I've been working with Jim for 8+ years in three different locations. I'd follow him to the end of the Earth for his agility classes. His kindness, enthusiasm, knowledge, humor, and love for my dogs is evident in every class. I hate driving more than most things in life and happily schlep half an hour each way to get to class. My dogs start whining and wiggling with excitement half a mile away and make a beeline for Jim as soon as we walk in the door, much to the dismay of his jealous dogs. If you can get a spot in one of Jim's classes, I highly recommend it. read more

I have been taking agility classes with Jim Bahr for over 8 years & followed him to Rex's when opened a few years ago. The facility is very nice with great climate control. For agility, the turf is one of the best in the area. As an instructor, Jim has helped me train my 1st agility dog (Tully who is on the right) since 2018. Tully has earned multiple championships & Jim has supported us from afar at many competitions. Now, he is helping me train our border collie (Kinja on left). Jim does a great job supporting & encouraging me even when I get frustrated during class. I recommend him & the facility. read more

Rex's Place - Kinja & Tully - Pet Training Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I have been taking my dog to agility at Rex's place for a couple years now and I can't say enough about trainer Jim Bahr I have been a client of Jim's for many years. My dog is very active and "silly" which means for years all he wants to do is run and play and not focus on what he is supposed to do. Many times I thought of quitting because my dog just wasn't paying attention. I didn't want to waste anybody's time. Jim encouraged me to continue saying my dog just needed to let his energy out and he had confidence my dog would eventually get better at it. Well it took years but FINALLY it clicked. Jim was so patient all these years. I really appreciate that! He knows A LOT about dog behavior and agility. I very highly recommend Jim Bahr for agility at Rex's !! read more

This is the first review I have ever written on this business. I wrote the original post a week ago. I just added a comment to what the owner stated was a reply on January 8th. That says it all! Here is the original post. I have no idea what happened to it but I did get replies from Yelp neighbors. I have been a client of the agility classes for years. I would think as an owner one would want to know what is going on. I have left many messages and nobody ever calls back. When you call you get an answering machine. You can leave a message for billing, rental or you can leave a text for pick up. I have left many messages on the billing and rental lines.I have explained that this is important and I would like to talk to the owner. Nobody gets back to you. This is a reflection on this business. This is quite disturbing. The agility room is beautiful. The problem is with the teacher. I have taken agility classes for many years. I do know good teachers which one wants if you are going to learn properly.I believe this teacher rents from the owner. His name is z James Baer. He goes under the name Agility ForEveryone. He does not have a web site. He is a nice guy with an alternate life style. He takes many trips with his partner so classes are erratic. I can not remember when we had six class sessions in a row. I told him I would make the trip to Evanston to pay him on May 1st. He just needed to let me know his schedule. I never heard from him. He said he got busy and we would work it out in two weeks. He was going to Palm Springs. On May 16 I received a text from him that the time of class for that day changed to 4:00 to 3:30 pm. This was at 1:30 pm. Just be ware, class times change on a regular basis and you will not know until an hour or hour and half before class. I was on my way to Indian Head Park,Il. I knew I would not make class it at 3:30 pm. I did tell him I would do the rest of the classes at 3:30 pm. Everything is in text messaging. In my opinion you can not run a business this way. There are to many misunderstandings and mis interpretations. You need to talk directly with a person. Because he went away for two weeks, he was now having class on Memorial weekend. Every agility or dog training facility is closed on holidays weekends so everyone can enjoy the holiday. Not here! What I do not understand is isn't this a liability if something happens when the whole facility is closed? Why is one teacher allowed to have classes in a closed facility? I told Jim I had plans and could not come. I was going away for the weekend with my dogs. He told me in text that there was no class next week because he had a wedding. It just seems to be unfortunate circumstances. Nothing was ever mentioned about the money. I figured I would bring it when I saw him. I am not someone starting with him. I have been with him for years. If I had an inking on how he felt, I would have made the trip to Evanston if he would have told me his class schedule. I would have been happy to pay him. I can't read minds. He needs to communicate. I then received a text on May 22nd that he gave my places away. He told me I was stiffing him. I did not. I would never do that. I had multiple dogs in classes with him. I will also tell you he is always looking at his cell phone during class. I can get his attention and ask a question but he then goes back to his phone reading and texting. This is not a way to teach a class. If I did this in my classroom, I would get fired. Your attention need to be on the handling and dogs at all times. Therefore, I find these classes to be more self serv. I have done this long enough to understand what I am doing but this is devastating for anyone learning. As I have said this is a beautiful facility and the only one on the North Shore. I would suggest taking classes elsewhere where bad habits with handling does not effect performance. You need the instruction to learn properly. It takes years. You don't need a teacher looking at his phone constantly during class. Please go elsewhere even if you have to go farther. You are throwing money out the window. The owner should be ashamed not calling a client back if the owner is getting the messages which is another problem. Don't you think the owner would want to know what is going on. Maybe the owner should observe some of these classes to know I am telling the truth. I understand this owner teaches some classes. How does one get in touch with her? This is a reflection on this business. I have never met this owner. I don't know if this is a man of a woman. I was never introduced by phone or in person. I don't even know the name of this owner. This owner does not know me after all these years. This owner does not know what I look like. I don't know what the owner looks like. It is very sad that this business is being run this way. I would think an owner would want to know the clients that support her business. read more

