Good Dog

Nothing more than a glorified "Lancasterpuppies.com" or breeder listing page. No different than any other puppy mill lister. I am sickened to see they only ask you to fill out a questionnaire (couldn't the breeder lie?) and ask you 10 questions on the phone by a girl that sounds 17 years old. That's not as thorough as a place like the AKC Breeder of Merit program where they do all of this AND inspect you--you can't lie.

I can't believe the breeders featured on this site. I'd be embarrassed to be listed here. Nothing more than glorified brokers. Go to www.akc.org and search for Breeders of Merit by state and by breed--much safer--and accurate.

I cannot say enough AMAZING things about the team at Good Dog! My Brother, Sister in law and I have sheepadoodles from the same litter. We started working with John when our pups were about 8 months old. They were good boys but high energy, horrible listeners, erratic walkers, ate everything off the ground and overly excited to the point where they would see a dog or person and run across a crowded street to say hi. John trained us as much as he did the dogs.

After just a couple hours we all had skills and tools that we wish we could have had when they were 2 months old! He also advised us on collar types and the best leashes to use. Here's the best way I can describe it: I live in the city and I used to have so much anxiety about taking my dog to the local park. He would jump on all the people to say hi, run into the mud, not come when called, and run out of the park if he saw a dog he liked.

After just a few short sessions with John, we could walk to the park completely off-leash, my dog would stay at my side until I released him to go play, he'd say hi to people without jumping and he would come immediately when called and follow me out of the park.no matter how many distractions. Anytime we called and presented John a problem we wanted to fix, he taught us how to do it in 10 minutes. I have recommended Good Dog to everyone I see at the park and definitely recommend it to all of you!

I have known Howard and John almost from their beginning. They have trained 2 of my Airedales in Chicago and my new Welsh Terrier puppy remotely now that I am in San Francisco. Half doggy shrink and half trainers, Howard and John seem to be able to cut straight to the heart of the matter. Unabashedly frank about a situation and who's fault it is ( usually mine), I am getting a crash refresher course on raising a puppy.

I hadn't had a puppy for years and had underestimated the diligence and consistency that I have to bring to the table. Well I know now. Roxie is making steady progress as I am. So can recommend these 2 with NO hesitation. As Howard says, Have Fun! Rhoda in SF

I have been an owner of Airedale Terriers for 35 years. They are beautiful but quite stubborn and very headstrong. I'm saying they are almost impossible to train without some professional assistance. We have had all 5 of our AIREDALES trained by 1800 Good Dog. Their methods are amazing and all training is done in the kindest of manners. And. to make it even better, they come to you! Howard, the owner of the company, has been doing this for 40 plus years. AND IT SHOWS! It only takes the 1st session in your home to show you what professional dog training is all about. Your dog will love the training and so will you! GUARANTEED!

I have nothing but great things to say about Howard and the rest of the crew! First off, everyone is very responsive and easy to get a hold of, which I really appreciate. They have been working with me and my new pup for almost two months now and I can see such a positive difference. When I first got my dog, she was so skittish and would cower in the corner whenever anyone would get close to her. But, after working weekly with John (a true dog whisperer!), she has made such great strides.

The lessons are, without a doubt, very effective and worth it! The service provided by Good Dog is excellent and I would definitely recommend this business to other dog owners!

This is such a great training program. I was actually referred to good dog by someone in my vets office and they said after the first training session they noticed a change. That was enough for me. When I first adopted my dog, I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to have to take her back. But after the first few training session I noticed a complete change in her. She is now a completely different dog and the whole team was great! I would highly recommend using Good Dog for your training needs!

This review is long overdue. I had my black cocker spaniel trained by the crew 13 years ago. Sophie has and is still the most stable dog thanks to her trainers at Good Dog. I don't live in Chicago but would love to send my new rescue cocker to the crew for some TLC training. Thank you Howard, Marilyn and crew. You guys gave me a very, very Good Dog.

Howard, Marilyn and the team at Good Dog were a pleasure to work with. I took my rescue from Anti-Cruelty, Clancy, to be trained back in 2005. He was a 6 month old black lab and beagle mix and was having trouble getting adjusted to his new life. Good Dog first trained Clancy, then trained me which was probably a harder endeavor. Clancy became the best dog a guy could ask for. Obedient, loving, great on walks, great off leash, great with other dogs, and great with people (young and old).

