Capricorn Dog Training

(32 reviews)

We loved our experience with Ty and our trainer Kyle. A significant amount of research went into…read morefinding the best option for board and training in the city and we think we found the very best. Their training philosophy is reasonable and effective. It is obvious that they are dog people who are also passionate about the art of training. Our dog has show significant progress in a relatively short period of time. This has been a truly wonderful experience.

I used the automated yelp project system to research services I needed for pet boarding. This…read morebusiness replied in a very Detailed and responsive way which was appreciated and helpful.

Sit Means Sit Dog Training Chicago

(115 reviews)

We were overwhelmed when our second Siberian Husky was not a runt! The fellas at Sit Means Sit…read moretrained our dog for us and then passed on the training to us. Wild. Best trained husky the vet had ever seen, or so he says!

We recently brought our 2 year old rescue Doberman Pinscher Max in for training to help with some…read moreproblem areas such as leash manners and recall along with tips and tricks to reinforce his basic training. Max graduated class this past Wednesday and the transformation is amazing. Walking Max now is work in progress, but is so much more manageable and fun leading to both a positive experience for Max and us his parents. We are very happy with the the work and training that Mikey, Tony, and Erin (the trainers) put in to help us make a better and more stable home for Max and our family. We highly recommend Sit Means Sit and it trainers to anyone looking to reach the next level whatever that level may be from basic to advanced training.

Found Chicago Boarding and Training Center

(266 reviews)

If I could give more stars, I absolutely would! We brought our 8-month-old puppy to Found, and he…read morehad the BEST experience in PupStart+. While every aspect of the program was fantastic, two things really stood out. First, the team genuinely cares about every dog--it's clear in everything they do. Second, this wasn't just a training experience for our puppy; it was a learning experience for us as owners, too. As first-time puppy owners, they gave us the skills and confidence we needed, and the progress our puppy made was incredible. We can now take him places and truly enjoy the experience. We initially signed up for six weeks but extended it by three more because of how much progress he was making--and because we knew the impact would be long-lasting. We're even planning to bring him back this summer for additional off-leash training (and because we're pretty sure he misses it!). I can't say enough positive things about the facilities, the staff, and the level of care they provide. They're always available to answer questions and show a genuine investment in each dog's success. It's also such a relief to have found a place we trust for boarding and grooming. Thank you, Found, for everything--you've truly changed our lives and our puppy's life!!

Found is Penny's home away from home. They create programming that works for each individual dog,…read morerather then a one-size-fits-all approach. Penny gets socialization, training, and exercise at Found, but she's never over worked or over simulated when she gets home. I feel safe leaving Penny there to be boarded during longer trips, and her daycare routine means she gets variety in her week. We both love Found!

D.O.G. - Dog Obedience Group

(31 reviews)

Wendy is the dog whisperer. This is our 6th dog that we are training with Wendy. Actually the…read moreadults get more training!! 500 stars!!

I'm training my 3rd dachshund in Wendy's classes and I can't say enough good about my experience. I…read morenotice a lot of (most) people don't bother to train their small dogs, and because of this, small dogs tend to have a bad reputation. Not mine! The puppy class is a great start to socialize your pup with other dogs and new people in a safe and controlled setting. You learn techniques to manage all sorts of situations and set the stage for good behavior. The obedience classes give you the knowledge and tools you need to train your dog to behave well in any situation. A well-behaved dog can go practically anywhere and will always be welcomed back!

Urban Pooch Training and Fitness Center

4.2

(64 reviews)

