We took an introductory puppy training class with Mary and the techniques she taught us were very…read morehelpful! She uses a combination of positive reinforcement and voice inflection/commands to guide the dog. Her approach is to "train the trainer", so that you are not accidentally giving mixed signals to your dog. We adopted our puppy during the pandemic, and she has always been scared of other dogs and people despite our best efforts to socialize her. The training techniques Mary taught us helped our dog to focus on us, instead of outside stimuli in public places and helped her be a bit less afraid out in the world. We're looking forward to going back for more lessons! Thanks, Mary!

We were so optimistic when we came in for training. Mary sounded pleasant on the phone. We were…read moretold that it would be socially distant, but it was anything but.. I found myself in a dingy, tight, and cramped basement with too many people wearing ill-fitting masks. COVID-19 aside, I don't know how The Obedience Center has remained in business for so long. They don't value building relationships with your dog. Their "training" includes screaming "quiet" at dogs, grabbing them by their mouths when they're puppy biting, and spaying peppermint breath spray into their mouths. Mary is a genuinely unpleasant individual. She'll make you feel like you're back in elementary school with a miserable teacher that needs to retire. I was so hopeful for this place, but I never returned. I've met people at the local dog park with similar experiences, and so I'm glad it wasn't just me. I found a better training place that fosters human/dog relationships and imparts knowledge helpfully. It's true, there are tons of ribbons on the walls, and I have no reason to believe that her authoritarian training regime scares dogs into compliance. I have different values and have found success without her methods. If tyranny and cruelty isn't your preference, I'd suggest you avoid this place at all costs.

I left a really comprehensive review so I'm not sure why Yelp is asking again... but long story…read moreshort: 2 chihuahuas that were rescued from out of state - and complete terrors. Suburban K9 changed our lives with 1 week of in-home training. It was pricey but these two have been living their best lives ever since - and so have their parents

It was a hard decision to let our 4 month old Iggy pup go to someone for 2 full weeks of board and…read moretrain, especially after falling so hard for our little guy named Kenny Beans! After speaking with several training programs, visiting some, and prayerfully considering what the right choice should be Madi Potts helped make our choice easy. Before we would trust anyone with our little 7.5 lb boy, we had to get a sense of one's heart. My husband and I were not looking for someone who could simply "control dogs" or "make them obey commands". We wanted someone who had a heart for dogs to have better lives with structure, less fear, and longevity due to possibilities that came with what training offered. My first inquiry call with Madi was pretty long, if I recall right. She was patient, understanding of my many questions, and willing to talk as long as I needed to feel she was safe to go to next step with. We started with a 90 min at home training session to see first hand and understand how she would personally be as a trainer with Beans. That training was stressful and also a relief as we believed we found the right person to entrust our boy to. When the day came for him to be picked up, both my husband and I were crying. It wasn't just about trusting a new person to take care of Beans, it was also the resurfaced grief of losing our whippet girl of 11 years just a few months prior. The "what ifs" where overwhelming, but we agreed we were moving forward. Madi also saw our "anguish" if you want to call it that. She quickly said she typically doesn't give an update for the first 24-48 hours but she would update us that evening. To her word, we got a picture of beans at the park and our hearts settled a bit. Throughout the two weeks, Madi was wonderful about keeping us up to date and answering questions as needed or as we annoyed her (lol we might have been a little over the top haha) She never hesitated to share and ensure our boy was learning, and struggling in some areas, but overall doing great. Now that he is back with us, we have already had one of our follow up appointments and are so thankful Madi was who helped us with Beans. He was so happy to see her and made her say goodbye before leaving (even though he was supposed to "stay", lol). Training is still a ongoing work daily, Beans still doesn't love his crate but is accepting he is safe and it's ok to not see us 24/7 (Italian greyhounds are Velcro dogs to the max!) This was an emotional, time, and financial investment that we continue to place priority on. I know many will say do not board and train an Iggy, but for our family, giving him and us the tools to have a successful life together was important. We did our due diligence and don't regret our decision. Actually we are extremely grateful we found Madi and Suburban K9. When she left after our last follow up session she looked at Beans, gave him a scratch and said "I love you". I have no doubt she does, for that I am thankful. It is my hope everyone will find someone as knowledgeable and kind hearted toward an animals as Madi is. Thank you Suburban K9 for helping us learn puppy manners with Madi. We are forever grateful. Mike, Heather, and Kenny the Bean Davis Las Vegas Nevada

By far the best trainer we've had to date! I live in Los Angeles but I'm from the Chicago land…read morearea. I rescued a puppy, for my Grandma, that was born on the day my grandpa passed away. Usually I train the puppies before I bring them out to her. This time I didn't. I wanted her to have him asap to help w the grief. My grandpa also had a dog, that never left his side and was with him the night he passed. After his passing we brought her to the funeral so she understood he wasn't coming home. After several tries of nudging him in the casket, kissing him and booping her nose to his nose to try to wake him up she realized he wasn't this time. After the funeral her behavior changed and she started marking everywhere in the house. Not knowing she was marking and bringing a puppy into the mix, made the situation alot more chaotic. My grandmas also in a wheelchair and depends on others for help. Which made things harder for her to train her puppy. After numerous phone calls, either being told it was nearly impossible to do what I needed help with or it's was gonna cost as much as giving them my first born, I nearly gave up. UNTIL.... Richard came to my rescue! When I talk to Richard for the first time, I got a sense of peace and a chance for hope. Instead of him telling me that this situation was an obstacle beyond imagination, or not possible, he took the challenge. He warned me it might take time, given the circumstances that I was pretty much putting him in and limiting what he could and couldn't do. But, he was willing to try and not charge me my first born. After the first session, we saw results that didn't seem reachable in the beginning. We've been able to break my grandpas dog from marking all over the house and the puppy's on his way to being pee pad trained. We still have more work to do but the progress so far gives the positive reassurance to keep going and not quitting. I highly recommend Richard to anyone and everyone! He's truly one of a kind

