We were looking for a place that we could send our puppy for training because my husband and I both work and have busy schedules with the kids. It has been great being able to send our dog two times per week for daycare and training. I love that they have an online portal that I can use to book her appointments, so it's simple to schedule based on my week's availability. We have also seen big progress in my Old English Bulldog's leash walking since taking her here! They are great to work with! read more

Used Dogstyle on a recommendation from another kennel for my high anxiety dog. I picked him up today after a week's stay and was told he did ok, which is a big deal for him. More importantly, he took almost no time to calm down once we got home! That's a really big deal! Normally, it takes him a day or two to wind back down after a high stress event like being g away from us for a week. I am really pleased! He's confirming that he did ok!! I would totally use them again. read more

Love this place - great people and great pups coming to play. My dog is so happy there. We have used the training (superb) and boarded for several days (excellent). Super grateful to all the folks at Dogstyle read more

Scheduled time for training & the trainer was a no show. My recommendation is to look elsewhere. Very disappointing.

We've been going to this place ever since we adopted our German shepherd, 2.5 years now. They do a really good job and I think they are reasonably priced! Reason for not giving them 5 stars? Making an appointment and keeping it is what is challenging. We have been rescheduled more times than I can count, but if you're flexible and patient, you won't regret it. read more

In the last 6 years I have had 3 crazy energetic German Shorthaired Pointers fully board trained by Jeff and the other fine trainers at Dogstyle and have had excellent results with each one. We're talking off leash follow me through Home Depot at my knee trained. These people truly put out a professional product. I have recommended Dogstyle over 100 times to the many people who wonder how my dogs are so responsive and well behaved. 5 stars I would recommend and use them again read more

Dogstyle - Pet Sitting Near Me - Vernon Hills, Illinois

Our Am Staff can be a pretty quirky and nervous guy, especially with people, so when we began training at Dogstyle, we were a little nervous that he may not gel with the trainers or feel comfortable being there. We started training with Colin and we were quickly put at ease. He's a truly great trainer who knows his stuff. He's professional, patient, and understanding with both dog and human, which we really appreciate. After working with him for awhile in private sessions, we decided to try day training so that we could see how our pup did in the kennel environment with the hopes of being able to board him at Dogstyle in the future. We were super nervous about it, but it didn't take long to see we had nothing to worry about. The staff is full of pros. You can tell that they really take the time to get to know each dog's personality and quirks in order to set them up for success in the kennel. Alanna has been exceptionally great to us. She is always so patient with questions, and has really gone above and beyond in making sure we're comfortable leaving our pup there. It's also extremely impressive, with all of the dogs that they interact with in a day, that she has clearly gotten to know our dog well and fills us in on how he's doing on a regular basis. It has made such a difference for us! Will definitely be continuing our training here, and will be boarding our pup here anytime we travel. Highly highly recommend! read more

help me out here--can't get anyone on phone & they don't answer email. How can you drop one of your kids off w/out any response or pick them up? Are they so booked that they can't manage simply being in communication with owners? Just wondering because if you have my kids in your facility--getting a human being to respond same day would be the expected. Mind blowing. read more

I made a mistake -- I waited to make our doggy reservations for our little Lucy for Spring Break. By the time I called, our local doggy day care place was booked solid. Oh geez! What am I going to do with my baby? In a panic, I looked on Yelp and found The Silver Pines. First, they are changing their name. This kennel has been in operation for a while but the niece just took over and she is updating the place as well as the name. I have to admit, I trust Yelp on many levels, but not when it comes to boarding my beloved. And a week is a long time to make a mistake. When I called to make the appointment, they were so understanding and answered all of my bazillion questions. When it was time to drop her off, the place is an unassuming place off of Waukegan Road. It looks a bit old from the road but it is a kennel, not the Grand Plaza Hotel. And as much as Lucy is my baby, she's still a dog for Pete's sake. She needs a comfortable place to sleep, plenty of exercise and love. She got all of those. I even checked in mid-week and they didn't laugh that I was thinking of her and had to call. (Not even a chuckle.) The prices are extremely reasonable and they were having a first-time boarders special so I don't remember what the normal price is. But you can pay for overnight as well as day care/playtime. They kennel up the dogs in basic crates at night (nothing fancy but functional) and then have big yard areas for the pups to run around it and socialize with other dogs. Lucy came back slender and sleek she had worked out so much. And she slept for a whole day when she got back which is always a good sign. It means she partied way to much and needed a day to recoup. Thanks for taking sweet care of my little Lucy :-) read more

