I have been taking my puppy to the Lincoln Park PetCo since the day he came home at the age of 8 weeks. The store itself is clean and the staff are friendly. There's no shortage of free samples or advice. They have everything you need for most types of pets, and the location is great with easy parking.
This review is primarily for their amazing dog trainer, JUDY. She is not only an asset to PetCo, but also an asset to all dogs lucky enough to work with her. I first met Judy while I was shopping for supplies to prepare my puppy's homecoming. Before I even had a dog in my home, she helped me select toys, treats, and materials for him. Furthermore, she spent an hour of her free time talking to me how to begin crate training and welcome him to my home. Her tips and tricks were not in any books I read. She made me feel confident and ready to welcome my best friend into my home. As soon as my puppy arrived, we started going to free puppy play time. My puppy has gone almost every weekend since then, and Judy offers tips to all the dog owners, as well as acts like a 'police officer' in case any of the playing goes too far. I immediately felt comfortable with Judy and I signed my puppy up for her training classes. It is clear that everyone loves her because her puppy play times are full of happy, return customers who all know each other and Judy.
Today, my puppy graduated from Level 2 of puppy training. I am so proud of him, but he would not be the well-mannered and focused dog today if it wasn't for her. She literally transformed my wild, nipping, peeing, jumping, excited and distracted puppy into an angel throughout Level 1 and Level 2 classes. She worked with him directly, and more importantly, gave me the tools I needed to practice with him at home using the clicker. He knows almost 20 specific commands from Level 1, and learned to perform them with distractions (other dogs, toys, treats) in Level 2. He walks beautifully on a leash, will go (and stay!) in his bed when told, and all along had a blast working with Judy these past 12 weeks. He absolutely loves her, and I can't wait to take him for more advanced classes in the future!! It is so healthy for his mind, confidence and socialization, and I have fun working with him! All I have to say to him is, "Let's go see Judy!" and he runs with excitement to the door to go see her.
There are literally not enough good things in the world to say about Judy. She is extremely talented, patient, and kind. It is so obvious how much she loves all dogs of all breeds, sizes, and backgrounds. I firmly believe I could bring any dog to her, regardless of it's history, and she could give it the focus and determination to become a confident and obedient dog. All the new puppy or dog owners need to come meet Judy at PetCo to see exactly what I'm talking about!! If not, you are missing out on an amazing opportunity to bond with your pet and teach him so many wonderful things!!! read more