Jim is an amazing dog trainer... he's affirmative yet caring... My dog showed results after the first training session and for the next session showed even more improvement..! These training sessions are worth every penny and I will continue to follow through with a few more sessions to show my dog consistency and so that I can learn along with my dog because it takes two! Jim is encouraging in the involving us as part of the process and send you home with tips to follow through! Highly recommended it! read more

we have a really bad experience, we own a young dog I took him to Their daycare program , the old men was very rude in the ways he was teaching me how to train my dog in 5 min. also his way of training dogs Very cold and careless. They clearly don't care about dogs. and he said my dog wasn't worth his time , I'm a first time dog owner , so obviously my dog do Not came with manual and I have no idea how to start , that is ... the reason I look for professional help . But definitely this is not the place neither for me or my dog . they are pretty rude and not empathetic at all . read more

Our dog Apollo is a 6months old puppy. Shar-Pei mixed with American bully. This school helped us break his stubbornness and hyper dog. He is staying still on commend even with distraction around him. What I love about this school is the staff is always there to help recorrect the puppy when I need them. They understand that it will take more than two weeks of constant training and they take the time to teach me what to do and what to say for commend. They are patient with my pup and I appreciate them so much. Thank you, Jim and all his staff for your help with our fur baby. read more

Chicago Canine Academy - My dog Apollo in a down position and stay. He has not moved during the kids running around distracting him. - Pet Training Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We currently have our 1 year old Jack Russell Terrier Ziggy at Chicago K9 Academy in their board and train program! We are AMAZED at the quick progress he has made. He is very prey driven and would get distracted by anything that moved, which is dangerous! He even jumped out of the window of a moving car to go after a squirrel! I was recommended to Jim Morgan from our breeder. Jim and his team are incredibly gifted and have given us great instructions. They don't just tell you what to do, they explain why! I would highly recommend Chicago K9 Academy!!! read more

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Great place. Not my dog doesn't have any accidents inside the house. He's also improved in other elements too and also seems very happy when I take him to daycare here so no issues at all with this place. Would highly recommend. read more

Chicago Canine Academy Saved Our Dog! I cannot speak more highly of the work Chicago Canine Academy (CCA) does each day for the dogs they train and the owners they help. I am a lifelong client of CCA. When I was growing up, my parents brought our family dogs to CCA for both training and boarding. I was always impressed with how well CCA dedicated themselves to not only training our dogs, but retraining us as their owners. When my wife and I knew we needed professional training for our 50 lbs Rottweiler-Aussie mix, Shadow, the first (and only) place we looked to was CCA. They wasted no time in having us bring Shadow for an evaluation. After 30 minutes with CCA, my wife and I decided Shadow would benefit from CCA's two-week training program. During no point did we feel pressured to put Shadow through the program, nor did we feel they were upselling their service to us. This was an easy decision and money well spent! After the first week, we saw a tremendous change in Shadow. After the full two-weeks, it was evident the work they did with Shadow allowed us to confidently bring Shadow home to the newest addition of our family - our newborn son. For those considering CCA, here are some important things to keep in mind to determine if CCA are the right trainers for you. 1 - Be Prepared to Work! CCA trains the owners as hard as they train the dogs. The work they do during the two-week program will impress you, but they will require the owner to put in the work. I did this (and still do) by going to their Saturday training sessions which are open to dogs/owners who have gone through the two-week program. 2 - Be Open to Changing How You Think about Your Dog! Your dog is not a human - they are a canine. They have different needs - both physical and emotional. CCA will push you out of your comfort zone and help you confront the reality of what your dog really needs (training - not tricks; structure - not unearned praise; consistency - not spurious training). If you are willing to change the way you approach your dog's needs, then you will find your relationship with your dog reaching heights you never thought were possible! 3 - Be Prepared for Honest, Blunt Feedback! CCA will always enable you with the tools to confidently and competently work with your dog within everyday scenarios. They will also not sugar-coat their feedback and they will be blunt with what they believe your dog needs in order to thrive. There have been times when they corrected the way I handle Shadow. They stressed how important it was (first) for the safety of Shadow and (second) my ability as a dog owner. They care for all the dogs they handle and are not afraid to be blunt with owners if they believe what the owner is doing is at the cost of the dog thriving. read more

