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The Best Dog Trainers in Cleveland, OH of 2026

David Adams photo

David Adams

Aug 7, 2026

Dog Trainers

This is a list of the top dog trainers in Cleveland, OH, based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public.

  • Christine Good Photo

    Christine Good

    CPDT-KA, RVT

    Aggressive dog training, Deaf dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Puppy training

    Geauga, Lake, Cuyahoga, Ashtabula county, Chardon, Mentor, Willoughby, Eastlake, Middlefield, Painesville, Chesterland, Kirtland, Chagrin Falls, and surrounding areas

    I started my career as an animal trainer in 2005 at a wildlife center. There I used clicker training to teach raccoons to patiently wait on their stations for food rather than climbing up on the keeper's legs. I became hooked on dog training when I used the clicker working with my reactive dog, Marvin, who needed me to step up my game. I am a registered veterinary technician (RVT) with over 16 ...


  • Alisa Gerasimov Photo

    Alisa Gerasimov

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

    Alisa Gerasimov is an honor graduate of the Animal Behavior College's Dog Training Program and AKC Evaluator. Alisa avidly pursues continuing education and professional development by attending APDT seminars and keeping current on research and training in this evolving field.Alisa grew up in Ukraine, where she spent years socializing feral dogs and successfully teaching them to safely coexist a...


    “Alisa Gerasimov was a godsend to us! When she arrived, our dog Ed was continually marking around the house, he was uncontrollable on the leash, he did not focus on any of my commands, he was full of anxiety, he was fearful and somewhat hostile to other dogs and generally impossible to control. And both of my pups were gobbling their food, sometimes being sick afterwards from eating so fast. Ed now is calmer, happier, very confident, does not ever mark in the house, loves other dogs (THANK YOU FLOKIE FOR BEING HIS FIRST FRIEND!) listens to my commands and does not drag me around the neighborhood! And Django is learning through him all the good habits Alisa instilled! And she also introduced me to the “snuffle mats” which have completely changed the way they eat. She also recommended the belly belts and the front-hook harnesses, which changed my life! Both pups are so much happier in so many ways. I have owned many dogs through the years, and I can truthfully say this is the first time I felt like the training was worth the time and money spent. Alisa has an absolute gift with dogs. They instinctively trust her. She quickly becomes a safe place for them. I can’t thank her enough for her help and kindness. We will miss Alisa and her wonderful dog Flokie and our training sessions, which became fun instead of work, but still managed to correct behavior. She is the BEST!!!”

    — Emily S.


  • Monica Walton Photo

    Monica Walton

    Cleveland

    Hi, I am Madison! I am a positive reinforcement based trainer. I professionally trained Service Dogs for 2.5 years at a Service Dog organization before breaking off on my own. I am in the process of getting a reactivity certification and a certification through IAABC. My passion is learning how to understand dogs at a compassionate level so that we can work with them and train in a way that mak...


  • Kevin Johnson Photo

    Kevin Johnson

    Aggressive dog training, In home training, Protection/guard dog training, Reactive dog training, Service dog training, Puppy training

    Hello, my name is Kevin Johnson and I want to thank you for considering Dog Training Elite of Northeast Ohio. I was born in North Carolina and raised on a farm where we bred and trained hunting dogs. I've always enjoyed working with dogs to enhance the lives of their human families. I left North Carolina when I joined the Air Force where I served at the Pentagon and Andrews Air Force Base for 7...


  • Josh Lopez Photo

    Josh Lopez

    Aggressive dog training, In home training, Protection/guard dog training, Reactive dog training, Service dog training, Puppy training

    Josh is a military veteran, whose dog training journey started long before he decided to become a DTE Franchisee. He began training military working dogs (MWD) in 2009 and in doing so has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with his MWD Valdo. Upon completion of his military service, he also trained dogs for the Department of State in support of diplomatic operation...


  • Chris Lantzer Photo

    Chris Lantzer

    Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Puppy training

    Chris is the owner of Woof Wise Dog Training. Her goal is to help dogs stay in their homes and help people and dogs live happily together! She would like everyone to experience the same joyous bond she treasures with her dogs developed through training. Chris is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer‚ Knowledge Assessed through CCPDT with over 15 years experience. She has studied under America...


  • Michele Terlep Photo

    Michele Terlep

    Puppy training

    Pawsitive Play Dog Training and Michele Terlep, MEd. (Master of Education), a nationally Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), and a multi-award winning educator, can help turn your challenges into success using the art and science of positive reinforcement dog training.