I'd like to introduce you to my agility dog, a two-year-old deaf and visually impaired catahoula…read morenamed Fleur. We've been enrolled in the agility course at Urban Pooch for the last few months, and in that time, Fleur has gone from scaredy-cat to confident, curious dog. Agility is an amazing activity to get a dog involved in. It bolsters confidence, increases communication, and engages dogs on many levels. I wanted all these things for Fleur and knew, despite her physical challenges, she'd love agility if given the right chance. Fleur cannot hear me call to her, so we must stay visually and energetically connected every time we work together. Her vision is not good, so I have to stick close and always be in her sight-line. I needed a training facility and trainer that would work with us at her level and comfort. Enter Urban Pooch Training Center. Having gone through basic obedience, Fleur and I had already developed our own language, which Jim Bahr from Urban Pooch Training Center immediately understood and helped us deepen. Seeing how we interacted, Jim coached me on how I could best support Fleur on the course, and wow, did she ever need support at first. Fleur's visual impairment means that she is not always able to see an obstacle well enough to understand what's going on in front of her. Dark areas make her nervous. Sudden movements can make her jump. She's a playful, loving goofball, but these challenges left her very scared of most obstacles on the agility course when she first encountered them. I couldn't make soothing or encouraging noises she could hear, so Jim taught me how to encourage her with well-timed treats and clear body direction. The first day, she took one look at a short tunnel (which was more of an arch, really) and decided it was going to eat her. I was worried I'd made a huge mistake -- that agility would only terrify and traumatize her -- but Jim assured us that wasn't the case. We never forced her into or through it, and instead worked on changing her association with it and building her comfort around it. The care and patience with which Jim had us approach each new obstacle means Fleur only ever had positive experiences at Urban Pooch Training Center. If we had pushed Fleur past her comfort level even once, she would have left afraid. Because Jim works with each dog and trainer based on where and who they are, Fleur's gone from a nervous scaredy-cat to a dog who bounds onto the course when it's her turn and can't wait to get to work. Now, if I don't tell her what to do, she runs to loop the tunnels over and over again. They are her favourite obstacle on the course. And because she had an opportunity to develop confidence when she faced her first fear, she knows she can trust us. That we would never ask her to do something that could hurt her. After she conquered the tunnels, Fleur looked on obstacles I expected to terrify her without fear; she runs over A-frames, bounds across dog walks, and leaps onto teeter-totters without hesitation because Jim gave us the tools we needed to develop trust and communication. I can not recommend Urban Pooch enough. The facility is excellent, and the staff is outstanding. They have the knowledge, patience, and passion to help you and your dog reach your training and communication goals.

They cut up my dogs ear and hid it from me. I moved here from Madison, WI a few months ago and was…read morelooking for a new groomer for my elderly Bichon Frise (he's almost 19!) He's usually a very chill dog but as he's gotten older he's become a little more fidgety especially when talking him to new places. When I came to pick him up, the lady at the front desk told me that he had tried to bite the groomer which I was so surprised by because I had never heard of him doing that before over many years of taking him to many different groomers. When we got home, I noticed he was shaking his head a lot but he's usually dramatic after getting a big haircut (somewhat like he's embarrassed by his new look haha) so I thought nothing of it. He has big floppy ears and a few days later I check under it and he has a huge scab. So he was shaking his head in discomfort the whole time because his ear had been cut! I understand that mistakes happen and he's an old dog with a new groomer but the fact that they hid this from me instead of even acknowledging it much less apologizing is extremely disappointing. Besides this, they honestly did a great job with the haircut so I would've come back but covering up injuring my dog is unacceptable.

Good Dog

(52 reviews)

I have known Howard, Marilyn and John for over 30 years! John is training my dachsund puppy "Otto"…read moreright now. This is the third dachsund he has trained for us. I mention dachshund because they are notoriously stubborn and can be very difficult to train. From the first day, all my dogs were magically somehow clued in and listening to John. He truly has an other worldly connection with dogs. I couldn't get my dog to do anything and John had them able to do "sit", "Stay", "come" and "heel" on the first day. He then taught me how to handle my dog and get them to pay attention. The best part is the dogs are so much happier. It's as if they feel someone is communicating with them, and they are not alone. It's incredible to watch and my dogs remembered everything they learned their whole lives. John is the nicest person. He deeply loves and respects dogs and has made his life in the service of training them. It's a worthwhile investment. I actually tried a less expensive option as I am retired now but it was nothing like "Good Dog" and my dog was fearful and cowering. I immediately realized that I was so lucky to know this team and how worthy the investment in my dog is.

Howard, Marilyn and the team at Good Dog were a pleasure to work with. I took my rescue from…read moreAnti-Cruelty, Clancy, to be trained back in 2005. He was a 6 month old black lab and beagle mix and was having trouble getting adjusted to his new life. Good Dog first trained Clancy, then trained me which was probably a harder endeavor. Clancy became the best dog a guy could ask for. Obedient, loving, great on walks, great off leash, great with other dogs, and great with people (young and old). Part of that was his breed, and the other part was Good Dog. I took Clancy to Howard and Marilyn for his initial training, and then 1-2x per week purely for daycare which included reinforcing the training and interaction with other dogs. When I adopt my next dog, I'll absolutely go back to Good Dog.

Thunder's Pack Canine Training

(16 reviews)

Our dog adores Thunder and goes to hang out with him and the other dogs at least once a week. Our…read moredog has calmed and is very excited to go each week. He waits and cries at the door waiting for Thunder. It's been a great experience for us. When we travel, we also reach out to Thunder to board our dog. It's a great circle of trust, entertainment & support for our dog & us. We've been working with Thunder for several years now. He's a great guy and has a gift for working with dogs. We appreciate him and having him in our lives.

Thunder took my dog and my moms dog after a few aggressive fights between them. Both dogs had been…read moreslowly developing more aggressive behavior over time, and after their big fight they couldn't be together, when before they were best friends. After staying with Thunder for two weeks, they came back so much happier and calmer, and can now be together again. Would 100% recommend Thunder, he saved the family from a very stressful situation. Thank you!

