I have been taking my 185 -pound English Mastiff to Pack Life for almost 9 years now and realized that I have never taken the time to review Sean and his team. My Alfred loathes cages and was territorial as a pup, but Sean and his team's calm demeanor and wizard ability to create a safe space has seen us through to his now senior-y years. Cage free, open plan, I love that they divide the dogs by temperament as well as size, as my boy is huge, but he's virtually inert. The other low-energy beasts of all sizes have their own hang-out where they can avoid the hyperactive youngsters in relative peace. Day-long "recess" can always bring nicks and scratches, not unlike kids scraping their knee on the playground--Sean's staff never fails to give updates, treat minor scratches from free play time with appropriate remedies and responsible measures, and are so consistent and loving with their straight forward approach. Boarding is a super simple process, and they always have him smelling like roses by the time I come pick him up. The staff is gentle yet firm, and they are clearly well versed in coping with a variety of personalities. Alfie comes back and is wiped out from the outdoor/indoor play, a true testament to his getting the exercise he needs. Huge shout out to Sean and his team for years of amazing service! read more

The staff loves the dogs like their own. I feel comfortable leaving my dog there for long days and know she will come home happy and exhausted. Great, affordable daycare! read more

Monty my Bernese loves pack life! Staff is always very friendly and Sean is always very flexible with the drop offs! As a nurse I need to be at work by 630 am so being able to have someone willing to take your dog in earlier is a huge plus! Monty is always very tired post daycare and I can tell he had a lot of fun. As matter of fact he is there right now while I'm at work :) definitely very safe and friendly place. This Christmas season I even received a fridge magnet with Monty's photo in it and it made sooo happy since I'm obsessed with my dog hahaha read more

Pack Life is to be avoided. I agree with the earlier reviewer, the place is terrible. I had to go in hospital, so I gave Sean 550 dollars, and my niece gave him more. He returned my dog near death. I saw immediately that my dog had supporating wounds all over his right side. The wounds were infected, and MedVet said it had become systemic. $1,700.00 dollars later, he pulled through. Sean Love did two things: he said the wounds happened on my dog's way home (the zMedVet said the infection spoke of weeks. Where was the staff?) Sean refused to use his insurance to help me with the $1,700 because it would raise his rates. I begged. My dog was insured, but they only covered a couple hundred. I am a senior, and don't have that kind of money. But I am glad I was discharged from the hospital ea lier to save my dog's life. Do Not trust your baby to these people! read more

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We have been going to Sean at Pack Life for over 10 years. My dogs are my world and I trust them with literally no one but Pack Life, Sean, and his employees. My dogs thrive there and come home exhausted nightly. A tired dog = happy dog; therefore, they are the happiest. I am so grateful we found Pack Life! read more

Honestly, my corgi Pancake loves Sean and going to Pack Life! They pick up throughout all of Chicago including Wicker Park! My dog literally runs to the door and leaps into their arms when I mention daycare. They have an outdoor and indoor section for dogs which is great that they're not inside all day long. Prices are super fair as well! They split large dogs and medium / small dogs. read more

I could not be happier with Pack Life. Sean and his staff have done so much for my dog. Cash was terrified when we rescued him. He loves dogs, so we thought their 1/2 day play camp option would be great for him. He's changed & blossomed so much since going there. He's confident, but still the sweet submissive boy we fell in love with. If you tell Sean to work on certain things, he goes out of his way to do it. Cash waits with excitement each time it's his day for camp at Pack Life, just watching out the window until they come. He's still our shy guy, but he's so good with all the people there, and much more open to meeting men. They are AMAZING. People pay $15 for a walk, and it's barely more to have your dog go play for hours! Plus, they offer transport for a small extra fee there & back. We couldn't be happier. read more

Pack Life - Here's our baby - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have been taking my dog here for about 3 years and it has been a lifesaver! Sean really cares about the dogs and is extermely flexible with scheduling. They get scratches from playing and running around but that is part of letting them be dogs, it has been so good for my dog to learn socialization and get exercise. My dog tries to jump out of the car the minute we pull up, thats all I need to see! read more

Dude, this place is sketchy. I should've known that when I went to drop my dog off for the first time and a "staff" (one of many young - very young - Eastern European girls that works there) took forever to come to the door and when she did, barely opened it, poked her head out and said, "Can I help you?" Uh, yeah. I'm standing here with a dog. Take a wild guess. This girl and the others I met during the trial period were NOT into dogs. You can tell. Not sure how they got to working at a pet care facility. My dog spent a night there and came back with wounds on his elbows. I think they literally sleep on the floor. There were several other red flags but I'll mention one more: once when I went to pick my dog up, there was a van parked out front with a dog in it barking continuously. S/he was in there backing during the whole 10 minutes during my pick up. Did someone forget that dog in the car? Probably just best to avoid. read more