Their website says "If you Our boarding features: familiar surroundings (if you daycare with us), kennel and cage-free options. The latter offers 24-hour supervised play, sleep and care. Pick-up and drop-off service available upon request" but that's a lie. See for yourself. https://youtube.com/shorts/EHxukao_EZY?feature=shared read more

I sent my dog here for years. At first things were great, but then they went downhill fast. After countless issues I had to pull my dog from Rex's Place. The most troubling - they sent my dog home with the wrong family and they didn't even realize it until I showed up to get her. Unfortunately I do not recommend trusting them with your dog. I have documentation to support all of my claims. read more

Vary poor Some of your caretakers should be reported to ACPA for kicking dogs People pets in the face and causing them eye injuries which You tried to explain without warrant Your Staff is treating Our family' Our pets will harm I would FOIA your cameras if I could but I hope that you as a animal lover would keep track of your staff and watch your cameras read more

Really happy this doggy day camp is so close to where we live and the Metra. My dog loves it. Was surprised though this morning when I asked if I could leave my dogs leash with them because my son is picking our dog up. I was told no. So now I have to carry my dogs leash and harness on the train with me into work and my son won't have a leash to pick up our dog which means I have to leave work early and catch an earlier train to pick her up myself. For $50 a day (compared with PetSmarts $30 a day) to not be allowed to leave my dogs leash there gives me kind of a bad feeling about the money I'm spending. The dog caregivers seem really nice though and my dog loves it there. Guess I'll have to just buy a new leash for my son to have on hand. Not the end of the world. read more

Look elsewhere. This was our first time boarding our pup, and the experience left me with only regret. Initial conversations regarding rate and reservations were met (from the owner herself) with a nasty attitude claiming all the information I needed was on the website. I needed care for my dog, so I remained optimistic about their services. During my dogs 4 night stay, the staff gave me no updates or photos, and when I picked him up, he was limping and smelled bad. When I called the owner to discuss, she told me that the pavement at this time of year (summer) is hot on the dogs paws, so maybe that's why he was walking oddly. She then forwarded me on to someone who tried to help explain some things. They claimed to remove a charge for one of the nights, but does not add up on the invoice. When I asked them to explain it, they neglected to show me how they credited the account, and stopped responding to me. They would not discuss anything on the phone, only text. Your pet deserves more. Look elsewhere. read more

