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 Columbia Dog Wizard is a local dog training company that strives to create a positive training experience for pups and their owners in Columbia, South Carolina. We provide a variety of dog training services and programs near Columbia, Cayce and Lexington South Carolina. No matter the age of your dog, they have the potential to learn something new with our dedicated programs. At the Columbia Dog Wizard, we know that all dogs have the potential to be great companions, and we will help you achieve just that.

The Dog Wizard in Columbia offers various training services like private and group classes, obedience training, aggression training, social anxiety training, and more. Contact us to learn if our services are a match for your dog!

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, mobile, or facility-based 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

  • Lifetime Support
  • Private Dog Training Lessons
  • Group Dog Training Classes
  • Board and Train Dog Training

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

  • Boarding

Meet Your Dog Trainers

Every dog trainer on the The Dog Wizard Columbia 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.

Krissy Spero

Owner/Trainer

Krissy Spero has been working professionally with dogs since 2016, beginning with a walking, daycare, and boarding service before eventually opening her own training business in 2018. What she truly appreciates about being part of The Dog Wizard family is the incredible support system it provides. Each trainer in the organization cares deeply about the well-being and success of both owners and their dogs, united by a common vision: to enhance the lives of canine families through education and communication.

Krissy's personal passion is rooted in early puppy development. By observing temperaments and understanding how formative experiences shape adult behavior, she can help prevent serious behavior issues before they start. While much of her earlier work focused on addressing reactivity, leash manners, and aggression, she has since delved into puppy rearing and temperament testing, knowing that a solid foundation leads to confident, well-adjusted adult dogs.

She also believes strongly in the continued education of her staff. Krissy and her team regularly attend conferences, workshops, and seminars to stay updated on the latest training methods, ensuring they deliver the highest level of service to clients. As members of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), her team remains connected to a network of industry leaders and cutting-edge resources.

Outside of formal training sessions and collaborating with her team, Krissy can often be found exploring new hiking trails, camping under the stars, or relaxing at the beach with her own dogs off-leash. There is something truly magical in watching them explore the world freely, safely, and joyfully. As a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) and STAR Puppy evaluator, as well as an experienced puppy temperament tester, she takes pride in guiding clients as they prepare their dogs for these important certifications. Her team is also equipped to assist with therapy dog evaluations, empowering owners and their pets to give back to the community in a meaningful way.

Ultimately, her goal is to provide every owner with the knowledge and tools needed to build a strong, trusting bond with their four-legged family members''one that endures for a lifetime.

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Shelby Steele

Shelby started professionally working with dogs in 2013, but she has always had a connection with man's oldest friend. She has an appreciation for the long standing bond between humans and canines and how they enrich each other's lives! Even from a young age she sought to understand dog behavior in her quest to become a better care giver to all the dogs that entered her life! She started working at a boarding kennel, where she gained a lot of experience by caring for a variety of dogs with different needs, temperaments, and personalities. Furthering her education with The Dog Wizard, Shelby aspires to be an outstanding resource for her clients. She is dedicated to applying her experience by assisting other dog owners to form deeper bonds with their four legged friends, and provide them with balanced, happier lives.

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Donovan Canada

Dog Trainer

Donovan Canada is a skilled and dedicated trainer at The Dog Wizard Columbia. A graduate of Coastal Carolina University with a BA in Communications, Donovan has been a lifelong dog lover and has been helping dogs thrive since 2020 through care, respect, and understanding. He is passionate about fostering strong connections between his clients and their pets, with a goal of strengthening the bond they share. As the proud owner of three amazing animals, Donovan is committed to helping other pet owners unlock the full potential of their dogs and themselves.

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Savannah Bridges

Customer Support Administrator

Savannah is one of our dedicated administrative team members at The Dog Wizard. With a background in animal health and a Bachelor's degree from Asbury University, Savannah brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for pets to her role. She has always had a deep love for animals, which is reflected in both her professional life and personal experiences.

Savannah and her husband are the proud owners of two dogs, Tink and Luna. Tink, in particular, has benefitted from our training program, showcasing the transformative power of The Dog Wizard's methods. As a mother to one son and a supportive wife, Savannah understands the importance of strong, healthy relationships with pets and family alike.