They do a really good job with grooming. However, the groomer is incredibly unreliable. Nearly every single grooming appointment we've made over the past three years has been rescheduled. At this point, when we make an appointment, we know that we're not actually going to come in at that time. read more

Heidi and her crew neglected my dog. I dropped her off at 8:30 am for bath and nail trim, and they weren't ready for her to be picked up till 3:30 pm. The lady at the front desk refused to touch her because she was a pitbull. She was left unattended in a crate for 6 hours (she is not crate trained). When i picked her up she was extremely stressed and dehydrated. There were bright pink abrasions and all her hairs missing from her elbows. read more

I took my yellow lab (long hair and 80lbs) in for half a day playtime and then de-shedding/wash/brush out grooming in the afternoon. Drop off was at 7:30am and I would pickup at 4:30. They crate dogs in grooming and therefore I added the playtime since he would be there all day until I was off work. When I picked him up, I paid for the day before he came out and then waited for him outside to be brought to me. He came out slightly wet, and fur flying everywhere. The person who brought him to me said she just brushed him to try and get some of the loose fur off. By the time I got to the car, my black pants were covered. Fur flying in the car..everywhere. My dog is almost 5 and this is not our first grooming, so i understand when dogs blow there coat, the loose fur takes a while to come out. Took me 20 min to brush him out at home and two huge piles of fur later ... he doesn't have loose fur on him any longer. I also noticed he didn't have the fur trimmed from the bottom of his paws between his pads... which I thought was standard. I was told the next day that paw fur trimming needs to be requested. I didn't receive an apology and I wasn't expecting a refund or for them to make it right, but I am surprised they didn't offer and they didn't seem to take any ownership that I had a bad experience. Total for the day was $65 w/o tip, which is not a bad price, but since they didn't complete what I needed most- brushing/grooming it wasn't worth it. See pics below.. read more

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We've been taking our two highly-energetic and often misunderstood dogs to Dogstyle for several months now. They came recommended to us by another trainer we had who had left the training facility we were at. It's a far commute from Chicago but we quickly learned it was worth it. We have a Dutch Shepherd and Belgian Malinois (yes, we are crazy) so training is a forever commitment for us. We have been working with Colin since we started and he has welcomed our wild and crazy dogs with open arms, never judging their excessive amounts of energy and quirks and helping us to understand their behaviors in a new way and manage them in our home. He is always answering my 800 questions and the difference in our dogs has been wild. Our dogs absolutely LOVE going to work. The staff is always willing to work with our schedules given the commute and they are always so understanding and helpful. read more

I met Jeff on Edisto Island at Georgia K9's Tracker School. After we finished the school, I began taking private obedience lessons from him and Collin. Originally I was just interested in the basics, a reliable heal and recall. As my Dog is a SAR mantrailing K9, I wasn't originally looking for anything fancy. That changed tremendously quickly as I (and my dog) found out how much fun it was, achieving competition level healing and incredibly snappy basic commands. Moreover, he taught me how to train my own dog, and I have used this skill to teach right side healing and a whole slew of other behaviors that were tremendously rewarding for both me and my dog. As I wanted my K9 to do detection, I trusted Jeff to work with me to do the imprinting of my dog on cadaver and Jeff was masterful at that. It should also be noted that Dogstyle, Inc. serves as Georgia K9's Chicago Branch and Georgia K9, in my opinion has the best mantrailing program in the country. Dogstyle is the only place I trust for boarding and grooming, even though it is an hour away from my house. read more

Meant to be 5 stars! I highly recommend Dogstyle and would recommend them to anyone considering daycare or boarding!

