There's a reason Active usually has a waitlist... simply put, it's incredible. It's hard to find locally owned businesses where the entire staff has as strong of a passion for what they do as the owner, but Active is that type of place. Alex cultivates a culture where people actually get excited to come to work every day. Our dog Lincoln has been getting picked up from Active for 3 1/2 years (since he was a little pup) and there's not been a day where we doesn't wait at the front door excited to see who is picking him up. He's learned vital social skills and always feels at home. This is also the only place we feel comfortable boarding him, as they make him feel safe. If he wants to go in the crate, awesome - it's there for him. If he wants to stay up and stretch the legs with friends, that's cool too. My only advice is, if you're lucky enough to send your fur-babe here, parting ways will be the hardest thing emotionally (both on you and your pup) because this place will quickly become an extended family for you both. Please bring Active to every city, specifically Denver, because every pup deserves a second home as passionate and warm as this place. read more

Active! Dog Daycare and Boarding - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Not sure what I would do without Alex and his team. They have consistently been a source of such positivity in our dogs' lives. There are other good doggy daycares in the city but I have never trusted anyone with our dogs more than Active, and since the dogs are our family, that trust is hugely important. read more

Active! Dog Daycare and Boarding - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Overall, I was super happy with my experience at Active. They typically have a wait list so if you are interested get your dog on the waitlist. Alex, came to my home to visit my dog prior to accepting her as a client. She was still a puppy at that time and we stayed with Active for about two years. The have sponsored awesome parties with pet photographers and Halloween themed events for the pups. There was an occasion my dog was bit by a bee or something and her face swelled. Alex immediately called me and took my dog to my vet as I was an hour away and waited for me to get to the vet. The concern over my pet was obvious and I appreciated the prompt response. My dog absolutely loved going to Active....she could not wait to get from the car to the door and she was an incredibly tired pup after. Some things I think that could make Active better, an online scheduling program. When I was a client I would have to email Alex any changes to the normal schedule. Another time my dog got bit in the tongue (I don't believe the owners were there that day) and I got an email saying my dog was bit in the tongue but seemed fine and they were monitoring her. I read the email 2 hours after it was sent, picked my dog up and she was bleeding on my carpet....like a lot of blood. I Called the Vet, they recommended bringing her in since she was still bleeding hours later. Vets aren't cheap. I wasn't thrilled with the way this incident was handled. Note- if you ever are late picking up your dog they will charge you. I get it they want to go home, but just an FYI. This is ultimately the reason I choose another daycare that was open till 7. The late fees for being five minutes late were racking up! So although I had one bad experience with Active, I get accidents happen..we are dealing with dogs..overall I felt my dog was well cared for a loved and spent two years as an Active Dog! read more

I can't say enough amazing things about Active! And the staff. My girls love being with them whether it's for boarding or for daycare. I went away on a 8 day vacation and had anxiety about leaving my dogs for that long. Alex and Paul always take good care of them, and you can tell how much they care about all of the pooches that are in their care every day. It's nice to have my mind at ease that my dogs aren't home alone all day, and can hang out with all of their dog-friends while at work, or away on vacation. I love seeing all of those happy faces on Instagram and Facebook too. Thanks Alex and Paul for all that you do!! read more

Active! Dog Daycare and Boarding - My girls all tired out after their day at Active! - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After months of being on the waitlist, getting spare keys made as instructed, and taking off of work for an at home assessment, I received a call one hour before the scheduled assessment to inform me that Active would not service my dog due to my address -- the very same address I provided months earlier with my application. Don't waste your time applying, instead I would recommend trying any other dog daycare in chicago which actually respects their clients. read more

There are not enough stars. I am confident that my dog is being taken care of by people who know and love dogs when she is at Active. We have done walking, daycare, and boarding and have had amazing experiences with each. Their facility is always clean and well-kept, and the staff is friendly and demonstrates that they really care about the dogs in their care. I can't say enough about the care and kindness of Alex, Michelle, and their team. They really want your dog to be happy and successful in their environment and I trust them completely! read more

Active! was recommended to me by a friend and is by far the best dog daycare my dog has been to. The many months on the waitlist were worth the wait and the in home visit was a great opportunity to see Alex and my dog interact. I can rely on the daily pick ups and drop offs and my dog comes home happy and tired. Highly recommend. read more

