Our dog went through the 10 day obedience training and then just completed the 12 day advanced off…read moreleash training and we could not be more pleased and impressed with Dog Training Now. We trust them and know they will always do what's best for our dog. Highly recommend!

I went into the training facility to check it out and talk for 30 min about what my dog needed. I…read morewas not too happy that they even asked me if it was ok to use a PINCH COLLAR on my 15 pound miniature schnauzer. I don't care how small or little the collar is I will not allow a stranger to be in control of pinching my dog. Not to mention this can create worse behaviors down the road on top of being shelter dog no way! I asked for the board and train and basically was denied every option for that and he told me I could only do drop off and could only do a two week option for drop off appointments only. He wouldn't even consider doing the third option for off leash training like wth? Why? Makes zero sense to me. He made it seem like my Dog was not capable of it when I know he is capable of mastering any type of training given to him. And his going to because I would not take my dog here not for the basic training leash skills or whatever. Energy was way off when I walked in there. I asked to see the property and to show me your and he didn't he just opened one door to huge gun looking area. I want to know where the kennel my dog will be sitting in I. Between sessions and so forth. Using a pinch collar on a tiny dog. No wonder you have all the dogs sitting down all together not making a move is prob bc you yanked the prongs back into their neck! I believe in positive training and nothing positive came out of this! Very discouraging and needless to say I will take my $8000 else where to be spent properly and with care. I have had two other meetings with trainers and they have no problem taking dog into board and train and for 8 weeks to correct behavior problems. IF YOU HAVE A DOG WITH BEHAVIOR ISSUES DO NOT TAKE HERE! Basic ass place man

I am very happy to know that Prairie Path has a location in Crystal Lake, we needed their service…read morefor our lab, Wrigley, he is getting older and needs to keep active with our jobs we don't have the time to walk him so I gave Prairie a call, my dog loves it and the care they provided was superb we highly recommend them!

I am very happy to know that Prairie Path is now located in Schaumburg so I can recommend friends…read moreto their services. They are great people with caring kind hearts who are very good with animals of all types.

Just worked with Sophie with my two rescues. Sophie was so easy to work with, very communicative…read moreand responsive. She really does focus on rewarding the positive and setting dogs up for success. I felt really comfortable asking for her advice and expertise, which she offered in a very nonjudgmental and helpful way. I feel hopeful and ready to support my two pups, to decrease their reactivity and my feelings of overwhelm. Having been told by another trainer that one of my dogs was too much of a liability because of his bite history and behavior, I'm so thankful I found Sophie and now feel I have many new tools and strategies to try.

We used Sophie again, now for our second puppy and she is absolutely brilliant (nod to her British…read moreheritage)! 10/10 highly recommend! She really knows what she's talking about and even makes it fun. Not even a snowstorm that dumped 10 inches stopped her from coming either.

Tailchasers is great…read more Matt came over to the house to help us decide on chosing him for watching our dogs. That alone is a big decision when you think of your dogs as family. He stayed for about an hour answering all of our questions and going through our routine with us. He and his company are very thorough and good at what they do. I felt I could trust him and his staff to come into our house without us being home. When they are done with the visit you get an email with all of the notes from the visit and sometimes you get pictures as well of the dogs playing. This allowed us to go out late on a weekend night. We plan on using them in the future.

I received a call the day after Christmas, that my dog was howling in pain and couldn't get up. I…read moreasked if they could get him to a vet and they said no, I had to pick him up. When arrived they wanted to use ropes to lift him with due to so badly soiled. So we supplied our own blanket and carried him to car. He was in obvious pain, soiled, bleeding from mouth. He was immediately taken to animal hospital and advised had to be put down for fractured back and kidney issues. When asked for an explanation Randa immediately sent a refund saying upon my request, which was just for explanation. When followed up was told I can't sue because I signed a waiver, that it was my fault for boarding an older dog and not boarded before. I never made any accusations or asked for anything but an explanation. I'm so devastated I left my pet/family member in their care.

