Building Connection Through Intentional Training.

Serving SW Virginia & Beyond

Call us Today
(540) 855-7916

Do you find yourself saying things like?:

“I love my dog, but I am overwhelmed.”

“My dog is great at home, but a mess in public.”

“I know my dog is capable of more.”

“I want a relationship with my dog, not a constant battle.”

Every behavior has a reason behind it. Your dog isn’t trying to make life difficult-they are communicating a need, a feeling, or a lack of understanding. Our approach focuses on creating clarity and connection through intentional training, helping you better understand your dog while teaching them the skills needed to thrive. With years of experience across countless breeds and behavior challenges, we provide the coaching, tools, and techniques to help you achieve your goals-from raising a confident puppy to building reliable off-leash obedience and resolving complex behavioral concerns.

free 30 minute phone consultations to get started.

There’s no commitment, pressure, or obligation.

Schedule Today
A woman walks her golden retriever in line at an outdoor event with food vendors and people in the background on a sunny day.

Board & Train

Our 3-8 week board & train program is the most efficient and effective way to obtain strong reliability and obedience for your companion. Ensure your dog is getting properly trained all while receiving amazing care in the trainers home and getting daily updates during their stay. Each stay comes with 3 go-home lessons so we can teach you everything your dog has learned.

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Two people walking with black dogs into a store through sliding glass doors. The store has a yellow and gray floor with various items on shelves.

Private Lessons

If you have the time to train your own dog but need professional guidance, this is the program for you. We would visit you in your home or an offsite location for an hour once per week for a consecutive 5-10 weeks to give you the proper coaching to help you achieve your goals. Homework is given each week so you can practice the techniques at home.

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A dapple gray and black spotted dog lying on a textured black surface, looking directly at the camera with ears back and head slightly tilted.

Day Train, Behavior Modification, Boarding & More!

Day Train allows you to get the best of both worlds. Drop your dog off twice a week for 6 consecutive weeks where they receive training throughout their day, exercise, and new experiences. We provide weekly feedback so you can practice at home and a go-home lesson to be done at the end of the 6 weeks.

We provide limited boarding and refresher training for already existing clients! Ask us about other services we offer as well.

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We work with dogs of any age, size, or breed, and teach owners lifelong skills to have continued success.

We can address:

Leash manners & Heel

Barking Issues & Reactivity

Separation Anxiety

Off Leash Reliability & A strong recall

Destructive Tendencies

Jumping on Guests/House Manners

Training for Specific tasks

Fearful/Aggression Issues

& More!

Two happy dogs sitting on a large rock in front of a fountain with two waterfalls and a large green tree in a park.

Some of our training graduates over the years:

Close-up of a small, fluffy, light-colored dog with curly fur, looking up at the camera, standing on green grass.
Two dogs sitting on green grass near a shrub and a stone wall, looking at the camera. One dog is black with a white patch on its chest, and the other is tan with black markings on its face.
A happy dog sitting on a large rock in front of a waterfall in a park on a sunny day.
Close-up of a happy yellow Labrador Retriever sitting on green grass, looking up with its mouth open and tongue out.
A happy dog with a joyful expression, looking up at the camera on a grassy surface.
Four dogs with varying coat colors and patterns, sitting on a concrete driveway, with two people partially visible behind them holding their leashes.
A happy, curly-haired dog wearing a colorful birthday hat and blue bandana, sitting on green grass with tongue out.
Two dogs, a fluffy cream-colored one and a black one, lying on green grass in a park on a sunny day, both looking at the camera with their tongues out.
A happy, gray brindle dog lying on green grass with its tongue out.
A happy gray and white dog with its tongue out, sitting on green grass and looking up at the camera.
A dog with blue eyes, merle coat pattern, sitting on green grass, looking up.
Two dogs, one gray and black sitting with tongue out and the other black, white, and brown laying on concrete sidewalk with grass, trees, and parked cars in the background during sunny weather.
A small black and white Chihuahua sitting on a sidewalk, with a man holding a leash to a larger tricolor dog, both outside in a residential neighborhood.
Four dogs sitting on a well-maintained green lawn with a house and gravel area in the background. The dogs are a golden retriever, a black dog, a corgi, and a small black fluffy dog. All are panting with their tongues out and appear happy.
Two dogs, a German Shepherd mix and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, sitting on grass outside, looking at the camera with happy expressions.
A happy Australian Shepherd dog sitting on green grass with a blurred background.
Two dogs sitting inside a home improvement store aisle with garden supplies, plant food, and gardening tools on shelves.
Two dogs on a bench at Queen Creek Olive Mill, Arizona, with trees, picnic tables, and a sign in the background.
Two dogs, a golden retriever puppy sitting and a German shepherd lying on the ground at an outdoor patio with chairs and a wooden table.
Two adorable dogs, a golden curly-coated retriever and a black and white Boston terrier, lying on a raised outdoor dog bed in a backyard with a chain-link fence in the background.
A happy brown dog lying on a dirt path near a body of water with trees and bushes in the background.
Four dogs lying on a concrete porch, with a gravel area in the background. Three of the dogs are light-colored and one is black and gray. They appear happy and relaxed, with their tongues out.
Three dogs, a golden retriever, a small black and white terrier, and a husky, lying on a paved patio with a patch of green grass in the foreground. There are red chairs and a potted plant in the background.
A light-colored Labrador Retriever puppy sitting outdoors on a black surface with green grass in the background, looking directly at the camera.
Close-up of a happy Rottweiler dog with its tongue out, sitting on a grooming mat with green leash attached, indoors near green carpet.
A puppy lying on the floor of a store aisle, looking up and happy, with shelves of products on either side and a blue recycling bin nearby.
Two dogs sitting on bright green artificial grass outdoors, one with curly tan fur and the other with short tan and brown fur, both looking at the camera.
French Bulldog sitting on green grass, looking directly at the camera with an attentive expression.
A black and white Border Collie dog looking up with ears perked on green grass, smiling with an open mouth.
Two dogs sitting in a field of orange and white flowers under a cloudy sky, one black and the other black and white with blue eyes, smiling and looking at the camera.
A German Shepherd dog lying on a dirt path in a park, with trees and parked cars in the background, sunny weather.
A happy Labrador retriever mix dog lying on grass in a park with a leash, smiling with its tongue out.
A fluffy cream-colored dog lying on a dirt path in a park with trees, a man, and a black and tan dog in the background.
Two dogs lying on the ground next to a yellow signboard at Gilbert Farmers Market, with people walking and tents in the background on a sunny day.
Four dogs sitting on grass in a sunny yard, with a small orange ball in the background.
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A woman walking outdoors with a large German Shepherd dog during daytime.

Meet Your Trainer: Eliza Collins

Eliza began her dog training journey in 2014. She ran her own business for 8 years in Arizona before moving to VA and becoming owner of The Canine Intention which has now re branded into DLS Dog Training Academy . Since then, she has professionally trained thousands of dogs in anything from therapy work to behavior modification cases. With her combined experience in high level dog sport and dog psychology, she can provide the right balance of methods that will work for your dog and your goals.

Let's train!

What Our Clients Are Saying

  • Sheila G.

    “

    Eliza was very receptive to our concerns and goals before we started the training process. She answered all of our questions and once he came back from boarding he was a transformed dog. The fact that she offers small sessions after boarding to help train the humans as well made a world of a difference since it gave us the opportunity to address additional concerns that came up once he was home. If you are looking for a highly knowledgeable trainer receptive to humans and dogs needs don’t hesitate to hire Eliza, completely worth it.

    ”

  • Paige L.

    I absolutely recommend DLS. Eliza did an excellent job with our very hard headed 3 year old yellow lab. Communication was great, she texted videos, pictures and updates daily.

  • Roseann M.

    Eliza is a true dog whisperer!! My puppy, Pepper, absolutely loves her. She has taught Pepper many helpful commands, also to love her kennel. Eliza eased the stress when we first fostered Pepper. With Eliza’s training, we decided to keep her! We also love to use Eliza for boarding and extended training! She will chat with you if you have any questions about her services. She is very passionate about her job.

  • Michelle B.

    Eliza was able to take my 2 high energy puppies on short notice due to a surprise health issue. She was amazing to work with on the people side and amazing with my puppies. They went from high energy, chaotic and running around fireballs to focused, engaged, and responsive. I can not recommend her highly enough!

  • Danielle L.