  • John Swaney Photo

    John Swaney

    In home training, Puppy training

    John Swaney has come to dog training after a full career in construction engineering, a change he delights in. John started his dog training pursuits when he adopted a German shepherd, named Ginger, at which point he looked into becoming part of a search and rescue team that uses their dogs to assist area law enforcement in finding missing persons. In 2010, he became a member of a local volunte...


  • Megan Wessels Photo

    Megan Wessels

    In home training, Puppy training

    Megan Wessels fostered her love for working with animals early on as a puppy raiser for Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan. However, her passion for animals doesn't just include dogs. Megan is the president of Impact Equine, a non-profit organization that specializes in equine rescue, transition, and rehabilitation. She currently shares her home, life, and bank account with her pu...


  • Stacey Snyder Photo

    Stacey Snyder

    Board and train

    At the risk of sounding cliche, I have always known that I would become a professional dog trainer. It was very clear to my family and friends from an early age that I was obsessed with all animals, but especially dogs and horses. My first position in dog care was at the young age of ten when I took on the big responsibility for caring for three of my father's highly trained hunting dogs, one o...


  • Victoria Brody Photo

    Victoria Brody

    Puppy training, Deaf dog training

    I am a graduate of Karen Pryor Academy's Certified Training Partner program (Certification # 76392). Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) is widely acknowledged as an exceptional and intensive training program available to professional dog trainers. Founded by world-renowned trainer and author, Karen Pryor, this rigorous program sets its graduates apart from other dog training programs in the industry. Ad...


  • Stacy Vara Photo

    Stacy Vara

    Agility training, In home training

    Stacy Vara grew up in upstate NY and has been working with dogs her entire life. From a young age, Stacy has had a love for animals, especially dogs. She knew she wanted to work with them from the moment she began training her own dogs as a kid. Stacy is a veteran trainer with many years of experience. She has volunteered and dedicated her time at local animal shelters and rescues over the last...


  • Andrea Johnson Photo

    Andrea Johnson

    Aggressive dog training, Puppy training, Off leash training, Herding training, Deaf dog training, In home training

    Hello and welcome to our website! My name is Andrea Johnson, I am an owner and trainer here at Dog Training Elite of Northeast Ohio. I .I was born and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and I am proud to call this home. I have always had dogs as pets, have always adored and admired them for their unconditional love and loyalty. I am excited to be able to help others strengthen their bond with ...


  • Jimmy Morelli Photo

    Jimmy Morelli

    Aggressive dog training, In home training, Protection/guard dog training, Reactive dog training, Service dog training, Puppy training

    Hello, my name is Jimmy Morelli. I was born in Cleveland but grew up in South Florida. I moved around a lot my adult years before returning home to the Cleveland area when I retired in 2016. I retired from The Department of Homeland Security where I proudly served and protected my country at home and abroad. In my retirement, I have taken on a new passion which is fostering dogs in need. With t...


  • Tina Geffert Photo

    Tina Geffert

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

    Tina's volunteer work as a docent at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is what inspired her to pursue her training certification. After watching how zookeepers applied the principles of positive reinforcement to set some very large, strong, and wild animals up for success when doing animal husbandry, she thought, 'We can certainly do this with dogs too!' Tina actively volunteers at a community dog ...


  • Leah Hendricks Photo

    Leah Hendricks

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

    Leah has worked in the veterinary field since 2013. She is a registered veterinary technician (RVT) working on a behavior specialization. She has worked alongside board certified veterinary behaviorists and technician specialists where she learned a lot about animal behavior and training.Leah has huge heart for senior dogs and has one of her own, a 14 year old Chihuahua named Cookie. She also h...


  • Valarie Smith Photo

    Valarie Smith

    Aggressive dog training, Puppy training, Herding training, Deaf dog training

    Hello! I am Valarie, the owner of Sits n Wiggles Dog Training. I started SnW in 2015 when I had the opportunity to move from dogs being just my passion but my career. I have been involved in dog and cat rescue since I was in college. In early 2015 I started taking classes with Catch Canine Trainers Academy with the intention to offer volunteer training services to shelters and rescues. However,...


  • Tiffany Shields Photo

    Tiffany Shields

    Aggressive dog training, Puppy training, Herding training, Deaf dog training

    Hello everyone,My name is Tiffany Shields and I am the newest addition to Sits 'n Wiggles Dog Training. I will be starting the Service Dog training program with virtual sessions for those in need. To be accepted into SD training, we would need a letter from a Doctor, Counselor, or Case Manager stating you would benefit from having a service dog. We do this for legal purposes, to protect you.The...