I am about 4 years late on this review and feel terrible for it. Sean has been a huge help for our pitbull family! We now have 3 dogs, 2 of them would fail at your regular day care as they are not too people friendly and need a Pack Leader to cut their s#$t off, and that's exactly what Sean is able to do. We've taken them to daycare and boarding and couldn't be happier. We get updates (mostly me blowing up Sean as a paranoid mom), pictures, videos and tired and lazy dogs at the end. I mostly love that the dogs get to roam and hangout all day and not just sit in the crate. They get human and dog socializing which is very important and helpful for all dogs, especially rescues. Our foster-fail Peanut needed all of it, and did better then I expected. Sean is also very respected in the rescue community and has helped and supported many pups. Thank you! read more

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We love pack life!! Sean is super accommodating every time our boys need watched! The second we say "daycare" to our dogs they freak out with excitement! We live in the suburbs and still take our dogs there because we trust them so much. Highly recommend! read more

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I used pack life for the first time this week. I had a great experience! I was nervous to board my puppy but I felt totally reassured the whole time! Sean answered all my emails promptly, and he personally came and picked up my pup. They sent so many videos and pictures of my dog playing during her stay there! I got more pictures than I do from a one-on-one sitting for my dog, which is so important to me. Marina dropped off my dog and they had forgotten my personal leash, no big deal. BUT they drove all the way back to my apartment with my leash that evening! We will be back! read more

I'm so elated and blessed to have such a reliable and Caring company to leave my babies. I am originally from California and this daycare by far is leaps and bounds over anything offered in LA. The facility is always clean, it never smells like dog. My dogs come home happy and worn out because they had a full day of playing now that I'm back in California the one thing I miss in Chicago is Sean's business. He caters to big dogs small dogs he keeps everything separated they get to play outside and he's so flexible with hours and most importantly he's affordable. And what I really love especially being from LA even though he has celebrity clients he never brags or puts that in front of anybody else he treats everybody the same and for that I'm truly grateful and I highly recommend this doggy daycare above any other doggy daycare in Chicago. My babies are big and a lot of people are scared of them but they are treated so well here and Sean really knows how to control dogs. Thanks Sean for being awesome read more

Pack Life - My babies waiting to be picked up - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Pack Life really changed our lives. Sean and his team really love the dogs they take care of and it shows. Our girls were always completely worn out by the time we picked them up, and were always excited to jump out of the car when we dropped them off. We just moved to Denver, and one of the hardest parts of leaving Chicago was knowing we'd never find another daycare like Pack Life. Not only were they great with our dogs, but they were so flexible with us and our crazy changing schedules. All of our friends who've adopted dogs since we started with Sean also now take their babies to Pack Life. We couldn't recommend them more. read more

I'm shocked I haven't reviewed Pack Life after YEARS of trusting our dogs to Sean, but better late than never. We first started going to Pack Life when we lived in the neighborhood and were always pleased at how well things seemed to go with our young dachshund. We've since moved to Forest Park and years have passed, but we still come to Sean whenever we need a day of play or boarding when we go out of town. I feel comfortable that our senior dog gets the more delicate care she needs. Sean and his staff are wonderful, and the open-plan boarding works so perfectly for our dog who hates crates. He's also always super about accommodating our last minute requests, even for boarding. Thank you, Pack Life! read more

I have been bringing my dog to Sean for the past couple months and for the most part I was happy with the service, and more importantly, my dog seemed to enjoy it. As a human customer, I was not very happy with the way the place is run; there is an inner-lobby area but you can't get in without an employee to open it for you, so you are left out in the cold waiting with your pup. There is no doorbell (at least the one that is there does not work) so you have to knock on the glass and HOPE that someone can hear you all the way in the back of the building. I don't get an itemized bill, just a price. One thing I do like is that you do not typically need to call ahead or make an appointment. You can just drop off and pickup whenever you like within their hours of operation. Not many places have enough space to accommodate ad-hoc. Recently my dog came back from day care with cuts on the snout and around the eye-lid. Nothing so bad that it would require any surgery, but it was deep enough that there was bleeding and certainly will have a lasting scar. I know dogs can play rough, and not all of them get-along, so I am not surprised something like this has happened. The thing that really irks me, and the primary reason I WILL NOT RETURN, is that I was not told about this event. In my mind, there are only two reasons I was not told about these cuts on my dog. Either (1) they did not know about the cuts, in which case the staff is not paying close enough attention to the dogs interactions, or (2) they DO know about the cuts and for whatever reason decided not to say anything. Either way, I am done with this place. P.s. I would imagine that the staff would have noticed the blood on my dogs face when I did the pickup, which just goes to show they are not keeping an eye on these things. The reason I did not notice is because the dog is returned to me outside (I can't enter the lobby area, they use that for dog in/out only) and it was at night so I could not see my dogs face that clearly. I did not notice until I got home that night. read more

Owner is very nice and responsive to any needs. Love that it opens at 6am! My pup is always very happy to arrive at day care.