Part of that was his breed, and the other part was Good Dog. I took Clancy to Howard and Marilyn for his initial training, and then 1-2x per week purely for daycare which included reinforcing the training and interaction with other dogs. When I adopt my next dog, I'll absolutely go back to Good Dog.

I was referred to Good Dog by my vet to help my 2-yo German Shorthaired Pointer, Flo. Flo is a very smart, high energy dog that is uber-focused on every squirrel and bird in the area. She really needed to stretch her legs, but not having a fenced yard made that a tall order. She had gotten loose and run off a number of times in pursuit of a furry or feathered friend, and I felt all hope was lost for letting her run off-leash.

Enter Howard and John. I called them immediately after getting an optimistic opinion from the vet - though I will admit, I was skeptical that they could train her. Howard and John came to the house the next afternoon and worked with Flo for about 1 1/2 hours. She completely adored them and did whatever they asked. I couldn't believe this was my dog.

After a total of three visits, she was able to run off-leash in my yard and come to me when called! It is really so amazing and I am glad I was proven wrong! I would highly recommend Good Dog for all dog training issues. Even those pups that seem "untrainable"!

I have waited a while to post because I have been so upset. I was referred to them by a friend for my rescue pup who had some dog aggression issues. They were very short and not very nice to me when I took him in after speaking on the phone. I had questions I wanted to be answered and I felt like they just wanted me in and out. I started tearing up because I was so nervous about it. Well, long story short - their training did not work and I ended up taking him to a 2-week training facility where they kept him (like doggy boot camp). He is now a great dog!

Overly impressed completely satisfied! We brought our 10 month old lab mix rescue to Good Dog for some much needed help. We adopted Joey from the shelter in mid February, we quickly realized he had a lot of anxiety and issues with strangers and other dogs. Our excitement turned into worry very quickly. We didn't want our dog to be anxious, stressed, and unhappy.

We didn't want to worry every time someone had to come over or we had to take him out. He would bark non stop at people and dogs, the hair on the back of his neck would stand up, when he was in this state we had no control over him. To us he was perfect otherwise. He was smart, loving, and fun when it was just us. He wasn't a bad dog he just needed help.

We didn't know where he came from or what he had been through. We needed help learning how to guide him to good behavior. We had many important goals for our pup. We enrolled him at Good Dog for the 20 day program. Literally, the best decision ever. The changes were instant. I actually need more training than Joey lol. It's a learning process for both pet parent and pet.

We must reinforce what the dog is learning. Otherworldly it's useless. Joey is not a bad dog he needed to be trained. He loves going to Good Dog. He loves his trainer John. Anything I wasn't comfortable with or my fears of leaving him there for 8+ hours disappeared when I saw the changes that were being made. He can't wait to go into the facility. He's happy to see Howard, Marilyn, and John. It's not a place of fear for him. He's working and learning and he's so happy which makes us so happy. He will continue going to Good Dog for awhile. We're so pleased with the entire staff. Their knowledge and hard work has meant everything to us.

FYI-this facility relies on prong collars (negative reinforcement) for training. Since the place has such a good rating, I put my hesitations aside regarding the use of the prong collar and enrolled my dog for a package of 20 sessions for a whopping $1600. It was NOT worth it. My dog needed help with aggression, which was not addressed. There was infinite emphasis on heeling, which is a nice plus but not why I sent my dog there.

After shelling out $1600 and following their advice, my dog still had aggression incidents within a few weeks after training. On another note-Delphine, whose review is also listed, has it right: John is unprofessional. He yelled at me and my dog during the initial assessment. He would also criticize how I interacted with my own dog during the very awkward training sessions. The other staff trainers, though, are lovely gentlemen.

The man was not nice at all. My dog is a rescue, and he literally yelled at me saying my dog was out of control, despite her just being excited about being in a new place. I am not exaggerating when I say he YELLED at me. He could have told me in a professional manner that my dog needs training, but he was completely unprofessional. He didn't even pet my dog, he didn't say hello to her he completely ignored her.

He didn't show us what techniques he would use to train her, all he said was that he would use a choke collar and that we had a done a terrible job at training my dog. He was not nice at all, and he doesn't seem to have much training on how to actually train a dog. Compared to other dog trainers I've met, he didn't seem to know anything about dogs. I believe he just wings it. I really do not recommend this place.