Kathy and her crew are beyond wonderful. Our little guy is fearful of new situations, but happily runs into Rex's with his tail wagging. Rex's provides a safe and loving place of care and fun for Eddie and all the dogs lucky enough to go there. It's now been something like 10 years he's been excited to go there. read more

First off, this review is long overdue. My dog Lucy LOVES this place & so do I. I recently moved to Evanston and needed somewhere for my Frenchie to go while I worked.  I went to several other dog daycares,  but none were a good fit until I found this place. Here are a few of the reasons why Rex's Place is the place to go: - Cleanliness: it's SO clean inside & doesn't have the usual smell of dog urine when you walk in & when you pick up your pups. - Fun environment: they have pools and water toys for the pups to cool off with during the hot days. They even do fun photo shoots with the dogs. Checkout their Social Media pages to see what your pups are doing for the day. - AMAZING staff: They give me a report on how Lucy did for the day & always greet me & the pup with a friendly smile. - Flexible hours: their hours are great for drop off/pick up. Same with boarding, most places charge a ton for additional hours but the hours here fit my crazy schedule perfectly. -For new pups, they do a free trial day to evaluate temperament which shows they care. Average/overcrowded boarding facilities that only want $$$ don't really care to do this. I'm also glad to see that they thoroughly screen vet records to make sure dogs are vaccinated before starting trial day. The one and only thing I really miss and wish they had are Webcams: being able to watch my fur baby from work to see how she's doing would be nice. But overall I have nothing but good things to say about this place! Thank you to Kathy and all the staff at Rex's Place you are all angels for the work you do! read more

Rex's Place - Just another day at Rex's Place! - Pet Training Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Our 65 lb. pit bull adores this place. Weekends are so boring compared to the excitement, love and attention she gets at Rex's. Kathy and the staff are beyond amazing. We even board her on holidays even if we aren't going anywhere because she knows she goes to Rex's 5 days a week, even holidays. Given she is so smart she knows after 2 days (the weekend) it is Monday and time to go to Rex's. She runs to the door after breakfast and then to the car. No dog could be happier than our pooch. read more

I boarded my healthy 14 month old Newfoundland and my husky at Rex's Place in Evanston over the weekend. When I picked my dogs up they were both injured. My newfie was and continues to limp, barely able to walk, and was also returned to me covered in urine. Her white spots on her fur were discolored and smell of urine. My husky has a big cut under his eye that wasn't there when I dropped him off and he is barely able to open his eye. I have attempted to contact the owner repeatedly and she continues to ignore me. My dogs will see our vet today regarding these injuries. I wanted you all to be informed of the injuries my dogs sustained after being boarded at Rex's Place so you can make an informed decision about using this facility. If I could include videos of her limping I would. read more

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March 2020 review: I cannot speak to how this establishment is running in 2021, but I was a dog walker for two years. One of my clients asked me to drop off a Mini Schnauzer to this location. I was very nervous about doing so because this dog was so very small, as in he could fit in one arm. He was adorable (although he peed on my coat before I could get down the stairs for one walk and was constantly pulling to stop walking during another). So my initial thought was, "Oh gawd, this dog is too young to be around other dogs." I hesitantly took him there anyway because the owner seemed confident in her decision. As soon as I got to the front desk, I was all set to ask a bunch of questions about the place. But this little Mini Schnauzer marched right through the double doors, pushed a massive dog out of his way, walked under a few other big dogs and hopped on to the top of the slide to look around. He treated this place like he was Kid n' Play of "House Party," and the star attraction had arrived. I was so tickled by this. I fully understood why the owner had zip zero issues with me dropping this puppy off. From that point forward, I'd started comparing any other dog facility I went to to this one. It's strange to me that dog parks and some other dog facilities separate the small dogs from the big dogs, but this one has them all running and playing together. My only con was that they didn't really ask me for anything when I dropped him off. No ID. No tag. No nothing. I could've just been dropping this dog off from anywhere. In their defense, I said his name and they seemed to recognize him. But I still sorta wish there was a sign-in process or something to confirm who drops off and picks up. Still though, my one experience with that puppy gunning for the dog slide warmed my heart. Now that I have my own dog, I'm going to check this place out for a "Pawdicure" and see if anything has changed. read more

