Having an aggressive dog makes life difficult. Finding the right trainer for an aggressive dog can also be difficult since many trainers refuse to work with aggressive dogs.
Below is a list of dog trainers that do train aggressive dogs in Chicago to help you find a good fit for you and your dog. We did the legwork for you by scouring reviews, websites, social media and even made a few calls assembling information and programs specifically relevant to aggressive dog training.
There are more Chicago trainers that work with aggressive dogs which aren’t on our list, but we generally include the trainers with the most 5 star reviews. Thus, we tend to cover those who have been in business the longest with the highest reviews, but we also consider expertise, particularly with aggressive dog trainers.
The businesses below range from Chicago franchises created from a national company to local one person dog trainers. Some of the businesses below have multiple dog trainers, while a few have single owner trainers; some of the trainers below use e-collars while others outright disapprove of them.
Several of the trainers have a minimal focus on aggressive dog training, while others love working with the most aggressive dogs that have a risk of being put down. As such, be sure to read about all the businesses below so you can find the right trainer for you based on your dog’s level of aggression. A dog that’s biting humans has completely different training needs than a dog that occasionally growls or barks aggressively at visitors, although both could be labeled as “aggressive dogs”.
Consider this: Based on your dog’s behavior, do you need a trainer with a lifelong passion for helping severely aggressive dogs? Or do you need a trainer with just the basic obedience group course that allows dogs with minimal aggressive behavior into their programs? These two types of aggressive dogs and their owners have very different needs.
So these are very important questions to ask yourself before searching for a Chicago dog trainer. You probably know better than anyone what your dog needs, even though admitting the truth about your dog’s aggression can sometimes be disturbing.
Note that the businesses below are in no particular order, so again, check them all out; the perfect dog trainer for you may be the last one on the list.
It is our mission to foster harmony between you and your dog, so get reading. We’re honored to help because, like you, we love dogs, and believe that they inherently want to be well behaved. Like us humans, sometimes they just need a little extra help.
1. K9 University Chicago
Located on the west side of Chicago, K9 University Chicago has been in business for over 30 years. They offer daycare, boarding, training, grooming, and reactivity management.
They train in a large field at their facility and utilize positive reinforcement techniques to train your pooch. They do not believe in punishment training and will never use techniques that insight pain or fear.
K9 University Chicago offers one on one lessons that focus on a wide range of reactivity and aggression, such as food guarding, barking, dog/people aggression, and separation anxiety.
Their website states that dogs that don’t get along with other dogs cannot be in a group program, as is often the case for safety reasons.
Here is a link to their aggressive dog training program with details about what defines aggression and how this private training program works.
2. Urban Pooch Training and Fitness Center
Urban Pooch Training and Fitness Center is located in Chicago near West Ridge Nature Park. They have a wide range of trainers who can help with any training your dog may need.
Their facility features massive play and training areas, so your dog is guaranteed to have the space to learn. Urban Pooch Training and Fitness Center offers a variety of training programs such as agility training, obedience, daycare, nose work, and fitness training.
For aggressive dogs, they gear their training toward impulse control so that dogs can learn to respond appropriately in frightening situations. Their team offers one on one training for dogs with severe aggression.
You can read more about their reactive dog training, and even check out their reactive dog club.
Is it even remotely possible this little guy below is in their aggressive dog program?
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3. Bark Busters Home Dog Training
Bark Busters Home Dog Training is a global franchising company that connects dog owners with dog trainers. One benefit to this type of service is that they can connect you with someone with specific expertise in training aggressive dogs.
The dog and trainer match are done based on the information you put on the “Free Behavior Quiz” on the website. Keep in mind the high reviews won’t be for the specific dog trainer but for the business and their dog trainers as a whole.
Bark Busters has been in business for over 15 years and Chicago is one of the many Bark Buster locations. The trainers offer in-home or remote training along with a lifetime guarantee, promising to return free of charge at any time in your dog’s life should relapses occur.
They offer puppy, obedience, and severe behavioral modification services. Their programs are fully customized and involve humane, pain-free, treat-free, and clicker-free training.
Their approach is to use your body language and different tones of voice to get your dog to focus and respect you as alpha. Bark Busters Home Dog Training believes that dogs learn best in a familiar and safe environment with fewer distractions. They don’t use e-collars.