Crawford's Canine Dog Training

(4 reviews)

I am so glad I took my dog for training with Tim Crawford. My dog was very reactive, high anxiety,…read moreterritorial, and had various other behavioral issues, including barking, leash pulling, lunging and leash aggression. Leaving the house was pure chaos and nearly impossible to do. Encounters with strangers and other dogs were complete hell that I tried to avoid at all costs so my dog ended up staying home most of the time. I tried other trainers and anxiety medications for my dog but they provided minimal relief. Once I took my dog to Tim, I started seeing improvement each week. Tim is very knowledgeable about dog behavior and offers a very individualized approach to every dog's needs. He is passionate about dogs and dog training and really cares about getting results for you and your dog. He listens and provides thoughtful insight and helps you to understand and change your dog's behavior so that you have life-long lasting results. He has completely rehabilitated my dog in a way that I didn't think was possible. He really believed in my dog's potential and encouraged me not to give up, for which I am incredibly thankful. His classes are interesting and uniquely designed and focus on a variety of skills so that your dog is challenged and not bored. It has been very rewarding seeing my dog (as well as all the other dogs in the class) make so much progress. Thanks to Tim my dog no longer has to be left behind at home and I can take him with me when I go out. He is much calmer and more confident, listens to commands and gets compliments on his manners. I can now take him on walks, go to parks, the beach, outdoor patios, shopping, etc. and enjoy life and the city together. Even if your dog doesn't have behavioral issues, I really recommend Tim and his dog training classes for basic dog obedience. Even if your dog just needs to brush up on a few skills like listening to commands, leash walking, impulse control, etc., I highly recommend Tim. Having a well trained dog is an invaluable asset, it has really changed mine and my dog's life. Thank you Tim!

Very knowledgeable trainer, variety of different dogs with different behavioral issues he can fix!read more

Chicago Pet Sitters

See more unrecommended reviews

(161 reviews)

Another great Chicago Pet Sitters experience! Both Cathy and Kellyn went all out to make our cat…read moreJinx feel loved an secure while we were away. They both sent us such cute photos to show us that Jinx was having the time of her life, and probably will be disappointed that we don't lavish her with that so much attention on a regular basis.

Chicago Pet Sitters is awesome! I can't recommend their catsitting service enough. I always…read moreappreciate the very thorough report they send with photos every time one of the crew comes to check in on my cat. Most recently, Kellyn L and Carolyn D were doing the visits and they were great.

PAWS Chicago Adoption Center

3.9

(455 reviews)

they were very knowledgeable about the cats I adopted and they made me feel very comfortable and…read morenow it's been two years and I love my crazy cats and I was treated with respect and kindness

I've been supporting Paws "fur" several years. I've donated tens of thousands of dollars. I've…read morecontacted them several times, the most recent, to adopt beagle who was rescued from WI. I wrote to Paula, the founder, the only email address I had, long story short, rude, rude, rude the second time I've had contact with her always rude! I adopted a beagle, who was a "beauty" pageant girl, who lived in a cage her whole life. She got to come out when she was "preforming". I've had her 4 years now, and, she's just beginning to know love and trust! So, I know I know how to adopt a baby, and my baby would also help. But, I guess they don't care about people who donate, and walk the walk

Tree House Humane Society

4.2

(224 reviews)

What an impressive rescue shelter. It was the first stop on our journey to find a new cat. The Tree…read moreHouse staff was extremely friendly and helpful. After reviewing all of the adoptable felines, we fell in love with a small 1 year old cat that they called Toaster. She is perfect. Because of Bissell's Clear Out The Shelters" special (May 1- May 17) adoption fees were reduced from $115 to $70.

This cat cafe was awesome! I love how they let you adopt the cats as well. When we went, there…read moreweren't many cats left so we played with one cat. But this cat was so active and played with us the whole hour and we had a blast. The drinks were also really tasty and they come with the entry fee which is 10 dollars per 30 minuets. I would definitely recommend!

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Bethany K.