The best dog boarding and grooming facility! My dog had been going to them since he was a few months old and he is almost 6 now. Heidi and her crew take good care of our dog and keep him as we would. We have moved now and even though this place is a little bit away for us we would not go to any other boarding place. Very happy with them! read more

They have the best trainers ever. I worked with Hedi and Jeff and they were both very knowledgeable and professional. The only reason why I am giving them 3 stars is because of their horrible grooming. The hairs are very unevenly cut and also gave my dog a razor burn. I would recommend this place only for day care and their training service. The grooming service was very cheap compare to other grooming service around the area. I guess there is a reason why. read more

Dogstyle - Pet Sitting Near Me - Vernon Hills, Illinois

I absolutely adore the team at Dogstyle. We have been working with Collin and he is just amazing. He is very patient with both Molly and me. Molly has come a long way thanks to him. Dogstyle came very highly recommended to me and any chance I get to,I highly recommend them. Jamie in the office is always very helpful. I find it's easier to email than to call. Seriously one of the best decisions I've made. read more

Jeff Hankanson is hands down one of the best dog trainers in Illinois. As a member of law enforcement, I can confirm Jeff is not only trustworthy with your animal, but an extremely nice and caring person. Jeff cares for every dog that is trained or stays within his facility. My German Shepherd is very nervy, and I have had to board him at their facility when going on vacation. They provided me with a follow up report and even provided Zeus with his own room because he had so much anxiety. Jeff continues his education and travels across the United States learning from some of the best trainers in the world. This is obvious when seeing his own personal trained dogs, and his constant success in the industry. Great dog trainers are extremely hard to find seeing as the industry is very unregulated. If you are reading this, trust me you will NOT be disappointed with the dog training received. The service and training you receive is like nothing else in the industry. I have been around hundreds of dogs & trainers while serving in Law Enforcement, and none of which compare to Jeff. I truly hold Jeff to one of the highest standards, and he is hands down one of the best trainers in Illinois. It is sad to see some competitors in the industry and others making up fictitious reviews for their own personal gains. As someone who has very high morals and values, I would not trust Jeff if he did not hold those same values. Do not believe any fictitious reviews read. read more

When we adopted our pit bull Bunny, my sister-in-law recommended we take her to Dogstyle, Inc for training. We were immediately impressed with the staff and the facility. Jeff's training methods are focused on positive reinforcement, which is something we love. The board and train also includes pack socialization which is very important to your dog's well being. Jeff is patient and takes the time to explain his methods including how and WHY it's done that way. He has amazing knowledge of dog behavior and dog psychology. Not only will he help your dog be their best, he also helps you to be a good responsible owner. With Jeff's help, we were able to get Bunny and Cesar (a pittie we adopted from the associated Bombshell Bullies Rescue) certified as AKC Canine Good Citizens. He's ALWAYS available if we have questions or need help. Plus the Saturday training classes are tons of fun. The staff at NoBull is amazing. They always remember us and our dogs and we're always greeted with a smile. They genuinely care about each and every dog that comes through their doors and it shows. read more

Such an awesome place! My Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy spent 6 weeks there for their Board and Train Program. Prior to training I had a consultation with Jeff and learned more about dogs in the one hour I spent with him than I ever knew. During training Conrad did an awesome job training him, training me to work with him, and coming to our home to follow up. Well worth the money! Since then I have boarded my boy at Dogstyle Inc at least 3 times. He comes home healthy, happy, and clean. The owner Heidi is so knowledgeable and goes out of her way to answer all my questions, offer advice, and cares SO much for the dogs. This place is 30 min from my house, but definitely worth the drive. read more

Excellent staff and facility. Experienced people that truly care about each animal's well-being and future. Worth our commute. We worked with Conrad and, on occasion, Colin. They are genuine people that enjoy the challenges and triumphs that come with each dog- regardless of breed. They keep every dog in their care safe and don't take risks. Our dog had been rescued through a company Dogstyle partners with. We knew immediately that we had the right dog AND trainers for our family. No question was too silly or dumb to them. The best part, our dog LOVES going to "school" because he feels safe and gets rewarded for his work! They taught us the proper way to be responsible dog owners. We are now a source of authority and love to a well behaved, happy dog! read more