Learn more about the local Bark Busters Chicago Dog Trainers. Their website lists aggression first in the list of behavior modifications they address.
4. Downtown Dogs Chicago
Located in the heart of Chicago’s West Town Area, Downtown Dogs Chicago has a state of the art facility featuring widespread spaces perfect for training. They offer basic obedience, potty training, etiquette, and socialization training.
Their socialization program is designed to help your furry friend understand both dog and people dynamics in a safe environment. If your dog needs special care, they also offer private lessons.
Their team of trainers believes in exposing the dogs to real life scenarios in a controlled environment in order to give them a well rounded experience. They will take care to adjust their programs so that they’re right for your dog’s level of aggression.
Read about the extensive dog training experience and certifications the trainers at this local Chicago business have.
Below is a video from the Downtown Dogs Chicago YouTube channel showing a trainer working with a dog with fear aggression.
5. Canine Dimensions In-Home Dog Training
Canine Dimensions In-Home Dog Training is a company founded by a nationally known trainer and dog behavior expert, Phil Guida. In giving back, their trainers provide foster homes for homeless, abused, or neglected animals and volunteer at local dog rescues, shelters, and other welfare organizations.
They provide dog, puppy, and aggression training, featuring various lessons from housebreaking to counter surfing. Their training program for aggressive dogs treats a variety of reactivity, fears, and phobias.
Trainers know that reactivity is not something the dog will grow out of and can only increase in intensity as they grow older.
They know that reactivity cannot be punished out of the dog, so they use modern training, management, desensitization, and classical counter-conditioning techniques in their training programs for aggressive dogs. Contact Canine Dimensions In-Home Dog Training in Chicago to learn more about the local trainer.
6. The Canine Club of Chicago
Located near the water in the Streeterville area of Chicago, The Canine Club of Chicago has a team of trainers with over 20 years of combined experience. They have helped thousands of dogs become more obedient.
Local owner and life long trainer Raza Zaidi is known as the Best Dog Trainer in the Chicagoland area. He is a certified professional dog trainer and has traveled the world to work with the top dog trainers.
Programs include puppy, service dog, therapy dog, and protection training. Their aggression training camp addresses all levels of dog and people training, plus other forms of reactivity.
To build the right program, they factor in breed, personality, age, and other variables. This is a board and train program that lasts from 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the level of aggression.
Read about their 4 to 8 week Aggression Camp created especially for dogs considered “too High Risk” elsewhere; now that’s encouraging, my fellow dog owners.
So much so that The Canine Club of Chicago gets our kudos.
Below is a post from their Instagram page if you want to check it out, confirming, once again, Raza is clearly into dog training.
View this post on Instagram
7. Anything Is Pawzible
Anything Is Pawzible has multiple locations scattered across Chicago, featuring a wide range of certified dog trainers specializing in behavior modification.
This local dog service business was founded by Rendy Schuchat, M.A., named Best/Favorite Dog Trainers in Chicago by Chicagoland Tails Reader’s Choice Awards multiple times and also voted Chicago Magazine’s “Best Dog Whisperer” 2015. She has a Certification in Dog Obedience Instruction from Animal Behavior Training and Associates.
They offer training programs for aggressive dogs that will treat most kinds of reactivity, from aggression with dogs and people to biting or unruly behavior. They utilize positive reinforcement techniques such as praise, treats, toys, and love.
See the extensive dog training certifications and experience the small team of trainers has.
We’re impressed again here at Pooch & Harmony, and couldn’t help but notice that Anything Is Pawzible also now provides private dog training in Austin.
Read about the cost and structure of their training with aggressive dogs.
You’ll also want to check out their Facebook page.
8. Sit Means Sit Dog Training Chicago
Located in the Cook County Area of Chicago, Sit Means Sit Dog Training Chicago offers a free consultation and demonstration before you begin your training program. They offer board and train, day and train, and puppy training. These services can involve classes such as aggression modification, basic obedience, special needs, and off leash reliability.
Sit Means Sit is a national dog training franchise company with a Chicago location. The over arching company was founded by Fred Hassen, the winner of numerous dog training awards. Trainers use the training method developed by Hassen which utilizes attention based training to redirect behavior using their Sit Means Sit eCollar.
Sit Means Sit works with dog aggression towards people or other dogs. They work to teach your dog impulse control through private lessons.
