This is my first review on Yelp but Brooks has been a tremendous help with training my dog, Cooper,…read moreso I thought it was necessary to return the favor. :) I got Cooper back in August of 2018 as he needed to be rehomed for various reasons--my boyfriend and I were quick to realize that he had not had any form of training while at his previous home. Desperate for any sort of help, I researched dog training facilities and found Brooks. While the price was steeper than I was expecting, the 2-week board and train provided a foundation for Cooper that I would've never been able to accomplish in that amount of time. It was obvious that Liz, our trainer, really cared about Cooper's progress and she was very transparent in what I should expect Cooper to learn in the 2 weeks he was being trained. I appreciated that she was honest and upfront on what the expectations should be, instead of making grandiose promises in order to get my business. The 2-week board and train also came with 3 follow-up sessions with Liz to go over the training and to answer any questions I had. I thought these sessions were immensely helpful and I appreciated each one. Since then, I have continuously used Brooks for boarding and daycare, both of which have been great experiences. Cooper is always excited to go to daycare during the week and comes back a tired and happy pup. If I had anything to suggest, it would be to add cameras for clients to see their dogs. I would love to be able to watch my dog via webcam while I am at work. Overall, Brooks has been a lifesaver and I wouldn't have been able to survive these past few months as a first-time dog owner without them. A special thank you to Brittany and Liz for being so wonderful to work with! :)

Colton was a huge help in us getting our Vizsla under some kind of control…read more He was super energetic and did not listen. Colton taught us the skills to help us control him better and get him to listen to our commands. Still has the energy but we can control him so much better now. Would definitely recommend training with them. We are so much happier and our dog is to.

Monika transformed my 2 year old German Shepherd buddy with her two week training course. Honestly…read morecan't believe how well he's responding and listening to commands. Asking Monika for help was the best decision I've ever made. Highly recommend - it was worth every penny

Leaving a great review here for Monika because we just had an excellent conversation about my dog…read more She made the time to discuss my 10 year old Pit Bull's current behavioral status regarding potty training in detail. It's clear her advice comes from experience in training as well as her knowledge on health and diet. I will definitely schedule training and would recommend her in a heartbeat.

Keith is an incredible trainer! He explains everything very well, shows you how to do certain…read morethings, and allows you to practice with your dog as well. He is all about ensuring that the dog's state of mind is HAPPY which is extremely important! He makes sure that if your dog is in an anxious state of mind, he will not force a behavior to be done. Keith is honest, and will not bullshit you. He uses multiple forms of positive and negative reinforcement to ensure that the dog is learning and is happy. I adopted my dog, Rona, a year ago. She is 2.5 years old and has learned SO much already training with Keith for just one week. I am impressed with his work. I really enjoy training with Keith and highly recommend him!

Jeff is soooooooooooooooo great!!! I can't recommend him…read moreenough, for so many reasons... Im in London, UK, & I booked Jeff for a Consultation / Training Session via SKYPE.... We connected quickly & easily, & the video quality was so good it was just like he was sitting here on my sofa!!! He really listened to my issues, asked a lot of questions, & then gave me the solutions I needed... He watched me trying out his instructions & if I needed help to get it right he would demonstrate for me with the help of his own dog - who is also the most perfectly behaved doggy I have ever seen!! I've had 'normal' sessions with local trainers & I can honestly say that the quality of service was not lessened by using skype, in fact when a normal session ends the trainer leaves, where as Jeff let me go way over time & didn't even look at his watch once!!! Jeff made me feel like he was genuinely interested in helping us, & even now still enquires about the progress we're making... Recently we acquired a new issue - barking at every neighbour going up or down the stairs - so i hope Jeff has a slot in his diary free for us!!! Finally, Jeff offers very reasonable rates!!! Suzi, Marley & Billy x

I was shopping in Vernon Hills, one day, when I saw a van advertising in-home dog training. Given…read morethat we had recently acquired a new puppy, I was intrigued. I looked up Jeff's website (www.trainmydog.com) and was very impressed by what I saw, so I sent him a note explaining our situation and asking for his pricing information. He immediately arranged a phone call with me, so we could discuss my needs in more detail. With our first conversation I was impressed by how he listened while I explained different situations that pertained to our pup - then asked pertinent questions to help him understand the situation better. We talked for approx 30 minutes about what he could and could not do for us. (Our dog is a 'herder' by nature. I was hoping to break him of this habit but Jeff was very upfront in letting me know that this habit could not be broken and anyone who said they could break it was lying to us. I found it refreshing that he was honest and told me up front. He also told me that while it can't be broken, there are countermeasures that we can take to help control the situation.) I thought his prices were VERY reasonable (especially given that he was going to come to our house!) and LOVED that he has a "no-contract obligation" meaning he could come out once and we would never have to bring him back, if we didn't like what he did in the first session. After discussing everything with him, Jeff estimated that he would need no more than 3-4, 1-hour sessions with us (but again, we were not committed to anything past the first session.) We agreed! On the day of our first session, Jeff showed up on time and began immediately getting to know our dog. We talked through some things, to start, and then the training began. Jeff had recommended a prong collar and a non-retractable leash, when we spoke on the phone - so I had gone out and bought those things in advanced. However, he also came prepared with items would could have bought from him, had we not already purchased them (which was great!) I was nervous about using the prong collar (thought it looked more like a torture collar) so Jeff took time to explain how it works - why it's not inhumane - and also showed us how to size it and put it on properly so we weren't hurting our dog. Have to admit that the difference is like NIGHT and DAY when our dog is using that collar!! I'm a BIG believer, now! Jeff worked with our dog for approx 1.5 hours. He gave us tips and "homework" on things that we would need to continue working on, after he left. It has been only 6 days since Jeff was at our house and we're already seeing several changes in the behavior of our dog! We are THRILLED with the work we did with Jeff and would highly recommend his services!

