog, Ella, is a dream! Anthony came out for our first training session. He was thorough and modeled great training while also walking us through each step of the training as well.
  • Kerrie Carrier
    Jul. 2, 2025
    Our phone consult with Denise was great! She was very thorough, informative, professional, and answered all of my questions. We can’t wait to get started with our puppy!
  • Rick Kinsworthy
    Jun. 30, 2025
    Very impressed with Mr Rinehart knowledge, as I see I'm in need of more training than the dog , he walked right in and the dog did everything he asked him to do . Thank you Anthony looking forward to you mentoring me into a good dog handler.
  • Harry Becker
    Jun. 9, 2025
    Anthony is always patient and a good trainer.
  • Sherri Haughton
    Jun. 20, 2025
    Anthony is wonderful with Rebel, he gets so excited to see him
  • Dennis Small
    Jun. 19, 2025
    Anthony was awesome! He took the time to explain the program in a very understandable way. I couldn't be happier about the experience. I'm looking forward to our next session. Hopefully I'll will learn as fast as my dog. She responded well to what she had to do. I need to remember the correct commands, not the ones I've always used with all my other dogs . I'm extremely confident that my dog Mia will excel with her training. Thank you Anthony.
  • Jennifer Peck
    Jun. 19, 2025
    Anthony has been to my house a few times and he has been wonderful to work with! He thoroughly understands my dogs behavior and explains clearly what is going through his head! This has helped so much in my relationship to my boy Ranger. Anthony is very patient in helping us both to understand all the commands, and how to master them!
  • Joann Alexander
    Jun. 18, 2025
    Anthony was amazing , he was patient with my family and the dogs loved him. I would highly recommend him to work with your dog. Thank you Anthony.
  • Heidi Easton
    Jun. 18, 2025
    Anthony is awesome at training my dog Ollie as well as myself. Learning a lot about dog behaviors and how to handle the good and the not so good in my dog. BTW, Ollie is loving his training sessions as well. We are over the top happy with Anthony and of we course highly recommend him.

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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 Southwest Florida.

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 Southwest Florida.

Your Expert Dog Behaviorist in Sarasota / Venice, FL

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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 Southwest Florida.
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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 Sarasota / Venice, FL, 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!