I have nothing but good things to say about this place . I've had issues with my dog not getting along with my boyfriends dogs and fights breaking out between them. I took her to a training place I found online about a year ago and that was horrible , so I was weary to take her to any training again. A friend of mine had a good experience here so I thought I'd check it out. The entire staff is great! You also really get the feeling they want to help you and your dog unlike the previous place I took her. Sophie has grown so much confidence since going here and she is really progressing . The staff treat you as if you are friends of theirs and its very welcoming . I would definitely recommend this place! Sophie and I look forward to our sessions every week. read more

Well where do I start... paid lots of money to have my dog trained at this facility. Specifically asked for a certain trainer and was told that would happen. But in actuality it didn't happen like that. So needless to say training turned out okay. But the next situation is what really made me upset, my dog came home with the most horrible diarrhea. After two weeks of diarrhea and weight loss, I took my to the vet. After many test and lots of money. . My dog was diagnosed with giardia, in other words HORRIBLE INTESTINAL INFECTION. And who wouldn't expect that, they don't check stool for any of their dogs that are boarding there. There is standing water around the place and dogs are left unattended in the back. So my experience here wasn't all that well.. only reason why I gave it one star was because training like I said came out okay. read more

After adopting an anxiety ridden pit mix in June my husband and I searched high and low for an appropriate dog trainer. I have had lots of experience with dogs with fostering and manning a dog daycare and boarding facility so I was being pretty picky. We were recommended by a neighbor to check out Dogstyle. We knew our big guy needed a board and train type of training as he needed lots of TLC and could potential be a bite risk. Jeff and his entire staff have been nothing but amazing to work with. They genuinely care for every dog in the facility they work with. We brought our pup home just over a week ago and its a whole new lifestyle for him and us (one where we don't constantly fear his behavior around people or other dogs). My biggest worry was my dog being sad or depressed when being boarded, especially after he had a hard time being passed around and dropped at a shelter. He was happy and bouncy and even decided to "play" by bounding over the fence to greet his trainers at the front door. We couldn't be more thankful for Dogstyle! read more

I brought my lab for a grooming/nail trim and loved the service we received from Heidi and Lauren! My lab has a thing about having her nails trimmed after having some pretty traumatic experiences at the vet, when she needed 4 technicians to "hold" her down. Heidi and Lauren were patient with her and let her take breaks in between the paws treating her to a delightful bath (which she loves) and a little walk outside. She still smells great after a couple weeks and a couple trips to the dog parks! read more

I brought my 6mo old Lab Stella to Jeff on the recommendation of a friend. Wheaton to Vernon Hills is a drive( about an hour) but worth it. Jeff takes the time to find out what your goals are and has a great way of developing a plan to meet your needs and understand what motivates your dog. I did two sets of the six individual lessons and it has really paid off. I suggest the individual lessons because you get trained as well as the dog. Stella and I worked twice a day for 10-15 minutes on what we learned each lesson and the results are amazing. I can walk Stella off leash anywhere and know she will respond to my command. If you're going to have a dog you might as well have a well trained one and Jeff and his staff are the best choice to help you. read more

We adopted our 2nd pitbull - Ogie last October, and No Bull DogStyle was recommended to us as we wanted to make sure we were prepared to deal with a 2 pitbull household. Jeff came out to the house and saw for himself that it was like the WWF as Lucy and Ogie played about as rough as can be, all over the family room and backyard. Jeff asked us what our goals were from a training perspective, and we told him that there were four: 1) Being able to manage them in the house 2) Being able to walk them without it being a struggle 3) Having them go to their place upon command 4) Coming to us when called So rather than use a cookie cutter approach to training, he developed a plan that was designed to acheive what WE wanted. We first tried the weekly sessions, but due to Ogie not being a big fan of the long drive from our house, we decided foucs on his training and to go with the Board & Train program. We felt that by working with Ogie, we could then transfer what he (and we) learned to Lucy. While it was not fun for us to not have him with us for 6+ weeks, it was the best decision we could have made. Ogie is a pleasure to walk - no pulling ever! He goes to place (bed or house) at full speed upon command, and will stay there until released. His recall is also very very strong. It is still a fun time managing them both, but I can't imagine how we could have done it without Jeff's help. We also board our dogs here whenever we are out of town, and are extremely comfortable with the love, care, and attention they receive. When your dogs tails are wagging when you drive up, you know that you have made the right decision. Heidi and Lauren are fantastic. So if you are considering training or boarding - this is the place to go! Thank you all so very much! Joe & Kelly Zak read more

