Play Your Way at K9U Chicago

Judy Louis

Judy Louis is a certified clicker trainer – certified by Karen Pryor Academy. Her goal is to develop the incredible human /animal bond using clicker training. Judy uses positive reinforcement techniques to teach socialization and behavior skills for both her human and canine clients. She will help you successfully integrate your dog or puppy into your home and lifestyle. Judy coaches clients in the comfort of their homes, in small group classes, in board & train programs or via day training based on their desired environment and needs of the animal. Her clients receive daily videos to observe the techniques and cues that are being used to train their dog, and to monitor progress. The videos are invaluable, especially once the training is complete, as they allow you to view them again as needed, ensuring a lifetime of reinforcing positive behaviors and communicating effectively with your furry friend.

Training Options Available: Board & Train, Day Training, Private In-Home Training and Small Group Obedience Training Classes.

Josh Crowley

My journey to the world of dog training was one of not only love, but necessity. My wife and I got our first pup, Newkie, over 10 years ago while in our mid-twenties. She is a beautiful Chow-chow/Australian Sheppard mix who was 8 weeks old at the time. This may come as a surprise, but those weren’t the most responsible years of our lives. Lucky for us she is awesome. Fast-forward 8 years when we finally decide to expand our pack. I was older, wiser, and more responsible. I planned to do this one “by the book”. Newkie came out great with little effort so this is going to be a piece of cake…right? Wrong. Enter 8-week-old Chow-Chow mix, The Fuzz. She is quite possibly the cutest, softest and most innocent looking dog on the planet. Alas, she was the anti- Newkie. Her leash reactivity to other dogs was off the charts. She tore up the wallpaper and trim. She constantly pestered poor Newk. She even ate her own poop! EWWW!!! How could this be? I took it upon myself to figure this out. I got a library card and read every dog-training book I could get my hands on. I volunteered at a local no-kill rescue, PAWS Chicago. I learned about the power of marker training and counter-conditioning. I’ll never forget the day we started to seek other dogs out on walks rather than avoid them. Clicker training then led me to a technique known as shaping, which I used to teach Newkie how to put her toys away. Sooo…if I can teach the “good one” to put her toys away and the “crazy one” to not be crazy, I think I may have found my calling. We have since rescued a 3-year- old male pitty, named Sir Licks A Lot, whom we call SirLee. I strive to help all dogs, from The Fuzz to Newkie, to teach them how to be a dog in our crazy human world. And to help their humans better understand them along the way. Dogs are amazing and have taught me so much; it only seems fair I return the favor. Wag On.

In an effort to help create a “liveable dog,” Josh regularly addresses anything from basic puppy obedience to severe reactivity and everything in between.

Ryan Kamm

Ryan Kamm is a native Chicagoan who has been involved in animal care and a student of animal behavior throughout his life. He has been a dog trainer since 2012 and began his professional journey by training his two rescue dogs; one Dogo Argentino and an American Staffordshire Terrier.

Ryan provides training services at all levels including Puppy, Adult and Senior dogs. Additionally, Ryan offers various training classes including Agility Training and works with clients one-on-one via private sessions.

Ryan also specializes in training dogs with special needs including blind and deaf dogs.

Contact us today to discuss your specific training needs and to schedule a free 30-minute evaluation with Ryan.

Nadine Lizcano

Nadine worked for a professional trainer for nearly two and a half years before been welcomed to K9 University. While there she worked with a variety of breeds with a wide range of behavioral issues, including, basic obedience, dog reactivity, house manners, pulling on lead, fearfulness, and human reactivity. In addition, she has volunteered at a shelter for animals for 3 years interacting with multiple dogs. As a trainer, one of her favorite areas to work on with client dogs is good manners on a walk. She is also very passionate about building motivation in the dog. The more motivation a dog has to do something, the more solid that behavior will be. She is always looking for new innovations and techniques in order to stay up to date in her field.