People in Charlotte love their pets but that doesn’t mean our furry friends don’t require any training – in most cases, it’s actually the opposite.

Luckily, as a pet-centric city, there’s no shortage of dog trainers in the area.

Dog trainers provide leash training, socialization, house training, obedience guidance and more to dogs of all breeds and ages. If you’re looking for a trainer, it’s easy and convenient to get your dog started in Charlotte.

All Dogs Unleashed

Location: 2908 Rozzelles Ferry Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208

All Dogs Unleashed provides two ways to train your pet — out of the house or in-home. The out of the house boarding program requires pet owners to drop their dogs off with the All Dogs Unleashed team for two weeks. During the course of the program, the team will teach your dog commands, house training and boundaries, as well as put an end to behaviors such as biting, jumping, chewing and more.

If you’d rather be hands on with your dog training, you can opt for four in-home pet training sessions. During these sessions, a trainer will come to your home and provide one-on-one personalized training for your pet.

Allegiant K9s

Location: In-home

Allegiant K9s lead trainer and owner, Dave Meyer, has over 10 years of dog training experience and has owned his own dog training business since 2016. When you sign your dog up with Allegiant K9s, Dave will come to your home for one-on-one private training sessions catered to your pet. Full on- and off-leash training is available, as Meyer works on behavior modifications for aggression and anxiety, plus unwanted behaviors such as counter-surfing, leash-pulling, jumping and barking.

Alternatively, you can also opt to have your dog live with Meyer for a 17-day board and train program. With this option, he will do all of the foundational training for you, and you’ll have up to four private sessions with him and your dog in your home afterward to ensure the behaviors stick.

Canine Dimensions In-Home Dog Training

Location: In-home

Canine Dimensions In-Home Dog Training trains your dog in — you guessed it — your Charlotte-area home. Certified dog trainers will visit and work with your dog on housebreaking, pulling on the leash, not coming when called, aggression, nipping and mouthing, jumping on counters, excessive barking and more. Board and train options, where your dog lives in a trainer’s home, are also available.

Canine Scholars Dog Training

Location: 1235 East Blvd e123, Charlotte, NC 28203

Canine Scholars Dog Training offers over a dozen internationally and nationally recognized dog training programs to get your furry friend on track. At the facility, you can opt for individual or group training sessions. The team also offers home visits and can even train your dog toward becoming an AKC trick dog or a certified therapy dog. No matter what kind of training you want for your dog, Canine Scholars Dog Training likely offers the service.

Charlotte Family Dog

Location: In-home

At Charlotte Family Dog, owner Bobby will travel to your home to incorporate positive reinforcement training into your dog’s daily life. The company offers a free 30-minute consultation, where Bobby will assess your dog’s specific needs. Then, you can book either a single new puppy training, a single family dog training or a four-session package. All training will be conducted in your home and tailored to your dog.

Dogs by Andy K9 Services

Location: 144 Bevan Dr, Mooresville, NC 28115

Dogs by Andy K9 Services offers a variety of training programs. The on-leash training consists of six weeks of private sessions with you, your dog and your trainer to learn the basics, while the on and off-leash training is 10 weeks of private sessions with you, your dog and your trainer to achieve the same goal. The business also offers in-kennel training, where your dog is boarded and trained for three weeks, as well as protection training and search-and-detection training.

Dog Knowledge

Location: 1110 Pro Am Dr, Charlotte, NC 28211

At The Dog Knowledge, certified trainers teach your dog using its own natural instincts, intelligence and desire to please. The business offers three levels of training at its facility — basic, which is four weeks; intermediate, which is six weeks; and advanced, which is eight weeks. An at-home training session is included after your pet graduates from the program.

At basic training, your dog will learn how to walk on a leash, how to perform sit and down commands, crate training and recall. Intermediate training includes all of that, plus a canine good citizen certification or a basic behavior modification; and advanced training allows dogs to become therapy dogs in addition to the other listed training.

Dog Training Elite Charlotte

Location: In-home

Depending on the level of training your dog requires, one of Dog Training Elite Charlotte’s three packages is sure to fit your needs. The silver package includes two at-home sessions to teach commands like come, heel, off, quiet and more. The gold package includes five at-home sessions and 12 group sessions to learn commands and teach your dog to stop biting, jumping, chewing, digging, running away, chasing animals and more.

The most intensive training experience, the platinum package, includes seven at-home sessions, 20 group sessions, everything in the silver package, an AKC Canine Good Citizens Certificate, an Advanced Obedience Certificate and more.

Dog Wizard

Location: 216 Foster Ave, Charlotte, NC 28203

At The Dog Wizard, trainers work to teach your dog skills so that your pet can integrate into your life seamlessly. After training at this facility, you’ll be able to have peace of mind when you leave your dog home alone, take walks without pulling, bring your dog to public places and enjoy group play at dog parks.

Opt for speciality training, private lessons, group classes, or puppy training programs at the 6,500-square-foot training facility located in South End.

Free Will Animal Training

Location: In-home

Free Will Animal Training specializes in leash reactivity, aggression and separation anxiety. All packages start with an hour and a half new client counseling session at home to develop a training approach for your dog. Then, choose among two, five and 10 session coaching packages.

In addition to at-home training, Free Will Animal Training will also host group training sessions with specialized focuses at various Charlotte area locations, like its reactive dog class that takes place at the Humane Society of Charlotte.

Freedom K9 Carolinas

Location: In-home

Freedom K9 Carolinas provides multiple options for dog training so that you can find something that fits your lifestyle. With the board and train service, your dog will live in a trainer’s home to learn the fundamentals, while you review learning materials while your dog is away.

