2026 marks our 20th anniversary at Highland Canine Training, LLC. Since our formation, we have been proud to expand our operations to all corners of North America – but we are also very privileged to call North Carolina our home. With several dog training locations already in the Tarheel State, we recently added another – Carlos Viera will provide expert training for pet dog owners in Huntersville and the surrounding areas.
Carlos offers the following dog training services:
His service areas include Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson (we also have trainers in nearby Statesville, Mooresville and Charlotte).
We caught up with Carlos to learn more about his experiences with dogs growing up, in addition to his studies at the School for Dog Trainers and his overall dog training philosophy. Check out the Q&A below for more information!
Want to speak with Carlos about your dog training goals? You can reach him by emailing cviera@highlandcanine.com or calling (804) 759-5713.
Carlos, can you tell us about your experiences with dogs growing up?
When I was a child in El Salvador, my family had several mixed-breed dogs. The one I connected with most was named Simba, and he looked like a small Golden Retriever. He was always happy to see me, followed me around, and we had a special connection even though I didn’t know anything about dog training at the time. I’ll never forget when he protected me from a stray dog that was about to bite me. Simba was a great dog and will always hold a special place in my heart.
What motivated you to get into dog training?
I have always loved dogs, and I knew that sitting behind a desk wasn’t the kind of career I wanted. Working hands-on with dogs gives me a sense of peace, even when I’m working with a difficult dog. Every dog has a different personality, temperament, and set of needs, so each one brings a new challenge. That keeps the work interesting and makes every day different.
What inspired you to study at the School for Dog Trainers? How did you first hear about it?
After researching several schools, I chose Highland Canine’s School for Dog Trainers because it was veteran-friendly, accepted the GI Bill, and offered a lot of hands-on experience with different types of dogs. You can learn training concepts on paper, but applying them with real dogs is completely different. Working directly with the dogs helps you understand whether you truly know the concepts and can adjust your approach to the dog in front of you.
What was the most interesting aspect of the course at the School for Dog Trainers?
The most interesting part for me was getting experience in many different areas of dog training, including service dogs, police K9s, behavior modification, and obedience. The course lets you get a feel for each area and build a broad foundation. It also helps you discover which parts of dog training interest you most and what direction you may want to take in your career.
Tell us a little about your dog training philosophy and what you feel is most important when working with pet dog clients.
My training philosophy starts with setting realistic expectations and building a solid relationship with the dog. I don’t believe in asking for major changes before the dog is engaged with me and understands how I communicate.
From there, I use basic obedience to create clear communication between the dog and handler. Once that foundation is in place, I work on building reliability and setting fair boundaries. The goal isn’t just to teach commands. It’s to give the dog more freedom and improve everyday life for both the dog and the owner.
What is your favorite part of dog training?
My favorite part is when something finally clicks for a dog, especially one that has been struggling. It might be something as simple as a dog performing a down for the first time, or something more advanced like achieving a reliable off-leash heel after days of working through it. Watching a dog go from not understanding what is expected to performing confidently is incredibly rewarding.
What can dog owners expect when working with you?
Clients can expect me to care for their dogs as if they were my own and to provide consistent communication and updates throughout the training process. I also focus heavily on owner education because lasting results depend on the owner understanding how to continue the training at home.
My support doesn’t end when the training program is over. I keep communication open so owners can ask questions, get clarification, and feel confident maintaining their dog’s progress.
Let our readers know anything else that might be of interest!
Before becoming a professional dog trainer, I served eight years in the United States Marine Corps and later spent three years working in overseas embassy security. Those experiences taught me discipline, patience, consistency, and how to stay calm under pressure. Those are all qualities that carry over into the way I work with dogs and their owners.
Dogs have helped me in one way or another throughout every stage of my life, from childhood until now. I didn’t get into dog training just for the money. I do it because I care about the dogs and enjoy seeing how training can give them more freedom and a better quality of life.
I believe in quality over quantity. Instead of taking in as many dogs as possible, I want to give each dog the individual time, attention, and care needed to make real progress. Dogs can have an incredible impact on someone’s life, and helping owners build a stronger relationship with them is what makes this career meaningful to me.
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