Our Team

All of our faculty and staff are animal owners and lovers. From our professional trainers to our caring support staff, many of the K9 University Chicago Team members participate in pet rescue, foster programs and dog sporting events and shows.

We are dedicated to making your dog’s stay comfortable, safe and fun. As experts on breeds, behaviors and nutrition, we provide professional, reliable and skilled care to dogs of all ages, shapes, sizes and temperaments.

All our trainers utilize positive training techniques to improve the bond between dogs and their handlers. We believe by providing each dog and their families with the skills they need to build a strong foundation they can reinforce the progress they make in our classes and private sessions throughout the life of their dog.

Chiara Rice

Chiara is a graduate of the Animal behavior college as a certified dog trainer. She has worked with dogs for 8 years and has an absolute passion not only for caring for animals but also for teaching them the tools they
need to succeed to become the star pup they were bred to be.

Chiara is a firm believer in positive reinforcement training methods. All of her training classes, private lessons, and board and trains will be based on a training program of positive reinforcement. So grab your treats
and positive markers we got so training to do.

Jonathan Polich

Jon has been in the dog industry in Chicago for 13 years. He started off running his own dog walking company and made his way into dog training close to 10 years ago. Jon is CPDT-KA certified and has been training dogs in the Chicago land area for around 10 years in doggy daycares and also privately. Jon believes training dogs is not only about working with your dog and their needs, but also being able to properly communicate dog behavior so you the dog owner can better connect with trust and understand how to work with your dog throughout its life.

Jon is a believer in the humane hierarchy of dog training and working with positive reinforcement-based training. Jon works with most behavioral needs such as puppy training, basic obedience, loose leash walking training, impulse control, relaxation protocol, dog reactive/people reactive training, as well as socialization training in small and large dog groups

Pablo Maldonado

Pablo is an established trainer and business founder of multiple dog care companies with specialties in training, boarding and canine nutrition.

As a participant in several highly regarded training seminars, Pablo enjoys working with all dog breeds including high energy dogs where he uses soft sports, such as Agility Training, to provide these active dogs with a positive way to focus their energy and modify unwanted behaviors. Along with his customized approach to training based on each dog’s individual needs, Pablo creates a unique comprehensive training environment for every client.

Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Pablo offers Private Training and all levels of Group Obedience Training in Spanish. He is also very active with Board and Train camps providing Spanish commands for dogs as needed for those clients who prefer to speak Spanish at home.

Yazmin Lopez

My name is Yazmin,

I was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico.

Since I was a child I have always loved dogs and becoming a dog trainer now is like a dream come true.

My duty as a trainer is to not only build a strong bond between owners and their pets, but to educate them on the method of positive reinforcement training and behavior modification. This is my way of contributing a little to society by making dogs great furry family members.

In addition to my contribution to society, I volunteered for two years in Nuevo León, Mexico for an animal shelter. My experience also extends to agility training.

My husband and I founded a pet care and BARF food company back home in Mexico. We live, breath, and sleep dogs and dedicated our lives to making the world a better place by training these extraordinary animals.

Our Team

Meet Our Team

Ruby Madrigal

Mariya Sergeeva