Active is the best dogcare in Chicago! They pick up our lunatic dog Lincoln in the morning every day and drop him back off in the afternoon. He gets so excited every time and sprints to the door whenever they come. They're incredibly responsive and flexible, and are always willing to take care of our baby boy when we're out of town. We're so lucky to have found Active and don't know how we'd do it without them! read more

First and foremost, this place couldn't have been more highly recommended by people my pooch and I have met while out on our walks. I checked out the website, filled out the application and called the next day to make sure they received it. Yes, I know, I know...a bit "crazy mom" of me but I was eager to get Brando (my pup) in with these guys. Alex emailed me confirming receipt of our information at which point he brought up the LEPTO shot for dogs. I hadn't heard of this but apparently it's a nasty common cold that can be spread from our pooches to us and this series of two booster shots help prevent that....needless to say, I was very appreciative of that information. Brando is scheduled for his shot already. Alex then suggested a date and time to come meet Brando and briefly assess his temperament. I think this is a great idea and maybe it's because I'm new to doggie day care but if all facilities don't do this, they should. Alex came over and Brando did what he does to all of our guests, his tail went crazy and just proceeded to lick and want as much love as possible. *a little history on Brando, I rescued him on June 28 this summer and it's made my entire year. He's doing so well!* Alex was awesome with Brando and Brando sensed how safe and positive Alex was, Brando was a bundle of "let's play" right off the bat. So, the meet-n-greet concluded, Alex and I confirmed Brando's days and that was that. Come Monday morning, Brando's first day, I was probably more excited than Brando was...it felt like the first day of school. (when it was fun and exciting to wake up and go to school, aka pre-high school). Brando and I got there a few minutes after 7, met another pup who welcomed Brando, then off Brando went.... Like all first-timers (at least I assume this to be true), I emailed Alex asking how Brando was doing and the response not only put me at ease (no one wants their pup to be a trouble maker) but it made me laugh thinking about how he plays with me and how much fun he must be having with all the other pooches. I went to pick Brando up and Alex reiterated that Brando played great with the other dogs and that he'll likely be pretty tuckered out. Boy, was Alex right. I got Brando home, he ate, and then he was out for the count. I had to essentially carry him outside a few times before I decided to hit the hay. Paul and Alex make it a point to get to know your dog, they are super personable, and clearly love what they do everyday. Paul greeted me by my first name on only our second morning (this morning) and it's that type of attention that makes Alex and Paul and Active! stand out. I can't think of anywhere else I would feel this comfortable leaving my pup and I've already raved about it to other people Brando and I have recently met while on our walks. The guys at Active! have two new loyal members of their crew, Brando and I are psyched to be a part of their canine & parent family. read more

This is the best dog daycare/boarding/walking service I've ever used. The owners and staff really love what they do and it shows! When my dog comes home from daycare she is worn out from playing all day. Active regularly posts pics and videos on social media so I know the dogs are having a blast and being taken care of so well. My dog gets walked twice a week also. I love coming home to a funny note left by the walker ("Jane sniffed every bush on your block!"). That's just another way Active shows they care. If you love your dog and want him/her to be in a safe and fun environment, Active is your place. read more

Active! Dog Daycare and Boarding - Sleepy Jane after spending the day at daycare with Active. - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I recently started taking my dog to daycare with Active! and so far I am loving it. The staff has been very responsive and willing to accommodate my needs and, more importantly, the needs of my pup. I've been using the half-day daycare with transportation service, and have always come home to a happy puppy. Not to mention, the relief that comes with knowing my dog had a good day and was taken care of. My favorite aspect of Active! is the live updates they provide via Instagram/FB/Twitter so you can checkin. Definitely worth looking into if you live in or around Logan Square. Can't wait for the dog walking service!! read more

There is not a better daycare in Chicago. The entire team at Active is amazing. We have tried other daycares in Chicago, and each time it felt impersonal and rigid. When we decided to send our little guy to Active, we immediately felt welcomed. Alex (the pack leader!) met with us in our home beforehand, so he could get a sense of our dog's personality and comfort levels with new people. We were able to build a high level of trust with the entire Active team, simply because they take they time to get to know all of the dogs on a personal level, providing individual attention as needed. Our little guy is definitely a homebody. But when the daycare van arrives outside, his ears perk up and he sprints to the door. That's how I know he loves it :-). We send him there every day now, and I couldn't be happier with the support we get from the whole Active team. I wholeheartedly recommend this service to anyone looking for a trusted group of individuals to look after your pup. read more

