This review is LONG overdue!! We brought our chow/pit mix here due to her herding / feet nipping habits/ playtime nipping and the trainers here completely transformed my dog. She was a tough cookie to crack and not food motivated AT ALL but the trainers here were so patient. Our dog is now super well behaved, understands boundaries, and is very obedient! 10000% worth the investment!
This place is extremely unsanitary.When I walk to the metra, there are always black bags of dog poop outside the entrance. Which is ridiculous since they have a garbage bin outside their facility five feet away.It is not hard for the workers to throw it into the correct location the first time.Please be mindful of people walking by, leaving poop bags outside is gross. I can only imagine how dirty the facility inside is.
They took amazing care of my beloved (foster) dog Rex. He can be a handful and they were not only capable and trustworthy, but flexible and kind with everything we needed. They went above and beyond to make sure he was taken care of and helped to keep Rex on his training course so he can get adopted! Can’t recommend them enough. Pic of Rex for cuteness cred.
This place is AMAZING. I've gotten to know Ari and Aliya over the years, and they are as good as they get. I've tried a few training services, but this is the only one that works. But even more importantly - they TRULY care about the health and well-being of the dogs they are working with. Worth every penny. Just trust this team will know the right thing to do for your dog!
I did the 3 week board and train for my dog and I highly recommend! My dog is a little over a year, golden retriever with high energy and sometimes a mind of his own. He would jump on people, pull on the leash and I could never take my eye off him or he’d be getting into something. This program really shaped him into a well mannered and obedient dog. He listens to his commands, he no longer jumps and I can get back to cooking/eating in peace. It’s also great because you get equipment to keep, 2 private lessons and 2 group sessions to ensure carryover of the skills learned. I worked with Brooke directly and she was phenomenal, very knowledgeable, kind and I could tell she helped take good care of my dog while he was there. Best money ever spent
Ari, the owner, refunded our dog’s board and train deposit, last minute. He was rude and unprofessional. He respects his own time. He likes to speak a lot and hear less. Clients are not important to him. It also appears to me from the way he speaks that he has “control issue” and has an “immature communication skills”. He spent 15 mins interrogating me why did I not attend his call the time he gave to me. He probably thinks he’s the only professional working on earth. I’m glad I’m not doing business with Dogs Downtown.
Downtown Dogs has seriously changed our lives and our Mini Aussie Louie's life for the better. Before training, Louie was very leash reactive/ aggressive towards other people and dogs. Going for walks used to be very anxiety-provoking for us, especially living in a pet-friendly condo building with dogs everywhere! It got to the point where he started reacting and biting us during our walks and that's when we knew he needed intensive training. We scheduled a consultation and were immediately impressed by knowledge and passion that Ari had for training. We felt confident that Downtown Dogs' team of trainers would help Louie build confidence and solidify foundational obedience skills for him to thrive in all settings. Having Louie attend the 3 week Board & Train program was the best decision we ever made. Louie was paired with Brooke, who is an INCREDIBLE trainer! She is patient, yet firm and has given us all the tools we need to be a successful team! Louie is still just as goofy and loving, but obedient and we no longer walk him in fear! We cannot thank Brooke and the staff at Downtown Dogs enough for the positive impact they have made on our lives. 1,000% recommend Downtown Dogs- they are worth the investment!
Highly recommend Downtown Dog Chicago! We sent our dog to the board and train when she struggled with aggression issues and they really helped us deal with the root causes. Brooke in particular is wonderful. We also love the boarding options!
Downtown Dogs was the best experience we could have asked for! We got our 2 year old pit from a rescue in November and instantly knew we needed some support with her. She was overstimulated on walks, making it almost impossible to walk her. She was also a velcro dog with confinement issues. We sent her to the 3 week board and train and she came back an entirely different dog but with the same personality! Ari and Aliya were helpful before, during and after the process. Any troubleshooting that I need, they call me back right away. Unlike other board and trains, they continue supporting you after your dog leaves and that has made a huge difference. We continue group classes almost weekly and love the community there. Thanks to the entire staff!
Definitely recommend. Three week board and train made a huge difference in confidence, obedience and some of the anxiety. The consultations and everything after are also a plus. Even the Boarding after training is reasonably priced.