My lab Maggie has been a regular monthly customer with Andrea for nearly 5 years. They are…read moreprofessional and the dog is always well groomed at a reasonable cost.

Best groomer been bringing my dogs for 15 years. They always look great and smell nice too…read more Trust is important. And it's important for your dogs to be cared for so if you only take them when things get bad with their coat it's a difficult fix that takes time. I found it best to set up regular visits as this really helps keep the dogs coats as they should be and the dogs get familiar with the process. My initial plan was to keep my Havanese with her hair long. Well it's curly to and I tired then decided it's best to let Andrea take care of it and it was the best decision ever. Like everything in life regular maintenance is required. Thanks for all you do !!!

I highly recommend Monica for training and boarding! Monica has trained two of my family's dogs and…read moreshe is awesome! I highly recommend Monica training your new puppy!!! She is firm but kind and I trust her to take care of my dog when on vacation.

We're so grateful to have found Monica! When we brought home our two-month-old Bernadoodle puppy,…read moreWalter, we really wanted to start things off right. Monica came to pick him up for a two-week training stay, and when he came back, he was still the same sweet pup--just a little bigger and so much better behaved. Monica gave us such a strong foundation, and it's made life with Walter joyful (and a lot easier!). On top of training Walter, she gave us thoughtful, practical guidance on how to keep reinforcing those good habits and work with him confidently at home. Not only is he the best-mannered dog on the block, but we also have a trusted place to keep working on new skills and fun tricks. Thank you, Monica, for your care, kindness, and for setting both us and Walter up for success. We can't recommend you highly enough! Worth every cent.

Debbie & I met Stu while walking our newly adopted two year old dog Daisy in Sunset Park. We…read moreobserved him working with a man and his dog and stayed to watch the class. It was remarkable how well this dog responded to his owner and how confident both dog and owner were. We asked Stu if he would work with us while we were in town for a few weeks and he agreed. He assured us we'd need to work hard to achieve results and we have. Our Daisy has gone from a timid rescue from a backyard breeder to a self confident happy go lucky pup. She looks forward to her classwork with us too! If you're looking for a good instructor for your family and dog, look no further!

After spending years going through trainer after trainer and pouring thousands of dollars into…read moretraining classes, we finally found something that actually works. Stu has been a complete game-changer for our German Shepherd, Nova. We all know taking the time to practice and train each day can be tough- which was honestly what my husband and I struggled with most- but Stu holds you accountable. He consistently follows up to see what's working and what needs improvement. Each session, he challenges both you and your dog in real-life scenarios (trains, sirens, bells, whistles, grooming tools, skateboarders, kids baseball/football games, strollers, men with hats, kids with backpacks- YOU NAME IT!) which has made all the difference. He also brings his own dog to training sessions from day one--something we'd never experienced before. Because Nova was extremely reactive to other dogs, having a calm, well-trained dog present right off the bat was crucial. It allowed her to learn how to stay composed and focused in a controlled environment, and the progress we saw from this alone was incredible. In addition to having his dog present in every session, he also offers group classes most Sundays. This gives us the chance to work in close proximity to multiple dogs and put our training into real practice. This consistent exposure has been essential for Nova's progress--and is truly an opportunity you won't find elsewhere. Stu doesn't rely on treat training like so many others. He focuses on helping you build respect with your dog, which truly is the only way to achieve long-lasting results. The transformation we've seen is unbelievable. Before working with Stu, my confidence walking our high-energy German Shepherd was shaky at best. The second another dog came into sight, panic kicked in. Now, I can walk her calmly (sometimes even with a stroller!) and feel totally at ease, knowing she won't pull me into traffic or react to other dogs. Don't waste another minute--or another dollar--searching for a dog trainer. Stu is your guy. Absolutely recommend!

We took an introductory puppy training class with Mary and the techniques she taught us were very…read morehelpful! She uses a combination of positive reinforcement and voice inflection/commands to guide the dog. Her approach is to "train the trainer", so that you are not accidentally giving mixed signals to your dog. We adopted our puppy during the pandemic, and she has always been scared of other dogs and people despite our best efforts to socialize her. The training techniques Mary taught us helped our dog to focus on us, instead of outside stimuli in public places and helped her be a bit less afraid out in the world. We're looking forward to going back for more lessons! Thanks, Mary!

Mary is an outstanding teacher. She teaches you how to train your dog, rather than her training…read moreyour dog for you. The group setting is even more ideal for training with distractions. After working with Mary, I feel so much more confident training my dog and my bond with my dog is so much stronger. Mary has so much experience with training award winning show dogs and that made it so much easier to listen to her suggestions. I could not recommend her courses more, if you are looking for a stronger bond with your pet, while having fun with others and their dogs!