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 advance| Group Social Rehab @ K9U Chicago | ||
|---|---|---|
| As an Added Service | M-W-F 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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
Amy Hammonds
Training Manager
Amy Hammonds
As the daughter of a veterinarian Amy has worked with dogs since the age of 13. This background instilled in her the importance of education and customer service. With over 20 years of dog training experience Amy prides herself in using only positive reinforcement to train dogs as well as their owners.
Always staying current with the latest in trends and developments in the industry, Amy is a member of the Association of Professional Humane Educators (APHE) and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). Amy regularly attends seminars to expand her knowledge and remain relevant.
Amy works with all kinds of dogs from puppies to reactive or shy dogs. Her philosophy begins by understanding how to best communicate with each dog, then she works with their owner to help them build a bond based on consistency and support.
Amy will be teaching classes and offering private training as well as board & train services in her position as Director of Training at K9 University Chicago. She will work with all trainers to develop a broad range of training services that assist any dog and their owners as they work to improve communication and strengthen their relationship.
Grace Huffman
Dog Trainer
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.
Victoria Comerford
Dog Trainer
Victoria (Tori) Comerford
A Chicagoland native with a degree in Zoology from SIU, Carbondale, Tori comes to K9U Chicago with a diverse background caring for and understanding animals. This has provided her with the experience to not only train dogs but teach owners how to positively strengthen the bond they have with their dog.
Tori believes in the power of communication as a valuable skill that helps dogs become secure and well socialized. This starts with understanding dog body language and the subtle cues they send to express their feelings of fear, confusion, frustration and joy. Her work as a trainer starts with sharing this knowledge through fun games and exercises that allow dogs the chance to fundamentally be dogs while nurturing and rewarding new behaviors.
Tori has experience working with all types of dog breeds and families who have needs that range from welcoming new puppies to older dogs with specific challenges including reactivity and other behaviors that require training to desensitize the dogs to certain objects, noises or other dogs.
Tori will be teaching all levels of obedience training as well as working with daycare day train clients, our board & train camps and providing private training sessions.
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