If you’d rather your dog come home at night, Freedom K9 Carolinas offers a day training option where you can drop your dog off in the morning for training all day, then pick your furry bestie up at night and for the weekend. Private one-on-one at-home sessions are also available.

Happy Dogs Training

Location: 11607 Reames Rd, Charlotte, NC 28269

The philosophy at Happy Dogs Training is that the key to successful training lies within the relationship between dog and owner. That means, these trainers train you just as much as your dog. In either one-on-one or group training sessions, you’ll work with the Happy Dogs team on a force-free, rewards-centered approach to training with your dog. Puppy training is available for dogs eight months and under, and dog training is available for dogs older than eight months.

Highland Canine Training

Location: In-home

Highland Canine Training has its headquarters in Harmony, but also has certified dog trainers that serve the Charlotte area in your home. On the Highland Canine Training website, you can read about the backgrounds, techniques and locations served by each of the trainers, then schedule a consultation with the one that fits your pet’s needs the best.

Love in the Lead Canine Training

Location: In-home

Situated on just about four acres, the Love in the Lead Canine Training facility (which is also the company owner’s home) allows dogs to stay in a quiet environment instead of in a kennel. At the sprawling estate, trainers specialize in puppy training, advanced off-leash obedience, behavior modification and service dog training. And once the dogs are prepared, Love in the Lead takes them into a variety of real world environments, so they’re ready for anything once they return home.

Mango Dogs Carolinas

Location: 2982 Planters Pl, Charlotte, NC 28216

Mango Dogs Carolinas started after the owner had an unfulfilling training experience with her shelter dog, Phoenix. After an eight-week training session didn’t work for her unruly pup, she took matters into her own hands and learned the techniques that manifest change.

Today, Mango Dogs Carolinas uses those techniques and specializes in teaching dogs to come every time, aggression rehabilitation, leash aggression and pulling, and correcting behavioral issues such as barking, lunging at cars, destroying things in the house and more.

Mariah Hinds Dog Training

Location: 14812 Karina Falls Ct, Charlotte, NC 28273

If you have a new puppy, Mariah Hinds Dog Training might be the place for you to visit. The business offers puppy classes where dogs learn basic obedience and commands, as well as puppy training day school, where staff members pick up your dog each day for training and drop your pal back off at home later that night. During puppy training day school, dogs learn good manners, crate training, potty training and more.

And if you’d rather a more immersive experience for your dog, Mariah Hinds Dog Training also offers a puppy train and board option, where puppies socialize, develop good habits and obedience. All puppy programs can start with dogs as young as eight weeks old.

Obedient K9 Academy

Location: 1420 S Mint St Suite M, Charlotte, NC 28203

Obedient K9 Academy is committed to making a difference in your dog’s behavior, which is why every program offered comes with unlimited group classes for life with your dog. That means the trainers will continue working with you and your dog until you reach your goals. To get started at Obedient K9 Academy, reach out to have the trainers evaluate your dog and come up with a customized action plan, then choose the package that works best for you and your dog.

Off Leash Dog Training

Location: In-home

Off Leash Dog Training provides custom dog training programs for both puppies and adult dogs. The training consists of an in-home consultation, immersive training camps, private lessons and group lessons to give you and your dog more freedom. After your training is complete, take your dog to one of Off Leash Dog Training’s Red Bucket Partners, which are pet-friendly businesses in the Charlotte area that have partnered with the training organization.

Queen City Canine

Location: 509 Scholtz Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217

Queen City Canine helps you get your dog’s behavior under control. Whether you need obedience training, leash skills or help stopping problems like nipping, jumping or excessive barking, Queen City Canine has you covered.

To get started, schedule a free evaluation and facility tour. After your dog has been evaluated, you’ll work with the staff to determine the strategies, techniques and training schedule that will help your dog the most.

Sally Said So Professional Dog Training

Location: 400 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28285

Location: 2301 Rama Rd, Charlotte, NC 28212

Sally Said So Professional Dog Training boasts two locations in the Charlotte area and a comprehensive training plan that will be completely customizable to your dog. To get started, you’ll bring your dog to a two-hour consultation session that marks the beginning of private training. During the following one-on-one sessions, the team at Sally Said So will work with your pup on necessary skills and tackle behavior problems.

After completing your one-on-one classes, you have the option to enroll your dog in group classes that focus on in-depth training beyond basic skills and get dogs ready for the world outside of the training facility. Sally Said So also offers consultations before adopting a dog, training for new parents bringing a baby into a home with a dog and therapy dog training.

Skiptown

Location: 222 Rampart St, Charlotte, NC 28203

Skiptown is known in the Charlotte area for its dog walking, boarding, daycare and grooming services — and now the business offers training services, too. The trainers at Skiptown follow the LIMA approach, which stands for Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive and place emphasis on training dogs in a humane, empathic way. In either a group or one-on-one training setting, Skiptown promotes a respectful and individualized approach that aims to prevent the potential negative effects of punishment for your dog.

Star Dog

Location: 700 North Carolina Music Factory Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28206

Star Dog provides training for the urban canine. Your experience at Star Dog starts with bringing your dog to be evaluated by a trainer and/or to complete a training course at the facility before your dog can participate in day camp. Star Dog provides vigorous exercise, socialization, leash training and group classes.

Understanding Our Dogs

Location: In-home

Understanding Our Dogs uses a positive but not permissive approach to training. Lead trainer Lena will take your dog into her home for three weeks to teach critical skills such as sit, down, come and leash walking, as well as put an end to behaviors such as biting and jumping. The business specializes in training dogs that are already housebroken and are companion dogs. Lena takes only two dogs at a time and incorporates them into her family, so your pup is sure to get lots of special attention.