Our family and our dog have been going to A Closer Bond center for almost 7 years. We've had the…read moregreatest experiences and would always recommend C. Bond for daycare and training. The staff is friendly, helpful and extremely understanding. (We live almost an hour away and the C. B. ALWAYS helps with our crazy schedules for dropping our dog.) Becky is a joy to talk to as she welcomes the dogs. She has gone out of her way to help our baby get the social and physical exercise he needs. Taylor is a great photographer, Courtney, Kaela, Mitchell & Brian also deserve a shout out for their tireless work behind the gates!! (I know I have forgotten to thank someone! And Katy & John are always there to help with big and little 'tips' for keeping our training up to date. THANK YOU, A CLOSER BOND!!.

I have a 2 year old half German shepherd half pitbull. I signed him up for a 3 week training. I got…read moreto say. I absolutely do see the improvements. Im very happy on how he was trained and how everything was explained to us. I recommend if you have a very hyper active dog since Rocky is very hyper. Good spot to go. Very good communication with the parents.

We reached out to Kendra at Canine Peace of Mind after recognizing we had training gaps with our…read moretwo Irish Terriers (1yr & 2yr olds) that we didn't feel we could overcome on our own. We were dealing with food & high value treat /toy aggression, leash & barrier aggressions, and their coming on call (especially when chasing rabbits were more fun situations than coming to mom & dad) was unreliable at best. Enter Kendra at Canine Peace of Mind. Kendra worked with us on the best board & train program for each of them, customizing their 'stay' schedules based on progress and behavioral shifts. We sent both our dogs to CPM from Sept 2018 - Oct 2018. Kendra knows how tough it is to leave your 'kids' for that extended period of time (because she's done it too!) and made sure to send us picture and video updates on how each of them were progressing. Seeing the quick process made the distance so worth it. Fast forward to picking our pups up on handover day and the difference was remarkable. But it was on us to take those skills & discipline home with us. A couple months into having them home (Jan of this year), we recognized we still needed help (user error!) and Kendra did a house call, free of charge, to help us in reigning in & tightening up their training & our/their behaviors. What an immense help as we saw immediate change and are continuing to build that owner/dog trust together. Here's the from / to for our pups and our family: - From never being able to walk in public on a leash for fear of lashing out against another dog (even when across the street) to walking twice a day at heeling position for 2-3 miles a day, despite what we encounter. - From not having reliable recalls in the least, to trusting our dogs (and because we have grown into much more confident dog owners, trusting ourselves) to have them off leash. We love to go get the mail, take out the trash, etc. together with our dogs. - From breakfast & dinner times being HORRIBLE experiences due to fighting, low growling, & crate checking to having peaceful feeding times. - From having no control during high energy times to having a tool & command for them to go to a dedicated 'place' in any room to calm down and give each other (and us) space. I could go on. But what I would say is if you are encountering any of the above issues, please consider Canine Peace of Mind and their board & train programs. As working professionals that knew we didn't have the time or expertise to dedicate in order to get our pups where they needed to be, we are so happy we did. It has transformed the time we get to all spend together from dread to time that we look forward to because it's happy & enjoyable (which is why we all got these guys in the first place, am I right?). They also offer day care & boarding. We have taken them up on boarding a few times as we know that they get a bit more attention than any standard boarding and they are held accountable to their training just as much there as they are at home.

We highly recommend this company. Our good friend recommended Canine Peace of mind and we are so…read morethankful she did. Our Portuguese Water Dog's main trainer was Kendra. She and her team are fabulous. Our puppy was fairly well behaved before training, however came back after training as a SUPER well behaved dog. People on the street frequently comment on how impressed they with his behavior. The best part of being part of Canine Peace of Mind is that they are available for you even after training with any questions you may have. Highly recommend this company.

We have absolutely loved Phil's classes! We just completed our third class with him this year, STAR…read morePuppy, CGC, and Advanced Obedience, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. Phil is incredibly patient, kind, and knowledgeable. He has helped us improve everything from basic obedience and leash manners to focus, impulse control, recall, and staying calm and attentive around distractions. He does a great job explaining not only what to do, but why it works, which has made such a difference in our training at home. Phil truly goes above and beyond to make sure both you and your dog have the proper tools and skills to succeed. He is always willing to answer questions, offer suggestions, and work with you to find what works best for your individual dog. Our dog gets so excited to see him every week, it's like watching a little kid light up when the ice cream truck comes around! We've learned so much from Phil and have seen such a positive difference in our dog's training and confidence. We would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, caring, and dedicated dog trainer!

