Live a Happier Life with Your Furry Friend

Certified
balanced trainers you can trust

Since 2005
helping families nationwide

Lifetime Support
to keep training on track

National Network
of local trainers near you

Free Evaluation
to start your dog’s training

The Dog Wizard Gastonia is a local dog training company that strives to create a positive training experience for pups and their owners in Gastonia, North Carolina. We provide a variety of dog training services and programs, no matter the age of your dog, the breed or the behavioral problems. You and your dog have the potential to learn something new with our dedicated programs. At The Dog Wizard Gastonia, we know that all dogs have the potential to be great companions, and we will help you achieve just that.

How It Works

We offer a wide range of dog training programs designed to fit your goals, whether you need board and train, private lessons, puppy training, or group classes. Each program is led by certified trainers, with flexible scheduling and lifetime support after graduation.

Free Evaluation

We assess your dog’s needs and create a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle.

Customized Training Plan

Certified trainers guide you and your dog through proven, positive methods for behavior improvement.

Hands-On Training

Choose from in-home or mobile programs designed for lasting results.

Ongoing Support

Receive tools, guidance, and follow-ups to maintain progress and reinforce skills at home.

Our Dog Training Programs
and Services

Dog Training Obedience Programs

  • Dog Day Training
  • American Kennel Club (AKC) Training
  • Lifetime Support
  • Specialty Dog Training
  • Private Dog Training Lessons
  • Group Dog Training Classes
  • Board and Train Dog Training
  • Puppy Training Programs
  • Specialty Training
  • Agility
  • Scent Detection
  • Therapy Prep

Dog Behavior Training Services

  • Problem Solving: barking, chewing, jumping, begging, counter surfing, digging, leash pulling, play biting, marking, door bolting, housebreaking
  • Resource Guarding Training
  • Dog Aggression Training
  • Dog Separation Anxiety Training
  • Adopted/Rescue Dog Training Program
  • Dog Socialization Training

Additional Services

  • Baby Prep Class

Meet Your Dog Trainers

Every dog trainer on the The Dog Wizard Gastonia team is extensively trained and experienced in balanced training techniques that address a range of behavioral issues to help your dog reach their full potential.

Melanie Perry

Owner and Trainer

Melanie has worked with dogs for as long as she can remember. She started professionally 15 years ago in the doggie daycare world and learned a lot about dog behavior through play groups and socialization sessions. Knowing dogs were her passion, she sought to be able to make a bigger impact on dogs'' lives which brought her into the training world. As excited as a kid in a candy store, Melanie jumped in with two feet and joined the Dog Wizard family seeking to learn everything she could about dog training. Fast forward 8 years and a lot of hard work, and she is now the proud owner of the Gastonia Dog Wizard and Head Trainer of Lake Norman Dog Wizard. Living nearby in Kings Mountain, she is thrilled to get to make an impact in her own community. If you live in the area, you will more than likely see Melanie out at the parks working with her clients and dogs!