Alex and his staff are the best! When we decided to send our dog to daycare, Alex came to our house to personally meet our pup and talk about Active's services. I work from home, so I see the drivers come and pick up my dog for transit to daycare. They all greet him by name and treat him with such good care. This is my first dog, so I admittedly ask a lot of questions. Everyone at Active is kind and extremely helpful. Active has top notch service. I completely trust everyone there with my dog! read more

Active! Dog is truly one of the greats. Frankie and Teddy have been going to Active! Dog since the doors opened, and Alex (the owner) has known both since they were puppies. He and his team go above and beyond for the dogs and their owners. Every dog is shown love and attention, and the staff genuinely care about each and every one. For every schedule change, they have been nothing but accommodating. This organization is like our extended family, and the dogs are happier and healthier because of it. We are so fortunate to have an organization like Active! Dog serving the dog owners of Chicago. read more

My sweet 10-year old dog was turned down because we have a code lock on our doors and do not have keys. Our home system is more secure than a regular door lock because we can track who gets in and at what time. They said they couldn't adapt their key check out system to allow for a door code. If they can't handle something as simple as a code lock, I have to question the capabilities of the entire operation. I'll happily look elsewhere. read more

Active! is terrific, and we've only been going there for the last couple weeks! We moved right down the block a couple weeks ago and were thrilled to have a dog daycare so close to us. Alex (the owner) came to our apartment, met our dog Mougley, and was very thorough and informative, in addition to being a really genuinely nice guy. We have been taking Mougley there for a couple weeks and the staff is always so friendly, even going so far as to introduce themselves to us by name every time we bring Mougley in. Mougley also had a seizure recently, and I talked to Alex about it so he and the staff could watch out for anything abnormal. He assured me he would update the entire team and let us know if there were any more seizures, and seemed generally knowledgeable about how to handle seizures in dogs. Trust me, this was a huge relief. The most important thing: Mougley's input. He loves it. Rushes to get in there and has so much joy when we pick him up. He's tired at home and it's worth every penny. I don't write many reviews, but Active! deserves all the praise in the city. read more

My dog started at Active! a couple months ago and LOVES all of her Active dog and human friends! They are so quick to respond and adjust to these ever changing times and it's so nice to have something so reliable! Thanks again! read more

I switched to Active in December for my dog Lulu and I am so thrilled I did. They are responsible, committed and very responsive. She is so much happier than she was from our last doggy day care and I know that when she is at Active she is taken care of and having a great time. Their transportation is great and staff is super respectful when coming to get her and drop her off. I am so happy that Active exists and Lu gets to spend a couple days with them each week. read more

Active! is the best possible doggy day care I could have found after my dog, Roscoe, came into my life. Being a first time dog owner as an adult, I essentially knew nothing, besides that I loved dogs and that my dog needed to go somewhere during my long work hours. Everything else was brand new (and slightly intimidating) to me. Alex and all of his Active! team have become like family to myself and Roscoe as I've raised Roscoe from a puppy stage. After Alex visited our apartment to meet Roscoe, his constant communication and support has shaped my first year of pet ownership. Alex and his team helped in the early stages of potty training, leaving me detailed notes and times about when Roscoe had done his business, as well as if he had or had not had an accident in the crate that day. Alex and his team were the first to notice Roscoe's shoulder injury early in his puppy years and were able to provide me with guidance as to trusted vets here in Chicago. They also were the first to warn about the outbreak of Canine Influenza and handled the outbreak to provide the least disruptions to all of our dogs. They stretched themselves thin by providing ample walks to all their dog members when the day care was temporarily closed, and still provided walks to those dogs who were recovering (such as Roscoe!) Communication is speedy and every interaction with a team member is nothing but positive! Even with ample friends around Chicago who are willing to watch Roscoe, Active! is the only group of people I can leave for a weekend and 100% trust with my fur child. I truly cannot speak highly enough of this business. Even calling them a business sounds too formal, as they have truly become family to Roscoe and myself. Thanks for everything you do Active! team!!! Roscoe and I would be lost without you guys. read more