I brought 3 dogs to Chicago Canine Academy. All three dogs were rescues. All three were biters. Biting dogs MUST be trained and the training style is tough. Lavishing the dog with kisses, cuddles and love will NOT reverse this unfortunate behavior. Only very tough training will. The dog must be taught you are tougher than they are. My rescue dog Snorkie attacked me because I picked up a femur bone in my yard. The bone was about five meters from the bone. He was on me before I realized what happened. I was purple from my wrist to my elbow. I bled like a pig. I had to choke Snorks until I saw fear in his eyes such that he thought I might kill him. I HATED doing this, but saw it was necessary. This was followed by 30-40 minutes of very tough training. Unfortunately, Snorkie had a second occasion of biting me. He attacked my hand with enough force to dislocate my finger. The training session was another wash and repeat. Finally, Snorkie got it and gave himself over to me. He became a gentle, sweet dog who obeyed simple rules so as never to raise my hackles again. We went through months of training together. This was done with all of my boys. My very lengthy narrative has everything to do with Jim Morgan. He saves dogs lives. He works with you to help you understand tough training. It is not suitable for every dog. Biters are in a different class. Biters are a danger to you and the public. You are stupid if you think you can rewire a dog's brain with kisses and hugs. First, teach the dog he can NEVER bite anyone again. Once you have taught your dog this most important lesson you can reward yourself and your dog with lavish praise and kisses. Understand that Jim's approach saves dogs. We took dogs who were, or should have been rescue rejects. Jim helped us to restore a meaningful life to these poor wretched dogs. If you see or hear that Jim is tough, PLEASE don't judge what you don't understand. My dogs became socially balanced enough to travel this country mingling with dogs and people from everywhere thanks to Jim training methods.The question is: do you love your dog enough to go through this exercise? read more

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I had brought my dog to see jim because i was having some issues with her being aggressive to other dogs on our walks. My dog is an 85 pound pit mix and when she pulls she has a lot of strength, but also she was embarrassing to walk sometimes, when she would bark at other dogs. Jim and the other trainer that helped me gave me some great tips! My dog is a very good dog and extremely nice with people but when other dogs would bark and growl at her she would bark back. They taught me how to walk with her the right way, and to be in charge. They also showed me how to hold the lease the correct way and how to keep her calm and to keep her from acting aggressive when another dog passed us. I only took a couple sessions (because i was moving to a different state in 2 days) so its not perfect, but i have know doubt that if we did the full training session Id have a fully trained and well behaved dog. Like many of the other dogs I had seen there. This is just my 2 cents on some of the bad reviews i read. Some people commented on them abusing animals. I did not see anything like that. The trainers were amazing. Yes they did use a more stern voice when working with the dogs, but you have to. From what Ive read and videos Ive watched, you have to be firm with the dog to show them that your the leader, your the alpha. read more

Chicago Canine Academy - Pet Training Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am writing to bring to your attention the extreme neglect and abuse that my dog, Xavier, has suffered. I enrolled Xavier in an bootcamp at the Chicago Canine Academy, on a two week overnight training course and yesterday on the 9th day escaped and was found broken, battered, and bruised, and I have been providing him with love and care ever since. Xavier escaped while in the training and care of the Chicago Canine Academy and was found by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) with noticeable physical injuries and a shock collar around his neck. The collar had been causing him significant physical harm, and the neglect and abuse he endured have also resulted in noticeable psychological damage and he was limping and had a drastic lose of weight when recovered. I was shocked to learn that there was nothing in the contract I signed when adopting Xavier that stated he would be subjected to a shock collar. This form of punishment is inhumane and unacceptable. I am deeply disturbed by the neglect and abuse that Xavier has suffered and I am determined to bring this matter to your attention. So no dog ever has to go through the abuse. read more

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It's hard to find the words to describe the level of care and hard work the trainers have here. After 2 weeks my dog has changed so much. I highly recommend their services. Trust the process and you will see results. read more

This place is WONDERFUL!!! We had a very tough, and I mean TOUGH dog of German Shepherd bread, that is BEFORE he came to - we call it ... Jim's. It was not easy but we decided for a full 2 weeks training, a decision which at the end in our opinion was necessary and it WORKED. The owner Jim and Algus took him under their wing and changed him through and through. Where we had issues with our German shepherd NOW he is a socialized, thankful, giving and a listening dog. The road is of hard work, listening and going through with training. This would have not been able without their help! WE ALMOST GAVE UP ON OUR DOG, TODAY we can't imagine our lives without him. And our daughter has her best friend AND PROTECTOR in our dog Schutz! FROM ALL OUR HEARTS - THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, PATIENCE, HELP AND HUMANITY, you understood the dog and us, and you made our family complete! read more

