Dog Training in Chicago

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Chicago, Find top rated dog training

Prices are estimates per training session for 1 dog. Pricing may vary based on your search and includes a booking fee of 11%.

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Trainer Profile Image: Joel S.
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Joel S.
$55
total per session
4.8 out of 5 stars
• 55 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
12 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60657

“Joel was right on time for the consultation and spent time getting to know my dog’s history and current concerns. He walked with us and observed my dog’s behavior and suggested some new training tips and helped properly fit her harness. Very knowledgeable and helpful.”

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Anne N.
Trainer Profile Image: Alex & Elizabeth K.
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Alex & Elizabeth K.
$115
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 115 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
2 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60622

“Alex is absolute gold! He worked wonders with my puppy, teaching us how to handle mouthiness, greetings, and arousal with total confidence—including working wonders on our leash manners. But Alex is more than just a brilliant, deeply intuitive trainer; he’s essentially training me how to be the best dog dad possible. He knows how to read dogs, handles high-stress moments with total calm, and truly cares about the humans on the other end of the leash. If you want a trainer who is patient, incredibly skilled, and completely dedicated to setting both you and your pup up for a lifetime of success, hire Alex immediately. You won't find anyone better!”

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Frank M.
Trainer Profile Image: Marcus F.
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Marcus F.
$120
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 49 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
14 years of experience
Mount Prospect, IL, 60056

“Marcus did a great job helping us understand Sparrow's need for confidence, and how we can help her with that. He gave really good advice about training her to use the pad as well.”

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Shoshannah C.
Trainer Profile Image: Anthony V.
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Anthony V.
$105
total per session
4.8 out of 5 stars
• 20 reviews
Other: Reward+relationshipfocused+positive trainer
22 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60660

“Very personable and awesome trainer. Our little pup has issues of food aggression. Learning how to handle him as we navigate living with him and an older pup was so insightful! Would recommend and will book again!”

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Justin H.
Trainer Profile Image: Sharon K.
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Sharon K.
$125
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 150 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
6 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60601

“Very productive session! Have a lot of homework but already seeing progress, and Sharon provided a really detailed write-up of what we talked about and what she recommends. Will definitely be booking again!”

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Alex R.
Trainer Profile Image: Rafael G.
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Rafael G.
$150
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 31 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
3 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60611

About: Dog trainer by day, artist by night. I am interested in dog owners to become the handlers they know they can be. No excuses. I specialize in behavior change and setting expectations: Shepherd breeds, Rottweilers, Belgian Molinos, German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes. To dog trainers: if you have hard cases you’re struggling with please contact me! If you’re afraid of your dog will harm you or others! Or simply want a highly obedient and responsive dog I am your person! To dog trainers: if you have hard cases you’re struggling with please contact me!

Trainer Profile Image: Charles B.
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Charles B.
$116
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 9 reviews
Other: Holistic & relationship based trainer
2 years of experience
Warrenville, IL, 60555

“Charles was extremely helpful!! I have been having some issues potty training my puppy and he gave me some helpful insights and valuable techniques. It was evident that he has a great deal of knowledge with regard to training animals. He was extremely patient with my puppy and I knew she was in good hands. I would highly recommend Charles!!”

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Sarah
Trainer Profile Image: Traci O.
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Traci O.
$111
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 23 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
5 years of experience
Mount Prospect, IL, 60056

“Great progress made on all fronts Extremely happy with progress”

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Garry G.
Trainer Profile Image: Anna M.
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Anna M.
$110
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 1 review
Positive-reinforcement trainer
2 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60618

“Fantastic trainer, session was super impactful and enjoyable for both the dog and the humans”

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Brennan S.
Trainer Profile Image: Emily M.
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Emily M.
$100
total per session
2 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
6 years of experience
Glen Ellyn, IL, 60137

“Emily is a great dog trainer and we had a positive experience with her and lolli loved her. We worked on polite greetings in the home. With help from Emily she was able to stay calm in greeting situations, especially inside the house. We worked with Emily during one on one sessions as well as following through with provided homework to encourage appropriate behavior. Emily also helped us better manager her excited greetings by coming up with an exercise routine as well as enrichment. Lolli and I loved getting to work with Emily and it is fun seeing your dog succeed in training!”