When working with aggressive dogs, e-collars are often a point of contention with both dog owners and trainers. The use of such collars can trigger guilt in dog owners, even when used as a last resort. Therefore, I thought you might enjoy seeing the video below showing aggressive German Shepard training using an e-collar.
There is also a Part 1 to this video series with this same German Shepard before the e-collar training.
Check out the Sit Means Sit Chicago Dog Trainers.
9. Advances in Animal Behavior
Founded by owner and dog trainer Kristen Phillips, Advances in Animal Behavior has been serving the Chicago Ridge Area since 1995. She offers a vast array of services such as puppy training, basic obedience, company training, and dog agility.
She also offers online classes.
Their private lessons for aggression and extreme fear start with an interview where they learn about your dog’s behavior and customize a program for you. You and your pooch will leave the first session with a written plan to help calm reactivity.
Read more where they provide details on their aggressive dog training.
10. Canine Perspective
Canine Perspective is located in the Lakeview Area of Chicago and offers a wide range of training services but specializes in creating training programs for aggressive dogs. They have worked with a wide range of reactive dog breeds, successfully rehabilitating them all.
Depending on your dog’s type of aggression, they will train in a park or their facility. Trainers believe in building confidence and trust so that your dog won’t feel like it needs to attack. They will also train you, the owner, so that you will be prepared to step in if there is an issue in the future.
You may enjoy their YouTube video on how to handle an aggressive dog or many of their other aggressive dog training videos working with various breeds.
We’re very impressed with the level of focus this Chicago dog trainer has on aggressive dogs specifically. Lead trainer Jessie San Miguel has over 20 years of dog training experience. His expertise is in working with highly aggressive dogs in danger of being put to sleep.
Read more about their dog aggression training.
| Dog Trainer | Address | Phone | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| https://k9uchicago.com | 2945 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60612 (Google Maps) | +1 773-533-5959 | In Business for Over 30 Years |
| https://urbanpooch.com | 5400 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 (Google Maps) | +1 773-961-8880 | Massive Play and Training Areas |
| https://barkbusters.com | Barkbusters Chicago, Illinois (Google Maps) | +1 877-500-2275 | Lifetime Guarantee |
| https://chicagodogtraining.com | 2440 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60612, United States (Google Maps) | +1 312-436-2122 | State of the Art Facility |
| https://caninedimensions.com | Toronto, ON M6G 3E6 (Google Maps) | +1 224-655-2398 | Classical Counter-conditioning Techniques |
| https://canineclubchicago.com | 500 N Lake Shore Dr ph 203, Chicago, IL 60611 (Google Maps) | +1 630-699-9755 | Camp for Dogs Considered Too High Risk |
| https://anythingispawzible.com | 1330 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, United States (Google Maps) | +1 773-919-7297 | Specializing in Behavior Modification |
| https://sitmeanssit.com | 3266 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 (Google Maps) | +1 312-618-9663 | Free Consultation and Demonstration |
| https://advancesinanimalbehavior.com | 10051 Kitty Ave, Chicago Ridge, IL 60415 (Google Maps) | +1 630-258-2600 | Customized Program |
| https://canineperspectivechicago.com | 2700 N Campbell Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 (Google Maps) | +1 773-661-6762 | Specializes in Training Aggressive Dogs |
Summary for Training Programs for Aggressive Dogs in Chicago
As you can see, there are a wide variety of programs for aggressive dogs in Chicago. Hopefully, you have found at least one that looks ideal for you and your dog.
You May Also Be Wondering:
Does dog training work for aggressive dogs?
Most dogs can overcome aggressive behavior with the right training program, although more than one technique may need to be tried. Unfortunately, some dogs with severe aggression do not overcome their aggression.
Should I get rid of my aggressive dog?
There are several factors to consider in deciding whether to keep an aggressive dog. This includes the safety of the owner and other family members, whether your dog would be better in a different, possibly urban home, the level of aggression, the training that has been used to address aggressive behavior, and the dog’s history. After each of these factors has been evaluated a decision can be made about whether you should get rid of an aggressive dog.
What to look for in a dog trainer
The things to look for in a dog trainer depend on the training you desire for your dog. Certifications, training, years of experience, testimonials from other dog owners with similar training needs, type of programs, cost, and training methods are all initial factors to be considered.