Can't explain how much this place changed our lives in regards to our 1.5 year old pitbull. We live in a high rise with many other dogs and our rescue pitbull is very dog aggressive. After three weeks of training, the first day having her home was night and day taking her out for her walks. We were constantly pulling her across the street to avoid other dogs and now we are able to walk right past them with a heel command or have sit calmly while the other dog passes. Definitely recommend this place if you have a dog that has any aggression.
We did the three week board and train and Cline returned a completely different dog. He is heeling properly and no longer leash reactive towards other dogs; moreover, we now feel like we have the tools we need to help correct other behaviors around the house (chewing on furniture, etc.) and better understand how to work with him.We had worked with several trainers in the past and had made very little progress (Cline can be very stubborn and hard to work with), but Logan and the team did an amazing job. They even kept him several extra days at no additional charge since he hadn't been making progress as quickly as they expected.It was also great to see that Cline was very excited to return to Downtown dogs (his tail started wagging as soon as we walked up) the following week for our follow-up lesson. He seemed to really like Logan.We have nothing but good things to say and highly recommend the board and train program, easily the best money we've ever spent.
I honestly don’t know where to begin. I came to Downtown Dogs back in April with little hope that my (at the time 11mo) dog Boss wouldn’t be able to get over his fear of being outside and not having confidence. By the time the first consultation was over, I knew this was the right place to help him overcome what he was going through. I explained to Ari my situation with Boss and how it came about, he reassured me that they’d correct the problem. Not many places are accepting of giant breed dogs, Ari wanted to take on the challenge. Boss was paired up with Logan for his first few sessions and by the end of the second one, I could see improvements. I felt fully confident to sign him up for the board and train program. Boss had a bad board and train experience with another trainer at a separate facility that was not affiliated with Downtown Dogs. I was extremely hesitant but after going through the trainings with him and seeing how he connected to Logan, I was willing to try the 4 week program. I was sent weekly updates that included videos as well as a detailed report card of the progress he was making and what still needed work. Upon completion of the course, I saw a different dog then the one I dropped off. Yes, he still needs to work at things and we are taking classes there to work towards becoming better. Without Ari, Logan, and Aliya helping us, he’d still have his sometimes uncontrollable fears. I recommend them to any and everyone. I can’t say thank you enough from Boss and I
I highly recommend Downtown Dogs! I adopted a two year old pittie, Lucy, from the shelter who only knew the command sit. She was leash reactive and pulled so hard that walking her felt impossible. It was so bad that I received complaints from others in my high rise condo building. After completing the board and train program and her follow up lessons, Lucy is a completely different dog. She heels well, no longer has any reactivity, and knows a number of commands. We frequently receive compliments on her obedience during our walks throughout the city. Ari, Aliya, and the team work wonders! The program is worth the investment and has made Lucy’s life so much better.
We found ourselves, literally, with a Covid rescue pup. His previous owner drove down our road and dropped him off and he ended up on our porch at our farm in KY, when he was about 6 months old. He was very sweet and had basic good manners(no barking, potty trained, great in the car and crate), but needed training beyond that. We sent him to Downtown Dogs for his level 1 training. We called it boarding school....he came back happy and with good recall skills. He boards there now when we go away and always is happy to walk in. We appreciate the team there and the fact that they seem to appreciate Wilson and he is happy while there.
Great place for boarding and training! I have two head-strong and derpy pitties, and Ari, Aliya, and all the staff here helped to train them (and, let’s be real, mainly train ME) to allow for the dogs’ best chance at success. I always recommend Ari and Aliya to people who ask me score training; definitely worth it!!
These guys are truly amazing! My dog Addie is a rescue who had so many issues and bringing her to train with Downtown Dogs was the best decision I could possibly have made. I will be bringing every dog I ever have here because they are truly the best!!!
Simple. I came in today for an evaluation and left very optimistic about my dog Cooper. I was so impressed with their Knowledge. I am totally moving forward with it. If you are overwhelmed and feel lost about how to help you dog and yourself, don't hesitate about making an appointment. I did and I feel so much better about my dogs future. DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DOG. THERE ARE SOLUTIONS. I am so glad I found Downtown Dogs Chicago. PLEASE GIVE YOU DOG AND YOURSELF A CHANCE.
Here’s the thing, I haven’t technically even used their services yet but they rock. I have sent them annoying emails and asked so many questions and they get back to me every time and are so helpful. I haven’t even paid them a cent and they have given me amazing dog advice over the phone.Just thought that was pretty special and needed to be shared!**Adding on to this because we did end up sending our dog Lady to their board and train program. It was amazing. Worth every penny. We learned so much, Lady learned so much, and it is the best feeling to know we have people we can turn to if we need help in the future. Also Lady and I saw Aliya (one of her trainers) in the park and Lady was SO excited. She loves them 😭.
