Play Your Way at K9U Chicago
We know dogs play in different ways.
For dogs with special needs, we offer two trainer curated play services.
Play Services for Dogs with Special Needs.
- Dog Group Social Rehab
- Dog Individual Activity
Dog Group Social Rehab is back by popular demand on 10/19/2020.
Dog Group Social Rehab Schedule & Prices
Reservations required in advanceGroup Social Rehab @ K9U Chicago | ||
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As an Added Service | T-W-T 10 - Noon | $20.00 (for daycare/boarding clients) |
As a Drop-In service | Drop-off: 9:00 am - 10:00 am Pick-up: by 1:00 pm | $30.00 (need to call in advance to confirm availability and drop off between 9-10 am and pick up by 1:00 pm) |
Dog Group Social Rehab Details
Not every dog can successfully play and interact with other dogs in a traditional daycare playgroup. These groups might be too active for some dogs while others have a strong play style that the group may not easily tolerate.
Sadly, many of these dogs are isolated from most daycare group play and are often mislabeled as aggressive or not social.
But not at K9U Chicago.
We pride ourselves in having trainers who know how to engage with every dog in our care and understand what each dog needs to be fulfilled both mentally and physically.
Dogs will be evaluated by our trainers to determine which group is best for each dog to join. If there isn’t a proper match for a specific dog then our trainers will spend time with that dog via our Individual Activity service.
- Highly recommended service for all daycare and boarding dogs that can not safely play in the main playgroup.
- All rehab groups are curated and monitored by qualified trainers who understand each dog’s temperament, play style and unique needs.
- Dog Group Social Rehab clients also receive short Individual Play Activities session before the group play.
Individual Activity Schedule & Price
Work one-on-one with the trainers on a variety of activities based on each dog’s specific needs and preferences.Individual Activity @ K9U Chicago | ||
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Not available as a Drop-In service | M-F from 10 - Noon | $15.00 (for daycare/boarding clients) |
Individual Activity Detail
In some cases special needs dogs may not be able to play with other dogs – even in our smaller rehab groups. These dogs will receive extra attention via our Individual Activity service. Our trainers will work with each dog to determine the activity that best suits their specific needs. Activities include fetch, tug, treadmill and agility programs.
Training Services
Other K9 Services


Play My Way!
Chicago dogs love the personalized activities with their trainers or handlers


Meet Our Trainers
Grace Huffman
Grace has been around dogs throughout her life. In many ways her life is centered around dogs. From training dogs, to relying on Medical Alert Service Dogs for daily tasks, to competing in National Agility competitions, dogs have been teammates, companions and life partners.
Grace’s home pack currently consists of four dogs each with their own special skills and gifts. She trains and competes in agility with her two Miniature Schnauzers Gus and Bernie, who qualified for nationals in his first year of competing! As well as her Standard Poodle, Rafiki, and her Sheltie, Bella, who is a NADAC Champion. Rafiki is also a working Medical Alert Dog and training for Water Fowl retrieval in her spare time.
At K9U Chicago Grace will teach all levels of Agility Training from puppies to competition and will be teaching group obedience training classes. Grace uses only positive training methods and believes in having fun while learning new skills that enhance the bond between dogs and their owners.
When not at K9U Chicago Grace volunteers with shelters and rescue groups in Naperville to help the disabled connect and train service dogs. She also founded Beard & Golden a hand-made custom clothing company providing dog gear and accessories.
Jessica Morales
Jessica is a native of Aurora, Illinois, and has a big love for dogs, especially large active breeds!
She has two dogs of her own that she trains in high energy sports such as Dock Diving and PSA, a protection sport. Her Cane Corso, Kovu, is a service dog and her German Shepherd, Akuma, is currently training in Schutzhund (IGP) a protective bite sport.
Her focus as a trainer at K9 University Chicago will be with our Day Trains, Board & Trains and Private Lesson programs. She has significant experience with many of the larger breeds that can be a bit more challenging to train, but of course she welcomes all breeds and can’t resist a puppy!
As a certified NAVC Canine Nutrition Coach, Jessica is happy to share her knowledge and expertise to help you optimize specific fitness and nutritional goals for your dog so they can live their best possible life, healthy and happy!
Gabrielle Plascak, CPDT-KA
Gabrielle has spent the last 18 years of her life not only training dogs, but training humans to train their dogs! Competing in 4-H obedience kick started her life long journey into the world of canine behavior. She is now certified under the Counsel of Certified Professional Dog Trainers, a Certified Fear Free Animal Trainer with Fear Free Pets , and a mentor trainer for aspiring trainers through CATCH Canine Trainers Academy.
Gabrielle is always attending workshops, expos, and seminars on positive reinforcement training to ensure she is bringing you the latest and most updated ways to handle your doggo struggles.
Gabrielle has worked under other well-known trainers and performed training & canine behavior evaluations for multiple shelters, boarding facilities and vet clinics. She has dedicated her life to studying and teaching positive reinforcement and fear free handling/training to help improve the human/canine bond in the least invasive ways.
Gabrielle specializes in lifestyle coaching to help you and your dog grow and learn together in whatever way your lifestyle needs. She loves helping you through life with your dog starting from breed selections, breeder selections, puppy upbringing and to all other training needs to build a dog that fits in your personal life! She loves working with children and families to set them up for success because, as a mother herself, she knows how much work raising children and pups together can be!
Already have a dog that is proving to be unruly and not exactly the best companion yet? Gabrielle can help you make necessary adjustments and implement the proper training tactics to help you enjoy your dog! Cooperative care for veterinary and grooming needs is another topic Gabrielle excels in and can help you and your dog relieve tons of stress with routine husbandry tasks.
Gabrielle enjoys spending time with her family including her own springer spaniels Bobo & Belle.
Ryan Kamm
Ryan, a native Chicagoan and dog trainer since 2012, has a passion to understand dogs with special needs and a commitment to help their families provide them with the best care and life possible.
As a trainer at K9 University Chicago Ryan focuses on rehabilitating dogs that are reactive and have specific aggressions or triggers. His work allows these dogs to become more confident and comfortable around other dogs and people.
This work is highly specialized and rewarding but also critically important in a city that has so many dogs living together in close proximity with distractions that can easily become reactivity triggers for dogs that may have been abused or not socialized.
Ryan runs our Social Rehabilitation Group for dogs that need to play away from the main daycare groups. He often brings his own dogs, all rescues; Zedah, a Dogo Argentino, Maya, an American Staffordshire Terrier, and Spyro, an American Bully, to help teach the other dogs how to successfully play and cohabitate in a group setting.
Ryan also works with clients offering Board & Train packages and private training sessions.
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