My boyfriend and I signed up our pup for the puppy class and were generally very satisfied, however, there are a few things I would recommend/change. First, if you've trained a dog, successfully, in the past, you might want to skip the puppy class, which covers the very basic commands (i.e., sit, down, wait). Second, if you can take classes at the actual Active Dog Daycare facility (on North Ave) do so because it is MUCH nicer than the place on Diversey. Lastly, I wish there was a big dog and small dog class that separated the two. It was really annoying to have the small dog owners freak out every time my Retriever mix would go anywhere NEAR their dogs. I have a Maltese that my pup is WONDERFUL with but you would think that she eats small dogs for lunch considering how much freaking out some of the smaller dog owners did. Joanna, our trainer, would often say "it's okay" to try to quell their overreactions but it rarely helped much. On the other hand, if you are a first time dog owner, this is an excellent first step to a good life with your pup because you'll also learn a bit about potty training and leash walking essentials. Plus, if you have questions, you're welcome to ask them at every class. read more

The staff at Active are top notch! Our pup spent about 4 years at Active and we consistently felt she was in great hands. The home pick-up/drop-off is so convenient and Alex is always happy to answer any questions or check-in as needed. The only reason we left is because we moved, but we will truly miss Active and the love they showed to our fur baby! read more

I never ever write yelp reviews but this place is the BEST and deserves all the praise! We've been sending our little man Tucker there since he was 6 months old. He's now turning 6 years old and we're still just as happy with Active and their staff! I am an extremely neurotic dog parent and always feel good about sending my dog to daycare knowing he's well cared for. Our little devil comes home happy every day and we're so grateful for Active! read more

We started using Active for our two dogs (lab and ridgeback) at the recommendation of our trainer. We moved to Chicago 6 months ago and had terrible luck finding a daycare we liked. One kept forgetting to pick up our dogs, I caught another hitting the dogs and yelling at them when they thought no one was around to see, and the third my dogs just didn't seem to like as they didn't want to go inside when we would pull up. We were so discouraged as we absolutely loved our old daycare in MN. Fortunately, we gave Active a try and have been thrilled. Alex and Paul really care about the dogs. We do the half day with transportation and the full day where we drop them off depending on our schedule. Our dogs get super excited when they see Paul and Alex and wait at the door with anticipation on the days they know they are getting picked up. Alex and Paul communicate with me quickly if there are any issues, such as the day one of my dogs discovered where we keep the trash can. They are also understanding and accommodating with any schedule changes. As a Realtor, my schedule can change at the drop of a hat and they work around my needs. I also like that they bill on a 2x monthly basis rather than my having to pay each time they come; it's just easier. My husband loves the photos they put on FB as he likes to be able to see what the dogs are doing while at daycare. Overall, I just really trust Alex and Paul. Our dogs are happy and tired when they come home. Definitely give them a try. read more

Best in the business!!!! We brought our rottie Jackson to them for the first time almost 3 years ago as a 10 week old pup, and they have been amazing every step of the way. Unfortunately, we are moving to Dallas and can't take the entire staff with us. We will be back to visit any time we are in town!!! They are family to us now. read more

Cannot say enough good things about Active! Alex came to our house to meet our puppy, Harper, before enrolling her to gauge her temperament, which made us feel safe knowing he does this with every single dog. Our hyper little puppy was only 6 months old when she started, so we were a little nervous at how well she'd do with all the big dogs. Turns out, she did AMAZING. She is learning socializing skills so she can better play with dogs outside of daycare, with the added bonus of her being absolutely exhausted each night when she comes home. Being the middle of winter, she doesn't get much exercise at home because it's too cold for her out be outside long. Putting her in daycare makes me feel so much better about her activity level, and I can already tell how excited she gets when I put her in the car each morning. My favorite part of this company is that they let dogs be dogs. No webcams, no hand holding, just letting our dogs run around and have fun. They are very well staffed and I feel comforted by that fact that they keep her safe every day. Will be sending my dog here for years to come! read more