If you want to have a great relationship with your dog, it starts with great training, and this is the place you want to get that done. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive.
Ari, Aliya, and the whole group at Downtown Dogs are amazing. My incredibly stubborn, 1.5 year old 120-lb Bloodhound came to them with little to no training and a propensity for resource guarding and reactivity, and he came home from the Board and Train program a completely different dog, in the best way. They gave me and my dog the tools we need to avoid unwanted behaviors and I am truly amazed at the transformative level of obedience my dog now displays. A complete 180 from when he started. Cannot say enough good things about Downtown Dogs! I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for dog training of all types.
Ari, Conner & Aliya are great. I’ve had my pup home for a few hours after a 3 week board and train program and already the difference is amazing. I would recommend them in a heartbeat as the whole process has been a great experience. Not only are they pros with training but the communication throughout the process was exceptional.
Downtown Dogs Chicago is by far the best training and staff in the city! We did a board and train for our dog Carter who we couldn't quite figure out. 95% of the time he is a super happy dog and loves people and other dogs but would randomly snap / bite for reasons we couldn't really figure out. This became super stressful for us. We did a board and train with Downtown Dogs and it has helped IMMENSELY. I can't say enough positive things about the whole staff. Carter is a much more confident dog, loves to work / train, and is less anxious. We will continue to use Downtown Dogs for group classes and whenever we go out of town (huge perk of working with them as well!) and they always have room and time for Carter. Having worked with other trainers in Chicago and in other states, Ari and his team are BY FAR the best I have worked with. They are caring, professional, passionate, and super helpful. We are so glad to have found them and couldn't be happier!
The staff at Downtown Dogs Chicago truly changed both mine and my dog's life. My Chow Chow Isla had been anxious, nervous, and fearful all 5 years of her life. I had been told previously that there wasn't much help for fearful/anxious dogs. After doing some research I found Ari and Aliya. They quickly set up a consultation where Ari answered any and all of my questions and encouraged me that there was in fact hope for Isla. My biggest fear was her escaping off leash when I wasn't around, as she had when she was 12 weeks old, which was horrifying and caused me to get extremely uncomfortable leaving her with anyone besides family. I mentioned this more than once and everyone I spoke with assured me that my worst nightmare would not come true and that safety was their number one concern. So I signed Isla up and hoped for the best. I didn't expect to see as much progress as I did but I am so unbelievably grateful that they did not give up on her and helped her get to where she is now. She's still herself, but her anxiety is MUCH more manageable. I now have tools to help her move through fears and the positive response I get from her makes continuing training easy and a joy. If you're looking for a sign to get help for your dog THIS IS IT! I could not be happier with the service, experience and compassion from everyone at Downtown Dogs Chicago. 20/10 Would recommend!
I’d give Downtown Dogs 10 stars if I could. My French bulldog Mona is a ball of energy, and I was having trouble training her on my own. I had tried classes with some other trainers, but after one suggested medication to calm her down even though her excitability was pretty normal for her breed, I knew I had to find a new trainer. I had a consultation with Ari and felt really comfortable leaving Mona in their hands.We did the 3 week board and train. I got updates every week on her progress, and at the end Aliya gave me a great lesson so I could implement the tools they gave Mona.My favorite part of the whole process? Aliya and Ari are SO responsive even after you take your pup home. I swear I’ve had a million questions, and they have been so helpful and quick with their responses, and Mona has just gotten better and better since being home. The follow up lessons with the rest of the staff have been very helpful as well. Everyone is so knowledgeable and helpful. Great experience!
What a wonderful experience! There is proof that an old(er) dog can learn new tricks. To be honest, I took my dog Moose 5 in to the bootcamp because I was going to be traveling and thought that maybe he’d learn a thing or two versus just being boarded somewhere. I can’t emphasize how much of an improvement I saw.Ari and Aliya are a fantastic duo. They are the perfect combo of structured and stern enough without being intimidating. My dog Moose had some confidence issues, fear, leash reactivity to other dogs and loads of energy I couldn’t seem to run out. I left with a perfectly trained dog—or darn close—that now has skills that are beyond helpful. The mental training I found tires him out the most! I especially love the long sit/stay on the dog bed and the “here” command for recall. I learned a lot and so did Moose. I would definitely take a new dog here in the future or use them again for a refresh (more for me than for the dog!).I say with confidence that they can handle any dog regardless of size, age or temperament. They also helped some friends of mine with their little tyrant! Aside from the training, the bed, leash and collar you leave with make it an even better value. Good people. Good decision. Go for it. You won’t regret anything other than not doing it sooner!