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Brandie McKelvey

Customer Support Administrator

Brandie has been a dedicated member of The Dog Wizard team for two years, where she brings her passion for helping dogs and their owners create lasting bonds. With a heart full of compassion for stray animals, she is committed to improving the lives of dogs and ensuring they have a loving and well-balanced future. Her work is fueled by a deep desire to support owners in achieving the best relationship with their furry companions. Whether working with rescue dogs or long-time pets, Brandie's goal is to help every dog and owner live their best life together.

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See What Other Dog Owners are Saying

The Dog Wizard Columbia
5.0
Based on 86 reviews
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Cameron Copeland
14:03 15 Feb 26
Shelby was amazing with Harlee. We have noticed big improvements in her behavior and continue to notice them even after completing training. Shelby was patient and tailored the program to our specific goals. Thank you for teaching us the tools we needed to help Harlee!
Kay Cee
22:07 26 Jan 26
The Dog Wizard has been a HUGE help!!!

From the beginning, they were really helpful with the intake call, answering questions in great detail (I asked a lot of them). I was very fortunate to be paired with Shelby S who conducted the intake call.

Shelby is so wonderful. She truly loves dogs and was able to really cater to the needs of my dog. In the 8 week sessions, my dog really made leaps and bounds in behaviors. Shelby gave me the confidence to be more firm with my dog to make him more trusting in me and in directing him. These once a week, 8 week sessions, were life changing. Half at my house and half out in public, but all based on the conversation with your trainer. I’m looking forward to the support classes now that my dog has graduated. I was nervous that he wouldn’t graduate, but he truly shined at the end. Also, never thought my dog would be the kind of dog who would be able to go into a store, but he made it. He made it into SEVERAL stores.

When there was a possibility of needing to reschedule, their team was open to doing so. Very receptive and flexible.

Don’t get me wrong. Your dog’s training relies heavily on the owner too. This is something I understood prior to starting lessons for them. So, do know as the owner, you’ll have to be time and effort too.