Sean has been great to Buddy Doc an snow MOnie aka honey buddy etc. Ive been to other places. But the dogs love this place because when they come home they are exhausted. Sean has @ least 14 years of experience w wild misbehaving dogs. As well as the normal ones. I tell yu buddy after a long stay wouldn't return home w us. He looked @ Sean and us and would act like !! Oh no I want to stay here w the Pack. read more

LOVE Sean!!! He has been a huge help with my 2 pit mixes and chow mix. My 2 pitties are not good with new people at all. Sean and staff were so great with them. My chow mix is very anxious, but, little by little, she has been become less anxious. They have been going to packlife for 4 years now, and have been absolutely amazing for them. Working full time I don't know what I would do without Sean and Pack life! They do pick up and drop off, very easy. I have boarded them numerous times for long work trips and know they are in great hands. Sean and Packlife are the best! read more

Thanks for taking care of my baby when I can't keep her occupied as much as she should!!! Sasha here, Sasha there, Sasha everywhere!

Sean is so devoted to his business and my dog comes home happy and super tired Love love love them read more

I have been taking my dog Brady to Sean since he was 12 weeks old... He is now 3 years old and still with Sean. I have tried out other "high price" places similar that are not half as effective as Sean's daycare. He would come home hyper still from the other places that cost a fortune. When he comes home from Sean, he is dead tired.... I would recommend Sean to anyone and everyone.. Traci read more

Pack Life - Brady loves Sean and Pack Life - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sean is great and I have nothing but positive things to say about Pack Life. My dog Tucker absolutely loves going to daycare here! We take him to daycare at least once a week and have also boarded him here during our vacations or weekend getaways. Prices are super reasonable and it's nice to not have to worry about making an appointment every week. You can drop off and pick up as necessary. Sean and his staff are very nice and personable. Fast and easy drop off and pick up. Comparing Pack Life to PetSmart petshotel where I used to take my dog to dogcare: -Don't have to worry about making appointments every week with fast and easy drop off and pick up -My dog comes home much more exhausted because there is a ton more space to play and roam -Dogs never get crated like they do at certain times within the day at PetSmart -I believe is 5$ more a day (but way worth it) -Staff is better with dogs and much more knowledgeable (PetSmart staff seemed young, inexperienced, and often timid with the dogs) After taking my dog to Pack Life we have never gone back to PetSmart (and don't ever plan to!) read more

Sean Love is the dog whisperer of Chicago!!! I didn't think our two dogs would be admitted to doggy day care because they sometimes they don't get along with each other and the park is hit or miss. Since going to Pack Life they are calmer and exhausted at the end of the day. They are truly part of Sean's pack and get inline. read more

We have been taking Lucy here for the past several times. Shaun has always been very flexible and accommodating with our schedule and picking up our Lucy. She has always been energetic and seems to be sad when she gets back home because I'm certain she has a great time there. The only negative thing we have to say is that it can be a little hard to get Shaun at the door at times for pick up and drop off. read more

I can not thank Sean and the employees enough! I have a needy rescue who has separation anxiety so it has been tricky finding the right place to care for him when I must travel. They are experts and know what they are doing! The even gave him a bath before I picked him up. My dog loves it there! They go above and beyond and even pick up and drop off if you need it. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Pack Life. I used to take my bulldog, Hank, to a few different pet-chain hotels :-( whenever I would travel. I had just moved to city, so I was still trying to find a good pet hotel for Hank, I wasn't really happy with how Hank would act once I would pick him up from these pet hotels: out of it, groggy, strange, VERY not hank-like. So I was THRILLED once I met Sean, and he told me about his services. I went home for the holidays and needed to board Hank, and decided to use Pack Life as Hanks hotel for a few days. I cannot tell you how much of a difference Hank acted and seemed once I pick him up from Pack Life...recharged, energetic, but also tired...BUT it's a GOOD tired (from running around all day long, mingling with fellow dogs). He will rest so well once we get back home. (Pack Life is like a mini-vacation for dogs...I swear!!!) It has made such a difference in Hank. I am always SO worried about him when I travel and I know that Sean really takes care of him. And since he is a bulldog, he needs a little extra attention for certain things (skin issues, heat, his major snoring, etc) Sean is VERY knowledgeable and really knows all about dog breeds. ****Pack Life is great, and if you haven't tried their services...you must. Such a difference from the other ones out there! read more