11 years ago

This review is for Megan Basic breakdown: 1. What we hired her for: Apartment door aggression, leash aggression, and some other minor problems. (She determined most if not all of his problems are related to fear/anxiety, which opened my eyes to his behaviors.) 2. Sessions: Initial in-home consult is $100 for a 90-minute session. Following sessions are 60 minutes. They offer a package where you get a lower rate for the successive sessions (consult is always $100). Their website has the details. 3. Initial impressions: Very good. She seemed to understand our dog very quickly and was able to immediately provide potential solutions for our problems. She understands dog behavior in a no-nonsense kind of way (which I appreciate). She is direct and clear with her instructions. 4. Communication: Great communication from Megan. I probably annoyed her with all the questions I had before we had even met, but she was very patient and answered in a timely manner; usually less than a day between my e-mailing her and her responding. 5. In practice: Don't kid yourself that training will be easy just because you paid money for a trainer. I hired Megan with the mindset that my husband and I were the ones who had to learn, not just our pup. The first two weeks were pretty rough, but things had improved slowly while working with the new strategies for the door aggression. Over a month later and we have had significant improvement. Yes, he still goes at the door sometimes, but it has gone down to less than once a day on average (it used to be at least once an hour on average). One thing we noticed is that his aggression almost seemed to get worse at first for about 1.5 weeks, but then it was like the light bulb went on and it has gotten way better. His walking is also slowly improving and I anticipate it will also fall into place as the door training has. (Our second session was two weeks after the consult, so we haven't been training as long for the walking). Final recommendation: Definitely hire her. A huge plus: unlike some trainers within the same price range, she comes to you. What to expect: Keep yourself open to learning things (this isn't just about your dog) and curb your expectations for some realistic goals. Things may seem to get worse before they get better, but this is a learning curve for you and your dog, so give it a solid month before expecting a lot from your dog, and make sure you're very consistent. You can also e-mail Megan in between sessions if you're still frustrated, and she will help you. read more

Lauren B.

150

10 years ago

Within a few days of adopting my very sweet Australian Shepard Mix, Tesla, it was clear that my girl was extremely fearful and anxious. Her anxiety interfered with her everyday functioning, as she was afraid to even walk from the front door to the backyard to be let out, she growled at unfamiliar people and dogs, and she hid on my bed all day long awaiting my arrival home. After a negative experience with a dog walker who lost my dog and then recommended I try doggie daycare in an attempt to socialize her, along with a Caesar Millan style trainer, I ended dog walking services and reached out to the anti-cruelty society, where I adopted from. The behavior specialist at the anticruelty society advocated for finding a positive based trainer and recommended Capricorn Dog Training. Upon Megan's first visit to our home she took the time to understand my concerns and then explained Telsa's behaviors to me from a dog behavior perspective. Tesla responded well to Megan's calm energy. Megan educated me on how to respond to Tesla when she exhibited anxious behaviors so that instead of perpetuating the anxiety, I could respond in a way the reassured Tesla of her safety. She also taught me tricks to work on with Tesla to help her gain self-confidence. It's hard to believe that my girl who was afraid to walk down the street, now enjoys joining me on hiking trips. She went for 3.5 hours last month and loved every last minute. She is still timid, but significantly more comfortable around other people and dogs and her confidence is growing everyday. We cannot thank Megan enough for her calm and reassuring presence, patience, expertise, guidance, knowledge, resources, suggestions, encouragement, and time. I highly recommend her services to anyone looking for positive-based training for their pup. read more

Eileen G.

8 years ago

My husband and I adopted our 1st pup (a now 1-year-old Australian Cattle Dog/Shepherd mix) together this summer, and he's incredible and crazy smart, but we needed help when it came to leash walking and lunging/barking at scary things (e.g. bikes, runners, kids, some strangers, etc.). That said, we reached out to Megan in September (recommended by another dog owner we met in Winnemac Park), and it was the BEST decision we've made in training our pup. She's kind, wicked smart, awesome to spend time with, and our pup LOVES her! We've completed 3 in-home sessions with Megan so far (more to come!), and she's taught us positive, tangible, and simple to execute/remember ways to work with our pup on the issues I mentioned above. He LOVES learning new things, and each time Megan has taught us/him something, you can tell that he really enjoys the challenge and entire experience. As a first-time dog owner, in-person training sessions have made a HUGE difference! I've read numerous dog training books/online articles on positive reinforcement training methods, but working with Megan is far superior. The tools she's taught/provided us have enabled us to make sure our pup is happy, healthy, less anxious about strange things in the world, and enjoying life! We also feel more educated, less stressed, and so happy! The insights Megan has shared with us about dogs in general, and specifically our pup, are priceless and so appreciated. We would highly, highly recommend working with Megan! It will be one of the best decisions you make when it comes to both your personal and your dog's happiness and well-being. read more

Joanna L.

10 years ago

I cannot say enough great things about Megan. The shelter we got Kane (pointer/lab/pitbull mix - about 55 lbs) from recommended her to me when he started showing some aggression/overstimulation/anxiety behaviors with both dogs and people, seemingly out of nowhere, at 2 years old. Megan communicated extremely well prior to the appointment so she was fully prepared to meet Kane. We came up with a meeting plan (because of his aggression with strangers). Megan spent a great amount of time with us at her first visit and gave us her undivided attention the entire time. She listened and asked great questions to really get to know Kane. Her perspective is amazing and her knowledge of dogs and their behaviors is extremely impressive. She helped us understand his behavior and showed us ways to help him. She continued to communicate with us after the appointment and really helped with his progress. He is doing so much better now that we understand him and his behavior and can help him improve. She is overall a great trainer and a great person to work with. She is very committed to helping every dog (and owner) and has great training methods. She is also not judgmental about training tactics you have already tried (as I have read a lot of other trainers are - if it isn't their way it's unacceptable) or any of your dogs rules. She is very open to understanding the entire situation in order to help in the best way possible. I would recommend her very highly to anyone who needs help with their dog. read more

Jamie E.