Jim and the team at the Chicago Canine Academy did a great job doing the initial dog training for the two week period. There will be noticeable improvements after the initial two weeks. It was also very helpful to come back and do continuous training. I would definitely recommended them! read more

Abusive to animals. DO NOT BRING YOUR DOG HERE. He almost killed our pit/cane corso older pup. Was hanging him from a rod in the "training room" to stop his "aggression". we were first belittled by this old bully because he said we were "too soft " with such a breed. Bs. I'm glad we were still there to save our pup (we were filling out paperwork in front when he took our dog to the training room aka torture chamber. Our dog had to be rushed to an emergency vet later that night because he was lethargic and his eyes were filling with blood. Apparently when he was choking our helpless dog, he caused severe hemorrhages Even the emergency vet knew of Jim Morgan's abuses of other dogs Thankfully our pup was ok after staying at his regular vet almost a week This place should be shut down read more

ZERO STARS!!! Whatever you do, please do not take your puppy or dog to Chicago Canine Academy. We had a dog sitter back out on us before a trip, and we took our beloved dog here. When I went to pick him up, they brought him to us, and he was cowering so low, he was crawling.(This was our male, doberman, shepherd rescue!!) He was a proud, young, beautiful dog! The woman proceeded to tell me to ignore him. I feel sick, now even saying this! And she proceeded to walk and heel him in a circle past me. And every time he tried to look at me, she whipped him in the face, hard! With a thick leather leash! And he had not seen me in a week, so he was so excited.... She also told me that he had been stubborn, and the owner had to stun gun him! Wtf!!! These people are the most abusive, cruel, sad excuse for trainers ever! I will never forget the worst ever mistake I made in choosing this hell on earth for our sweet family member. read more

They do an outstanding job in training. My dog is always happy to see these guys and is well trained. I highly recommend them.

We recommend Jim and his training team for dog owners that need to be trained with their dogs. We had our dog trained by Jim and his team and took her home and did not follow through with the training. Our life with our puppy got worse as our frustrations mounted controlling our out of control puppy; now 9 months old. Our daughter and son-in-law had both their dogs trained by Jim. Both dogs are 2 and 4 years old with perfect behavior in and out of the house. They both told us home follow up after training must be constant until your puppy is doing what you expect of them. Back to training for us and our puppy for a week. We have learned our lesson on how important it is to teach your dog to respect your rules Thank you Jim and team members. read more

We cant thank Jim and Algus enough for opening my eyes about interpersonal dog relationships. Our 1.5 year old Rottie rescue Odin certainly has his challenges... Research your breed! :) He is my 4th but my first older rescue... We had him for 2 months and realized his was starting to shift from playful to protective and borderline aggression. He is a smart sweet boy -but at 120lbs (now 110lb) could be dangerous for me to walk. I was getting frustrated and thanks to Jim we found a starting point.... Algus and Odin bonded instantly and they had their moments.... (sorry Algus) - but having someone tell you they love your dog and want them for themselves - even when Odin was a jerk at times...is a testament to the trainer and breed. I know Rottweillers need to work and pushed outside your and their comfort zone to excel -especially if they have been abandonded to fend for themselves and never told no. Jim is awesome.... always candid about what is going on and what to expect....even though Odin has his challenges we KNOW with Jim and Algus laying down the fundementals....Odin WILL be a success story. I highly recommend Chicago Canine....but if your are a snowflake and dont understand dogs are DOGS...not people (My mistake) its not for you ...but if you are ready to learn and do the work -- they will help you and your pupster flourish! read more

Chicago Canine Academy - Pet Training Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is horrible I don't not recommend anyone to take their pet there!! I left my dog training for two weeks I went out of town and had to come back sooner my dog got injured supposedly playing with other dogs they called us days later to tell us she fell and sprained her leg! We came back got our dog they never trained her she was in a cage for 2 weeks lost weight and was limping! The next day I took her to our vet the dog had a broken leg and had to get surgery asap!! It costs 4,000$ and of course Jim Morgan say he's not responsible and will not answer my calls this is horrible and evil to leave my 7 month puppy suffer 2 weeks in pain!! It's not the first time he does this!!! Very unprofessional and this is animal cruelty!! Do not take your pets there!!!! He's a liar! I had to rate this abuser a 1 star doesn't even deserve that! read more