    Eliza is truly a life saver!! We were at our wits end with our two Dobermans, Xena (2 ½) and Xander (8 months), and their uncontrollable behavior at home. They had no structure which was totally our fault as we let them run the house and us. After three weeks of board and train, they came home as completely different dogs. In addition to basic commands, we are now able to kennel them, walk them without them walking us and holding place when instructed. We are even able to have guests come over without feeling like they will be attacked. The one on one follow up sessions with Eliza were an added bonus as we were being trained as well. We highly recommend Eliza as she is an exceptional trainer who truly cares about your pets and their well- being. Update: Now at 7 and 9, they still know all commands and are still very well behaved.

  • Christy H.

    Night and day. I can't thank Eliza enough for the work she's done with my GSD Liv. She went in a crazy busy body and came out so much more structured. I can now walk her without her walking me. She stays by my side. I can take her places without her freaking out at people/pets. She notices them but stays by my side as told. She has actually learned to relax and is now kennel trained so home life is much calmer now. During Liv's 6 week stay I received videos almost every day to keep me updated on her progress and every day I could see a difference. She teaches your pup and then gives you the tools needed and teaches you so you can continue once her time with them is up. I have and will continue to recommend her and her services. She met and then exceeded my expectations. Again thank you 😊

  • George H.

    Eliza at DLS Dog Training is truly exceptional. We’ve known her for 8 years, since she began training our dog when he was just 3 months old, and we have trusted her ever since.

    She also boards and trains our dog when we travel, and we gladly drive 6 hours round trip each time because there is no one else we would trust the same way. Eliza is knowledgeable, patient, caring, and truly one of the best dog trainers on the East Coast.

    Every dog owner should use DLS for training or board and train services. We will never use anyone other than Eliza. Highly recommend!

  • Charles T.

    If you are looking for an excellent dog training experience, I can’t recommend DLS and Eliza enough! Working with her was such a positive experience for both me and my dog, Ollie. She was super flexible with my schedule and kept me updated with videos of Ollie’s progress during the four weeks, which I really appreciated. She didn’t just train Ollie—she also taught me how to work with him going forward. Another bonus is that she boards dogs she’s trained—this was such a great benefit when I had to travel to DC.

  • Holly C.

    Eliza was amazing with our 2 dogs- we did the day train option and also had 2 lessons on loose leash walking around distractions & e-collar use. Our mature dog needed some confidence building/reactivity help & our younger pup needed some training reliability & reps to establish the foundation. Eliza was kind, professional, experienced, safe, reliable, an excellent communicator, and explained techniques so we could easily understand! We learned so much from her & made quick progress on our goals, and we have the tools now to continue their training confidently! We will be booking more lessons as needed once we've put in the work on our first set of goals. We highly recommend DLS Dog Training!

  • Hanna R.

    I can’t recommend Eliza enough. I reached out to her because my 2-year-old husky had really bad anxiety, especially when it was windy. It got to the point where she would scratch at the doors all night trying to get out of the house, and I honestly couldn’t sleep because of it.

    After spending four weeks at Eliza’s boarding and training program, the difference is amazing. My dog is so much calmer now, much easier to control, and she responds to me so much faster. The biggest change is that she seems to trust me more and actually listens.

    Before the training I was constantly stressed at night because of the scratching and anxiety, but now she sleeps through the night peacefully. It’s been such a huge relief.

    Eliza clearly cares a lot about the dogs she works with and really understands how to help them. She’s also incredibly helpful even after the training, I can reach out to her anytime if I have a question and she always responds quickly. She’s also very flexible with scheduling, which makes everything so much easier.

    I’m really grateful for everything she did for us and highly recommend her to anyone who needs help with their dog.

  • Elizabeth W.

    Eliza has changed my life and Waffles my handsome Corgi. He came home and I immediately saw the impact on his training. From the very beginning I knew he was going to exceed. Please have no hesitation when choosing the best trainer around, choose her.

  • Tracy H.

    Highly recommend DLS Dog Training! We did day train and followed up with private lessons for our specific issues at home. Eliza is analytical and laser focused in evaluating your dogs personality, quirks, and triggers for reactivity. She was very insightful to our strengths and weaknesses in our methods of working with our dogs, and she was very patient, but direct and clear to share things she saw that we weren't seeing. Our dogs loved her, too! We are so appreciative!