See What Other Dog Owners are Saying

The Dog Wizard Gastonia
4.8
Based on 53 reviews
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Chris Regan
02:53 13 Nov 24
The Dog Wizard are ROCKSTARS!!!
My 2 year Pyredoodle was wild and crazy until her training with Melanie, Chris and the team. Her training made such a difference in her behavior that it's now enjoyable socializing her with other dogs knowing she behaves much better. I need an addition week of training..LOL but Piper is doing great! I use them for boarding too! The refresh her commands while she stays.
Thanks to the team for your ongoing support!
Rhonda Polk
16:25 02 Jun 23
Hallie, our full of energy black lab, did the private puppy classes starting at 3 1/2 months to learn some basics and at 6 months went for the full stay and train and that is where we really saw what a difference it made in her impluse control and behavior. I hated to be away from her for that long but knew if we wanted to have a managable and well behaved dog that was the only option. Since she has been home it has been a much more pleasant atmosphere. She listens and responds to commands. Walks on a leash well and acts so much better when people come to visit. Best of all she still retains her puppy playfulness but has self control to reign it in when we say its getting too much. Another fun thing they do is celebrate the holidays while there. Added a photo of Hallie at thier cinco de mayo celebration while she was there.
Would sooooo reccommend sending your dog to train with Melanie and Chris. They care for them like they are their own!
Erin Timms
14:03 02 Nov 21
We have been having a very good experience with Melanie @ The Dog Wizard! In preparation for a new family member this January, we knew investing in professional dog training would ease some of the stress that we were anticipating with the big changes coming up. We adopted Honey, our lab/husky mix at 14 weeks old and for the past 4 years, created a very spoiled dog. Our main area concerns were jumping, barking, and excessive pulling on the leash. Since returning from the 18 day jump start program, these issues have significantly decreased - my husband and I are now able to comfortably go for daily walks and Honey listens to basic commands. Melanie was responsive and provided us photos and videos throughout Honey's stay which eased our nerves and made us excited to see her progress! We look forward to continuing this process and even utilizing The Dog Wizard for boarding in the future.
Nora Larsen
17:52 16 Sep 21
Dog Wizard was amazing! Me and boyfriend adopted Leia (medium sized pit terrier mix) we didn’t know at the time that she had a big problem with other dogs. When on walks she she would have terrible leash reactivity to the point we were scared to take her out all together. We had just moved to a new apartment in the city and it was very scary walking in hallways with her or take her on the walks she deserved. We got in touch with Melanie and did the dog boarding training, it was sad she was gone for two weeks but Melanie contacted us updating us on her progress throughout. We got Leia back and at our take home lesson we were still pretty timid but Melanie did a great job not only training Leia with leash reactivity but teaching me and my boyfriend to have confidence in walking her and trusting her. Not only did she teach Leia leash reactivity but also basic commands that she was struggling with such as stay, come and jumping on people when she went to greet them. We went to another follow up group lesson and Leia was excited to see Melanie again. I am so happy to say I can take Leia on many more adventures and I now can trust her when I take her walks.
Marla Wiedmann
15:30 09 Mar 20
We have a very cute and loveable high energy 2 year old sheepadoodle. But he's lucky he is so cute. He always found a way to get into mischief and it was exhausting trying to stay one step ahead of him. His counter surfing incidents had landed him at the emergency vet a few times, and he had also started getting into trouble by attempting to aggressively "herd" the neighbor dogs, which they did not like at all. For his own protection and our sanity we looked for a board and train program to help us get him under control. After a thorough search and reading of reviews, we chose The Dog Wizard. It was the best decision we could have made. Melanie was wonderful with Yogi! Over the course of a few weeks she created a solid foundation which we are now able to build upon. Not only did she train him, she trained us on how to be better dog parents for him. She worked on his counter surfing, chasing the cat, leash aggression, jumping on people, coming when called, etc. With consistency at home, we are able to communicate more effectively with him and he with us. He is much better behaved and overall happier because we are meeting his needs too. He will sometimes still push the boundaries, but we are now better equipped to reinforce the limits and redirect him. This was the best investment we could have made for our sweet pup. (The photos are of him working on his down stays rather than attempting to lick the dishes in the diswasher; on "place" while we eat dinner rather than trying to put his nose on the table or counter surfing in the kitchen; and then playing in the yard just for cuteness. ) Thank you Melanie & everyone at The Dog Wizard!

About The Dog Wizard Gastonia

Our dog training goes beyond basic commands like Sit, Come, and Down. Our approach focuses on helping your dog make better choices and respond to you instead of their impulses.

We cover all the essential obedience commands you need to communicate effectively with your dog. But more importantly, we teach your dog to stay engaged and follow through with these commands, even in the most distracting environments.

Our goal is to enhance your dog’s understanding of obedience, making it a natural part of their behavior, not just a few tricks they perform when they feel like it.

Why Choose The Dog Wizard

Magical Methodologies

All of our trainers use balanced training techniques that are proven to be effective in and out of the classroom.

Everywhere Dogs Are

With over 100 locations — the majority of them being mobile — we have the ability to bring balanced dog training right to you.

Trained to Transform

Our knowledgeable trainers complete a rigorous dog training curriculum through The Dog Wizard Academy that teaches them methods that truly work

A Lifetime of Support

Those who complete our obedience programs have access to indefinite group class training support.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Dog Wizard Gastonia offers a free evaluation. Most locations will even come to you to do one! This enables our trainers to meet you and your dog, go over your training goals and find a program that works for you. Give us a call and we will help you set one up.
The Dog Wizard trainers are well versed in a variety of training tools; from food to collars to remote collars. We know that not all dogs do well with every tool and we will help you decide what tool is best for your dog as well as what tools you’re comfortable with using. At the end of the day, whatever tool you’re comfortable in using will be the one you’re most consistent in using and that’s what’s most important to us.
It is never too late to start teaching your dog new habits. It will take more time and effort than teaching a new puppy but you will love the outcome.

In order to know how long it will take to train your dog, we will need to do a free consultation. During your consultation, we will get to understand what you are looking to gain from the training as well as evaluate your dog to see what we will need to do to get him where you would like him to be. At that point, we will be able to give you a timeline for his training.

We do not have a one size fits all approach to training. Each dog owner team that has a free evaluation will have a customized program designed to fit your specific needs. Because of this, individualized system pricing varies. Give us a call and we will help you set one up

Additional questions? We’d love to help.

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