Good Dog has been a tremendous savior for me in transitioning to full time puppy parent. The personalized care and service for my dog has been terrific! Each member of the staff is extremely friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and genuinely attentive to me and my dog. The trainers are fantastic! Scheduling is always super convenient and flexible. I can pick my puppy up early or late as my schedule dictates, knowing the little guy is cared for in my absence.

My dog wags his tail in excitement each morning I take him to 'school' and he returns smarter, better behaved with each day. I definitely recommend Good Dog. Thank you!

Howard, Marilyn, John and their team trained our new puppy and we couldn't be happier! We took our labradoodle puppy, Doug, for 6 weeks of training with the Good Dog team. The first week we had already seen major improvements and each week he continued to learn more and more. We are now the proud owners of one of the best behaved pups at the brewery.

He listens to commands, recalls things he learned and is a very well behaved family member. I couldn't recommend Good Dog more! If you're looking to train your puppy, or fix issues you just can't get yourself, I recommend calling Good Dog! Thanks Howard, Marilyn and John! Doug already misses you all!

I have extensive experience with dog trainers all over Chicago. Good Dog- A husband and wife team along with their exceptional dog trainers are without a doubt, the most outstanding and worthwhile investment for you dog. They treat your dog like he/she is part of their family. They are patience and spend a tremendous amount of time training your dog.

In addition, they schedule weekly lessons to train the owner as well. They are the most amazing and talented Dog Trainers, and dog -owner trainers' in my case, Ever! I wish I met them 4 years ago, when my dog was just a pup! Debbie M.

We took our dog here a year ago for a two week boarding program, originally wanting to get our dog to re-socialize with other dogs. He has behavior issues meeting new dogs and growls if they get too close. Another reason is he can get territorial meeting strangers, and has to warm up to them three times before being comfortable, otherwise he'll get anxious and start growling.

Once he's comfortable with the person, he is the best/playful dog ever. We stressed our concerns to Howard and he said he won't be able to correct the re-socialization behavior because it'd be a liability to other dog owners if something happens to their dog and our dog, which make sense. Although, you'd think a boarding program would solve for cases like ours though, unfortunately they don't.

This was our #1 priority and should've been a red flag for us before we committed. Another red flag we've encountered is pricing. We visited Good Dog a year prior to committing and were quoted $1,000 for the two week program. However, after a year of saving money, Howard then raised our quote to $2,000. With pressuring from Howard, we decided to charge it to our credit card because we wanted to train our dog as soon as possible, and after seeing great reviews, we then committed.

I definitely have some resentment with the pricing, but figured our dog would get the best training and most attention. I was wrong. There were so many other dogs in that place, with only John as a trainer, I doubt he got the most attention each day our dog was in there. Overall, our dog was a bit more obedient. He didn't receive the training that I'd hope for $2,000 as we requested re-socializing to other dogs and new people. John was a great trainer and taught us how to handle our dog and make him listen to us. Marylynn was really nice and sweet and always accommodated our schedules for training.

If Howard didn't quote us an additional $1k, my review would have been different. It's taken me a year to write this review because I have always felt unsettled about the whole situation. We will continue looking for a better program that will solve for re-socialization with other dogs, because Good Dog's boarding program does not solve for that.

Good Dog has trained all 3 of my dogs. My first 2 were pure labs, the latest pup a lab/pointer mix. The first two were breezes and caught on right away. My last pup was a challenge for me. They did an amazing job helping me to slow down and understand her needs. It took me 4 weeks to really be able to control her but I now have an unbelievable listener! John is a saint amongst saints, along with everyone else there!

Training is there #1 job and they do it with care and responsiveness for each dog they train. I watch others in my hood struggle with pulling, jumping and so much stress walking their dogs. Meanwhile mine is so easy for each 5 mile walk! Hands down the best training for the $ spent! Break it down and it is the same price as puppy school but once! 30 years later and I am still raving about what Howard & Marilyn have done with the company.

I'm the proud owner of a good dog! Buster has great manners great and safe off-leash and welcomed every where I go. Wonderful trainer and people. Thanks John, Marilyn and Howard

I have taken several dogs to good dog. I have been extremely happy and very satisfied with the service I received. My dog is happy and well trained I commend Howard and all of his staff, they have been outstanding throughout the years. What is with these reviews of the ladies that never took their dogs there, but complain? Ladies how can you complain about a company that you've never patronized? Come on you could do better than that period and you should be ashamed of yourselves.