9 years ago

If you need help with dog training and behavior modification, Megan is the person to ask! Her knowledge, patience, calm demeanor, and love of dogs are obvious from the start. She helps you understand what the dog needs, and shows you how to respond in ways the dog will understand. I recently adopted a 2.5 year old rescue border collie. She was trained to herd cattle but wasn't aggressive enough so her breeders couldn't sell her. Before being rescued, she had never been in a house, so she didn't know how to be a pet. While her initial foster family did a lot of great work with her, she had several issues to overcome, including fear of children and some men. Going outside in the city was very frightening for her, and she developed separation anxiety, too. Megan has helped with all of this! It's still a work in progress, of course, but my dog is happy and social, with no separation anxiety. She still gets scared of certain things, like children who are playing loudly, but Megan has given me tips on how to mitigate the fear and help her process it better. We've just started leash work, and I've no doubt that Megan's instructions will work in this arena, too. Megan also provides doggy matchmaking services, which I've recently asked her to do. She is currently looking for a new puppy pal that will be a good companion for me and my skittish border collie. read more

Jane M.

119

9 years ago

TL;DR: We have tried several different dog training services and can honestly say that Megan is the best. She is no-nonsense and chock full of useful information. Our dog Chloe has had a few persistent behavioral issues; she is a bit leash aggressive and she really hates our cats. We were reaching the end of our rope (or leash, I suppose) when we called Megan. The first thing she did was to provide us with explanations for Chloe's seemingly irrational behavior, which gave me great peace of mind, and then proceeded to tell us what improvements we were likely to be able to make. What I appreciated the most was that she didn't overpromise...she told us that as a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, Chloe was unlikely to ever get along super well with cats but that we could probably get her to a place of peaceful coexistence. That is what we are trending towards! She also provided us with step by step worksheets for teaching Chloe different cues, which included a guide for when to increase difficulty for each behavior. Furthermore, she has given us so much good information on other training classes (not even ones she teaches!), the best treats to use, what food will help Chloe's iffy tummy, muzzle recommendations, and so much more. If you have a dog with issues, don't mess around with other places! Call Megan. Now. read more

Becca G.

10 years ago

I'm not a big Yelp reviewer but couldn't pass up a chance to thank Megan for her help with my 1 1/2 year old rescue Retriever Mix Cooper. Within days of bringing him home, it was clear that Cooper suffered from serious Separation Anxiety, and was at risk of injuring himself with his destructive behavior when left alone. I was referred to Megan by the rescue organization, and can't say enough good things about her! From our first interaction, Megan was accommodating, friendly and calming, which was exactly what I needed since Cooper & I were both feeling the stress of his anxieties. On our initial home visit, Megan gave me concrete tools and exercises to work with Cooper and also set realistic expectations for the time and effort involved in overcoming Separation Anxiety. We met a couple more times to continue our work, and in between sessions, Megan was very accessible via email to encourage me, give me tips, and to answer my questions, I won't say it was easy, but within weeks of implementing Megan's practices, I could see real progress with Cooper. Now, at three months since his adoption, I am able to leave Cooper for several hours without barking, destruction, or any other signs of Separation Anxiety. None of our successes would have been possible without Megan & Capricorn Dog! read more

Paul H.

8 years ago

About 8 months ago my partner and I adopted a rescued cattle dog who's enthusiastic about just about everything. A dozen chewed shoes and a month or two of dog-tractor walks later, we decided it was time to introduce some structure to our dog's life. We heard about Megan through friends and she helped us work through the various hiccups that come with adopting a new dog in a series of in-home sessions. She taught us strategies to cope with his constant tugging, his disordered diet, his brief shoe-chewing phase, his excited sprinting in the house, et cetera. She also recommended specific equipment (harness, leash, dietary aids, etc) to assist in training. But more than specific strategies, what's stuck with us the most, post-training sessions, is the methodical, gentle, and constructive way Megan is with dogs. We tried learning from books, which was helpful, but only got us so far. Megan's hands-on instruction was vital to training our dog, for sure, but also vital to our learning to live with him purposefully and joyfully. We're more disciplined with our pup on a day-to-day level now, and he appreciates the structure. He's much better behaved, we're all happier, and Megan's to thank! In sum: Megan is nice and good and I'm glad to have met her. So is our dog. read more

Anne R.

