How to Choose a Dog Trainer in Chicago, IL

Tim & Katie have helped us transform our pup, Winnie! We started to see immediate results after the first home visit and after the 5th, we had a list of items to keep working on to "give Winnie a job". We are now weekly attendees at group class and Winnie loves the structure and interaction. And most of all, seeing Tim, Katie (sometimes their kids!), Pauline and Grace!

DTE is awesome!! They have changed the way we understand, interact, and live with our dog. The principles we learned have opened up the ability to enjoy our dog as part of our family, and make his life more enjoyable.

Tim and Katie, I cannot say enough wonderful things about the training Charlie has received from your program. You have shown me how to train him so he knows I am in charge and he is so much more confident and happy, partly because you have shown me how not to be frustrated. I never knew training could be this easy. Thank you. Thank you also for being so kind and attentive to all your students even in a group setting. So for anyone that is looking for training for their fur-baby, you can go from school to school, trainer to trainer, but if you are looking for trainers that care deeply about the success of their students and owners, then you need to sign up for training with Dog Training Elite Western Suburbs. It is a great feeling when people stop me and tell me I have such a well behaved boy!

We had a wonderful experience with Jeff and Elite dog training. Currently our Goldendoodle “Buster” is almost done with service dog training and his transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary. Jeff and his wife came to our house and did a great presentation and they are both very personable and knowledgeable of the training processes. Our Buster was extremely timid and at same time extremely energetic which gave Jeff, self admittedly, doubts about Busters ability to become a service dog. With the EZ educator and Jeff’s guidance we’ve been able to turn our dog into a very successfully trained little ball of awesomeness. Was the best money I’ve spent as the benefits of having a dog that doesn’t need a leash and listens well is priceless. Thanks Jeff and Lara from Mike, Caitlin and Buster!

I was so pleased by the results at Dog Training Elite in Naperville! As a first time dog owner I needed all the help I could get when it came to my 10 month old Golden Retriever. The trainers at the facility were so helpful and friendly! After each day they provided me with videos and homework sheets to teach me how to work with my dog and the skills he learned each day! Pauline's videos made it easy to understand exactly what I needed to do - she was the best! I can't wait to start group training classes soon! Thank you Dog Training Elite!!!

We had Jessica Arundale work with our Labrador Butch on leash walking as he started to pull a little on his daily walks, and she has hosted him for boarding on many occasions too. She’s really responsive and sweet and nothing is too much trouble. Butch aways gets excited when he goes to see Jessica!

Jessica’s great!! We left Hailey to train with her and Hailey learned all the commands well. She also left us “homework” to do so Hailey can reinforce her learning. Highly recommend Jessica as a trainer!!

Ask for Jess. Awesome, kind and attentive dog trainer❤️❤️❤️❤️

Katie and Tim are amazing dog trainers. I live in south Naperville and they have done an amazing job with my young German Shephard.

We adopted a lab mix from a shelter and after a few weeks, the female dog became dominant and bossy. After 2 weeks of this behavior, my wife and I decided it was either time to rehome the dog or hire a professional to help. Tim and turned our little monster into a great puppy who enjoys training and working to become a better dog. I would consider them friends and they really care for our dog and our family. Great facilities and they come to your house if need be!

This training has been a lifesaver for having my mini bernedoodle listen to me. Walking with her is now a joy. Also, it did not take long for her to learn the come and stay commands in a yard without a fence. It was so convenient and worth every minute spent practicing. Also, the follow up training practice is great for group work and review of skills learned. I would definitely recommend Tim and Katie for training. They are very knowledgeable on what practices work.

Jeff did a fantastic job with obedience training for our energetic, larger than life Newfoundland, Burly. After 6 sessions Burly, successfully mastered sit, down, come, place, heel, and was even able to walk off leash in heel and come when called across a large field. He tremendously improved in his response and listening skills and Jeff taught us how to better train and reward Burly moving forward. Our family was very impressed by his new skills when we brought him home for the holidays. Burly has also loved the one on one time to work on his skills and it is easier to bring him to new places and have visitors at the house with his improved temperament and listening skills. Thank you Jeff!

