Puppy Training in Chicago that Builds Confidence & Connection
We’ll help you raise a puppy (8 weeks-6 months) you love living with—calm on city sidewalks, confident with new people, and well-mannered from day one.
Give Your Puppy the Best Possible Start
Set your puppy up for lifelong success with early training that builds confidence, focus, and great manners. Our foundation programs are designed specifically for Chicago puppies—and the families raising them.
Every program centers on what young dogs need most during these critical early months.
Your puppy will learn:
• House training, crate comfort, and a predictable daily routine
• Name response and recall foundations
• Socialization with city sights, sounds, surfaces, dogs, and people
• Bite inhibition and gentle mouth skills
• Calm behavior on leash and at home
• Handling for vet visits, grooming, and everyday care
How It Works
Every puppy—and every family—learns differently. That’s why we offer three proven ways to train, all built around clear communication, structure, and positive guidance.
Whether you want immersive results, flexible day sessions, or a fun small-group experience, each program helps your puppy become confident, calm, and responsive in real Chicago life.
Real World Exposure
Done Safety and Thoughtfully
Puppies learn best through gentle, intentional experiences that help them feel safe in the world. We introduce your puppy to city sounds, sidewalk movement, new environments, people, and dogs at a pace designed to build confidence—not overwhelm them.
Our socialization field trips and neighborhood walks are thoughtfully planned so your puppy learns how to explore with curiosity and calm.
We don’t just teach skills—we build positive associations with the world they’re growing up in.
Our Services
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BOARD & TRAIN
IMMERSIVE PUPPY FOUNDATION
Our Puppy Boarding School (Board & Train) gives your puppy an immersive jump-start on manners, confidence, and everyday life skills. Over 2–3 weeks, your puppy stays with our trainers and practices crate comfort, leash skills, recall foundations, calm handling, and real-world exposure in a safe, structured environment.
Daily lessons, play, and home-life practice help your puppy learn quickly and consistently. You’ll receive photo and video updates throughout the program, plus transfer lessons so you can confidently continue the training at home.
What you can expect:
• Ideal for busy schedules or starting foundations fast
• Daily structure and thoughtful social exposure
• Includes owner coaching sessions and lifetime trainer supportOur Board & Train dogs stay in a unique trainer-owned facility that includes both a dedicated training space and an upstairs home environment—giving your puppy the best of both worlds.
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DAY SCHOOL
HANDS-ON LEARNING WITH DAILY TRAINER SUPPORT
Drop your puppy off three days a week for focused skill-building sessions centered on obedience, confidence, and early socialization.
Our trainers work on crate skills, calm greetings, leash walking, and focus in real-world environments—then review progress with you at pickup. Weekly recap emails and at-home practice plans keep your puppy moving forward between visits.
What you can expect:
• Consistent progress with flexible scheduling
• Includes owner lessons and daily communication
• Builds confidence without overnight stays -
GROUP CLASS
SOCIAL LEARNING IN A FUN SUPPORTIVE SETTING
Learn alongside other Chicago puppy owners in our six-week course. Small class sizes—max six puppies—ensure personalized guidance while your dog practices recall, focus, leash manners, and calm behavior around other dogs.
You’ll build the skills to train effectively at home and in public, with plenty of time for Q&A and tailored feedback.
What you can expect:
• Affordable, community-based learning
• Great first step for new puppy owners
• Builds social skills and confidence
Program Options & Pricing
Puppies learn at different paces, and families have different needs. That’s why we offer multiple training paths designed to fit your lifestyle and set your dog up for long-term success.
Day School and Board & Train both come with lifetime trainer support and full access to our client resource library—so you always have expert help, even after the program ends.
FAQs
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As soon as you bring your puppy home! We start as early as 8 weeks old. Early training builds confidence, communication, and good habits before unwanted behaviors become routine.
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No, you don’t need to wait for full vaccinations. We follow safe socialization protocols, including sanitized spaces, healthy playmates, and age-appropriate field trips, so your puppy can learn safely while they’re still young and impressionable.
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Board & Train: Full-immersion learning with 24/7 trainer supervision.
Day School: Drop-off training three days a week with daily updates.
Group Class: A six-week small-group course focused on foundational skills and socialization.All programs use the same positive, clear communication methods and build calm, confident behavior.
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We use clear, humane, science-based training. Markers, food rewards, and consistent structure show puppies what earns success. If we introduce training tools, we explain why, how they work, and make sure you feel completely comfortable using them.
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Bring your puppy’s favorite treats, a standard leash (no retractables), and a flat collar or harness. For Day School and Board & Train, also pack their food, any supplements, and comfort items from home. Proof of vaccinations is required for all programs.
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We teach impulse control through calm structure, redirection, and confidence-building exercises. Common puppy behaviors—nipping, mouthing, jumping—are addressed with consistency and clear communication, never punishment.
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For Board & Train and Day School graduates, lifetime support means you can reach out anytime for guidance, troubleshooting, or refreshers as your puppy grows. It’s part of our commitment to lasting success.
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Our trainer-owned facility is based in Chicago and serves the entire Chicagoland area. One of our founders lives on-site, providing your puppy with a safe blend of real home life and structured learning.
🥇Board & Train🥇
immersive puppy foundation
The fastest path to reliable manners and confidence.
Our Puppy Boarding School (Board & Train) program offers a true immersion experience — your puppy learns all day in a trainer’s care, practicing real-life skills both in our facility and home environment.