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Sophia S.
Trainer Profile Image: Edina J.
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Edina J.
$100
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 6 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
7 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60625

“Edina is great to work with, the tools she has provided me with has been so helpful with my dog.”

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Lydia L.
Trainer Profile Image: Kaitlyn K.
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Kaitlyn K.
$160
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 541 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
7 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60618

“Kaitie is awesome! Had a new puppy consultation with her - very knowledgeable and helpful in her approach. Highly recommend!”

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Brian P.
Trainer Profile Image: Hailey M.
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Hailey M.
$145
total per session
2 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
5 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60614

“Hailey is a great trainer who really knows her stuff! She leads training with empathy and compassion for every dog's situation and takes a customized approach to every case. She trained my dog as a puppy and addressed slight reactivity he was displaying before it could develop into something worse. She provided him with confidence/structure and educated me on how to read my dog's body language. He's now a happy, confident 4 year old who respects other dogs boundaries and can exist happily amongst my friends dogs when we get together. HIGHLY recommend Hailey for all your dog training needs.”

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Sarah F.
Trainer Profile Image: Kostiantyn C.
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Kostiantyn C.
$69
total per session
5 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
2 years of experience
Schaumburg, IL, 60193

About: I’m a certified dog trainer through Animal Behavior College with hands-on training experience. I focus on building trust, improving communication, and helping dogs learn practical skills for everyday life.

Trainer Profile Image: Alexis P.
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Alexis P.
$150
total per session
6 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
7 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60641

“Our family has been training with Alexis since May 2019. We started training in K9 fitness with our young agility dog and our senior dog. We adopted a 1yr old and started obedience training with him. Alexis started working on his manners, reactivity to squirrels and seeing other dogs on walks, and overall obedience. Alexis has built so much confidence in our dogs. Fitness has also built their confidence for agility by working on unstable surfaces and learning balance skills. Both dogs achieved their AKC Canine Good Citizen test with Alexis. My dogs absolutely love and respect Alexis.”

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Tammy O.
Trainer Profile Image: Isabel A.
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Isabel A.
$90
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 3 reviews
Other: Communication based training trainer
1 year of experience
Chicago, IL, 60616

“Isabel was wonderful! She traveled over 30 minutes to visit with us. She came over and was very helpful. I felt that she provided above and beyond services in terms of observing and suggesting. She gave such good information and I felt that she spent extra time with us. Plan on continuing to work with her!”

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Sufia S.
Trainer Profile Image: Christina W.
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Christina W.
$160
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 3 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
9 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60626

“The session with Christina went really well. Christina was friendly, great at explaining things, patient; and full of knowledge and ideas. She definitely had ideas on how to move forward.”

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Susie K.
Trainer Profile Image: Ellie C.
Verified Enhanced Background Check
Ellie C.
$275
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 134 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
3 years of experience
Des Plaines, IL, 60018

About: Most of my clients come to me feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or emotionally drained by their dog’s behavior. I don’t just teach commands. I teach owners how to understand their dog and respond strategically.

Trainer Profile Image: Sidney W.
Verified Enhanced Background Check
Sidney W.
$265
total per session
5 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
4 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60623

“Sidney is amazing! The time she took to get to know our dog & the concerns we had, the patience she showed while working through the challenges, & the exceptional skill & knowledge she brought to us to help were simply incredible! The skills that Sidney worked with both our dog & us on were a game changer in dog training. With the personal relationship building she takes to gain trust of your dog & work with you for you weekly plans at home, you can’t find a better resource to personalize training that works for both your family & your dog. Can’t recommend enough!”

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Heather D.
Trainer Profile Image: Shir L.
Verified Enhanced Background Check
Shir L.
$320
total per session
1 review
Positive-reinforcement trainer
10 years of experience
Chicago, IL, 60634

“Shir is an absolutely incredible dog trainer, and working with her is life-changing! She truly cares about the whole family, not only your dog but also the humans. We started with Shir when our dog was a 7-month-old puppy and have completed dozens of sessions over the last three years. At the beginning, Shir helped us prioritize and work through challenges. We've applied her teachings to many scenarios throughout Nova's life. She's available via text between sessions, which helps SO much. With her help, Nova is a confident, well-mannered, almost 5-year-old. Thank you Another Chance Training!”