My dog appreciates the very large indoor and outdoor areas where he can run and expend his energy. I appreciate the drop off and pick up right to my car, no matter what the weather. It's nice to have a facility large enough to group the dogs by varying abilities and interests. read more

Rex's is wonderful! We take both our dogs (one older and one a puppy) to Rex's for daycare on a regular basis as well as puppy training class. The team at Rex's is great and do a fantastic job with both our dogs! read more

Rex's Place is a gift from somewhere in the universe! We have a 6 month old 40lb puppy who is the sweetest pup but a ball of energy. Every time I drop her off the staff is over the moon to see her!! On the first day I dropped her off another dog parent said to me "be careful - they love this place so much they won't want to come home, that's the only drawback." It's totally true!! When we started taking her to Rex's place she was about 4 months old and having trouble with bathroom breaks. Rex's place has changed that and it is rare for her to have an accident in the house. I mean, she is a puppy still! Most recently she hurt herself pretty bad outside of Rex's place (torn toe nail) and the staff was unbelievably kind, calm and helpful in getting her wrapped up so I could take her to the vet. Rex's Place has made our home life with all 3 pups so much easier and the best part is they genuinely care for each and every dog. read more

It's a hot and humid 84 degrees in Evanston and this poor dog is locked in a car on Elmwood street. When will the owner of Rex's place react to the fact that dogs are being miss treated by her staff? Yes, it's the month of October but it's way too hot outside to leave a dog inside a car. read more

I rescued a 1 yr old Maltese and didn't want her to be alone when I went back to the office. Penny is very timid and takes things at her own pace. After 4 months at Rex's, Penny has really opened up & is no longer intimated by other dogs. She gets along better when my son's dogs visit and is quite the "guard dog" whenever the doorbell rings. I receive updates & pictures everyday of her activities and am always greeted with a big smile when I pick her up. The 1-on-1 human companionship and dog interaction ensures a tired, happy pup when we get home! read more

My dog has separation anxiety but she loves going to Rex's place. It's the only place I feel comfortable leaving her. They take great care of her and always keep us updated. Highly recommend! read more

Rex's has been such an amazing help for us with our rescue pup. Kathy and the team at Rex's are always patient, friendly and encouraging. We have so enjoyed having a convenient and well managed place to bring pup. It feels so good to know our dog is having a great day while we are working- especially now that we are working from home but not able to play with him during the day. read more

My girlfriend and I take our dog on Thursdays and Fridays. Due to our schedules, we worry about him not getting enough exercise throughout the day and Rex's Place is a perfect solution. We've tried other Dog Daycare's and none have come even close to the true professionalism and attentiveness that Rex's Place offers. We also enrolled him in their training program and he has learned so much and has greatly increased his confidence and improved his behavior. He comes home exhausted and so happy. He passes out in the very short drive home and relaxes the entire night, which is a very hard thing to accomplish in a 1 year old pup with so much energy. He wakes up Thursday and Fridays with a huge smile on his face and can barely contain his excitement when in the car on the way there. The trainer is in constant communication and is very helpful with any questions we may have. He has become so comfortable there. They are very reasonably priced and very attentive to any needs. They require a temperament evaluation as well as do not believe in crating the dogs during the day, which we love. read more

We started using Rex's over 5 years ago for both day care and long term boarding. Normally we would drop our dog off 1 day a week to socialize and she would literally run into the facility! Now that we have fewer "neighbor dogs" for our dog to play with we have starting taking her 2x a week-she loves it! read more

My dog is well treated and loves going to day care. We appreciate the cage-free boarding as well, since our rescue is a dog - loving, Husky mix and hates cages. read more