Your puppy stays with our trainers for 2–3 weeks of focused daily lessons, structured play, and real-world exposure. We practice crate comfort, leash skills, recall, name response, and calm handling — all in a safe, supervised environment.
You’ll receive photo and video updates throughout, plus transfer lessons so you can easily maintain progress at home.
Ideal for busy schedules or jump-starting foundations
Daily structure + social exposure
Includes owner coaching sessions and lifetime trainer support
Our Board & Train dogs live in a unique trainer-owned facility — a first-floor training and kennel space with a full home environment upstairs.
One of our founders lives on site, so every puppy benefits from both structured training and real home-life practice 24/7.
🥈Day School🥈
Hands-on learning with daily trainer guidance.
Drop your puppy off three days a week for skill-building sessions focused on obedience, confidence, and early socialization.
Trainers work on crate skills, calm greetings, leash walking, and focus in real-world environments, then review progress with you at pickup.
Weekly recap emails and at-home practice plans keep training consistent between visits.
Great for consistent progress and flexibility
Includes owner lessons + daily communication
Builds confidence without overnight stays
🥉Group class🥉
Social learning in a safe, supportive setting.
Learn alongside other Chicago puppy owners in our six-week group course. Small class sizes (max six puppies) ensure personalized attention while practicing recall, focus, leash manners, and calm behavior around other dogs.
You’ll learn how to train effectively at home and in public, with plenty of time for Q&A and feedback.
Affordable and community-based
Great first step for new puppy owners
Builds social skills and confidence
not sure which option fits best?
Contact us and we’ll help you choose the perfect starting point based on your dogs needs, age, and learning style
program options & pricing
Every family and puppy learns differently, so we offer flexible programs to fit your schedule and goals.
Our Day School and Board & Train programs include lifetime trainer support and access to our client resource library — because great communication doesn’t end when training does.
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Duration: 2-3 weeks
Format: Residential
Starting Price:
What's Included:
Immersive daily training & enrichment
Neighborhood walks, field trips, and real world practice
Extra practice in our trainer’s home
Regular updates & video homework
Owner coaching sessions
Lifetime trainer support
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Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Drop Off Training Program, 3 days per week
Starting Price:
What’s Included:
Trainer led daily sessions
Neighborhood walks, field trips, & real world engagement practice
Weekly recap & video homework
Personalized coaching sessions
Lifetime Trainer Support
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Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Weekly, max 6 puppies
Price:
Includes:
Small, supportive group class
Weekly trainer led sessions
Homework plan for ongoing progress
Personalized feedback and troubleshooting
Frequently Asked questions
about puppy training in chicago
when should I start puppy training?
As soon as you bring your puppy home! We start as early as 8 weeks old.
Early training builds confidence, communication, and good habits before unwanted behaviors become routine.
do i need to wait until my puppy has had all their vaccinations?
No, you don’t have to wait for full vaccinations. We follow safe socialization protocols—sanitized spaces, healthy playmates, and age-appropriate field trips—so puppies can learn safely while still young.
whats the difference between board & train, day school, and group class?
Board & Train: Full-immersion learning with 24/7 trainer supervision.
Day School: Drop-off training three days a week with daily updates.
Group Class: Six-week small group for foundational skills and socialization.
All share the same positive methods and focus on calm, confident communication.
what tools or training methods do you use?
We use clear, humane, and science-based methods.
Markers, food rewards, and consistent structure teach puppies what earns success.
If training tools are introduced, we explain their purpose and ensure you’re comfortable and confident using them.
what should i bring to training?
Your puppy’s favorite treats, a standard leash (no retractables), a flat collar or harness, and proof of vaccinations.
For Day School and Board & Train, bring food, any supplements, and comfort items from home.
how do you handle behavior challenges like biting or jumping?
We teach impulse control through calm structure, redirection, and confidence-building exercises.
Even common “puppy problems” like nipping or jumping are addressed through consistent communication, not punishment.
what does lifetime support include?
For Board & Train and Day School graduates, lifetime support means you can reach out anytime for guidance, refreshers, or troubleshooting as your puppy grows.
It’s part of our commitment to ongoing success.
where are you located?
Our trainer-owned facility is in Chicago, serving the entire Chicagoland area
One of our founders lives on site, giving your puppy a safe blend of home life and structured learning.
What People Are Saying
We brought our second puppy to Canine Sports because of the foundation they helped us build with our first. Our 12-week-old learned confidence, manners, and how to settle calmly at home and around our kids. We feel truly supported — not just during training, but in understanding how to keep building skills as our puppy grows.
-Logan Square puppy owner
Our pandemic puppy had big feelings and behavior challenges that felt beyond us. The immersive training made a noticeable difference — and we continue to feel supported with follow-up guidance. We finally feel like we have a shared language with our dog
-Old Town puppy owner
Our young Akita was overwhelmed by city life and becoming difficult to control on walks. After a 3-week immersion program, she came home so much more confident and responsive. We learned how to continue the training at home, and she’s now walking calmly and checking in with us instead of reacting to everything around her.
-Lakeview Akita pup owner
Our puppy was sweet but constantly in motion — jumping, mouthing, and unable to settle at home. Training gave us a routine, clear communication, and practical ways to help her relax. She now checks in with us, responds to her name, and can actually rest during the day. Life at home feels calmer for everyone
-Old Irving Park puppy owner