I've boarded my dog here for training and when we've gone out of town. Heidi and her crew take excellent care of the animals here and truly love what they do. My dog also attends weekly training next door and loves it. Proof is when my dog starts wagging his tail when we pull in the driveway. read more

I was referred to them last year and I see why! First visit Is free to see how your dog does. They gave the recommendation to bring him a few times before his 4 day boarding. Which by the way someone is on site 24 hours. When I picked him up he was his usual self never became ill afterwards or any signs of stress from being there. I plan to use them again if I ever need to board. Heard so many good things from others as well. They offer one on one training at an additional fee (worth it) they keep your dog occupied and rested which is key. Very organized even though it's busy with drop offs etc. read more

I have used all the services Dogstyle offers. We have boarded our dog there, put him in their "daycare" and used their training services when we first got our dog. I would give them an unqualified 5 stars on everything. These are very smart, experienced, and caring people who love dogs but use a great deal of common sense in how they approach every aspect of the animal. The training is excellent. They fit the approach to the type of dog. Not all dog's can be trained the same way and they know it. They are as good at training us (the human owners) as they are at training the dogs. I have had dogs for over 25 years and have used a myriad of kennels, dog walkers, dog sitters, etc. during this time. I have never felt as comfortable leaving my dog anywhere as I do at Dogstyle. And one other endorsement. When I pull up to the place with my dog Roscoe, his tail is wagging and he is pulling to get in. He digs it there. read more

I've been wanting to type up a review for these guys for a while and I have finally found the words to describe how awesome everyone is! My dog started coming here when she was about 12 weeks old and I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I thought I did! My boyfriend bought the dreaded pee pads and she was kenneled very rarely. And when she was, oh god the mess. It was truly what nightmares were made of. Not to mention her BITING was on over drive. I truly had a bossy snarky ill tempered puppy. They however, thought she was great! They took her negative behaviors and triggered them into positive more acceptable activities. I truly feel they enjoyed training my dog and cared about her, even when I felt she wasn't going to get any better. I saw small changes here and there but being an impatient person with a short fuse I got frustrated frequently. We started doing the board and train 3 times a week. This is when I got excited. She no longer peed and pooped in her kennel, no more screaming like a rabid parrot and twirling like a ballerina. She was perfect! And it only got better with time. Her recall is on point and she actually acknowledges me when I speak to her. We now go on walks through the forest preserve without her barking at people passing by. I was for sure she would be a lost cause, and I can't begin to tell you how many times I wanted to give up. My house is now peaceful and more enjoyable with her around. No more ripped t-shirts from lunging and no more demand barking. Thank you so much to Jeff, Colin, Heidi and anyone else who may have had an affect on Opal. read more

Can't say enough about these guys. I'll start off with the fact that I bought a pretty difficult dog as a puppy , an Argentine dogo. Odin has been to three professional trainers and always returned the same- very aggressive. This was managed at home very stressfully, with him needing to be penned constantly. No one would board him if we left town. This was not fun, not what we had envisioned when bringing this dog into our family. When our baby daughter was born and he almost bit her ,we finally agreed with our family and friends that we needed to get rid of of him. He was 3 years old at this time. Our vet recommended giving Dogstyle a chance , because of witnessed successes of multiple aggressive dogs in her practice that Dogstyle had trained and rehabbed. Jeff, Collin and Heidi trained our family as much as they trained Odin. He is now a joy to be around, no more stress when guests come over. We include him in everything. My wife and older kids walk him without fear. My baby whose now 20 months pushes him out of the way , he won't steal food, he enjoys training and learning new things . Again , we were trained as much as Odin. Couldn't be happier with him and have become lifelong clients of DogStyle. Not even a hesitation about who will watch Odin when we vacation . He loves going back . Thank you Jeff Heidi and Collin . read more