We adopted a pitbull from PAWS a couple months ago. Within two weeks, we were about ready to (sadly) bring her back to PAWS because we had zero control over her. Jumping on people, no knowledge of any commands, anxious. Fast-forward six weeks and it's tough to think that this is the same dog we wanted to bring back to PAWS. Legacy knows her basic commands and is much better around people.

A changed dog. Good Dog has great staff and experienced trainers. Their methods are balanced -- tough love -- and effective.and the 'love' part of that equation permeates throughout all of their staff. They're also open 24/7 which comes in handy if you've got a crazy work/life schedule. Generally, they are pretty flexible with scheduling to accommodate your needs. I'd easily and highly recommend folks take a look at Good Dog if you have a dog in need of training.

Good Dog is amazing and have done wonders with our puppy Watson, we came to Good Dog when we were at our wits end! Watson would pull on the leash and lead with her mouth and that mouth was full of sharp puppy teeth. She is now a completely different dog! We cant say enough good things about the company, the owners and the staff! Highly recommended.

Living in the south loop 16 years ago we had our first born, Luca, a 110# Doberman and couldn't control him. We researched dog training and amazingly for us found Howard Mellon. Howard and John trained our boy to actually listen to us. He was such a pleasure to walk and let of his lead and we didn't have to worry about getting our arms pulled out of socket or him chasing another dog or animal.

The experience was priceless which is why we went back when we rescued our Coon hound Mack last year. He too was CRAZY, untrainable, and not obedient. Howard and John did it again! This guy can roam our neighborhood off lead, with us walking around the block, chase rabbit, never goes into the street, and comes right to us when we call him. Again, crazy good training.

And to top it all off, Howard has Marilyn running his show, super pleasant and easy to talk to compared the guys. If your dog needs to listen to you verse the other way around you have to check out Good Dog, it's worth every penny!

The people at Good Dog are not only the most talented dog trainers I've ever met, they are remarkable dog owner trainers. They have a lot of heart and really care about their customers. They've got a magical touch.

I can't wait until this place is shut down. I'm a residential neighbor that's lived across the street from Good Dog for about 2 years. I work from home a lot so I'm available during the daytime to observe the treatment of the animals they keep outside. Not a day goes by where there is less then five hours of constant barking from the dogs.

Today I was very angry to see that there were several dogs outside in the 40° weather (feels like 32°) while it's raining. I called the place and left a voicemail chastising them for the treatment of dogs. I am 100% positive that if any dog owner had any idea how these people actually treat their pets/fur babies, that this establishment would have no business.

This is not the first time they have left dogs out in the freezing rain, and it probably won't be the last unless people realize what's going on and take a stand against their treatment. I have multiple videos and pictures of the maltreatment that goes on at this facility. I've been pushed by friends to release this information to local news stations.

I haven't had the balls to do it yet, but I'm getting awfully close. I have also taken one of my dogs into that place for a consultation, just to see what actually happens on the inside. The trainer that I spoke to was completely unprofessional and extremely rude and offensive. I couldn't believe he had the audacity to speak to my boyfriend and myself the way that he did and to quickly rebuke the daycare place we constantly took our dogs to.

We love our doggie daycare. We love our dogs more. This is why they will never go to Good Dog/Horrible People. **UPDATE: almost immediately after posting this, I got a message saying that "I'm a stupid Eunt". Similar to what the other 1-star reviewer experienced. Obviously this is not a professional establishment. I'm completely disgusted.**

When my wife approached me about sending our dog here for training, honestly, I didn't want to do it. It seemed like a lot of money for dog training. I don't think I have ever been so wrong about something in my life. This was by far the best money I have ever spent and the best decision we could have made for our dog. Here is the bottom line, Howard understands dogs.

That is it, end of story. He knows how they think, he knows how they react, he knows the why behind their behavior. Then, on top of that, Howard and Marilyn hire great people that clearly love working with dogs. Our trainer John is awesome. He helped us with any problem we had. I have never owned a dog that really understood how to heel, but our dog Charlie does, and that has little to do with my wife and I.

We just try our best to not screw-up what John has taught Charlie. Special shout out to the heart of the operation Marilyn. She is such a sweet woman. If you are looking at the price and wondering if it is worth it, all I can say is it is. We tried other places and they seemed uninterested in our specific needs. Good Dog has become part of our family, and as long as we live in the Chicago area, our dogs will be trained there. Thanks for all the help and work.