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Classical Conditioning

Dog Training Elite

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A dog walking on a leash after finishing a classical conditioning dog training.

Dog Training Techniques

Classical Conditioning Dog Training

Classical conditioning is a learning process also known as the Pavlovian method or respondent conditioning. Discovered by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, classical conditioning involves developing automatic reflexes to specific conditions. This leads to creating behaviors.

Pavlov is considered to be the father of “classical conditioning.” As a matter of fact, he originally tested his theory using dogs. In an experiment, Pavlov observed dogs began to salivate not just when they received food, but when the people associated with feeding them arrived. Pavlov began to ring a bell when the dogs were presented with food. Over time, the dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell ringing with food. Their mouths would salivate whenever the bell rang.

Dog Training Elite dog training techniques are based on classical conditioning dog training to help your dog achieve deep-rooted obedience. Working with a Dog Training Elite trainer , your dog will become conditioned and develop those “automatic reflexes” to commands such as sit, down, heel, break, and more.

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Dog Training Elite

Training With An E-Collar

Dog Training Elite NEVER uses punishments like shock collars to train dogs out of bad behavior. Dog Training Elite does make use of an electronic collar. The use of an electronic collar is vastly different in two main ways.

The electric collar does not shock your dog. Instead, it generates a gentle electronic pulse, similar to the tug of a leash.
The electronic collar is never used to punish a dog. It is used to simply gain the attention of a dog and help them focus on the task at hand.
Other dog trainers use harsh static collars or spray collars which have been shown to be less effective.
A dog owner playing with his german shepard, learn more about our classical conditioning dog trainers.

Classical Conditioning Dog Trainers

Positive Reinforcement Vs. Punishment

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Traditional dog training methods rely on punishment for errors and “low value” rewards, such as praise or petting, when a dog performs a desired behavior. Dog Training Elite never resorts to punishing a dog to make them unlearn bad behavior.

Using punishment as a tool can actually backfire. For example: punishing a dog for going to the bathroom inside a house won’t teach them to go outside instead. Often, the dog only understands that the mess makes their owner mad. Instead of going outside, the dog is likely to continue to make messes indoors - but where the owner can’t find them.

Research shows that focusing on positive reinforcement when a desired behavior occurs and not worrying about correcting bad behavior in dogs is more effective and has longer-lasting results. The difference between a dog who has been exposed to dog training techniques used to obey out of fear vs. a dog who learns to obey through a positive, loving bond with their owner is huge.

Positive reinforcement works with dogs because they are inherently eager to please. Rewarding your dog for good behavior as you work with a Dog Training Elite trainer to help your dog be more obedient will help you create a deep, loving relationship with your dog built on trust.

Additional Obedience Training Info

Dog Training Elite - Positive Reinforcement Dog Training. DTE

Positive Reinforcement Training

Dog Training Elite - Puppy Obedience Training. DTE

Puppy Obedience Training

Dog Training Elite - Off Leash Dog Training. Dog Training Elite

Off Leash Training

Dog Training Elite - Dog Agility Training Through Basic Obedience. Dog Training Elite

Agility Through Basic Obedience Training

A women playing with her service dog.

The Dog Training Elite Difference


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Dog Training Elite uses modern dog training techniques and methods focused on positive reinforcement and bonding you and your dog. Dog Training Elite trainers never resort to punishment to help dogs unlearn behaviors.

Through a combination of commands and an electronic collar, dogs learn to follow commands at once. Dog Training Elite’s method of focusing on positive behavior reinforcement nurtures a dog's loving and naturally obedient nature.

After proper conditioning and working with Dog Training Elite, when you say “sit,” your dog will automatically sit without thinking about it. The unique techniques of Dog Training Elite ensure training is a success no matter what your dog’s behavior.

Get started training your dog today. Find a trainer near you and schedule a free in-home consultation!

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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!

