The Best Puppy Trainers in Charlotte, NC of 2026

Welcome to the Sniffspot list of top-rated dog trainers for Puppy training in Charlotte, NC. Based on feedback and votes from our Puppy training community, we've curated a list of top-rated trainers in the Charlotte area.

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  Shannon Burch

  She holds certification from the Animal Behavior College (ABCDT) and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA).

  Board and train, In home training, Puppy training

  Charlotte, Lake Wylie, Belmont, Gastonia, and Fort Mill areas

  After spending 10 years in the equine training industry, Shannon made the transition to dog training in 2014. She saw a great need for educated trainers with powerful and accessible tools for everyday dog owners to communicate with their pets. She holds certification from the Animal Behavior College (ABCDT) and is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA).
  
  Sha...

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  Cheryl Connolly

  Karen Pryor CTP, Fear Free, ABC-DT.

  Deaf dog training, Service dog training, Agility training, Board and train, In home training, Puppy training

  South Charlotte, Union County

  Force free, fear free positive reinforcement only trainer.

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  Kim Spyridon

  Puppy training, In home training, Deaf dog training

  Rock Hill, Newport, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, and Tega Cay South Carolina

  For most dogs, living in a human world is challenging, confusing and hard to maneuver through. Dogs are creatures of habit. They love familiarity and routine. They will create their own etiquette if not given the opportunity to learn in a fun and rewarding way. Dogs are happiest when life can be navigated safely without fear, but can become stressed and destined to exhibit unwanted behaviors if...

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  Katrina Kensington

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  Hey there, I'm Katrina Kensington and I love training dogs and the humans who own them. Training dogs isn't just about teaching them to sit, place and come when called, to me it is so much more. It is about developing a relationship that will be valued and enjoyed life long with your furry friend. It is about being a leader, a coach, an advocate and a bestie for your dog. I want to teach you ho...

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  Phillip Kensington

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  I didn't grow up with dogs but I have always loved animals and found a unique connection with dogs more than people in many ways. I always found comfort in being around dogs and still do to this day. Katrina introduced me to canine training in 2014. We always believed in helping people and living life to the fullest so we started KeenDog to reflect those principles and passions. I grew up aroun...

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  Rachel Williams

  Board and train, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hey, hey! Rachel Williams here, and let me just say if you're looking for a team of amazing individuals that all share the same fiery passion for training dogs, then look no further. I'm more proud to be a member of the KeenDog team than ever before. I started my training journey when I worked for a franchise dog daycare and boarding facility back in 2015. I loved spending my days surrounded by...

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  Jenna Rabel

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  Jenna started her training journey like most trainers. She added a dog to her family and wanted to set him up for success so she reached out to KeenDog for help. She did not grow up around dogs and wanted to ensure she was doing everything right to live life to the fullest with her canine companion. She ended up falling in love with dog training. A few years later she decided to leave her offic...

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  Lilly Staudt

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  Lilly's love for animals started at a very young age. When her family hired a professional dog trainer to come to their house weekly to train their puppy when she was 12, she ran with the information presented to her and started exercising her new found love for dog training. She began volunteering at rescues- fostering dogs, dog walking, and pet sitting. After receiving her BS in Exercise Scie...

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  Kat Minerva

  Board and train, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hi! My name is Kat and I like dogs!I've worked with dogs for almost 10 years and am still amazed I can make a career out of something I love so much! I got my start in the dog world in 2012 while I was still in college. I dabbled in dog training while working for a boarding/training facility but I wasn't too keen (see what I did there) on the methods used. So, I decided to see what else was out...

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  Nicole Sudol

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  Hi there! My name is Nicole and my story started like many other trainers. I remember feeling a little bored when I was sitting in my college orientation and, with my love for knowledge, I knew something was up and I wasn't on the right path. I decided to take on my dream of working with animals, dogs in particular (of course!), and join an online program to become a trainer.Then came Sage, my ...

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  Drew Thomason

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  Trainer Drew turned his lifelong obsession with dogs into a training career in 2012. Since then he has coached countless owners towards reaching their dog's full potential. He thrives on finding that 'lightbulb momen' for both dog and owner in every training session, hoping to spread the joy in learning and building behaviors.He has three dogs: Luna, the mutt that started it all, Ginger, an Air...

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  Molly Kuekes

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  Hi! My name is Molly and I'm so excited to be a part of the KeenDog Training team!My passion for dog training started when I was in undergrad. I completed two internships with different police department canine units in North Carolina , Mooresville PD and Raleigh PD ‚ to complete my degree in Criminology and Sociology. My intent was to become a police canine handler. I ultimately didn't go down...

