Frequently Asked Questions Dog Training Elite of Southwest Florida

One of our trainers in Port Charlotte will come out to your house to meet with you and your dog, and discuss the issues that you are having. We will then demonstrate one of our dogs, so you can see what you can expect with using our services. From there, we will discuss the various packages we offer, and which we feel would best suit your (and your dog's) needs.

The answer to this is in how the technology of "shock" collars (as they were called in the past) has changed a lot since they originated several years ago. The stimulation in the electronic collars we use is much like a TENS unit and provides a tapping sensation that is used to get the dog's attention on a very low level. We use a brand called Dogtra. We do not use "shock" collars, but electronic collars employed by the top obedience trainers around the world and in Port Charlotte.

No. We use electronic collars to get the dogs attention only. When you work around distractions (which is one of our main focuses), keeping your dog's attention is paramount. The collar, combined with positive reinforcement (we like to use praise), help create a positive learning environment in Port Charlotte for your dog.

In most cases, the collar will run at about $250, without tax, but is subject to market fluctuation in Port Charlotte.

No, but your dog will wear it a lot in the beginning. The objective is to create a conditioned response with your dog; meaning that when you say 'sit', your dog sits automatically without thinking about it first. Much like Pavlov's Dogs or Pavlovian Conditioning, we create a reflex response to you giving a command using the electronic collar. That being said, after your dog is "collar-conditioned", you will be able to remove the collar and still have a dog that will be obedient.

Unlike other competitors in Port Charlotte, we offer the full gamut of obedience (come, sit, down, heel, place) on/off-leash and around distractions. Our services are also highly personalized, with in-home visits and special training sessions to work with specific issues such as counter-surfing, digging, swimming, etc. Also, not all trainers will work with aggressive dogs or certain breeds (such as pit bulls), but our trainers don't discriminate by breed.

Yes. You (and anyone in your family who wants to be involved) are integral to your dog getting trained. We need you to practice 5-6 days a week, about 15-20 minutes a day for optimal results.

Once a week. We come to you (with the silver, gold and platinum packages) once a week to start your dog off, then you come to park sessions which are held once a week in Port Charlotte.

Unfortunately, no. In order to get a good handle on those issues, we need to make sure that obedience is up to our standards. We provide a strong focus on making the owner a strong "leader of the pack" which tends to help solve of a lot of those issues.

Nope. Those are dangerous grounds to tread upon. We'd much rather train a vicious dog!

Yes. We've trained 2.5lb Malteses and 200lb Dogue de Bordeauxs, and just about everything in between.

Yes. Working with and controlling aggression is one of our specialties in Port Charlotte.

Generally we train companion dogs to help veterans and others with PTSD (and other psychological conditions) and other services listed under our Service Dog section.
We also train therapy dogs in Port Charlotte (which our not technically or legally considered service animals) to visit hospitals, nursing homes and other treatment centers.

To be a service dog, your dog needs to have an even temperament. Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Standard Poodles, Goldendoodles, etc. typically have a great temperament for service work. For some types of service work, your dog will need to have AKC certifications (such as Canine Good Citizen or Community Canine) which we are able to certify. As always, we would be happy to assess your dog's aptitude for service work for free!

Yes, we do offer personal protection training in Port Charlotte.
To be a personal protection dog, your dog will need to have some "drives" that can be utilized for the work. Generally, prey drive is the key drive that we look for (ie, chasing a tennis ball or going after a tug), but there are several forms that we can utilize. Your dog does not have to be vicious! We want your dog to be a great family dog first, then we need its obedience perfected; only then will we work on personal protection. Of course, we would be happy to assess your dog for free! We do not currently offer personal protection training. Please check back soon.