I've been taking my two dogs to Sean's for a number of years now and have never been disappointed by the care they get when they're at Pack Life. I bring my dogs for sleepovers and I'm comforted knowing that they're not sleeping in a cold cage, but snuggling with Sean in his own bed! Sean is an especially dependable and flexible business owner and has always agreed my to take care of my boys regardless of how last minute my request has been. Between his dependability, his reasonable pricing, and his general awesomeness, I couldn't have managed without Sean's help. read more

Grate place, owner is really love what he is doing. Place is huge, and back yard very nice. read more

My dog is not friendly with other dogs becasue she has not socialized for a long time ( shiba inus). However this is the only place I took her in day care and was surprised to hear that she did well and was able to play all day. Sean he is really nice, friendly and very devoated. His staff is awesome - Sasha did such a great job. My dog had a smile on her face like never before after I had picked her up from other day care places. Highly recommended. Thank you. read more

My super active young boxer girl loves going to Sean's for the day and comes back exhausted - money very well spent! My elderly girl happily boards there when we are out of town and never seems to mind going, which tells me that Pack Life is a comfortable place for active and more relaxed dogs as well. Sean is very accommodating, both for day care and boarding. I like being able to make arrangements by text, and the hours at Pack Life make it easy for me to pick up my girls at my convenience. The staff is super friendly and the prices are reasonable. read more

Sean is THE man! I have never had a dog walker, or anyone else outside of the family ever take care of my dog for more than one walk. I am a crazy dog mom. If you think you're a nut- just multiply your crazy by 10 and you're about halfway to my level of cray. I am neurotic, and love my dog more than my husband (ohkay... its a close tie, but my husband gets it haha). Sean understood and dealt with my crazy. He gave my dog (Bro) more love than I could have imagined. I had unusual circumstances come up over the weekend and Sean was incredibly flexible and beyond generous with his time and help with us. He followed all of my crazy instructions, and exceeded my expectations in every way shape and form. I will absolutely call on Pack Life for all future needs I have! A true FIVE STAR service! read more

We boarded our Border Collie and Cavalier with Sean for 5 days while we were on vacation. Sean is very friendly and welcoming and showed us the facility which is huge compared to what we have used in the past. It is no frills, but really the dogs just need each other to be entertained. My Wife and I were concerned for our little Cavalier because he is timid and our little baby. However, he did fine and ran around with the other dogs. Sean also allowed him to sleep with him which was nice. We were not worried about our Border as she loves other dogs and can take care of herself just fine. I thought I loved dogs, but this guy is on another level. Our dogs did well and came back without a scratch. If your Dog is not socialized I would not use this kennel, but ours liked it and were tired for about three days afterward, a definite sign they had a good time. We will use Sean again. read more

I adopted a very large Shepherd/Coyote mix from PAWS in 2008 and THANK GOD I meet Sean so after! Sean has done wonderful things for my dog Carson who requires a lot of space and play time to run off all his extra energy. At Sean's house he runs around non-stop with all his best friends and comes home exhausted. It is so wonderful that Carson has a fun, safe, reliable place to play during the day. Sean will take Carson any time I call. I often drop him off really early in the morning and sometimes pick him up really late, and Sean is always accommodating and organized. Sean picks Carson up from my home some times as well. Besides Sean's LARGE indoor and outdoor space, he ALSO often takes the dogs to the nearby Churchill Dog Park. This is Carson's favorite place in the city we call "doggy heaven." Sean has even called and asked if he could take Carson up to Prairie Wolf one Sunday morning. He sent me pictures and video of Carson running and hiking and splashing in the water with his best friends. Sean is a fantastic guy to work with and he takes excellent care of his facility and clients. It is obvious that this is Sean's passion in life and great talent! He is a doggy whisperer and can understand and speak to dogs better than anyone I've ever met. When Carson and I are driving down Sean's street he starts to howling and bark and go crazy because he loves Pack Life so much. I have to make sure the windows are rolled up or he will jump out the window while the cars moving and run right to Sean's door. Sometimes I think he likes Pack Life better than home! I can't imagine ever taking Carson anywhere else. The most wonderful thing about Pack Life is that Sean does not use cages unless necessary. The dogs run free and play wonderfully, sleeping on doggy beds throughout the place like one big family. It has done wonders socializing my crazy Coyote pup into a sweet, friendly, loyal, and trusting dog. Carson has learned very important behaviors at Pack Life and has developed a huge network of doggy friends in our neighborhood thanks to Sean. BEST IN CHICAGO! read more