Rich is amazing. He is so successful at getting my dog to do what he should. He's patient teaching…read moreme how to follow through with the training.

We have adopted 2 different dogs from Fetching tails this past year. Fetching tails responded to…read moreour inquiry almost immediately, which is amazing for a volunteer run organization. We were able to set up a time to meet the dog (each time) quickly even though I have a an irregular schedule. They took the time to make sure we knew what would be required in caring for the dogs as well as visiting our home to ensure it would be a safe and appropriate place for a pet to live. In each adoption they were very helpful and informative, never seemed bothered by my endless questions and continue to be in touch with us for updates and questions. I highly recommend viewing their adoptable dogs online or attending one of their events if you are thinking about adding a meme we to your family .

Have volunteered at this organization for a few years now. I can honestly say the people truly care…read moreabout the pups and seek to match them to the perfect forever home. They use a stepping stone method from inhale to home. The pups start in a triage shelter to ensure the dogs are healthy through vet visits, stabilize the pups after any transit, and to get to know the intricacies of the individual characteristics of the new arrivals. They use this information to pair up the dogs with foster homes, helping the pups learn how to live in a caring environment and structured routines. This helps prepare the dogs for success at the next step which is adoption. Some dogs are so well adapted to the new surroundings that they can skip ahead in the process but others need time to decompress from the trauma they experienced. Again, this places has a mission to help dogs find their perfect home. Feel free to volunteer with the organization as I do, sign up as a foster, or even adopt a new family member. You will enjoy it and appreciate this place.

I highly recommend Monica for training and boarding! Monica has trained two of my family's dogs and…read moreshe is awesome! I highly recommend Monica training your new puppy!!! She is firm but kind and I trust her to take care of my dog when on vacation.

We're so grateful to have found Monica! When we brought home our two-month-old Bernadoodle puppy,…read moreWalter, we really wanted to start things off right. Monica came to pick him up for a two-week training stay, and when he came back, he was still the same sweet pup--just a little bigger and so much better behaved. Monica gave us such a strong foundation, and it's made life with Walter joyful (and a lot easier!). On top of training Walter, she gave us thoughtful, practical guidance on how to keep reinforcing those good habits and work with him confidently at home. Not only is he the best-mannered dog on the block, but we also have a trusted place to keep working on new skills and fun tricks. Thank you, Monica, for your care, kindness, and for setting both us and Walter up for success. We can't recommend you highly enough! Worth every cent.

Keith is an incredible trainer! He explains everything very well, shows you how to do certain…read morethings, and allows you to practice with your dog as well. He is all about ensuring that the dog's state of mind is HAPPY which is extremely important! He makes sure that if your dog is in an anxious state of mind, he will not force a behavior to be done. Keith is honest, and will not bullshit you. He uses multiple forms of positive and negative reinforcement to ensure that the dog is learning and is happy. I adopted my dog, Rona, a year ago. She is 2.5 years old and has learned SO much already training with Keith for just one week. I am impressed with his work. I really enjoy training with Keith and highly recommend him!

We LOVE working with Sarah as our training session began for our 6mth puppy. She is exceptionally…read moreknowledgeable about the different tools and methods that we can use to train our puppy, and provides homework and notes for us after each session so that it can be referenced. On top of this, as we talk through and discuss what our goas, Sarah tries to find out what works best for us and him, rather than a generic tip you may read off the internet, in order to set up our success for the long term. Sarah has had a lot of experience with different types of dogs, and has helped us immensely. Definitely recommend Sarah to anyone else who is struggling or needs more structure in their training! Looking forward to joining her other programs!

When I moved back into downtown Chicago, it was a really rough transition for my dog, Po. I needed…read moreto find ways to exercise and fulfill him in a new environment, and a passerby on the Chicago Riverwalk recommended vibrant k9. Sarah could not have been a better recommendation. After my dog's board and train program with her, I saw almost immediate improvement in his behavior at home. She recommended scent work, and it's made him a calmer dog. Whenever I have to leave town I will always bring Po to Sarah! He is a Rottweiler mix, and trainers in the past have been intimidated by his looks. He is very sweet but also incredibly stubborn. Sarah was patient, understanding and caring with Po, and now he can't wait to get away from me when I drop him off! I would recommend her for people with "difficult" dogs because of her empathetic yet structured approach. She is incredibly knowledgeable and one of the only people I trust to take care of my dog.

I had a pleasure of having my Dog trained by Jonathan last year! She was a rescue and was…read moreunder-socialized, Jonathan took the time to work with my dog and helped her find her confidence and showed her how to properly socialize around other dogs. She is now a dog daycare regular and is so much happier.