Carlos is really easy to talk to. Very friendly and obviously has a ton of experience working with…read moredogs and dog owners. I will definitely go back there for doggy daycare and boarding. Maybe some training as well, although training with Carlos is not cheap. I can only afford a few more sessions.

extremely friendly, making dog owner extremely comfortable with the whole process. It was a fun…read morealbeit expensive experience. Planning on doing one more session. They definitely know what they are doing and can "read" you and your dogs comfort level for training. Great time and learned a lot.

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!

I found this service through a mom group I'm on through Facebook . Melissa Parker came highly…read morerecommended through multiple moms in this group so I decided to give it a try with my new puppy that was driving me crazy , She is tbe "dog whisperer " of the north shore. She's incredibly knowledgeable and patient. She taught me how to continue my puppy's training to ensure success . She's incredibly likeable and made me feel at ease leaving my dog with her . Highly recommend her to anyone any everyone

Parker came highly recommended to me as a first-time puppy owner. She came to our home once a week…read moreand worked with Charlie on the basics - sit, down, leave it, recall, down on the mat, find it, check-in with "mommy" when distracted on a walk. For the last of our six sessions we met at a dog-friendly store to show Charlie how to behave in public places. After each session Parker followed up with an emailed outline of what we'd covered and links answering questions that had come up. Parker has a natural rapport with Charlie and he adores her. She's consistently firm with him while taking into account his limitations ("He's a puppy!" she reminded me.) Parker's knowledge, experience and friendliness make her ideally suited for coaching canines and their owners. We're lucky to have found her and we hope to see her again!

We cannot recommend Marnie enough. Her years of experience and depth of understanding of dog…read morebehaviors sets her well apart from other dogs trainers we've had. One thing was clear from the start: Marnie loves dogs and understands them. The first time she came to our home, Jasper immediately took to her, and she to him. Jasper came to us through a shelter, a very sweet, high energy, 1 year old Australian cattle mix. He was smart and eager to please in some ways but pulled hard on walks and, after we had him for several months, became leash reactive and aggressive . We tried two different dog trainers, both highly recommended, but made little progress. From our first in-home lesson, it was clear that Marnie has a depth of understanding of dogs and how to work with them that we had not seen before. She has helped with us to understand the roots of Jasper's negative behaviors, how to help him feel secure, and how to recognize and avoid trouble with aggressive behavior He has improved so much in reactivity and aggression and generally in being more responsive. He's much better at walking without pulling and getting along with others at the dog park. Marni also does both day care and boarding at her home which is surrounded by an acre yard that is totally dedicated to dogs. She gives private lessons there too. With Jasper in among other dogs, Marnie showed us how to "read" his behavior and reactions to the other dogs and how to intervene with firmness and kindness. He loves going to her place and comes back home happy and even better behaved. We cannot recommend Marnie highly enough!

My fiancé and I started with Marnie in September. We adopted a dog that was aggressive towards…read moredogs, our cat, and my partner. We were very fearful we would need to give up the dog for everyone's safety. Marnie was a literal miracle worker. She came to our home AND did work with our dog at her home. Marnie helped to make her into a more confident and safe pet. She is a completely different dog. She is able to be around other dogs and play, other humans and give love, and most amazing be around the cat and not bat an eye. All of this was achieved without any corrective therapy like shock or prong collars. Marnie was a god sent and I would recommend her to anyone with a dog. Regardless of how good or "bad" the dog is. She will help you to communicate and build everyone's confidence so that everyone is safe and happy.

Virginia was so helpful and loving with our 6 month old lab puppy. Anytime we needed dog walking,…read moreshe truly did what was possible to accommodate us. She is professional and you can see she has a love for animals. Whenever we are back in Wilmette, we will definitely call Doggie Dharma for our pet care needs.

I recently moved to the suburbs from the city and was desperately looking for a new walking…read moreservice. While Doggie Dharma wasn't able to help with walks in my area they actually recommended another walking business that I'm now using! So while I ultimately have a different walker I think it speaks very highly of the folks at Doggie Dharma to recommend another business to a potential customer just because they truly care about making sure your pets get the best care possible even if they can't provide it. I am truly impressed at their level of excellent communication and ultimately their dedication to making sure your pets are safe, happy, and cared for.

Fred is absolutely fantastic! He'll teach YOU how to give…read moreyour dog everything they need to be the good boy or girl you always knew that they could be! The best part is that these skills you'll learn are applicable to every dog you'll have for the rest of your life. This is next level stuff here. This is premium training and worth every penny! This is not for the inactive pet owner. This isn't a passive program. This only works if you're ready to put in the time and effort to retrain YOURSELF on how to lead your best friend to their best self. Don't cheat yourself or your dog. Put in the investment and save yourself a lifetime of frustration and potential liability. Call Fred Today!