Not sure if Shelby will be your trainer, but I do hope she will be!!!
Laurence Hall
02:10 16 Jan 26
Donovan is our Dog "Wizard" trainer. He and "Mako" our 16 week old Cocker Spaniel connected immediately. Donovan's technique is low key, easy to follow and very effective. Donovan covered Sit, Stay, Place, down, leash walking and recall (come when called). Our Puppy has learned these commands very quickly. So pleased with how quickly Mako has responded to the "Place" command, that is sort of like a time out. The way Mako responses when called is wonderful for a puppy. Leash walks will take the most time for a puppy to learn but Mako improves each walk. We take a little bit of time, a few times a day, to work with the dog, as Donovan recommends and we are having good outcomes. Donovan has trained us well so we can train Mako.
Thanks Donovan!
Amanda Khalil
20:24 09 Dec 25
My 2 year old miniature poodle has come a long way since working with Shelby. We chose the individual foundations program. We were dealing with leash reactivity, some guarding issues and excessive barking. Shelby was very patient with me and my dog and was very thorough in making sure that I understood the process of each lesson. She was also very professional in responding to my emails and questions throughout the course of our program. My only regret is not signing up for the course sooner! Even though we have more progress to make, Shelby has equipped me with the knowledge that I need to be a good leader for my dog and I now have the knowledge and tools to problem solve in new situations with him. He is more relaxed on walks and in our home. The barking has decreased significantly and he is more relaxed with visitors in our home. For our final class I was amazed at what he was able to handle in a busy park with other people, dogs, strollers, scooters, etc (everything he would have reacted to prior to working with Shelby). We look forward to the Graduate Support classes where we can continue to learn and improve together!
Robin Austin
17:23 23 Nov 25
Shelby has done a remarkable job with Deke. He has come a long way since they started training. She obviously loves dogs and wants them to be the best they can be. Deke was bad about jumping up and play biting, and he didn’t walk well on the leash. Shelby has corrected his bad behavior and now he seems so much happier. Shelby and Columbia Dog Wizard have been a lifesaver.
Jessica Schroer
18:58 19 Nov 25
I recently worked with Donovan of The Dog Wizard of Columbia and could not be happier with my dog’s results. My nine year old dog needed training for basic listening skills and to help with aggression towards other dogs. With the new skills that Donovan has taught my dog he is all over listening better, has learned boundaries, and plays well with other dogs! This was a great experience and would highly recommend this company for any of your dog’s obedience needs!
Wendy L
19:33 13 Nov 25
Donovan trained our 7 month old great dane, Chloe. From the moment she met him she loved him and was licking his face when i left her at the barn. Two weeks was a long time without her but we had a couple of visits and each time she came home, she was better. Chloe no longer nips, jumps on people nor pulls on the leash. She will hold place while we work which makes our lives easier. Donovan introduced us to the e- collar but we seldom use it because she obeys verbal commands. Thank you Donovan, for making our girl the best she could be and helping us understand what we were doing wrong. You truly changed our lives for the better and we are very thankful.
Holly Baker
18:27 09 Sep 25
Our rescue dog Beryl was fearful of everything. Pulled on walks, wouldn't respond to basic commands and was extremely reactive to other dogs and people. Even aggressive with unexpected visitors. We opted for one on one training with a trainer to come to our house to work through his many issues. Our trainer was Shelby. The first day he wouldn't even approach her and was very hesitant. By our last training session he was excited o see her and even gave her playful kisses. He now is responding to commands and has built a lot of confidence with walks and place. We have even been working on limited off leash training. Shelby was patient, committed and consistent with her approach. We recognized that it wasn't just Beryl who needed training, but we as his owners did too. We still have a lot of work to do with Beryl but are thankful to Shelby and the crew at Dog Wizard for their service and dedication and glad we will have the for support moving forward as we need it. Thank you so much!!
brienna faul
01:47 15 Jun 25
our dog koda was VERY reactive towards people and animals (growling, barking, lunging) and VERY loud, always barking at nothing at all. while we’ve only had him back for one day we can already tell there’s such a big difference. we were never able to take him anywhere. taking him to grooming appointments or even just outside to use the bathroom was beyond stressful. we lost a ton of hope in him with his behavior getting progressively worse. he couldn’t even be around our other dog, we had to crate one or the other because if koda was out with her, he was constantly trying to attack. so we sent him to the jumpstart 21 program with donovan and it went amazing. donovan kept us up to date the whole time and even spent time helping us reintroduce our dog and koda multiple times before he came back home. i was also worried when sending my baby off for three weeks that he wouldn’t get any love, but you could tell donovan actually cared about him and constantly loved on him and now he’s AMAZING. on a leash there’s no pulling and he follows me where i go without any effort, we have been able to walk past multiple other dogs in our neighborhood and petsmart without a reaction even when dogs have been super close, he follows all commands, and is so much less barky. we are able to have both our dogs out the crate and in the same room with us at the same time and were even able to put them in the same car for a grooming appointment, which is such a big deal. i can’t recommend this program enough and it is 100% worth the money.

About The Dog Wizard Columbia

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.

*Announcements Below*

The Columbia Dog Wizard is the top rated dog training company in the Midlands! We specialize in off leash obedience, problem solving and behavior modification. Our owner and head trainer Sam Dooley is a Deans List graduate of West Virginia University in Animal Science and Nutrition as well as fully certified in basic and advanced obedience, puppy development, behavior modification, service dog training, scent detection, advanced retrieval, police and military K-9 training, and search and rescue from National K-9 School for Dog Trainers in Columbus, Ohio.

Call 803-619-1373 for a Free Evaluation!

Like our page for photos and updates on trainees, class and schedule announcements, and more cool stuff!

We love your dogs and seeing all the cool places you go and the things you teach them! Post your pictures and join our community!

******ANNOUNCEMENTS****** *Puppy Preschool - Class held every Wednesday from 6:00-7:00pm at Grace Animal Hospital in Lexington. Open for pups 10 weeks - 6 months! NOTE: Puppy Preschool is held outside and is weather dependent. We will post at least 1 hour before class if there is a cancellation due to weather, you can also call our office during business hours for updates!

*Group class is held every Saturday and is only open for dogs who have completed one of our training programs! Class meets at Memorial Park at 700 Hampton at 9:00am! NOTE: Group class is weather dependent and will be posted at least 1 hour before class if there is a cancellation!

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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 Columbia 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.

The Latest From The Dog Wizard Columbia

Your dog is family for life,
and we’re with you all the way.

Graduates of our obedience programs receive ongoing support through lifetime group training sessions, ensuring your relationship with your dog stays strong and full of joy.