Dog Training Programs in Charlotte, NC

Customized for Your Dog and Your Life

Since 2008, Dog Owner’s Academy has trained 5,000+ dogs and their owners in Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Every program is built around your unique dog, your specific household, and the way you actually want to live. Not a generic curriculum that every dog goes through. We design your training from the first consultation, based on exactly what you’re struggling with and what you want life with your dog to look like.

Book Your Free Consultation

Or call (844) 864-3647

Three dogs practicing place command on a bench and raised cot during dog training in Charlotte NC

We come to you.
Anywhere in Charlotte and nearby cities.

5,000+ Charlotte dogs trained · Nearly 20 years of experience

What Dog Owner’s Academy Delivers

Dog standing on a red ball outside Target during real-world dog training in Charlotte NC

We do more than just train your dog. We teach you the language your dog is already speaking: the body language, the signals, the communication that’s been happening all along that most owners miss. By the time we’re done, you understand your dog in a way that makes every situation easier to read and navigate, not just the specific behaviors we worked on.

The standard we train to is a dog you can take anywhere. Dog-friendly places in Charlotte like breweries, home improvement stores, restaurants, busy sidewalks, and your friends’ house. Off-leash reliable. Not just “well-behaved at home when nothing is happening.” That’s what Train As You Live™ means, and it’s what every Dog Owner’s Academy program is built toward.

Your dog keeps their personality. We aren’t training the goofy out of them. We give them the structure that makes the goofy sustainable.

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Designed around YOUR dog

No cookie-cutter plans. Built around your dog, their personality, and your day-to-day life.

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Real-world, not just indoors

Training that holds up at the door, at the park, and in the dog-friendly stores. All the places it actually counts.

Z

Any behavior problem, solved

Nearly two decades of in-home work in Charlotte. We’ve seen the frustrating behavior your dealing with and fixed it.

Our Programs

Private In-Home Training

The most hands-on option

Our trainers come to you: your home, your neighborhood, the environment where the behavior actually needs to be reliable. You’re fully involved in every session. Everything we teach your dog, we show you, too.

Best for owners who want to be directly involved in the training process from the very first session.

Jumpstart: In-Home + Board and Train

The best of both worlds

We start with in-home sessions, so you’re part of the training from day one. Then your dog spends focused time with one of our trainers for intensive board and train work. You stay in the loop throughout and learn everything alongside your dog.

Best for owners who want to accelerate results while staying actively involved in the process.

Autopilot: Full Board and Train

The VIP program for busy dog owners

Your dog boards with our team and gets undivided, one-on-one attention from a trainer. When they come home, we walk you through everything they’ve learned so the transition is smooth and the results stick.

Best for owners who want maximum results with their dog’s training handled by professionals from start to finish.

Explore Board and Train Programs

Graduate to Group Classes for Real Life Practice

Once your dog has completed private in-home training or board and train, group classes offer the next step: practicing those new skills out in the real world.

After all, good behavior has to hold up beyond the living room. Other dogs, unfamiliar places, busy surroundings, and everyday distractions can all test your dog’s progress.

Group classes help your dog strengthen what they’ve learned in a setting that feels more like real life. They also give you something just as valuable: a supportive community of dog owners who understand the process.

You’re not doing this by yourself. You’re learning alongside people who want the same thing you do: a more confident dog, a calmer home, and a life together that feels easier to enjoy.

Lifetime Support. Because Life Keeps Happening.

Training doesn’t end when the program does. New baby. New house. New dog. Your dog getting older. Every one of those situations tests what your dog knows, and none of them are predictable.

Every Dog Owner’s Academy client gets lifetime support from our trainers for whatever comes next. Because the situations that challenge you both the most tend to happen after the program wraps up.

Meet Our Trainers

What Dog Owner’s Academy Clients Say About Training

       EXCELLENT  
   Based on 124 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Pamela Forgey 
 6 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. After one lesson with Dominic we can see such a difference!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Ryan McGrann 
 8 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
Getting training for the life of the dog is awesome, knowing you can get a little help from time to time whenever you need it. And the group classes are fantastic. I never thought our pup would be off-leash but she got there within a couple of months. Dom and Amaya have been awesome. You can't go wrong.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Sue Shaw 
 13 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Good lesson tailored to my situation.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Emily Hamilton 
 18 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dominic is the best! Dog Owners Academy is the way to go
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Sara D 
 18 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve been working with Dog Owner’s academy and Amaya for two months now and I can already see the benefits in my dog. The confidence he’s built has really excelled him in training. I’m so grateful for Amaya’s help in making my dog a better family dog.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Isaiah Robinson 
 46 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
Amya is amazing with our dog Luna. The results are remarkable and life changing for us and our dog.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Joseph Starr 
 69 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Awesome training for my doodle.  He loved his trainer. Amya is great and she really focused on what was needed to get him ready to hangout at the stores and parks.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Kristin Auerbach 
 70 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dominic has been absolutely wonderful to work with. He is currently training both of my dogs—a four-month-old puppy and my two-year-old dog—and the difference has been remarkable.

What I appreciate most is that he doesn’t just train the dogs; he teaches us how to communicate with them in a way they understand. He is patient, knowledgeable, and explains the “why” behind everything he does, which has given us so much more confidence at home.

He has been fantastic at adapting his approach to each dog’s personality and stage of development. Our puppy is learning great habits from the beginning, while our older dog has made tremendous progress as well. The training is practical, positive, and easy to continue between sessions.

If you’re looking for someone who genuinely cares about your dogs and wants to set both you and your pets up for long-term success, I can’t recommend Dominic highly enough. We are so grateful for everything he has done and look forward to continuing to work with him.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Latrisha Whitehead 
 73 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amya is great with Riggs.  He’s improved so much since working with her.  She firm but so patient.  We’ve grown as well it’s been a bit of a learning experience for us to practice consistency and patience.  Thank you Amya
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Diana Bass 
 81 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amya has been a great asset in my training for Fender.  She came and made a customized plan and spent a lot of time working on exactly what we need.  She is very knowledgeable and friendly.  Thanks so much!

Not Sure Which Program Is Right for You?

That’s exactly what the free in-home consultation is for. We come to you, meet your dog, assess what you are working with, and walk you through which program makes the most sense for your situation. Pricing and program fit are both covered during that conversation.

Three steps. No pressure. No mystery.

01

Schedule a free consultation

Book a time that’s convenient for you. Or call us to talk about your dog first. Whatever you prefer.

02

We come to your home

A trainer visits you in your space to watch how your dog behaves and listen to what you’d like fixed.

03

You walk away with a plan

Clear next steps tailored to your dog and your life. You decide what feels right. No upsells.