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I walked in to ask about information about a month ago and as I am walking in, I notice a giant monitor and I can see all the dogs. To my surprise I saw something I didn't want to. I saw a worker poking a dog with a stick through the crate. It wasn't just poking but it was so violent. I was able to hear the dog scream. I was disgusted and walked right out. Hope they shut this place down. It took a whole month for me to write this because as a loving dog owner it is hard to see that type of treatment and accept the fact that there are people so cruel to take advantage of the poor innocence of dogs. On my review on yelp you can clearly read that I am writing about two incidents I ran into. One of the being where I saw a worker violently poking a dog . The seconds one being: going to your business Facebook profile and seeing what appears to be wiffle ball bats in the background of what appears to be the play area. Why is there a need for bats in a play area? You can't call my review false or fake because it's states the truth I saw with my own eyes when I walked in, a worker violently poking a dog. After that I went home and started looking through your Facebook business profile and saw a video with what appears to be wiffle ball bats in the background. The picture I posted on yelp has the wiffle ball bats circled in the background. It's not just an innocent picture of a dog walking to a water bowl like you claim. Disclaimer : Posting Again since they decided to take my post down so they can look better. If they took mine down imagine all the others they have taken down. I'll be expecting a response from there PR team since all responses to these accusations are always the same, discrediting other peoples experiences and making them seem like liars. read more

Chicago Canine Academy - You can see the wiffle bats circled in red. I got this photo from a Facebook video they posted on their page. - Pet Training Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Where do I begin... Jim is absolutely amazing! I have a 7 month old boxer mix that was showing signs of aggressive behavior towards my 7 year old and other kids. Meeting with Jim was my last hope to Keep this rescue. Jim showed me how to handle my dog and nip this bad behavior in the butt. Thank you so much Jim for your help!! Some of the reviews on here about Jim and his staff are nonsense, when you have a 70 lb dog that you can't control you see Jim and he will show you how! I highly recommend him to help you with powerful dogs that are out of control! read more

My current German Sheppard Ragnar has been with Jim and his staff for the past two weeks. He has done an exceedingly remarkable job in transforming him to the be most obedient and loving dog I could hope to have in just two weeks!! While observing and having Jim and his staff teach me how best to get Ragnar to be his optimal self I am truely grateful!! I have had 2 other sheppards that he trained and turned out to be the best dogs (family) that one could experience life with! I unequivocally would recommend him to care for helping others with their dog (family member)! Now that I am retired, I intend to continue to have him assist me with continued training and guidance. I have observed Jim personally treat all the dogs in his care as though they were his own dogs and do all he can to get them to be confident, in control, respectful, etc. Jim has gone out of his way with extra sessions with myself and continued training at his facility to ensure Ragnar has received all he can provide that will ensure he be successful and be a great companion!! read more

My dog is 17 years old and I can't thank them enough for introducing us to raw food so I can have my beautiful dog with me for so many years.the training they provide helped us keep her dog safe, love them. read more

Hopefully this review won't be "filtered" as many other true reviews have been. I brought my PitBull dog to see them a few years ago. I had already been through a few trainers that were unsuccessful in helping me with my dog's dog aggression. He is a great dog, and lives in harmony with two other dogs smaller than him, but outside of our unit he is very defensive and his aggression is fear based. I went to a class and observed with plans of bringing my dog back for an initial training session. He said that they would be using an electronic collar with him, so I went and bought a $200 Dogtra collar (best there is). I was open to the E Collar because I have tried other methods unsuccessfully and I had read good things about CCAs and PitBulls. Jim took the leash from me in our first class and walked with my dog around the rest of the class. My dog seemed to respect his demeanor and was a bit more calm around the other dogs, which I liked seeing. He did receive a few strong corrections from Jim when his dog aggression began to show (almost right away), to which I was not thrilled, but the other dogs in class seemed to be obedient, so you have to play these things by ear sometimes-and it wasn't overboard. Then he paired me with this big Polish trainer with broken English. They do alot of work with stools and pedestals and stairs as part of their control method. He had me walk my dog up a standalone set of three or four stairs. I was on the right of my dog and this other trainer was on his left. I had the leash and the trainer had the E Collar remote. So my dog is at the top of these stairs (about 4 feet high) and he could barely sit at the top of these stairs. When my dog reacted (keep in mind my dog is pretty severe) the trainer just zapped the crap out of my dog. While zapping, my dog was starting to fall off of the stairs to which the trainer just grabbed the leash from me and held him up by his pinch collar while STILL ZAPPING him! Not on level 20 of 100 as I have used successfully for small corrections, but 80 of 100! As I noticed on my remote later. I have used 20 on myself and it hurt, I can only imagine what 80 felt like. My dog is now freaking out at the dogs in the room, as well as falling off of these stairs, being held up by his pinch, and being zapped at the same time. He didn't respond vocally by screaming, as many other dogs may have, but he showed his pain by trying to retreat (falling off the stairs) - to which he was not being allowed to retreat. The session seemed to take forever but was relatively quick in reality. With more knowledge on my side, my dog was being flooded - which is a bad thing for a dog who's aggression is based in fear and defense. It was too much for his senses, and can work against him instead of bring about changes. Should I have stopped the training session a bit early when I wasn't happy with what I saw? 20/20 hindsight, YES. Does anyone really know what is a proper reaction from your dog when in a new training environment? NO Let's just say that people in the training industry are very aware of this place's methods. I won't say anything more than that. Read around online, and definitely look though Yelp's "filtered" reviews. The truth be told read more