7 years ago

Megan was recommended to us by a friend/co-worker. We have a 4 month old german shepherd and we were nervous to enroll our puppy in a puppy class right away but also wanted to start training as soon as possible. Megan is amazing! She is really easy and great to work with and our puppy also loves working with her! She is very patient and answers all of our questions during our sessions and after sessions via email. We've enrolled our puppy in puppy classes but have found that Megan is more helpful with training than the puppy class. She tailors sessions to your specific needs and concerns about your dog (which you definitely do not get in a group class setting). She takes the time to listen to your needs and concerns and helps you come up with solutions to your behavioral issues that you have with your dog and explains why your pup is behaving that way. She does that by giving you specific exercises to work on or gives you recommendations on equipment or tools you could use (i.e. toys, specific collars, and leashes). Lastly, you can tell Megan is very passionate about her work and genuinely loves her job and working with dogs. It's so much easier to work with someone who is very passionate about their job and your puppy! read more

Katie D.

174

8 years ago

Megan is absolutely amazing! I honestly couldn't recommend her highly enough. My boyfriend and I brought home a Chow Chow in November and our vet recommended Megan to help get some training started because she was very skittish of people and because Chows are not the most trainable of pups. We were struggling with how to deal with some behaviors and after our first meeting we Megan we felt a huge wave of relief. Megan is smart (wicked smart, as she often refers to our pup), kind, and completely non-judgmental. She is extremely helpful with coaching us in our interactions with our pup and she completely customizes our time to work on whatever we feel we need. She is able to explain the why and how for everything our pup does, and what we need to do in return. It is so clear that she just understands dogs in a way that is really special. Above and beyond a typical trainer, Megan has been an invaluable resource recently as we've had some issues with our pup and walkers. It is obvious that she is invested in our family and cares so much more than we would ever expect. To say that she is worth every penny is an understatement. She's just simply the best! read more

Leah B.

10 years ago

Megan is an absolute miracle worker! We initially took our chihuahua-papillon mix, Peaches, to a class taught by her at Dogaholics to master the basics, which was so helpful in establishing a foundation of skills. As Peaches grew into her adult female self, she began exhibiting some more aggressive and territorial behavior, snapping and biting not only our friends but us too. With some one-on-one sessions over the last 2 years, Megan has expertly explained our dog's behavior in terms that are easy to understand. She frames the situations in a way that lets you experience things from your dog's perspective which allows for some serious aha moments and breakthroughs! While we're still dealing with some behavior issues from time to time, Megan has given us a bunch of tools to distract Peaches into doing a positive behavior on cue and she even developed a protocol for handling our dog around visitors that has proved incredibly effective. I can't recommend Megan enough for her warm and insightful presence and down to earth approach to relating with your dog while offering concrete results in behavior management! read more

Tammy D.

8 years ago

We have been seeing Megan for several months. Our dog is a rescue who was considered feral when she was confiscated in a criminal case. She had a lot of care, attention and growth prior to coming to us, but had many issues that needed attention. Megan's approach to training is how we like to train dogs - matter of fact but gentle and kind. She is easy to understand and has great follow-through with notes we can refer to. She doesn't chastise if we forget we were supposed to be trying a new technique but reminds us why it is important to try it. She gets dogs and she gets humans. The perfect combination. I will continue to work with Megan. The approaches she has recommended have been very good. If something doesn't work for my dog, she is quick to think of an alternative that might suit our dog's personality better. She is laid back and comfortable to spend time with. We have seen wonderful improvements in our dog with a few training sessions and lots of training between them. I highly recommend Megan. read more

Tim J.

11 years ago

Megan has been a part of our two dogs (Rose & Noah) lives for four years now. We have participated in Megan's puppy classes and her in house training. We started with puppy classes and advanced through adult dog training classes. The classes are fun and gave us the tools we needed to guide Rose and Noah into "dog hood". Having Megan come into our home and see our dogs in their own environment was so helpful. We have benefited greatly from her help with leash training and basic leash manners while walking around our neighborhood. Megan has also been there for us via email if a sudden question arises. Megan is great at identifying and formulating a plan for any obstacle we have come across in our training. Her way with dogs is evident in the love that our two pups show Megan every time she comes by for a home visit. We highly recommend Megan to anyone looking to help their pup and build a greater bound with their furry family member. read more

Alexis E.

12 years ago

Two weeks into adopting my adult rescue Blue Heeler/Corgi signs of aggression starting popping up once she bit my roommate I knew I need professional help. Unfortunately my dog also suffers from motion sickness making classes we had to travel to not really something that would work for her. I also wanted to address her specific issues. I thought an in home trainer was out of my price range but Capricorn was so reasonable. Megan was able to see us right away and get my dog on the right path. We talked about all the quirks of my dog's behavior and the best way to correct them. I really like her style of training. I am very pleased to be training my dog in a way that respects her and doesn't involved anger and yelling. She has quickly responded to all e-mails and has encouraged me to keep her updated. She truly cares about the outcome of the dogs she works with. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a trainer. read more

Sarah G.