WARNING: I would not use this trainer. I would give zero stars if I could…read more ***Update to his response at end of my review. Very disappointing and alarming experience with Phil, the trainer/owner. I brought my 15-month-old Samoyed puppy for his first training session. My puppy is a sweet, friendly, loving dog who gets along with everyone. He is simply young, energetic, and still learning. The most alarming part of the session involved stairs. My puppy has never used stairs because we live in a ranch home, and Phil knew this. Despite my expressing concern, he forced my puppy to the stairs instead of gently leading, took my puppy higher up the stairs and then let go of his leash. My puppy jumped down at least six concrete steps onto a concrete surface and landed awkwardly on his leg. He was clearly frightened and panicking. I also had to tell Phil that he was standing on my puppy's back paw. Phil also knew that my puppy had been dealing with separation anxiety and that we had been actively working on it. When my puppy became excited and barked, Phil placed him alone in a utility/closet area. When my puppy panicked, Phil said, "There is the separation anxiety coming out," and then turned off the light and left him locked in the dark room. I also had concerns about the facility, including the availability and condition of drinking water, slippery flooring, and whether vaccination status was actually being verified for all dogs attending. Based on what I personally witnessed, I was extremely uncomfortable with the handling and training methods and did not feel that my puppy was in the hands of someone I could trust. I will not be returning or continuing training with Phil. MY RESPONSE TO PHIL' S RESPONSE: His response does not address the specific conduct I described or the reason I will never bring my puppy back to this facility. He explains his "general" approach to stairs, but that is not what happened. He knew my puppy had never used stairs. I expressed my concern. He took him higher up the stairs, and then RELEASED HIS LEASH. My puppy subsequently jumped down at least six concrete steps onto a concrete floor and landed awkwardly on his leg while clearly frightened and panicking. I also had to tell him he was standing on his back paw. Saying that he used this procedure with "countless puppies and dogs" does not change what he did to my puppy. Likewise, his description of his training philosophy does not address the most disturbing part of the session. He knew my PUPPY had separation anxiety and that we had been actively working on it. When he became distressed after being isolated IN A UTILITY CLOSET BY PHIL who thought this was a good way to teach him to stop barking when he was excited, he identified it as his separation anxiety and then TURNED OFF THE LIGHT AND LEFT HIM LOCKED IN A DARK UTILITY ROOM WHILE HE WAS PANICKING AND AFRAID. That is exactly what I witnessed and is completely inconsistent with how I expect ANY puppy or dog with known separation anxiety or not to be handled. OUTRAGEOUS AND CRUEL! Regarding water and vaccinations, my review accurately described my personal observations and concerns at the facility and what I was and was not asked to provide. THERE WAS NO FRESH WATER FOR THE DOGS AND NO VACCINATION RECORDS WERE CHECKED OR VERIFIED. This review is not about whether he uses choke collars, e-collars, pinch collars, yelling, or leash corrections. I did not accuse him of using those things. The issue is POOR JUDGEMENT, handling, and how Phil responded to a young, inexperienced dog who was frightened and whose known anxiety had been disclosed to him in advance. He refunded my payment, but a refund DOES NOT CHANGE what occurred during the session or my resulting loss of confidence in his ability to safely handle ANY PUPPY OR DOG. I stand by my review. I witnessed what I described, I made my concerns clear at the time, and based on that experience, I chose not to return.

Kamp K9 is fantastic. I brought my new puppy there six months ago and have used Kamp K9 for…read moretraining, Boarding, and doggy daycare. Every single one of the staff have been terrific. So friendly and accommodating. And my dog loves going there... And is much more well-behaved. I have had dogs for many years and have tried trainers coming to the house and training at a pet store with varying degrees of success. Kamp K9 is by far the BEST!

Beware: do not board your dog here!…read more Kamp K-9 is known for kennel cough (I found this out too late from my neighbors and friends). I boarded my dog here for a long weekend, and unfortunately, he contracted a terrible case of kennel cough. That was bad enough, but the owner's (David Jenner's) response was the real issue--shockingly rude and dismissive. On top of that, the place has a terrible smell and just doesn't seem hygienic at all. I wouldn't risk coming back again.