ACTIVE is amazing on so many levels. First and foremost - I do believe they love my dog as much as their own. That is made very clear. A few other factors that set them apart: 1] I love that they do in-home assessments before service starts. It shows they really want a good experience for all - and understand the personality of my dog that is going to join the group already going there. 2] I haven't met a staff member that hasn't been kind, cordial, genuine. It seems there is a true family there - and they not only have respect for the dogs they care for - but for each other. Every staff member makes it a point to share their name - and usually give me their own personal story of my dog Max [which ranges from "we share the same name, so we instantly bonded" to "Max is the best - he has such a fun personality, we love having him!" 3] I can tell my dog Max is happy. Through ACTIVE, he does a mix of dog walking and daycare ...he's such a happy boy. And I fully trust he's in good care. I love the thoughtful notes the dog walker leaves on the adventures he's had with Max! It's not the standard "your dog went #1" - it's more of a recap of their walk, a la "I learned Max loves rubbing against bushes on his walks." [which is true] I feel confident he's not just "let outside" but that Max has a good walk and has fun with his walker. 4] I like they require updated health records. I consider myself a focused pet parent and make sure my dog Max is the healthiest he can be. I appreciate knowing the dogs Max is making friends with when he's at ACTIVE have been screened accordingly. 5] They're responsive. Enough said. It doesn't take forever to hear back from an email or voicemail. 6] Social media savvy: I love that they post the dog activities throughout the day. They seem to give every dog their due spot in the spotlight. Even if my Max isn't the headliner in the post [though I love when he is!] - I pretty much always see him in the background. And let's face it - we all think our dog is the best, and I like that they recognize that. 7] Max loves ACTIVE. When at a recent pet fest in the city, ACTIVE had a booth - my dog Max dragged me over to the ACTIVE booth because his buddies were there. Now my dog pretty much loves everyone, but he makes a concerted effort when he really loves people...and the fact he recognized the staff at the booth was telling. And the fact the staff responded with "MAX!" confirms they have taken the effort to know my lil dude. Not to mention they all made it a point to introduce themselves to me [again]. I do love ACTIVE - I feel my dog is in good, respectful hands when I can't be there. And owners/managers/staff are people you want to talk with -- it's not a vendor/client relationship -- it's a let's take awesome care of this dog relationship. I've met some new dog owners in my neighborhood - and I've already given them ACTIVE as the best doggy care solution. read more

We brought our very sweet but very energetic puppy Norman to Active! when he was a tiny little 16 week old puppy. I immediately felt comfortable with Alex after he came to our house to meet Norman -- and have really enjoyed our experience with Active! ever since. They're super responsive and flexible if we need to board him or change our day care. We actually moved a few neighborhoods away but didn't want to switch day cares -- so we changed to the pickup half-day care option in order to keep Norman with his human and doggy buds. I love seeing Norman on social media and hearing stories about him from Alex or Paul whenever I see them. Plus Norman comes home exhausted every time he's there. Can't say enough good things about these guys! read more

Active was such a God sent when I started a new job! I knew I would have to work late nights and wouldn't always be able to pick up my puppy from daycare. All the trainers just love my dog and the owner Alex has been so great! Very flexible and understanding when we needed to switch our schedule around for the week and always responds back right away! Great service at a reasonable price! read more

I cannot say enough good about Alex and Paul and this daycare. I have tried several other day cares in the city and while none were bad really, none came close to the level of service, professionalism and just plain love for the work as Active! I love seeing my puppies on Facebook and Instagram, their scheduling is flexible, their prices very reasonable and nothing is more convenient than their very reliable pick up and drop off service. You will not do better than Active! read more

We are going on our second week with daycare at Active! and could not be happier. All of the staff members I've met at Active! have been so nice and welcoming and our dog gets SO excited to go to daycare even just after the first time. The best part is that our puppy is happy and tired at the end of the day when I pick him up. I am grateful we found this place! It is clear that they are doing things right and truly care about the dogs. read more

We love Active Dog and have been using them for about 2 1/2 years. We had a terrible experience with another daycare service and were hesitant to trust anyone else with our pup. After months of keeping her at home given our last experience we decided to find another service and we are lucky to have found Active Dog. Our pup is very nervous around new people and places and they have always been very patient and kind to her. We can tell when she interacts with them that she trusts them and that she's happy to go play with her friends. The owner (Alex) is knowledgeable about dog handling/training and that's not something you will find everywhere you go. Their pricing is reasonable and they've always been flexible with adjusting her schedule based on our busy lives. They've never once missed a pick up and typically come around the same times each day so that she's on a schedule. We love that they post pictures on Facebook/Instagram of all the happy dogs and we get even more excited when she's in them having a blast! We highly recommend Active Dog for your daycare, walking, and boarding needs. read more