We just went back to Rex's for the first time since the stay-at-home order for COVID. I asked my 3 year year old Lab, "Do you want to go to Rex's?" and he perked up and ran to the door. Rex's is just great with his socialization with other dogs. (My guy has "leash reactivity"). I like the fact that he can enter and leave through the "Big Dog door" in back, because he is very large, and sometimes smaller dogs are afraid of him and act aggressively. Kathy, the owner, is so good at hiring the best people. They all seem to truly love dogs. My guy was so tired when he got home, which one of the doggie attendants had predicted! And he only went for a half day! (6 hours for a half day, I believe is quite generous). So, thank you Rex's! read more

We have taken our two Papillion's now 5 times and from the pictures they send during the day they love it there. So far very one we have encountered have been super nice and truly seem to care about the dogs. They keep their customers updated not only to they fur babies but what is happening in and around Rex's place. Would recommend for any size pups from small like mine to large ones that need a fun day camp outing. read more

Are you kidding!! There are pictures on Facebook with your truck and a small white dog locked in the car with today's temperature that were in the 90's. I wouldn't never leave my dogs in your care nor should anybody else. This is a prime example of people who are in care of your pets being reckless & uncaring. I hope the police that were called gave the driver of that vehicle a ticket. Happy that someone saw this poor dog & acted quickly. Idiot!! read more

We have been taking our dogs here for 6-7 years and have had nothing but positive experiences - both with the weekly drop offs or the boarding when we travel... Kathy and her team take care of our dogs as if they were their own - I highly recommend Rex's. read more

I am forever grateful for Rex's Place, the owner Kathy and the staff! I recently moved from CA to Chicago - just me and my little pup. Milo went from living in a big house with my parents in California, spoiled with amazing weather, a large backyard and all...to a small 1 bedroom apartment here in Chicago. The first month was very difficult. I found Rex's Place thru a neighbor of mine and boy am I ever glad I did. Milo goes to daycare about twice a week to play with all his doggy and human friends. Kathy and her staff have been wonderful with Milo. Milo is such a sweet loveable dog but does have a bit of barking problem and Kathy and her staff have been so patient and caring with him and me as well. They have gone out of their way to do what works for him. I love the report cards I get when I pick him up and he sleeps like a baby as soon as I bring him home. I'm not one to typically write reviews but Milo is my little baby and Rex's Place has done wonders for my anxiety as well as Milo's in trying to adjust to a new city, a new state, and a new environment! Kathy, Dana, Tobie, Cody, Matt, Jalen, Kristen, Bowie, Jenelle, Amira, Aaron , Morgan and Katherine...the entire staff, Thank you! read more

I am very disappointed in this daycare. One of the owners sorely lacks in the ability to communicate properly with dog owners. If you ask too many questions or make a suggestion on how to handle your dog, beware. It is either their way or the highway and there are no compromises. The manager will become very defensive and sometimes down right mean. They will also talk to you condescendingly. If they can no longer work with you, they don't have the common decency to call you. They will take the cowards way out and email you. If your dog has any issues, steer clear of this facility!!!!! read more

Kathy and her staff couldn't be any nicer. Love this place. Took my dog Pain here for day care and he will back on Monday. He was tired which is a good thing. Lots of energy this dog has. They texted me his progress and gave me his report card. They were very good with Pain and I could tellt that the other dogs there were happy too. Having a dog walking service before, I could tell that these people knew what they are doing. I'm so happy I'm a client there. Kathy, Brad and the rest of the staff at Rex's Place will take good care of you. read more

We are grateful every day for Rex's Place! It's a warm and welcoming environment for all dogs, a place for them to run / play and be well cared for! read more