6 years ago

We reached out to Megan after adopting our rescue chihuahua mix, who was a little nervous and growly with new people (and sometimes with us), and with just one virtual session, we've seen so much improvement. It was especially helpful to learn about how dogs express consent/boundaries, which has made it easier for us to tell if he wants to be petted or left alone. Our dog is also going through intensive heartworm treatment right now, and Megan was very well versed in the treatment and medication involved and how that might affect his temperament and behavior, which was really impressive to me in particular since I work in Veterinary Medicine. Megan had a lot of good information for us and sent us some great training videos as well. Her hourly rate was super reasonable for a 1 on 1 virtual session, and we're considering taking a virtual group class of hers in the future. Thanks so much, Megan! read more

Leighann W.

9 years ago

Terrier owners look no more! We adopted a terrier mix (Gus) in December and he was not equipped with anything but anxiety and hype. As we couldn't bring the pup to a training class we searched for a private trainer to come and teach us how to teach Gus the appropriate ways to behave inside and out. Megan came highly recommended and as it turns out, terriers are her expertise! With three sessions with Megan, she has given us several training documents to refer to after our sessions ended. Gus is super smart and has excelled at Megan's methods. We are still working on his leash reactivity, but he's made incredible strides in the short time we've had him. Megan is very knowledgeable, very patient and our pup adores her! If you're looking for someone to come train with you and your hyper pup, call Megan! We'll definitely be calling her should we hit any lulls in advancements with Gus. She's great! read more

Hannah T.

11 years ago

Megan was referred to me by my vet. I have a twelve year old beagle and my boyfriend adopted a one year old hound mix in October. My beagle does not like to play with other dogs and in general does not get along with other dogs outside when we go on walks. He was also very protective of my apartment and his food the first time we introduced the two dogs and tried to attack my boyfriends dog several times. After the first session, Megan suggested that we go on daily walks with our dogs. By our third and last session, we had gotten to the point where both dogs could be in the same apartment without issue and my dog is even happy to see my boyfriends dog and loves walking with him. We never would have thought about doing the things that Megan advised us to do in order to acclimate the dogs. She is great and very affordable. I would definitely recommend her! read more

Katelyn M.

123

10 years ago

Megan helped us with our previously-nervous pup. After being attacked, Zoe was fearful of other dogs and the world in general. We had such a great experience with our first 90-minute in-home session with Megan that we signed up for two more 60-minute sessions. Not only did we see huge reduction of her fear on-leash with other dogs, but we were able to work on other habits as well. Megan took the time to help us see the world from our dog's perspective and gave us a clear plan to keep improving well into the future. And as Megan said, she trains people, not dogs. She showed us how to stop reinforcing undesirable behavior and draw clear lines for what we want Zoe to do. I would recommend Megan and Capricorn Dog Training to anyone who is looking to instill good training habits. As an added bonus, we loved the ability to do the training from home! read more

Nicolette K.

8 years ago

Megan was great to work with! I met her at a class she was teaching for puppy training. I loved her training style and saw such great results that I sought her out when we were having issues with our older dog as well to do some home visits. She was adaptable to our schedule, and came to all areas of Chicago since we moved during our training period. As for the training, she was great, didn't judge us for our shortcomings, and was able to find us training habits that we could handle. She works a lot with positive reinforcement and helped with our older dog's social anxiety and aggression and our puppy's bad habits that he was starting to pick up. I feel like we learned a lot in our 3 home sessions and still know more things that we can work on as our dogs continue to progress. Would definitely recommend! read more

Emily Q.

11 years ago

I was about to hit my breaking point when I called Megan and I could not be happier with the support she provided. I thought my dachshund needed some additional training due to bad habits of peeing on his belongings and Megan was able to point out that instead we needed some behavior modifications and to possibly try medication and everything she suggested has been successful in fixing the problem. I met with Megan for one session but she has kept in touch with me via email to answer all my follow up questions which has been extremely helpful. On top of that, she takes the time to check in with me and see how things are going on a regular basis. Megan is great at what she does and really goes above and beyond to help her clients. I would recommend Megan to anyone looking for some help with their dog! read more

Capricorn Dog Training - pet_training - Updated August 2026

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Sally is by far the best trainer I have ever worked with, and the most knowledgeable. I've been…read moreworking with Sally for nearly half a year after my little buddy Jackson suddenly started experiencing separation anxiety. She was very patient with us, and was great at explaining everything we were doing, how to do it, and why. She has been incredibly accessible anytime I have questions or concerns, or just need a little support or reassurance. After 5 months, the results have been more than I could have hoped for. Jackson has gone from getting stressed within minutes of me leaving to being calm and comfortable alone for 5+ hours. Beyond the separation anxiety training, I've learned so much about dog behavior, nutrition and health from Sally. If you want to see real results, and you are willing to put in the work, there is nobody else I would recommend besides Sally. She's the best there is.