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  Maureen Link

  Puppy training, Herding training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  My interest lies in helping people understand how dogs learn, what communicates safety and respect to a dog and what could accidentally create fear or anxiety for a dog. After many years of fostering countless dogs. it frequently seemed to be a misunderstanding on the humans part about why the dog was behaving the way they do. I started my journey with dog training to advance my own knowledge b...

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  Kelly Jordan

  Agility training, Puppy training, Protection/guard dog training

  Originally from Albemarle, NC, Kelly grew up with dogs and had her first 'adult pet' in college. Now she has two Brittanys with endless energy and big personalities.Kelly was introduced to Highland Canine when she was looking for some help with basic obedience for her oldest pup, Bene. He went through their three week Board and Train program and she immediately saw amazing results.A year later ...

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  Amy Blom

  Puppy training, In home training

  I have always loved working with and spending time with animals, and believe every animal deserves the best humans have to offer. After more than 20 years as an adult trainer in an international consulting career, I had the opportunity to branch into my next career, finally working with humans AND animals!I am so excited to be combining my expertise of human adult learning and business managem...

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  Tiffany Song

  Puppy training

  a graduate from Florida State University, Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT), Fear Free Certified, and graduated from Victoria Stillwell's Academy. Tiffany got her start in the animal rescue world where she used to spend all of her weekends volunteering with a pet rescue throughout high school and college. She then started working with native Florida animals (bears, wolves, panthers,etc...

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  Sam Portillo

  In home training, Service dog training, Puppy training

  Sam Portillo is an incredibly passionate professional dog trainer with four years of experience in the field of animal training and behavior. She graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy and remains a Certified Training Partner with the KPA. Sam is also a CGC Evaluator for the American Kennel Club, recognizing exceptional canine citizens and assisting clients in preparing for the...

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  Rebecca Golian

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Rebecca grew up in Frederick County, Maryland and found her passion for working with animals at a young age. She competed as an equestrian athlete for over 15 years and ran a successful equestrian training and sales business in Maryland and Northern Virginia.
  
  Rebecca started professionally training dogs in college. While attending the University of Maryland, Rebecca offered a variety o...

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  Meagan Karas

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Originally from Norfolk, VA, Meagan has over 20 years experience working with dogs. She has raised and trained dogs for service dog organizations, volunteered and worked at rescues and veterinary clinics, and has over 10 years managerial experience with dog daycare and boarding facilities.
  
  Meagan also spent many years working at breeding facilities; raising and caring for a variety of...

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  Gabby Changanaqui

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Gabby was born and raised in the Charlotte area and her passion for working with animals has been cultivated through a variety of experiences in the animal industry. While in college she became a kennel attendant at a local doggy daycare, eventually growing into a bathing/grooming position and assisting in training.Gabby also has experience training service dogs; training her own personal dog a...

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  Rob Gunsel

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Rob grew up with a passion and love for animals. While attending UNC-Wilmington, Rob decided to change that passion into practice and enrolled in a two year service dog program that showed him the true healing power of dogs. During that time, Rob applied and was accepted into a three month internship and was able to assist in the training and placement of privately owned service dogs. He was th...

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  Hunter Smith

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hunter was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her love for training dogs started when she was a young child when her family received an autism assistance service dog for her brother.
  
  Hunter has been professionally training dogs for over two years and worked for several training counties across the country.
  
  When not working, she enjoys reading, hiking, and spending t...

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  Gracie Clingenpeel

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Gracie has always had a deep connection with dogs. Born in Indiana, she moved to Charlotte at a young age, where her love for dogs continues to grow. From the moment she welcomed her German Shepherd, Selene, into her life, Gracie knew that working with dogs was her true calling. She brings with her a military background, having served in an esteemed capacity. As a graduate of South Carolina You...

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  McKenna Cranford

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  McKenna's love for dogs developed at a young age, and she has been actively involved in the dog world for most of her life. She started out volunteering with animal rescues in middle school and started fostering animals in high school. She has a particular interest in helping dogs reach their full potential and is dedicated to expanding her knowledge of dog behavior and training.McKenna self-tr...

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  Valerie Seeley

  Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Growing up in Bessemer City, North Carolina Valerie grew up with multiple animals and always knew he was an animal lover from childhood. During high school she started fostering and rescuing cats. She also has years of experience working at dog daycare and boarding facilities. Valerie started at Love in the Lead in 2023 and is one of our dog care assistants!
  
  Outside of work, Valerie e...