I've never received so many text messages insulting me and my wife and calling me an "idiot,"…read more"fool" or "moron" in my life. I've had breakups that didn't have this much drama. We hired Fred to work our pitbull. She was difficult on walks and didn't always obey commands. Right off the bat, we got a bad vibe from him. During our first phone conversation, he asked a series of questions about my dog, claiming that he didn't need to even meet her and would know all he needed to based solely on my answers. Hence, if I wasn't sure about something or if I didn't have the information he was asking for because I didn't know or the shelter hadn't said anything to us, he would belittle me or be sarcastic, asking me how I couldn't possibly know the answer. Despite our misgivings, we decided to hire him for 12 sessions. During our first training session, our dog tried to attack him because he insisted on seeing how she would react if he tried to come into our backyard without an invitation. I panicked seeing her reaction and decided to fall in line, even after he insulted me and yelled at me for not being able to control my dog (even though he was the one provoking her) and threatened to quit. Looking back, I should have known better. Most dogs are not going to like someone trying come in uninvited, right? And maybe she sensed he wasn't a nice person and reacted accordingly. We've had plenty of people come to the house and she's been fine with them. Only Fred provoked that reaction. Go figure. But we were willing to give him a try since he claimed to have over 20 years of experience. And believe me, he leans on that 20 year thing hard. If you don't do things exactly as he tells you, he will criticize and belittle you. His methods have been described as "archaic" by our subsequent trainer, and really boil down to making you show dominance over your dog. He had me jab, knee and even kick my dog, saying that she could take it. My dog is tough, no question, but I felt uncomfortable doing this. Fred can be confusing with his teachings. He says that you have to be calm at all times since dogs pick up on emotions and will be tense if you are. But then he will constantly criticize you or question your commitment that one can't help but get stressed. He has cut short or cancelled sessions if he believed I was "projecting negative energy." And for someone who preaches consistency, he can be erratic when it comes to scheduling. Often, I would get a text on short notice asking if I could do a session later that day. Sometimes I could do it, but sometimes I couldn't. Sometimes, I would see him two times in a week. Other times, I would go weeks before hearing from him. He tried to do some instruction via video, which consisted of me recording him during a lesson and then recording myself and my wife doing the same thing. He blew up at us for not following his instructions to the letter and spent about 15 minutes berating me over the phone. He seems to think that I should have just been able to take it in stride, but he doesn't seem to understand that we hired him to be a teacher, not a bully. Fred seems to honestly believe that he is the only person in the entire universe that can help you. That's not hyperbole. He constantly criticizes people who train dogs differently, badmouthing their techniques and saying that they don't work. He kept me line by warning me that he was the only person who could stop my dog from snapping and doing something horrible. And he always belittled my dog, saying that she was mentally disturbed or unbalanced. I don't doubt that she's potentially dangerous (hence why we hired him), but keeping me on edge around my own dog would not seem to be compatible with his central tenet of being calm all of the time. Finally, after about five sessions or so, we decided to go in a different direction and he reacted like a spurned lover, sending me pages and pages of poorly-written text messages that were riddled with insults (when I stopped engaging with him, he even started texting my WhatsApp account to insult me some more). We had pre-paid for 12 lessons and he refused to refund us the balance of our money, despite previously offering to do so when he wasn't pleased with my effort. He even claimed that people like me were making him reconsider whether he even wanted to keep doing this. I mean, if he's having those kinds of doubts about something that he's devoted more than 20 years to and claims to love, then it makes you wonder what his commitment level really is. He wouldn't stop texting me, even after I stopped engaging with him. Two weeks after we broke things off, I received yet another message from him calling me a moron, so I had to block his number and warn him not to contact me again. And, of course, he sent all of those messages despite the fact that I told him he could keep my money. I just wanted to be done with him. So for those of you who still want to hire him, good luck to you.

I have been going here for several years and honestly couldn't see myself boarding my dog at any…read moreother place. My dog always gets excited at drop off and you can tell there's a real bond with Sue and her dogs. She's great at giving pick up reports and has great stories for each dog she has. Her hours and days are flexible for any kind of travel and she's been a huge help with last minute travel. I recommend Sue for any families that need boarding for their dog!

Our old dog was special needs and Sue's was the only place we felt comfortable boarding him. We…read morelive 150 miles away in Central Illinois.

Mike is seriously the best trainer we have come across. We started out at PetSmart for basic…read moretraining and that was good for what it was. However, our lessons with Mike were sooooo much better. He is truly training the pup parents. He is patient and kind. He truly loves dogs. Can't thank him enough. Our pup is now walking better with us and we have the tools to correct behavior humanely and kind

I cannot express my thanks and appreciation enough for all of Mike's help with our dogs. As soon…read moreas he walked in the door we (dogs and people) felt comfortable with him. He was amazing and taught us how to be better pack leaders to make out dogs live better and out lives easier. He showed us a variety of training techniques and showed us on the ones we were trying on how we could improve them. By the end of our session our dogs were listening to us more and we have now have the tools we need to make sure that we keep everyone in our house happier. We are keeping with what he has told us and we even got them to stop barking at the cats!!! Thank you Mike, I am so glad we found you!!