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Pawsome Dogs

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While I wish things had panned out differently, I had an absolutely horrifying experience with…read morePawsome Dogs/Melissa. My experience with Melissa started with a rave review from a friend, and I hired her for 5 lessons (with a referral discount from my friend) and later added 25 minute walks while I was at work Monday through Friday ($70/week). Initially, I was happy with the way she connected with my puppy, however I always had concerns about her communication style and lack of professionalism. [sorry for the long review...scroll to the bottom for the short version] From the start, Melissa was constantly texting me about her other clients, personal life, love life, etc. Melissa offered me discounts and requested all of my payments be made in cash so she wouldn't have to report them through her business. As a new dog mom, I was happy to put my puppy first so that he was getting the care he needed. A few months into my walking and training with Melissa, my roommate decided to have Melissa walk his dog as well. At this point, Melissa notified me that she was letting some of her walking clients go, but was planning on keeping our dogs as she was making $140 most weeks (in cash) from walking them both. She also let me know that she would give me one month's heads up if she was planning on dropping me as a walking client. Living in Chicago, safety is always a concern, and for me, trusting someone with keys to your place is a big deal, and I had informed Melissa I needed at least two weeks notice to be able to find a new walker that connected with my pup. In the most recent months, we noticed from the time stamps on our security system that she was often not even walking the dogs for the full 25 minutes as per our agreements, presumably because she was getting busier in other aspects of her life. Last week, she informed me that she was dropping me as a client effective that week. Forced to scramble together and find new arrangements for my puppy, I let Melissa know that I was disappointed in her lack of professional courtesy. At this point, I have used 4 of my 5 training lessons with Melissa, and I requested that we cut off ties and that she refund me the remaining $50 from the unused lesson. I thought we'd just wash our hands of the experience and move on, but instead, she went on a rampage about how I have no right to make such a request, that I'd be forfeiting my remaining lesson, and that she was going to go and convince my friend that I was being irrational. I was most appalled by her activity on social media following our conversation where she used profanity to describe me as a "crazy lady" for my concerns (screenshots posted in the photos section of this Yelp page). TL; DR? Melissa's lack of professionalism ultimately led me to lose all respect for her business when she broke verbal and written agreements (after I spent thousands of dollars for her services), and then harassed me about it.

I only have positive remarks on Melissa's performance as a professional and ability to work with…read moreboth dogs and people. I've taken two classes and had a private lesson. She is by far the most trustworthy trainer I have worked with, and having had dogs my entire life there have been a few. My golden doodle Chester loves her and I love how well trained he is! 1) The first class with Melissa was a basics class. I've seen her take a handful of puppies and train out bad habits, teach to walk on a leash, basics commands, and turn them into overall better behaved dogs. We even learned our first trick! She takes the time to explain why we would train using certain techniques as opposed to others and caters to each dog and owner individually even in a class setting. For example, with certain dogs like mine she recommended using a walking harness where it was unnecessary for others. 2) The second class was a tricks course and there must have been about 8 dogs in the class at once. Over the duration of a few months we'd learned crawl, say your prayers, cross your paws, play dead, wave hello, and a ton of other tricks. Melissa was extremely attentive to everyone and their dogs progress while also being able to address the entire class and move us along as a group. Best part is Chester loves doing play dead and now does it just to get attention when I entertain. Its too adorable. 3) I'd missed a couple trick classes and scheduled a private to catch up. Melissa was flexible with time and we worked on not only what I missed but a couple other cool tricks like play dead and cross your paws. In an hour and a half Chester was caught up and read for graduation. On the way out she even offered to stay extra to see how his walking was going and gave some additional advise and explanation on how to train out his tugging at the leash. He has gotten significantly better on a leash with the training she gave me and Chester. All in all, you can't go wrong here. Melissa is knowledgeable, easy to work with, the dogs respond very well to her, and she's a professional. Down to how after every class she sends out a newsletter with all the commands/tricks and how-to's that we learned that week in case we the people need a little reminder. A+ all around and I can't recommend her enough (and I do to everyone)!

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AMAZING value for 4 sessions. We were struggling with our 1.5 year old beagle being…read morefearful/aggressive during her morning routine and some general obedience/leash training. Wen was extremely knowledgeable about different methods we could try that would be most beneficial for our dog's personality. After 2 sessions with Wen, our pup no longer pulls and is getting more confident in her morning routine. Very clear homework each week and our relationships with our dog have never been better. Cannot recommend Back to Basics Dog Training enough!!!

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