The story Violet and Sit Means Sit:…read more Most people know that Pitbulls are some of the most gentle, loving, fun, and all around biggest babies you could imagine. What people don't know, however, is that there's a little something known among the bully breeds as "The Pittie Screams." For those who have never heard this obnoxious sound (i.e. the majority of the population), it's kind of like a mix between a metalcore vocalist and a toddler throwing a hissy fit. It's loud. It's embarrassing. It makes people on the street cower in terror and hide their children. It makes your neighbors look out of their windows because they think someone is getting murdered. Which brings me to my adorable baby girl, Violet. I rescued her in September of 2017, so I really have no idea what she went through prior to being in the shelter. She's a phenomenal dog that loves literally everyone and is very obedient, but I learned fairly quickly that she is NOT a fan of other dogs (or bunnies). The pulling, lunging, barking, screaming, and other aggressive behaviors she exhibits when we encounter animals, made it so difficult to bring her outside that I had to walk her behind the townhouses we live in (shared backyards without separating fences). Thanks to Tony and Mikey, I'm no longer afraid to take Violet for walks ON THE SIDEWALK, like NORMAL pets get to do! Violet spent 11 days doing a Board and Train with them last fall and has progressed phenomenally. They really have done an amazing job with her! They're responsive to any questions and concerns, and the initial training cost includes individual follow-up and group training sessions for the rest of Violet's life. *That being said, it's super important for people to realize that dog training is just as much about training yourself as it is about training the pet. IT'S NOT MAGIC!!! You don't send your dog to a board and train or puppy class and expect them to come home being perfect, obedient angels. Just like human children, your dog is eventually going to be a brat, and you, as the adult, need to learn to lead them and mold their behaviors in a positive way. Sit means Sit has provided both me and Violet with the tools and support we need to continue to overcome her issues with other animals, and we are SO very thankful! Just last week Violet actually let another dog LICK HER FACE. It was amazing and I couldn't be more proud :) Unfortunately, Violet and I will be moving across the country in a few months, but Mikey and Tony will continue to support us and have even offered to help us ease into another Sit Means Sit location. Seriously worth every penny and I recommend them to everyone!

I've never owned a dog in my life, and somehow I ended up rescuing a cattle dog mix. Needless to…read moresay she is a handful and I was really struggling with finding a balance in life because she thought she ruled the world and wouldn't listen. I had problems with her barking and growling at men, barking at loud noises, pulling on leash - you name it, I had a problem. I was very nervous about investing in training since it's a big investment, and I was worried the training wouldn't transfer to me. Investing in Tony at Sit Means Sit was the best money I have ever spent in my entire life. Not only did my dog come back a completely different dog, but I also have an ongoing support system. It's been a year and a half since I got my first dog back and a few months since I got my youngest dog back and Tony is just as responsive now as he was in the beginning. He isn't just there to help, you can tell he cares about helping. He is so passionate about all these dogs....it's amazing. I don't know what I'd do without Tony. My life is so different now that I have two well-behaved dogs that listen! I have never seen anybody understand dogs the way he does. You will not regret your investment into this team. Trust me.

We have been using Tail Waggin' Pet Services for our dogs for over six months including a 2 week…read morevacation and we can't be more thrilled! Kristen responds to questions and requests promptly and professionally. Unlike with our previous sitter, the dogs seem extremely happy and stress free when we get home. Kristen, Tracy and Lois made a great impression from the initial interview and continue to impress us with their care and concern for our dogs. It is truly a relief to know our dogs are being taken care with love and attention while we are gone.

Enough good can not be said about Tail Waggin' Pet Services…read more Recently, I had to go out of town, and did not want to put my four-pawed children in a Puppy Prison, so I looked around and decided to hire Tail Waggin' to pet sit my kids. From the first meeting, where Kristen came to meet the dogs, I knew I had found someone who would care about my dogs as much as I do. One of my dogs really does like anyone but me. Kristen took her time, and I think spent extra time to get to know her. I received daily emails with pictures of how they were doing, which no Puppy Prison has ever done for me. When I got home, I saw how well they were, and looked happy and healthy as when I left them. When Kristen came to drop off my keys, my kids were excited to see her, so I knew right then, when I need a pet sitter, or pet walker, I know you to call, and you should too.