If you have a hard-to-train dog or a big dog, and you just can't gain control of it, this is your place. I have a pit bull mix and she is rowdy and rambunctious and uncontrollable most of the time. When I first got her, however, she was scared of everything and I had to practically drag her outside to go to the b-room. I brought her to Jim, and he immediately started working his magic. He did yank her around quite a bit, but people, this is a dog we're talking about, not a two-year-old child. You can't sit there and say, "Now, listen up, blah blah blah." You have to SHOW the dog who's boss. It did startle me at first, all the physicality. But I sure as hell wasn't getting anywhere on my own. Honestly, what he showed me in 45 minutes was more valuable than 50 classes at Petco! For instance, my dog was using her mouth (just like humans use their hands) to "play" with my roommate at the time. This, as you can imagine, really hurt! My dog considered my roommate to be her litter-mate--on her level. Anyway, Jim gave me tips and tricks on how my roommate could exert dominance over the dog and show her that she's the boss. Unfortunately I don't have access to a car anymore and this place is way outta the way. Or else I would bring my dog here again in a heartbeat. Bottom line: If you need to show your dog who's boss, and s/he's just not getting it, bring 'em here! read more

This place is awesome as long as you don't go there planning to tell the trainers how to do their jobs. They are very good at what they do and prices are more than reasonable. Jim Morgan and his staff are great!! Highly recommend the 2 week boot camp. read more

Chicago Canine Academy - Pet Training Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've owned a variety of dogs. I had a rottweiler some odd years ago, currently own an English bulldog and a Lhasa Apso. Different dogs require different training. Different behaviors requires different corrections. My lhasa is smart, obedient, and required no professional training. My rottweiler and English bulldog, however, were extremely difficult to train. Jim, the trainer, used a technique that I've seen from a professional that trained my rottweiler. It's the strong, leadership approach. I've tried the whole treat/praise thing with my English bulldog, and it didn't work. He's been to other trainers who used positive reinforcements, and it didn't work. He was becoming a bit aggressive towards strangers, and at times even lunging at people walking by, and this is a 75lb, pure mass bulldog. My neighbor told me about Chicago Canine Academy so I decided to bring my dog there. We had a 1 hour consultation, and he had my dog doing exactly what he wanted by the end of the consultation. I applied the approach at home, and yesterday was able to take him to PetSmart with people petting him, dogs sniffing him, and no lunging. Though Jim's technique might not be suitable for some dogs, but in my case it worked beautifully. I will be taking my dog back for more training. It's a secure feeling to know that my dog is trained. In the long run he'll be able to live a happier/safer life. read more

Jim Morgan is an awesome trainer. We have used Chicago Canine to train 2 of our dogs, a yellow lab and a Newfoundland. Carmen the Lab was chasing a squirrel into the street when I yelled down! She slid to a stop in the parkway as the squirrel ran into the street. Thanks Jim Morgan! Jim's approach is a firm hand but he really loves dogs, his shop usually has one or two neighborhood pit bulls he has trained but were. never picked up . Yep he keeps them. Saw a lot of negative posts - never been my experience and we board our goofy Newfie with Chicago Canine regularly . read more

Do not bring your dog here. Abusive cruel dog training. I took my dog here for a 2 week training I came back to see my dog noticeably thinner weaker and sleep deprived. Please do not bring your dog here they will only come out worse! Horrible read more

Thank you Chicago Canine Academy for training my Maddux. Our walks are longer and we are both more relaxed. I recommend this place. read more

