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An image of a german shepard with their owner - contact Dog Training Elite for your german shephard training in Sarasota / Venice, FL.
Dog Training Elite

German Shepherd Dog Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL

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Our German Shepherd Training Could Help:
Excessive barking
Aggression
Separation anxiety
Destructive chewing
Leash pulling
Over-protectiveness
Resource guarding

German Shepherd Training in Sarasota / Venice, FL

German Shepherds consistently rank in the top five most popular dog breeds in America—and for good reason. German Shepherds are highly intelligent and loyal. With proper training and socialization, they are also obedient and great with other dogs and children. Not to mention, they’re beautiful!

Dog Training Elite has years of experience with German Shepherd training in Sarasota / Venice, FL and has developed obedience programs suitable for this breed. Because of their intelligence and natural herding instincts, German Shepherds can also be trained as service dogs.

Like any intelligent dog, however, a German Shepherd without proper training can become a handful. Their intelligence can lead to stubbornness. Extensive training and socialization are key to harnessing the unique abilities of this breed and diminishing any potential destructive behaviors. Thankfully, the high intelligence of German Shepherds enables them to learn commands quickly.

With our targeted and specialized breed training programs, Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida can help any German Shepherd become an incredible companion to individuals and families.

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An image of multiple german shepherd puppies - our Sarasota / Venice german shepherd trainers ensure you pup is ready to be the best companion possible.

German Shepherd Puppies vs. Adults


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Dog Training Elite recommends starting dog training as early as possible, soon after a puppy is ready to leave its mother. Puppies are capable of learning basic commands, and smart German Shepherd puppies do great with early training.

If you adopt an older German Shepherd, or never got around to puppy training, don’t worry! Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida offers adult dog training programs as well. A complete puppy training typically takes a few months. Adult dog training can take longer or shorter, depending on whether a dog needs to unlearn bad habits in addition to being trained.

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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!

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.
A dog owner with his German Shepherd - get your professional german shepherd training in Sarasota / Venice, FL with Dog Training Elite today.

In-Home German Shepherd Training

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Dog Training Elite offers specialized in-home German Shepherd training for both owners and dogs of any age. Working with a German Shepherd and the owner directly in the home allows dog trainers to create personalized training plans for individual dogs, as well as address any unique needs or issues.

Once a dog has completed in-home training, they can take group classes for more in-depth training - Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida offers both puppy and adult dog group classes.

Beginning training in the home also helps owners bond with their dogs so when the dog trainer leaves, no progress is lost.

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German Shepherd Training Tips

German Shepherds are loyal and intelligent dogs that require a thoughtful approach to training. They are eager learners, but they also need structure and clear guidance to reach their full potential.

Here are some essential training tips for German Shepherds.

Dogs, and especially German Shepherds, do best with consistency. Always make sure to use the same verbal and/or physical cues during training to avoid any confusion. Also, be consistent about rules - establish at the beginning, for example, whether or not your dog is allowed on the couch. Then, don’t change the rule under any circumstances.
German Shepherds are an energetic breed - if you don’t have a yard for your dog to play in, that’s fine, but make sure your German Shepherd gets daily exercise through walking, hiking, etc. An energetic dog with little to no exercise can become a destructive, disobedient dog.

Since German Shepherds are historically trained as working dogs, they thrive on being busy. Training is a great way to give German Shepherds the mental stimulation they need.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite Southwest Florida.
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Victory Begins With Elite Education

An adorable German Shepherd with their owner - Dog Training Elite is your go-to choice for Sarasota / Venice german shepherd trainers.

Your Expert German Shepherd Trainers in Sarasota / Venice, FL

The Dog Training Elite Difference

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Dog Training Elite uses modern training methods focused on balance and bonding between dog and dog owner. Dog Training Elite never resorts to the use of punishment to help dogs unlearn bad behavior. The difference becomes clear when comparing a dog that is trained out of anxiety and intimidation vs a dog who truly desires to please from the inside out.

The Dog Training Elite training theory is mostly based around classical conditioning, also known as the Pavlovian method or respondent conditioning. This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when an owner says "sit," their dog automatically sits without thinking about it.

Through a combination of commands and an electronic collar, dogs learn to follow commands at once. The electronic collar is not a shock collar; it is a gentle electronic pulse, similar to the tug of a leash, used to get the dog’s attention. Other dog trainers use harsh static collars or spray collars which have been shown to be less effective. Dog Training Elite’s training methods nurtures a dog's loving and naturally obedient nature.

Ready to turn your dog into a loyal and loving companion? Contact Dog Training Elite today for professional German Shepherd training in Sarasota / Venice, FL!