We brought our mid-size rescue dog to Rex's. He had socialization issues, had been very mistreated. They worked with him, found the right mix between big dogs and small where he felt comfortable. Now he's a well adjusted social dog. Out for walks he is no longer over protective or defensive. I can't thank the staff at Rex's enough. A wonderful place. read more

My dog was injured at Rex's Place and I was not notified until I picked her up. No one knew what happened because there are too many dogs and not enough staff. Staff did, however, decide to "treat" my dog by applying liquid skin to her fur... I took her to the emergency vet who was surprised as well with the decisions the day care made without my knowledge or approval. Had I received a call, I would have understood the situation, appreciated the notice, and made the decision to take my dog to my vet. I would have also continued to be a member of Rex's Place. It was difficult to reach the owner and no compensation was offered. They will say they treat all dogs as their own, that this was an unfortunate situation and I should have been called. This is all true, and I appreciate the sentiment, but I will not be going back nor recommend this day care. Since then, I have heard similar stories from others. (Also - never received a response regarding training classes and went elsewhere - love Unleashed classes and Meg.) read more

We've tried probably every doggy daycare in the North shore and Evanston area; Rex's place is the best. Our dog is a terrier and loves to play, some places have treated him like a nuisance. Rex's place embraces his zest for other dogs and big dog confidence. After relocating a few miles north we thought we could find another place that would be a good fit for Parker and super convenient for us - let's just say we're back at Rex's and the extra 20 min to pick him up is well worth it. Kathy and her crew reign supreme! read more

My high energy Portie Grande, also known as Noodlehead, has been going to Rex's place since Kathy opened the doors! Thats 10 years of safety, fun, exercise, socialization and peace of mind! My favorite time of day is at pick up when the pack is quiet and tired out, resting on their cots, all shapes and sizes, some cuddling, some fast asleep, some hold outs are still playing at the back of the room ... Grande somehow knows I've come in and he jumps up pops his head over the counter looking like he's had a great day playing with his best friends and he can't wait to tell me all about it! Thank you to everyone at Rex's! You're the best! read more

My dog is a BIG challenge. A number of trainers have suggested - sight unseen - that I euthanize him. He is a rescue and his past is unknown. I gave a six-or-so page letter to the wonderful people at Rex's Place identifying his issues, but they nonetheless agreed to give him a whirl. Whatever magic they work there is unknown to me. All I know is that Oskar comes home a new dog: happy to see me when I arrive, yes, but wanting to go back into Rex's for more fun. When I saw that happen after a recent visit, I started to cry, I was so happy. I could not work my job without Rex's, and it is so incredibly gratifying that they are doing something so right with Oskar by day that he is literally a transformed dog. Thank you!!! read more

The only word our 8-month old Westie gets more excited about than "Cookie" is "Rex's". As customers for the past half year, my wife and I are constantly impressed by how much Kathy and her staff does for their dogs. Each day at pickup time, it's like a family reunion as they they recount the day's adventures, referencing each dog as they would a family member. When Grover first went at 3 months, he was initially intimidated by all the other dogs, especially the larger breeds. In less than a day however, he quickly became one with the pack and can't wait to sprint out the door when it's time to go. Rex's Place has dramatically improved Grover's socialization with other dogs and people. It's also reassuring to know he is in good hands when we can't watch him. Finally, day care is a great way to blow off some steam, Grover is pooped when he comes home! If you are at all considering doggy daycare, I highly recommend Rex's Place. read more

Our dog loves it there, he's been going since he was a puppy and the staff are so warm and friendly-they have a huge space, air conditioning and a big backyard with pools and fun things to do. Recently they have started posting videos and pictures which I love since I get to see what he is doing all day-which is usually playing catch. They have a great FB page where they are always providing updates. read more

Wendy and Dennis, from D.o.g. Dog Obedience Group offer group obedience classes at Rex's place. They are top notch trainers who adapt training to fit your dogs individual needs. I was concerned my dog wouldn't do well in a group and they did everything they could to help her succeed so we could remain in the group class read more