Chicago Canine Academy - Pet Training Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Re: Be careful when you book a personal session with Jim. It doesn't mean a one on one with your dog. Sunday, we went for a one on one with Jim. He worked with us for about 10 mins and then brought us into a room with approximately 10 other people and their dogs. We waited and waited thinking he needed to finish a class. We watching as people picked up their pups from boot camp he taught and instructed the owners how to work with their dog. Then others would come in and he would stop everything to evaluate their dogs. What was totally f'd up was that he yanked on our puppy's neck and left her shaking and urinating on herself basically to show off to other clients, because how could you do that to a pup you aren't even working with?!! Not wanting to disturb him, I went up to a woman that worked there and told her what happened and she asked if I booked a private class and I said yes. She told me that there was nothing she could do and that I needed to talk to him. I mentioned that he's in the class evaluating a dog and she finally told me she would get him. I reiterated that we scheduled a private training and he says, "this is how I do it." I then said, "you should have informed us that this was a group class because we were standing there waiting for you." He then said, "your dogs aren't ready for group class." LOL There were over 10 dogs in that room. My husband and I just left. This is beyond professional and I really don't think you need to paralyzed a dog or abuse them to get results. read more

I work in animal rescue and I also board my dogs (family pets) here. I have a bully breed and small dogs as well that are my personal pets. I have found Chicago Canine Academy to be very accommodating to my dropping off and picking up. Even making arrangements after they have closed due to strange flight times etc. My dogs come home refreshed and clean (they even give them a bath). They come happy. I have been boarding my dogs here for 6 years, three times a year. I also have several friends and adoptive dog owners take their dogs here and are very happy. If you have a German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Pit Bull, Bulldog. Bull Mastiff etc this is the place for you. I you do not believe in using a prong collar then you may also want to look elsewhere. I do use a prong collar on my German Shepherd (not my smaller dogs). I also bring my Boston Terrier here and he loves to run with the big dogs when he comes. This is not the place to board your Chihuahua of Shi Tzu (and yes, I have both) they go else where. Over all I am very happy with my experiences here. But like any facility nothing is perfect. You need to be careful dropping off as on Belmont is is very busy and parking can be tight. You are better off parking on a side street and walking your dog to the front door. read more

I have been to several of the obedience classes here and always left feeling like we accomplished a great deal. It's wonderful. I have a trainer close by me that I go to weekly and she actually suggested I take my dog from time to time to Jim's class. My dog is quite large and is not friendly with strangers. I recently had to go out of town for work for a week and was unable to take him with me. I was distraught as to what I was going to do with him. When he was younger, I left him for 10 days at K9 Guardians and when I picked him up he was a mess. It was a horrible experience. Combine my past boarding experience with the fact that he is not friendly with strangers and I didn't know what to do. My trainer suggested I talk to Jim about it and board him there. I decided to try it but I gave them specific instructions to call my cell phone immediately with any issues and Jim offered me his cell number before I could even insist on getting it. I teared up as I left my dog there because not only is he my 'baby', I didn't want any problems to arise. During the trip, I got daily reports and by the end of the trip I was completely at ease. When I came to pick him up, he was visiting and waggin like crazy with Jim as if he was having the best time ever. I took him back just the other day to get a bath since no other groomer can bathe him and as soon as he saw Jim he was wagging like crazy again. I also have a friend who had an aggressive 125 lb male rottweiller that he could not deal with. The dog was close to being put to sleep when Jim took him. Jim COMPLETELY transformed the dog. The dog can still be seen from time to time in Jim's group class mingling with strangers and other dogs he doesn't know. The dog is now a happy and safe dog and thanks to Jim he's in a wonderful forever home. Jim saved his life! No trainer is for everyone but Jim is for me! read more

While I'm pleased with the grooming and boarding services here, this positive post is about class and training. Did the Petsmart thing; did the doggie psychiatry thing; been to specialists and trainers of all different sorts; had the neighbor threaten to sue with a bite incident. A serious re-boot was necessary...for both us and our dog. Our dog is 100% different now...for the better. We needed to take responsibility for poor habits in our dog's puppy years, and we are working carefully and diligently with Jim' guidance and fellow classmates (both human and canine) to teach both us and the dog. Every pet owner and pet deserve a proper fit with a trainer. CCA is our best fit so far. We subscribe to the "take what you like and leave the rest" plan with many life practices. Applies here, too. Our dog breed doesn't require heavy-handed work that bigger breeds may need and that we've observed. We're not stupid with our dog, either, and take care more now than before to provide structure and discipline where it's needed. I'm a definite fan. read more