Pack Life - Carson's 1st Snowfall @ Churchill Dog Park with Pack Life & Sean Love - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I rarely write reviews for any business, but for Pack Life, I had to do it, because it's REALLY THAT GREAT. My 10 month old, Carlie, has been to various daycare places around the Ukrainian Village/Wicker Park/West Town area, but Pack Life is far and above THE BEST. The owner's love and care for dogs is obvious, and that's what convinced me to try out his daycare in the first place. Carlie gets excited when he knows he's going there, and I've never seen him like that with any other daycare business. I'm not exaggerating when I say Sean, the owner, is quite possibly Carlie's favorite person, even before me! I've seen how he takes care of the dogs, he treats them like people with a lot of consideration, respect, and love, so I can understand why he gets the reputation of being a "dog whisperer". When I read the negative reviews, I felt propelled to remind people that accidents happen. I am absolutely certain that those episodes have saddened and scarred Sean more deeply than the dog's owners. I have COMPLETE TRUST in the team of people working with Sean at Pack Life, and I won't even hesitate twice about leaving my Carlie with him for long periods of time if I have to be out of town. IF you are wavering about trying Pack Life, I encourage you to give it a try. Pack Life has THE MOST REASONABLE RATES, and I'm ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that you will understand why SO MANY PEOPLE feel the need to write positive reviews about it. read more

Pack Life - Carlito loves hanging out at Pack Life and playing with Sean - Dog Walkers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great dog care and when you lock yourself out of your house at 6:00am on a snowy morning with an infant, dog, and a pissed off wife. Sean will come save the day. rock star status!!! read more

I strongly recommend the daycare and boarding services at Pack Life. Sean is great with dogs and a true animal lover. My dog has anxiety issues and barely likes anyone but he's crazy about Sean. I know he loves it there because he went on his own one day after I forgot to lock the door when leaving for work. I got a call from Sean about 20 minutes later saying he had my dog. I almost had a heart attack, but was relieved he'd made it there unharmed. I'm not sure how he found his way there since its a few miles away and I always drive, but clearly he knew what he was doing and where he wanted to go. My dog is like a family member and I wouldn't want to take him anyplace else. I can go to work or travel and have peace of mind knowing he is happy and safe. Thanks Sean, for being such a great friend and caretaker of Loomis. read more

Sean and team are AMAZING. They took such good care of Milo and he had such long days of play and fun. Had no issues with any injuries or anything. The price is so far, too. The transportation made it so convenient for me living in the city. I can't say enough good things about this place! Great socialization and exercise for your dogs. read more

I had a spunky, crazy, fun little silky terrier who was not even 2 years old when he was hit by a car. Sean knew Tito was a puppy and was a quick, crazy dog. Yet he still transported him without a leash, assuming that since he was a "dog whisperer", Tito would always follow him. Well that worked until the day it didn't. When Sean was bringing him back home one day, he called Tito from the van as I assume he always did, but that day Tito decided to run into the street instead of follow him. He was hit by a car and killed. Of course I blame myself for using Sean in the first place, but ultimately, Sean was responsible for the care of my dog, who was not ready to be off-leash, and now he's dead. read more

For years , my husband and I used Sean's services with our older lab. We were always pleased, with the exception of Sean's timeliness when transporting her home from the doggy day care in the evenings. In the last year, however, she would come home stinky and dirty and full of poop. I didn't really think much of it except that maybe Sean had too many dogs in the van. Well, we went out of town one weekend and Sean kept her overnight, as he had many times in the past. He called us in the middle of the night to tell us there had been a dog fight with the dogs he was boarding and our dog was "attacked." Needless to say, we never saw her again b/c they had to put her down as a result of her injuries. Sean was negligent on so many levels, from taking WAY TOO MANY dogs, to keeping the wrong types of dogs and the wrong ages of dogs together. I am of course shooting myself for not inspecting his facility closer and for not asking more questions before we left her, but she was the sweetest dog and her life never should have ended this way! I WOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE USING PACK LIFE AND IF YOU DO ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS AND INSPECT THE FACILITY WHERE YOUR DOG IS STAYING!! DON'T LET SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN TO YOUR DOG! read more