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Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Dave
    Aug. 12, 2026
    I couldn’t be more impressed with Dog Training Elite! From the moment Apollo and I walked in, Matt and his staff have been incredibly kind, welcoming, and knowledgeable. Apollo and I have been working on advanced obedience and protection work, and since starting the program, I can see a huge difference in him. When we first started, Apollo would do what he wanted; now, he listens and performs his commands when told. The difference has truly been night and day. For the protection work, Kalvin has been incredible to work with. You can tell he genuinely enjoys teaching both you and your dog, and he gives 110% in every class. He’s extremely knowledgeable, patient, and makes the training a lot of fun. It’s been such a great experience training with Dog Training Elite. Apollo and I genuinely look forward to every class. If you’re looking for top-tier dog training, I highly recommend checking out Dog Training Elite. You won’t be disappointed!
  • Kristin Bieber
    Aug. 11, 2026
    We have a Goldendoodle, Maggie, who we adopted at four months old. We started working with Bob and his staff when she was seven months old. She still had so much puppy energy and needed a lot of support to get her to where we wanted her to be. Our experience with Dog Training Elite has truly been transformative for Maggie. She had been through some obedience training before but was still jumping up on guests, stealing food from the counter, and just overall being a sassy puppy. After their patient and consistent approach, she is now so much more manageable. I used to dread having friends or guests over because she would be so wild. Now I love it- she is able to sit and stay when someone comes to the door and wants to be petted without jumping up. The Dog Training Elite approach is all about patience, consistency, and building a strong bond with your dog. It has been amazing for Maggie and our family!
  • Andrew Tram
    Aug. 11, 2026
    Jeff came out and did an amazing consultation and provided invaluable tips on how to help my dog use his own yard to go to the bathroom! Would recommend him to others!
  • Amy Carney
    Aug. 11, 2026
    We are so impressed with the quality and care we are receiving at Elite Dog Training. We are currently training 2 cane corso puppies and are so pleased with the progress we are making. Paul is fantastic and the communication from Meghan very fast and thorough! Highly recommend.
  • Connie Giles
    Aug. 11, 2026
    We were reminded of the appt every time and were provided a convenient location while training. Dog Training Elite was very accommodating for a change in appt time. Our texts were answered promptly. Rod was always on time for each training session and very patient with our dog. As a result of Rod’s dog training skills, we have a more enjoyable walk on a leash and less anxiety in general. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite.
  • Molly Carlson
    Aug. 11, 2026
    We started with three weeks of camp at the facility for our puppy. She learned so much and is doing great at home. Next step is Obedience training and then service dog training. I feel like we are in good hands along this journey. Plus they send me the cutest pictures of her!
  • Victoria Rowland
    Aug. 11, 2026
    I needed help with my older dog, age 12. He has really thrived with Alex's help. As an older dog, it does take him longer to respond to commands but that's ok. He's learned a lot and I'm going to keep up with the training. With this program he has life-time support, which is great! We just finished our private lessons and I'm looking forward to taking him to group. This is a really good program and the trainers are excellent. Alex has been wonderful with Julio.
  • STi MP
    Aug. 11, 2026
    Mitch has done a terrific job getting me on track for obedience training with my Mal. He is very dedicated and offers a level of service that has become exceedingly rare today. The entire experience with Dog Training Elite has been great. They are very responsive, and informative through the whole process.
  • Kim E
    Mar. 4, 2026
    Dog Training Elite is an amazing group to work with you and your dog. They came in an assessed my dog and today we started training. I have a brain injury and the trainer Jessica worked with my dog and me, her knowledge and kindness was so great. Knowing my limitations she made sure that I understood everything she was teaching. Next my dog started his daily classes with Renee and she is amazing, she has my dog all day and when I pick him up we go over our homework. She also provides videos to help with his training. Then there are the group classes that you sign up for that help you continue with your dog training journey. These classes are so great for keeping your training on track. All of the trainers are amazing. I highly recommend this group, they are the complete package!
  • Kim E
    Mar. 4, 2026
    Dog Training Elite is an amazing group to work with you and your dog. They came in an assessed my dog and today we started training. I have a brain injury and the trainer Jessica worked with my dog and me, her knowledge and kindness was so great. Knowing my limitations she made sure that I understood everything she was teaching. Next my dog started his daily classes with Renee and she is amazing, she has my dog all day and when I pick him up we go over our homework. She also provides videos to help with his training. Then there are the group classes that you sign up for that help you continue with your dog training journey. These classes are so great for keeping your training on track. All of the trainers are amazing. I highly recommend this group, they are the complete package!
  • Benin Bryant
    Aug. 10, 2026
    Jess Arundale of Dog Training Elite was very helpful, patient, and most of all was a great listener. I have two very large unsocialized German Shepherds that have to be trained and Jess was nothing if not attentive. She asked many questions about the dogs background and was very clear about a path forward. Anyone who works with Jess will be well taken care of.
  • Daisy Manning
    Aug. 10, 2026