We could not be happier with our decision to take our dog Shadow to Downtown Dogs.. it truly was life changing for our family. Our dog Shadow was dog and person aggressive to the point where he attacked two of our family dogs badly and we were going through the process of trying to re-home him so he could feel more comfortable being an only dog. He also would bark and try to attack every person that walked by on our walks.. it was extremely stressful both for us and for Shadow. After Shadow completed the board and train program at Downtown Dogs he truly was a new dog! He was so much more confident, less anxious, and now we can go on walks and he never has problems (both with regard to people and dogs). It honestly was shocking to see the difference. We cannot thank Downtown Dogs enough- we recommend it to all of our friends who have dogs that are struggling with dog/person aggression. We would refer anyone here! My partner and I always say how thankful we are that we spent the money to give Shadow a better life! THANK YOU!
Definitely recommend downtown dogs! Our dog Howie is super high energy and they helped us to direct it meaningfully. We didn’t think it could happen but he came out of their board and train program a new dog. But it didn’t end there, Ari, Aliya and Breanna have welcomed us in for multiple private follow-up sessions to really transfer the training to us and make us feel fully confident/troubleshoot issues that continued.
Ari & Aliya were wonderful to work with. They took great care of my difficult dog and I would recommend their services to anyone. Downtown Dogs is dedicated, trustworthy, and truly cares about their clients.
Our two year old Rottweiler, Frank, loves coming to see Ari and his team at Downtown Dogs. Not only do we always feel safe knowing Frank is being taken care of, he always comes back to us as a better dog. They don’t just board him; they discipline and challenge Frankie. This is the absolute best dog training/boarding facility in Chicago.
Can’t say enough positive about Downtown Dogs. We, like many others, took home a puppy at the beginning of quarantine. We had some loose training before then but lockdown made obedience training hard, and we weren’t sure how to make learning stick in the right way...enter Downtown Dogs. Our pup was able to get the focused training she would’ve gotten over a longer period of training classes if they were open. She listens during distractions, can hold in place without breaking...but most importantly I feel like we have the tools to better communicate and hold her accountable. She has never been happier or calmer—she loves keeping up with her training at home and at group classes, and even loved seeing the staff at a recent boarding. Thanks to Ari + Aliya and the full staff!!
It’s been almost a year since we sent our pup to the three week training. Marvin is a much happier and well behaved dog, he listens to us, doesn’t pull the leash and we are able to communicate with him better. Thanks so much Aliya for training our beloved Marvin.
I can't stress enough how amazing this place and these people are! I just moved to the city from a rural town in KY, and my GSD Phoebe was very anxious and uncontrollable at first. I googled dog training and chose Downtown Dogs based on their excellent reviews. I wasn't disappointed! Everyone is very down to earth and you can see that they truly love dogs and are passionate about what they do. I left phoebe there for the 21-day training program and she is a completely different dog now. They addressed all of my concerns with her and city life is so much more comfortable for her and for me. When I dropped her off recently to be boarded for the night, she was so happy to see everyone and was completely comfortable and genuinely happy to be back. By seeing her interact with them, I can promise you that your dog will love Downtown Dogs and they will love him back. It was worth every penny!
I also can't speak to their training because I only experienced a conversation on the phone. I had sent an email asking about their methods because I am uncomfortable with e-collars and have a stranger aggressive, unpredictable dog.Long story short, the phone conversation didn't go well. No thanks to Downtown Dogs.
From the very first phone call, through our pups dog training and now using Downtown Dogs for boarding when out of town, this place is THE BEST! Extremely professional and accommodating. They send updates on your pup and treat them as their own. I can’t recommend this place more!
I could not recommend downtown dogs enough. We sent our boy Hugo there for a 3 week training course, and he came back a different dog! Previously, he wouldn't walk down the block without stopping, and now he is heel trained like an angel. We use them for our boarding services as well, and they are very trustworthy and good boarders! Ari and Aliyah rock Hugo's socks. 10/10