I got a Rottweiler in 2017 because my son Jake said they were cool and that's what the rappers and big sports were getting. A previous girlfriend Jayma, who knows a lot about dogs, said that was a bad idea because they are a difficult dog and I don't know much about dogs. But I didn't listen, per usual. Anyway we got Bronson home and the first thing he did was bite Jake. Bronson was just difficult from the start but we loved him nonetheless. Anyway, a friend recommended we send him in for some obedient dog training at the Chicago Canine Academy, which we did. And everyone was there was great, including the head guy Jim and the big Russian guy who is a intimidating but cool once you get to know him. Well they got Bronson straightened right out. After two weeks and several thousand dollars I brought Bronson home and he was a different dog who would listen and walk on leash and just be a great dog. I thought they were miracle workers. Jake and I also went back to the Academy on many Saturdays to walk around in a circle with Bronson and other dogs on the leash learning commands and sitting and stopping and all that. My new girlfriend Ava, who is Hungarian, even took Bronson once to the Saturday sessions when I was out of town, but she couldn't remember the words to tell Bronson to stop and sit and all that. She asked the Russian guy to write down all the words to tell Bronson, and the Russian explained to just tell Bronson any word like "AUST", but just use the same word the next time. I don't think Ava really got it, which is on her, but whatever. Anyway, fast forward a couple years and I move to Indiana and I'm living in a camper on my 50 acres (long story) that I kept when I moved to Chicago and Bronson basically has the run of the place. He can run anywhere and everywhere, swim in the pond, and is basically living the good life on the farm. However, admittedly, Bronson loses the discipline of walking on a leash every day because he can run wild and chase coyotes all day and night and keep them from killing my ducks and chickens, who I have also grown attached to. So that's all good, until I bring Bronson back to the Chicago Canine Academy in April of this year for boarding for 10 days because I had to go to the Isle of Man for a deposition, and spent a few days in London with my kids before that. Anyway, great time, but I get back and the Russian tells me that Bronson was not a good time. He said that Bronson was aggressive to other dogs and he was difficult to control. I said so what do I do? He said nothing you can do at this point because he's too old. Like I said the Russian is kind of intimidating so I didn't argue with him. Ok so fast forward a couple months and I have a trip planned today to New Orleans with good friend and client and my daughters (not Jake due to work) and I called to get Bronson boarded at the Academy. So Jim answers and I say hey I want to get Bronson boarded starting on Friday and I'll get him on Tuesday. Jim tells me that no, they won't take Bronson because he was a "prick" the last time he was there. I said what do you mean he was a "prick", and Jim says I can't have that dog in here because he's dangerous for the people who work here. Now I know he's not dangerous for the Russian, who can likely handle anything and then some, but for the other workers Jim says Bronson puts everyone else in danger. I tried to reason with him, but he kept calling Bronson a "prick". I just decided I wouldn't be taking Bronson back there after that, not that Jim would have me back anyway. In summary, Bronson is not a prick, and he doesn't deserve that, and I wouldn't want him with people who think he is a prick and treat him like a prick, even if he is. But if your dog is not a "Prick", they still do good work there and really helped me with Bronson until they banned me and Bronson read more

Even before I read these reviews, this place left a terrible sense of anxiety every time I left my dog there for "day care". I used them twice and was unhappy each time. The second my dog walked out the door she peed all over the sidewalk both times. That means they didn't let her outside at all. Also, she would still be very hyper when she got back home. I took her to a daycare prior to this and she would come home soooo exhausted. I chose this one because it was closer and regretted it. I feel like they either left her in the cage or she had no socialization at all. Never again. read more

DONT YOU DARE BRING YOUR DOG HERE!!! I was young and naive in 1999 and had no time to train my beautiful yellow lab puppy due to a job switch after we adopted her. We sent her to Jim Morgan at Chicago Canine after a friend told us good reviews. Our dog came back with huge bite marks on her face(which turned into scars) and bites all over her back. Her spirit was broken and always looked fearfull and honestly her tail looked broken too. We walked around with her with Jim on her "graduation day" - somehow she now understood German and could jump on a razon thin guardrail on command (out of obvious fear). In my lifetime I can say that this was one of the absolute biggest regrets I've ever had. Handing over my puppy (7 months) to be abused by a man and attacked by other dogs. read more

