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 Schedule & Prices
Reservations required in advance| Group Social Rehab @ K9U Chicago | ||
|---|---|---|
| As an Added Service | M-W-F 10 - Noon | $15.00 (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 Individual Play Activities before and after 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.
Play My Way!
Chicago dogs love the personalized activities with their trainers or handlers
Meet Our Trainers
Judy Louis
Head Dog Trainer
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
Dog Trainer
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.
Justin Wilcox
Dog Trainer
Justin Wilcox
Justin began his training career with working dogs. His ultimate goal is to create clear communication with the dogs in his care and to properly educate both the dogs and their handlers. Justin has a young high energy Malinois named Cora and Justin has used his skills to train her using positive training methods to impact her life in meaningful ways. Justin begins each training session using an open mind without any preconceived ideas about a specific breed or age of a dog. This approach greatly improves the chances of success for both the dogs and their families.
Justin offers services in all areas of Obedience Training, Puppy Foundational Training, In-Home Training and helps those clients with Prep for Canine Good Citizen Training.
Mary Pat Jones
Dog Trainer
Watch Our Doggie Videos
Get the Scoop!
Sign up for our Newsletter to get the scoop on K9U Specials and Events!
Click here to Subscribe
K9U Chicago Waiver
