Dog Enrichment Services in Chicago
Watch your dog on a good walk sometime. Nose down, tail going, completely absorbed in a scent trail only they can follow. That is a dog doing what dogs are built to do, and it is a kind of happiness a nap and a full bowl cannot give them. Dog enrichment is about making room for more of those moments. At K9 University Chicago, our Dog Enrichment Academy gives your dog one-on-one time to sniff, dig, climb, solve, and figure things out. Some dogs come to us with energy to burn or nerves to settle. Others are already easygoing and deserve a day like that too. All of them go home satisfied, a little more confident, and the good kind of tired.
New to K9U? Start with a free day, meet the team, and add enrichment to your dog’s next visit. Already a client? Book online and add it to your next reservation.
What Is Dog Enrichment?
Dog enrichment is anything that meets a dog’s natural needs across body, mind, and emotions. It can be physical, like running an agility course; mental, like puzzling through a game; sensory, like a good long sniff that lets the nose do its work; or emotional, like gentle confidence-building for a dog who feels unsure. Behavior experts describe several kinds of enrichment, physical, mental, sensory, social, and instinctual, and a happy, balanced dog gets a little of each. A good session of nose work can leave a dog as content as a long walk, because a dog is most satisfied when body, brain, and instincts get to work together.
Why Dog Enrichment Matters
A dog who never gets to use their nose or their brain is missing something, even when everything else in their life is good. Enrichment fills that gap. It is also the thing that turns a restless dog around, because boredom is hard on dogs and it tends to come out as barking, chewing, and pacing, which wears on everyone, the dog most of all. Give that energy a purpose and you see it: a shy dog finding their footing, an anxious dog settling, a high-energy dog finally satisfied instead of wound up. You feel it at home too, in a dog who is relaxed and content to be near you.
Dog Enrichment vs. Regular Daycare
Regular Daycare
Friends, Play & Socialization
Daycare is all about friends and play. For many dogs, spending time with other dogs and enjoying social interaction is the best part of their week. Group play provides opportunities to run, romp, socialize, and burn off physical energy in a fun environment.
Dog Enrichment
One-on-one, Focus, Mind
Enrichment is a quieter, more personalized kind of attention. Instead of a big group, your dog works one-on-one with a trainer who focuses on what they specifically need—whether that means building confidence, learning to stay calm, exploring their senses, or giving their brain a good workout.
K9U Chicago Dog Enrichment Services and Prices
Here is the full menu of dog enrichment services at K9 University Chicago, with what each one does, who it suits, and what it costs, all in one place. Trainer-led activities are one-on-one sessions with one of our trainers. Staff-led add-ons are small extras our care team brings to a daycare or boarding day. Pay only for what you add, with no membership and no commitment. Add any activity to a daycare or boarding stay, or book a trainer-led session on its own.
| Service | What it is | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trainer-Led Dog Enrichment Activities | ||||
| Agility Course | Challenge your dog's body and mind with a trainer-led agility course. Your dog navigates tunnels, jumps, platforms, and other obstacles designed to improve balance, coordination, confidence, and athletic ability. Whether your dog is full of energy or just loves learning new skills, agility is excellent physical exercise and mental stimulation in a safe, controlled space. Best for: Active dogs, confident dogs, and dogs that enjoy learning new skills. | $40 | ||
| Mental Stimulation Games | Mental exercise matters as much as physical exercise. In this one-on-one session, your dog works through interactive puzzles, problem-solving activities, and engaging challenges that stimulate the mind and ease boredom. These games help build confidence, improve focus, and give your dog healthy mental enrichment.Best for: Intelligent breeds, energetic dogs, senior dogs, and dogs that love to learn. Best for: Intelligent breeds, energetic dogs, senior dogs, and dogs that love to learn. | $40 | ||
| Trick Training Session | Learning new tricks keeps your dog mentally engaged while strengthening your communication and building confidence. Our trainers work one-on-one with your dog, teaching fun and practical tricks with positive reinforcement, so every session is an enjoyable experience that reinforces good behavior. Best for: Dogs of all ages that enjoy learning. | $40 | ||
| Nose Work Adventure | Dogs experience the world through their noses. Our nose work sessions tap into that natural scenting instinct, letting your dog search for hidden treats, toys, and scents. It is a highly rewarding activity that gives exceptional mental stimulation while building confidence and easing stress. Best for: Curious dogs, scent-driven breeds, and dogs that need mental enrichment. | $40 | ||
| Structured Walk | More than a walk, this trainer-guided outing focuses on calm behavior, leash manners, impulse control, and the enrichment of a changing environment. Your dog explores while practicing polite walking and building confidence around new sights, sounds, and smells. Best for: Dogs working on manners, confidence, or one-on-one time. | $40 | ||
| Confidence Building Session | Designed for shy, nervous, or hesitant dogs, these personalized sessions build confidence through positive experiences, obstacle exploration, balance equipment, and gentle confidence exercises. Every activity is adjusted to your dog's own comfort level, helping them grow more resilient in new environments. Best for: Puppies, timid dogs, rescue dogs, and dogs that need extra encouragement. | $40 | ||
| Dig Zone Adventure | Let your dog enjoy one of their favorite natural behaviors in a safe, supervised setting. Your dog can dig, search for hidden treasures, and explore our enrichment sandbox, satisfying a natural instinct in a place where it is welcome. Digging is wonderful mental and physical enrichment that many dogs love. Best for: Terriers, sporting breeds, and dogs that love to dig. | $40 | ||
| Splash and Water Play | Cool off with supervised water enrichment made for fun, confidence, and exercise. Your dog can splash, chase water, play with sprinklers, and enjoy interactive water games that keep them active while helping them stay cool on warm days. Best for: Water-loving dogs and warm summer days. | $40 | ||
Staff-Led Enrichment Add-Ons | ||||
| Guided Treadmill Exercise | Our trained care staff guide a safe, supervised treadmill session tailored to your dog's comfort and energy level. It is a great way to burn extra energy, keep up fitness, or add exercise when outdoor conditions are not ideal. Best for: High-energy dogs, weight management, and rainy days. | $15 | ||
| Bedtime Peanut Butter Kong or Lick Mat | Help your dog wind down before bedtime with a relaxing peanut butter-filled Kong or lick mat prepared by our care staff. This calming activity encourages natural licking, promotes relaxation, and helps your dog settle in comfortably for the night. Best for: Boarding guests, anxious dogs, and dogs that enjoy relaxing enrichment. | $7.50 | ||
Dog Enrichment for Reactive and Senior Dogs
Some dogs do not fit the mold of a big, busy playroom, and we would never turn them away for it. Reactive dogs and dogs who are not yet altered get their enrichment in calm, separate spaces, at a pace that feels safe to them; see our daycare and boarding for reactive dogs.