I brought my puppy to start training as a service dog for the initial 7 day drop-off training. He learned a lot and did really well there and he does great at home also. He’ll start the group training classes next. He LOVED going there, was so excited going to the door and was also very excited when he went in and saw the trainers and owners. Pauline did a fantastic job with him in his training and I would recommend them to everyone. They took really good care of him while he was there and even kept his lunch feeding schedule while he was in class. Pauline is an exceptional trainer and I look forward to having him train with her in his future classes.

Jeff is a fantastic trainer. I worked with him on getting my 2.5 year old dog properly trained to be a service dog. I wasn't sure he'd actually get to that point as he still has puppy energy, but within just a few months working with Jeff I saw incredible changes and in less than 6 months my dog was able to pass his public access test. Jeff is extremely helpful and guides you through the training process as an owner, understanding that sometimes we need just as much (if not more) training than our dogs! Jeff was truly a pleasure to work with and I would definitely recommend him for training dogs of all ages.

Jeff did a wonderful job training my 4-5 month old Australian Shepherd. He helped Westley and myself learn quickly and effectively. Jeff is extremely knowledgeable and able to help with a wide variety of training challenges or issues that arise. This training program is WORTH IT! For a well trained and adjusted dog. You cannot go wrong with choosing this program. Thanks Jeff! Adrienne & Westley

I contacted Katie and Tim at Dog Training Elite Western Chicago before my puppy, Blondie, was ready to start training. They did a wonderful job walking me through all of their training options- very intensive/ hands-on training compared to other places that I had researched. Once the in-home training started, Blondie smoothly progressed (just like they said she would!) and she graduated to group training classes. Katie and Tim are so great with dogs (and people!) that even our group training classes have been wonderful experience for Blondie. Blondie is going to continue on for Support Dog training and I am so relieved we have their help along the way to guide us through all of our necessary requirements! Would recommend their training courses to anyone- and plan to use them again for future puppies!

I have worked with both Katie & Tim. Katie has been our main trainer for 1 on 1 sessions. Our year old Bernese Mountain dog is very loving and a great dog but he’s so big and strong he was impossible to control due to his strength and wanting to just dart & meet everyone he sees. We really needed leash work and for him to control his excitement. He was also less confident in doing some things so they have helped with that too. He walks great on leash now, listens pretty well (for the most part 😂) and is definitely more confident. He went from refusing to step on a raised dog bed to jumping on the concrete round balls you see in front of Target stores!!! He was a very good dog and now he’s a great dog! We also introduced a puppy to our family of the same breed. Katie was always there via text or phone to help with the transition. They are quite accommodating when it comes to continued communication when I needed help. We also began some puppy training WITH our older dog so they were in a more comfortable environment together and learning at the same time. This helped all of us to understand each dogs needs as well. I highly recommend them for any/all of your dog training needs. They are very educated in numerous areas of training and they’ve helped our family tremendously.

Karen is a supportive and patient trainer. We adopted our dog when she was 3, which means 3 years of anxiety to work through. Before working with Karen and DTE, walks were stressful because our dog would react aggressively to any other person out. Now we can enjoy our time out together, keeping her focus on me and not all the other distractions. Thank you, Karen & DTE.

Jeff did a wonderful job getting my 3 year old Siberian Husky, Che, certified to become an official service animal. It was very challenging to get Che to listen at first, given how stubborn Huskies are as a breed, but with persistence, practice, and some great one-on-one sessions, we were able to get Che over some large hurdles. Che is super obedient now compared to how he used to be, well-behaved off leash, and has successfully traveled on a plane! I never thought we could get here with Che's training and I am very grateful to Jeff and his guidance.

Our experience with Elite has been wonderful. Our 10 month old Cavapoo has been learning so much and continues to learn. It has been nothing but enjoyable with my puppy Frisco. He is doing amazing and I'm so proud of him. I appreciate everything Tim has done. Thank you so much!!!!!