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  Emily Harris

  Board and train, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Like many dog trainers, Emily discovered her love of training after adopting a difficult rescue dog and winding up in over her head. She employed the help of KeenDog trainer, Rachel, to set her rottweiler bully mix, Samson, up for success, and quickly fell head over heels in love with training. Craving more, Emily decided to leave the corporate world behind and join our team as a trainer in 202...

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  Lavelle Brown

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hello wonderful dog owners. I'm Lavelle Brown a Through The Leash trainer in the beautiful Los Angels, CA area. I have always loved animals and nature in general so dogs being man's best friend makes them my favorite animal. I am originally from Cleveland, OH and I am a University of Cincinnati alumni. I will never forget when I got my first puppy which was a Maltese. I taught her how to jump t...

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  Sam Ferry

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hi! My name is Sam Ferry and I am the Training Director in the Cleveland/Akron area. I studied wildlife conservation and ecology at Bowling Green State University. I've always had a passion for helping animals since I was a kid. I started getting into training in high school when I trained a medical alert service dog for myself. From there my passion in training grew. I worked in shelters all a...

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  Rayne Hurley

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Thank you for reading my bio. I have been in the dog training industry for about 13/14 years now and call me biased but Through The Leash is most definitely a cut above the rest. I work in the back end of the company in the office, making sure things are running smoothly. Most likely you have spoken to me at one point or another, I'm the one with the strong English accent. I am one of the bigge...

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  Steve Urbanski

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  A little bit about myself. I was born and raised in Southern New Jersey. I was an avid athlete that always accepted a challenge and strove to be the best at what I did. I attended The College of New Jersey and received my Bachelor of Science from their School of Business. I spent the next 14 years in the sales organizations for Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies. All the while growing up ...

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  Ki Kearns

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hi, I'm Ki (key) and I'm a canine coach in Akron Ohio. I've always loved animals and helping people. Working for Through the Leash has helped me find a place where I can do both. It's great to be able to say I love my career and my awesome coworkers. I've learned so much about dog behavior and I'm excited to learn more every day. Helping clients communicate with their pups and improve their rel...

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  Matt Barfield

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hey there my name is Matthew, but you can just call me Matt. Let me tell you a little bit about myself, I've been with Through The Leash for a little bit over 2 years. Before then my love and fascination for animal of all sizes drew me towards the science of animal studies in college. Despite knowing and pursuing my passion for animals I still wasn't sure wanted to do as a career, until I meet ...

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  Kayla Scott

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  Hello! I'm Kayla, and dogs have been my absolute passion since I was a child. Understanding their body language and behavior has always come naturally to me. Dogs hold a special place in my heart, and I am dedicated to improving their lives through training and behavior modification. Having graduated from Animal Behavior College, specializing in basic obedience and positive reinforcement traini...

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  John Thompson

  Aggressive dog training, Board and train, Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training

  John Thompson is the owner and founder of Through the Leash Dog Training, a renowned organization dedicated to transforming the lives of dogs and their owners. A true embodiment of resilience and compassion, John's journey began with a distinguished career as a military veteran, where he honed his unwavering discipline, leadership, and devotion to service.After transitioning from the military, ...

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  Travis Burch

  Puppy training, Herding training, Protection/guard dog training, In home training

  Spending his childhood romping through the woods with his golden retriever, Tubbs, Travis found 2 of his greatest passions: Animals and the Outdoors. Entrepreneurial at heart, Travis earned his MBA from Gardner Webb University, specializing in Tourism and Hospitality. Spurred on by 2 years at a guest ranch in Montana, Travis loves helping people disconnect from their stress-filled lives and rec...

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  MIKE CALINOFF

  Puppy training

  Doglogics Training & Socialization owner, trainer and entrepreneur, Mike Calinoff, is the 2023 Normy Winner of the "Best Dog Trainer" on Lake Norman award. Mike's love for dog training has prompted him to develop unique methods of problem-solving -- particularly with dogs who suffer from reactivity, aggressions and impulse control issues. And puppies -- Mike loves puppies! Doglogics has one of ...

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  Mariah Hinds

  Aggressive dog training, Agility training, Puppy training, Herding training, In home training

  Your Charlotte NC dog trainer, Mariah, is a certified dog trainer through the Certification Council For Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT). Your dog will learn as quickly as possible with results that will last with Mariah's commitment to continuing education, effective positive training techniques, and dedication to kind communication with humans. Get started now with one of our Charlotte Dog Tr...

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See the Best Puppy Trainers in Other Cities Near Charlotte

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See the Best Dog Trainers by Type in Charlotte

• Aggressive dog training
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• Deaf dog training
• Herding training
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