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Megan R.
Trainer Profile Image: Declan G.
Verified Enhanced Background Check
Declan G.
$85
total per session
5.0 out of 5 stars
• 74 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
3 years of experience
Antioch, IL, 60002

“He is very patient, caring and kind. He’s very knowledgeable and makes sure you understand steps and also if you have any questions.”

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Valeria L.
Trainer Profile Image: Robyn s.
Verified Enhanced Background Check
Robyn s.
$595
total per session
8 reviews
Positive-reinforcement trainer
10 years of experience
Wonder Lake, IL, 60097

“Robyn was very knowledgeable, answered a bunch of questions and guided us on this confusing behavior. It completely changed the way we handle guests. We’ve noticed our dog slowly building confidence and settling quicker and quicker each time someone comes over. Highly recommended Robyn for simple and complicated issues you are having with your dog.”

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Ava P.
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How to book dog training

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    Talk about your training goals and find a time that works for you.
  3. 3. Book & Pay

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FAQs for Dog Training - Chicago

Frequently asked questions about Rover

The average cost for dog training in Chicago on Rover is $72 per session (as of November 2026). All trainers on Rover set their own rates based on experience, location, and availability.

The price you see before you confirm the booking is the final price you pay for the services. For more information on service fees, click here.

Trainers may recommend the first session to be in your home. Afterwards, where you and your trainer meet may change depending on your training goals.

For example, with obedience training, your trainer may start at home and then move to a park or a store. Sometimes, for specific training needs such as loose leash walking, quiet, low-traffic neighborhood routes around Chicago can be a starting point. Ultimately, training can happen in many places, which is great for folks who want to raise a confident, social dog.

Each training session is unique and trainers can work with you and your dog's needs. As you evaluate which trainer is the best fit, you can read the "Sessions" section on their profile to get a sense of what the first class may be like.

Most trainers list where the sessions take place, the format or focus of each session, what techniques they'll use, and what materials they'll provide so that you and your dog can continue training between sessions.

If you have any additional questions about what to expect during your first session, ask the trainer during your consultation!

Reward-based training is the style of training that uses proactive management and positive outcomes, rewards, or reinforcements, such as treats, praise, or toys, to encourage dogs to choose desired behaviors. The purpose of this training method is to promote thinking, strengthen behaviors, and improve the relationship between you and your dog.

According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, research shows that reward-based training with an emphasis in positive-reinforcement builds stronger human-animal bonds, reduces anxiety in dogs, and produces more reliable, lasting behavior. Rover is committed to this approach.

The type of credential you want to look for depends on the reason you're looking for a trainer. The most popular credentials on Rover include KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA, CCPDT, Fear-Free™, and Good Pup certification, however there are many qualifying credentials from reputable organizations and institutions that we accept.

You can find each trainer's credentials on their profile under the "More info" section. All trainers must submit their credentials and qualifying educational experience before being listed on Rover.

Every trainer on Rover goes through a multi-step approval process before they can accept bookings:

  • Pass a third-party background check
  • Show proof of education, credentials, or certification in dog training
  • Commit to reward-based training methods

Rover does not support trainers who use aversive tools or punishment-based techniques.

Yes. Many trainers on Rover in the Chicago area have experience with reactive dogs—including dogs who bark, lunge, or pull on leash—as well as dogs dealing with separation anxiety, fearful behavior, and reactivity in general.

Dense, high-stimulation environments can be especially challenging for reactive dogs, and working with a trainer who understands specific triggers can make a significant difference. You can filter for leash manners, reactivity, or anxiety to find trainers who specialize in addressing these behaviors.

Vaccination requirements are set by individual trainers, not by Rover. Many trainers may ask if your dog is up-to-date on core vaccines such as rabies, distemper, and bordetella.

For in-home or private outdoor sessions, requirements may be more flexible, especially for very young puppies still completing their vaccine series. Always confirm health requirements with your trainer before your first session.

We get it—sometimes plans change and you may need to cancel your dog training service. Each trainer sets their own cancellation policy and many offer a full refund if you cancel within their cancellation policy. You can find each trainer’s individual policy on their profile under their calendar availability.

Note: If your dog trainer requested to cancel this booking, then they need to cancel from their account. Please contact them via Rover Messages.

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