  • Ron Dorazio Photo

    Ron Dorazio

    Aggressive dog training, In home training, Protection/guard dog training, Reactive dog training

    Ron Dorazio, head trainer at Rapid Results, has been training dogs since the 1970s (since 2002 professionally) and is certified as a 'No Limitations Dog Trainer' by Fred Hassan's Sit Means Sit School for Dog Trainers in Las Vegas, Nevada.The Rapid Results TrainingThe Rapid Results method of dog training not only works, but is also fast, affordable, and easy to learn. No more chasing your dog ar...


  • Scott Purdum Photo

    Scott Purdum

    Aggressive dog training, Agility training, Puppy training, Herding training, Protection/guard dog training

    When Scott adopted Oberon in 2010, he was challenged to develop his training techniques to overcome his Cane Corso's strong aggression issues toward people. After just a few months of working with him, Oberon's aggression was tempered and his behavior was reformed through consistent and continuous work with effective training tools.Since then, Scott has further refined and developed his proven ...


  • Kerry Stack Photo

    Kerry Stack

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

    Embark on a transformative journey to refine your dog's behavior with the expert guidance of Kerry Stack, a seasoned dog trainer and behaviorist boasting over 20 years of experience. Through personalized one-on-one Zoom sessions, you'll delve into the underlying motivations of your dog's actions and master the art of effective communication, and address all your inquiries regarding your dog's e...


  • Alyxandra McKenna Photo

    Alyxandra McKenna

    Aggressive dog training, Herding training, In home training

    Alyxandra McKenna is a certified trainer through Paramount Dog Training, Associate Member of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and founder of Align K9 Training. Alyx has always had a natural ability to understand dog behavior and believes helping restore alignment to dogs and owners is her life's purpose. She started fostering seven years ago to help overflowing local...


  • Sam Jessel Photo

    Sam Jessel

    Aggressive dog training, Herding training

    Hi! My name is Sam Jessel and I am a professional dog trainer. I have over 10 years of experience as a dog trainer, including 3 years serving as a commander in the Israeli K-9 special forces unit, specifically working with bomb-sniffing dogs. It doesn't matter what age, kind, or level your dog is at. Whether you are a new dog parent looking for some basic training and would like to incorporate ...


  • Holly Krueger Photo

    Holly Krueger

    Puppy training, In home training

    Holly Krueger used to visit children with autism and other special needs, as well as local nursing homeswith her CGC-Pet Partners therapy dogs Moses and Grace. While working on Canine Good Citizen and therapy dog certification, she began looking into other dog and handler activities and found Rally Obedience. She participated in Rally with her Brussels Griffons, Moses and Twizzler. Moses and Tw...


  • Carol Peter Photo

    Carol Peter

    Puppy training, In home training

    Carol Peter, founder of Cold Nose Companions, LLC discovered her passion for training dogs as a shelter volunteer. There, she saw countless dogs surrendered by their humans due to behavioral issues that could have been addressed through proactive training and positive reinforcement techniques. Carol became one of the inaugural trainers in a local shelter volunteer trainer program many years ago...


  • Megan Jean Photo

    Megan Jean

    Puppy training, In home training

    Megan St Jean started at the young age of sixteen as a puppy raiser for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Although Megan tried to pursue other careers she quickly realized her greatest joy and deepest meaning came from her work with dogs and training was what she was meant to do.

    After rescuing her dog Shelly who struggled with anxiety and reactivity, Megan found her greatest satisfaction ca...


  • Jessica Castello Photo

    Jessica Castello

    Volunteer work and life experience as pertains to dog training, handling and husbandry.1990-1996 Member: Erie County 4-H, Dogs Hounds and Mutts Club Sandusky, Ohio 44870 Trained personal dog earning Reserve Champion and other awards for Show at County Fair. Assisted other club members in the training and preparation for dog show in obedience and showmanship.1998-2001 The Retriever Barn, H...


  • Denise Colliton Photo

    Denise Colliton

    Denise is a United States Air Force Veteran, born and raised in the Cleveland Ohio area. In the Air Force she worked in the ASSIST program, where her main responsibility was to train and solve problems. Over 20 years in the customer service industry as a Area Director, and also a current Realtor for fun, she also trained and fought MMA and studied Brazilian Ju-Jitzu and Boxing.

    Her p...


  • Cindy Hoppes Photo

    Cindy Hoppes

    Starting her canine career in 1999, she then has established Pawsitively Good Pup Dog and Puppy Training. She interned with Michael Blount, is certified through IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals) and Pet Tec first aid.


  • Becky Rupert Photo

    Becky Rupert

    Agility training, Board and train

    Hi! I'm glad you stopped by. My name is Becky and I'm a certified professional dog trainer. I've trained thousands of dogs and look forward to helping you to have the dog you deserve the dog of your dreams!Have you always been a dog trainer?Yes and no. I've been working with dogs since I was 5 years old. Growing up, my parents bred and raised Dalmatians. I was always training them to do t...