Jim, is the best dog trainer and adviser I have ever encountered. I have had dogs all of my adult life, and always the breeds that the media lists as dangerous; Dobermans, German shepherds, Rottweilers, the infamous "pit bulls", aka American Stratfordshire Terrier. Whenever I have had a problem with one of the dogs I have had, I have contacted Jim and with his tremendous amount of experience and desire to train a dog the problems have been solved and I have had a very responsibly well trained dog and great companion. Jim is tough when it is required, but what else would you expect from a Marine, Gary J. read more

One Dead Cat, One dog put down after "Training" Our Labrador and Daschund were a little aggressive torwards 2 of our 3 cats, and also our nephews and grandson. The dogs and cats LIVED TOGETHER FOR THREE (3) YEARS BEFORE THE TRAINING (3 YEARS!), OUR LABRADOR BRUTALLY KILLED ONE OF OUR CATS about 2 weeks after the training. The house was blood spattered on the main floor. One of our main concerns for enlisting in the "boot camp" style training was to tone down on the dogs aggressive behavior. Unfortunately, we believed that the style of training was needed in order to obtain the "expected behavior". After the first week, our Daschund had a blood shot eye from the excessive "corrections". The "corrections" were the yanking and pulling on the choke collars on both dogs. We were assured by Jim Morgan that the results would be amazing. Our dogs were even fed raw meat after we specifically never asked them to. We did find the training somewhat excessive but felt that the end result would be worth it. Our Labrador even showed some aggression with the son of Jim Morgan. Our complaints through BBB were ignored until I followed up for a response, our Attorney General Complaint was also ignored, when we got a response, it was vague and a complete insult. Jim Morgan could care less about what happened. **Our dog and cat lived together for 3 years prior to the training *** STAY THE HELL AWAY !!!!! read more

I don't comprehend how ANYONE would be comfortable sending their pets to such an ABUSIVE environment. I took my pup there for training and the first thing Jim Morgan the "expert" did was give everyone a chokie and teach people how to slam on the chain and choke the dog when ever it didn't listen. My pup was TERRIFIED AND SHAKING THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE THING AND PEED ON HIMSELF MULTIPLE TIMES. ESPECIALLY IN THE HANDS OF JIM MORGAN. I took my pup and left because there was NO WAY IN HELL that I was gonna let him get his hands on my dog. ANIMAL CRUELTY ALL THE WAY AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE! IT IS ACTUALLY SO REPULSIVE! Anyone who sends their pets here are equally as bad and have NO respect for animals. I comprehend the fact that some dogs are really aggressive, but there is NO justification whatsoever for abusive tactics.He also teaches about being leader over your pet... More like a bully! P.S. To anyone who says that their dog is so good afterwards. Gee maybe its because by the time they are out they are scared crapless of getting hurt for not listening. Just a thought! Your motive for sending your dog here may be sincere, but you are sincerely wrong. read more

Why Yelp felt the need to remove my review of this establishment - because it wasn't based on a "consumer" experience, though in fact, it was. To clarify - I was a consumer as I entered the establishment to pick up a dog who was in our rescue who had been in paid boarding at the facility. I witnessed first hand what this man did and my experience with Jim Morgan was unpleasant to say the least. While I agree with other reviewers that a stronger hand is needed for certain breeds, what he told me was just straight out animal cruelty. This man bragged about how he had put the electronic collar on the dog that he was boarding for our rescue and cranked it to the highest and "zapped" him every time the dog would bark. He then went on to say that he would go in and kick the shit out of our dog and that at one time our dog had pissed himself and now our dog respected him. He laughed about how he had broken our dog and that it took quite a few beatings for our dog to listen to him. Luckily I took our dog out of his "care" and he has since been adopted by a nice family. All he did to our dog was to terrorize him and to make him fearful of men. It took a while to have the dog placed, and a large part of that had to do with the issues he developed after being at CCA. He also goes around advertising that you can play fetch with your dog wherever you want...um, hey @*!?* there's leash laws for a reason. What kind of a trainer advertises and encourages people to have their dogs off leash? Sure his dog was obedient; didn't bark or run away...what is it, 72 hours to brainwash a human and have them be an obedient hostage? From what I witnessed, Jim Morgan enjoyed the pain he was inflicting upon the dogs. I can't believe he is still in business. He should not be allowed to work with any living creature. If you own a dog, you should absolutely not bring your dog to this man. There are plenty of effective trainers for those "powerful" dogs as other reviewers have mentioned. Also, I am not from the school of thought for 100% positive training, we have used electronic collar training on one of our dogs. I don't know about these other people's experiences, however, based upon what I witnessed - first hand - I maintain this man should not be allowed to work with animals. read more