Older dogs get gentle sessions that respect stiff joints and slower afternoons, so they stay engaged and comfortable; see our senior dog daycare and boarding. Whatever your dog’s age, history, or personality, there is a kind of enrichment that is right for them.
Where Dog Enrichment Fits
Enrichment flexes to fit your dog and your schedule. It can round out a daycare or boarding day, or stand on its own as a single session. Here are the three ways dogs get it.
With dog daycare
Add a session to a group-play day so your dog gets social time and focused, one-on-one activity. See dog daycare.
With dog boarding
Build enrichment into an overnight stay so a boarding guest stays engaged and settles well. See dog boarding.
On its own
Book a standalone, trainer-led enrichment session, with no daycare or boarding required.
Already a client? Log in and add enrichment to a daycare or boarding reservation, or ask us about a standalone session.
New to K9U? Register online, upload your dog’s vaccination records, and sign the waiver, then you can make a reservation. Puppies can start once they have had two rounds of booster vaccines. Sessions fold naturally into the day; you can see how a day flows on our facility schedule.
Led by Trainers and Care Staff Who Love Dogs
Two sets of hands look after your dog here, and both know dogs well. The trainer-led sessions are run by professional K9 University trainers who read canine body language and shape the time around the dog in front of them, with years behind them working with high-energy dogs, reactive dogs, puppies, and everything in between.
The staff-led add-ons are handled by our trained pet care team, the same people who learn your dog’s routine and notice when they are having an off day. You can meet the team on our team page.
Dog Enrichment FAQs
K9 University Chicago runs the Dog Enrichment Academy at 2945 W Lake St, serving the West Loop, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Park, and nearby neighborhoods. You can add a session to daycare or boarding, or book a standalone visit.
Enrichment gives a reactive dog a calm, one-on-one outlet away from the pressure of a group. Nose work, treadmill time, and structured walks lower arousal, build focus, and grow confidence at the dog's own pace, in separate spaces. Our daycare and boarding for reactive dogs explains how we structure their day.
Senior dogs do best with low-impact, mind-first enrichment: gentle nose work, mental stimulation games, slow structured walks, and calm one-on-one attention. These keep an older dog engaged without overtaxing the body. See our senior dog daycare and boarding for their full day.
Trainer-led sessions include agility, mental stimulation games, trick training, nose work, structured walks, confidence building, a dig zone, and water play. Staff-led options include a guided treadmill session and a bedtime Kong or lick mat.
Give Your Dog More Than a Day of Play
Your dog deserves a day that fills them up, body and mind. Book a dog enrichment session at K9 University Chicago, and let us give your best friend the kind of happy, worn-out contentment that makes their tail thump the moment they see you at pickup.
Play My Way!
Chicago dogs love the personalized activities with their trainers or handlers
Meet Our Trainers
Pablo Maldonado
Dog Trainer
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.
Jonathan Polich
Lead Dog Trainer
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. He 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
Joshua D. Johnson
Dog Trainer
Joshua D. Johnson
Joshua D. Johnson is a seasoned dog trainer with over nine years of professional experience, specializing in obedience, behavior modification, and high-drive working dogs. He holds multiple industry certifications, including Animal Behavior College Dog Training Certification, and police and sport dog decoy certification. His skillset spans from foundational pet obedience to advanced working dog applications, with a proven ability to bring out the best in each dog through a balanced, results-driven approach.
In addition to his individual accomplishments, Joshua played a key role in developing and launching Canine Kingdom, a successful dog daycare and training business. His hands-on expertise extends to creating training programs, managing client relations, and building a thriving canine community. Whether working with family companions, service dogs, or sport competitors, Joshua’s training philosophy blends precision, clarity, and strong handler communication to ensure lasting results.
Joshua’s foundation in discipline and performance comes from his military background, where he served as an infantryman and worked alongside military working dogs. This experience instilled a deep understanding of canine capability, drive, and teamwork under pressure. Today, he continues to combine his military precision with a passion for helping dogs and handlers succeed, making him a trusted figure in both pet and professional working dog circles.
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