  • Katie Rust Photo

    Katie Rust

    Board and train, In home training

    Katie Rust is an avid dog sport competitor and preservation breeder of Chihuahuas. Katie has earned Champion titles on 3 of her program foundation dogs in the 2022/23 season and obtained the title of Grand Champion on her dog Whimsy. Katie draws from her diverse dog training background utilizing skills from the animal behaviorist, positive reinforcement, and balanced dog training schools of tho...


  • Lindsey Norton Photo

    Lindsey Norton

    In home training, Puppy training

    I started on my path to the dog training world many years ago when I began working at a major retail pet store, one day there was an opening for dog trainer position and I was offered the opportunity to learn all about dog behavior and training principles. I had been afraid of dogs since I was young because of an incident when I was bitten by a neighbors dog, but I saw this as an opportunity to...


Welcome to Cleveland’s list of top dog trainers. The Cleveland, Ohio list is based on 158 votes from the Ohio Sniffspot community. Only the Cleveland dog trainers with the top number of votes made this list. Trainers are ordered by number of votes, with Christine Good at the top of this list with 158 votes. We also counted 477 votes for Ohio, with the remaining trainers listed outside of Cleveland.

Our rankings include trainers certified by CPDT-KA and RVT. They also specialize in Puppy training, In home training amongst other training programs.

Cleveland dog trainer services include:

  • Puppy training
  • In home training
  • Aggressive dog training
  • Reactive dog training
  • Board and train
  • Agility training
  • Deaf dog training
  • Herding training
  • Service dog training
  • Protection/guard dog training
  • Off leash training

Behind every successful Cleveland training session lies a passionate professional. Christine Good shares why they chose this path: Working in the veterinary field I realized that there was a huge need for more education and training without force. So many animals were surrendered, rehomed, or even euthanized for behavioral challenges that could have been prevented or avoided if clients had received better advice from the beginning on the relationship with their pet. I think, animal behavior is absolutely fascinating and teaches us a lot about ourselves. I love creating a stronger bond that goes both ways between dogs and their families.. All 32 trainers on this Cleveland list are committed to positive reinforcement. Trusted Cleveland trainer, Alisa Gerasimov, uses the following methods: .

Explore the top dog trainers in Cleveland as voted by our community:

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FAQ: Find the Best Dog Trainers in Cleveland, Ohio

Who is the top Aggressive dog trainer in Cleveland, Ohio?

Christine Good has been recognized as leading dog trainer in Cleveland.They excel in providing Aggressive dog training and Deaf dog training and have helped numerous dogs and their owners in Cleveland reach important training goals.

What services does Christine Good offer in Cleveland, Ohio?

Christine Good offers a range of services, including Aggressive dog training, Deaf dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Puppy training. Their approach is tailored to meet the unique needs of each dog in Cleveland, ensuring effective Aggressive dog training training.

What are the qualifications of the top trainers in Cleveland, Ohio?

Top trainers like Christine Good in Cleveland hold certifications such as CPDT-KA, RVT. These qualifications highlight their expertise and commitment to providing the best training services in Cleveland.

What is Christine Good’s top piece of advice for Cleveland dog owners?

When asked for their best advice for Cleveland dog owners, Christine Good shared: I think, we could solve half our dog problems by picking dogs that fit our lifestyle better. For example -puppies may look adorable with their big eyes but they are really Velociraptors on steroids! They bite, and have accidents, and bite some more. It is also a misconception that puppies are blank slates and won't develop problems. Puberty is awful no matter the species. Dogs two and over have fully formed personalities. What you see is usually what you get - if you know how to look. Also, although we may fantasize about driving a racecar and may enjoy watching them, most of us are much better served in real life with an SUV or sedan. There are breeds out there that appear in movies or online videos showing off fantastic skills - but they are not made to be living in suburbia around families. They are not happy - and you won't be either..

Why did Christine Good choose to offer dog training services in Cleveland?

Christine Good chose to provide their services in Cleveland because Working in the veterinary field I realized that there was a huge need for more education and training without force. So many animals were surrendered, rehomed, or even euthanized for behavioral challenges that could have been prevented or avoided if clients had received better advice from the beginning on the relationship with their pet. I think, animal behavior is absolutely fascinating and teaches us a lot about ourselves. I love creating a stronger bond that goes both ways between dogs and their families.. Their passion for helping Cleveland dogs shines every day.

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David Adams photo

David Adams

Aug 7, 2026

Dog Trainers

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