    I was initially hesitant to use DTE because my dogs don’t have any behavioral issues, I just wanted some basic obedience training to make it easier to handle two large dogs at once, and I was uncertain about training with an e-collar. I’m so glad that Matt took the time to convince me DTE was well worth the money, and that e-collars are safe, humane, and effective, because he was absolutely correct! I will definitely be bringing all my future pups to DTE.
  • Rachel Thomas
    Aug. 10, 2026
    Great experience with Nathan. Great communication and availability for our in home training. Looking forward to group classes and continuing to build on the solid foundation we have built with their training method.
  • Zoe Bluestone
    Aug. 10, 2026
    DTE was the best possible thing we could have done for our dog Luna and our family. We got luna from a shelter and while she was a sweet girl, when we took her outside she was reactive to other dogs and started to seriously bite us while we were on walks. We started working with Betsy and after the first session with her, luna was no longer jumping and biting! Luna has now gotten to the point where she can be off leash at the park and we trust one another enough to let her roam and that she will come when we call her back. We have seen her confidence grow so much since working with Betsy and our confidence as well. Betsy herself was so easy to work with. She is competent,confident, and incredibly caring for both us and our dog. She kept a clear line of communication that made it easy to reschedule or switch around some of our appointment times. She would also bring her different dogs from her farm to help train luna and they were all wonderful. They clearly loved working with Betsy as well. We would 100% recommend anyone to DTE. Thank you Betsy!!
  • Albert H
    Aug. 9, 2026
    From day 1 Eliana from Dog Training Elite was professional and taught us many things to work with Hazel. Hazel just 11 months and has a personality befitting a Shih Tzu so it was challenging but with patience eventually she caught on. We highly recommend DTE and look forward to Hazel’s group lessons.
  • Bethany Reuter
    Aug. 9, 2026
    George was incredible to work with after adopting our dog Archie. He had a lot of puppy energy and lacked confidence after being rehomed and fostered. George came to our home for the first stage of training to build a good foundation within a closed environment before jumping into group classes. George gave lots of personalized advice, tips, and guidance on ways to train around hyperactivity, fear with louder trucks or buses, and obedience around our cat and other dogs/people. Very grateful for George with Dog Training Elite so we can travel and bring Archie into different environments with confidence!
  • Joanne Eland
    Aug. 9, 2026
    Can’t thank Danielle enough for all she taught us! Ty also to Shelby at group classes! I have recommended Elite to others The 5 home sessions along with group classes after are such a great way to train, we feel very thankful we called Danielle!!!
  • vicki sastre
    Aug. 8, 2026
    Dog Training Elite saved my dog’s life. For years, I tried to find a local trainer who could help us. I called at least six different places over a three-year period, and unfortunately, I never even received a call back. Then, three months ago, everything came to a breaking point. My dog Jack attacked two different dogs while they were on leashes. The first time, he got loose. The second time, he broke through a brand-new dog lead. I was devastated and felt like I had run out of options. I was ready to make the heartbreaking decision to put him down. Thankfully, it was a Sunday and my vet’s office was closed. After having some time to calm down, I searched online for a dog trainer, and Dog Training Elite was the first company that came up. I called around 4 PM on a Sunday expecting to leave a message. To my surprise, a real person answered the phone. The woman I spoke with was incredibly kind and supportive. She was only the answering service, but she listened, took all my information, and helped me feel like there was hope. I couldn’t believe it when, less than 10 minutes later, I received a phone call from Beth, the owner of Dog Training Elite. She took the time to talk with me, calm me down, and let me know she would come meet Jack within the next day or two to see what could be done. Jack has always been a sweet, loving dog. His issue was that he could not handle seeing other dogs on leash. I decided to enroll in their training program, even though it was a bit of a drive for me and for them since they came to our home for the first part of the program. Now, 2½ months later, Jack is a completely different dog. Is he perfect? Not yet — but he is a work in progress, and the change has been incredible. He is calmer, better trained, and I no longer feel the same fear and stress when we go for walks. With continued training for both Jack and me, I truly believe we will get to the point where we can walk confidently around other dogs. Dog Training Elite didn’t just train my dog — they trained me as well. They gave Jack another chance and gave me hope when I thought there was none. I would recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone. They truly saved my dog and saved me from making a decision I would have regretted. I can’t thank them enough for everything they have done for Jack and for our family.
  • Daniel Newgent
    Aug. 8, 2026
    We are early in the process, however, I must say Rhett visited us today for the first visit and was wonderful to deal with. As a previous high pressure salesman, I don’t like to be pressured on purchases whether it’s buying a car or getting training for our new puppy. He was so laid back and low pressure, I decided to go with his recommended package and move forward using DTE. I’ll update as we go forward with training, but if it goes half as well as the house visit, this will stay at a five star!
  • KT B
    Aug. 8, 2026
    I never would have thought it possible for my dog to learn so much in such a short amount of time. The trainers were wonderful with her and with us as they taught us how to support her continued training. They recognized and valued her personality as she learned the obedience skills they were teaching. They worked with our schedule and provided the necessary encouragement for us and for her. I would recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone who wants to build a strong relationship with their well-behaved dog.