Answers to your top dog training questions

You can choose from 11 services covering training, care, and transport. The training side covers obedience, socialization, behavior modification, potty training, radius and boundary work, protection, and certified service dog tasks. The care side adds boarding, daycare, and grooming. Dog walking rounds it out. You can run training in four formats: private lessons, group classes, the 2, 4, or 6 week Board & Train board-and-train, or day training where Ray works your dog while you are at work.

Group classes are kept small on purpose so every dog gets real attention and the class never turns into chaos. Dogs are matched by size, temperament, and skill level, so your dog is always working with the right peers. If you want one-on-one attention or have a reactive dog who is not ready for a group yet, private lessons are the better starting point.

Pricing depends on the dog and the program. A short private session is very different from a 3 to 4 week board-and-train with three follow-up lessons and lifetime maintenance classes. Ray quotes the program after the free consultation so the price reflects what your dog actually needs, not a one-size-fits-all package.

Yes. These are the cases other trainers often refuse, and they are some of Ray's strongest work. He has 17 years training dogs through aggression, leash reactivity, fear, separation anxiety, and resource guarding. The first step is always an honest assessment so you know whether weekly lessons will be enough or whether your dog needs a board-and-train to reset the foundation.

Ray Bhimani has been training Chicago dogs for 17 years across every breed, size, and temperament. He is Pet CPR and First Aid certified and trained directly under K9 Master Todd Bartlestein. The training philosophy is 100% balanced: the right tool for the dog in front of him, not a single technique forced onto every case.

Yes. Ray has worked with reactive, fearful, and shut-down dogs across every breed and background, including rescue dogs with rough histories. The consultation is built to read your dog first, then design a plan that fits how that specific dog learns. No two programs look the same.

Yes, tours are welcome by appointment. You can see the training floor and the boarding area, meet Ray, and ask anything you want before committing to a program. Call (847) 571-2728 or send a message through the contact page to set one up. We are by appointment only, so a heads up lets us give you focused time.

Every breed is welcome, from toy breeds in city apartments to large working dogs on big properties. Puppies can start at 8 weeks once they have their first round of vaccinations. Some advanced programs like protection or off-leash radius work do require a baseline obedience foundation first, so we will tell you exactly where to start.

Your dog's safety is non-negotiable. Ray is Pet CPR and First Aid certified and we have a vet on call for any medical issue that comes up during the stay. You are notified immediately if anything happens, and we walk you through what is covered as part of the program and what would be a separate vet cost.

Life happens. Reach out as soon as you know and we will find a new time that works for both of us. We just ask for as much notice as you can give so the slot can go to another client who needs it. There is no fee for a normal reschedule.

You start seeing change in days, not weeks. Foundation obedience usually clicks in the first one to three sessions. Behavior cases like reactivity or aggression run longer, often 4 to 8 weeks in a board-and-train so the new patterns stick. Every Board & Train graduate gets free maintenance classes for life, so the work keeps building after the program ends.

Puppies can start at 8 weeks once they have their first vaccinations for safe socialization. Earlier is easier because the brain is still wide open, but the "old dog can't learn" idea is a myth. Ray has rebuilt senior dogs and rescues just fine. The right time to start is now, whatever your dog's age.

They solve different problems. Private lessons get you one-on-one attention and faster progress on a specific issue. Group classes get you real-world distractions, socialization with other dogs, and a lower price point. Most owners do both: private to build the skill, group to proof it. Reactive or fearful dogs always start in private until they are ready for a group.

Yes, every time. Ray has trained dogs in their double digits with rough histories and rebuilt their behavior in weeks. Older dogs often learn faster than puppies because they are calmer and more focused. The "set in their ways" idea is a story, not a fact.

Yes, this is one of Ray's specialties. Most positive-only trainers in Chicago will not take aggression cases. Ray will. The first step is an honest assessment to read what is driving the behavior, who or what triggers it, and whether a vet behaviorist needs to be in the loop. Most cases respond well to a structured board-and-train with the right plan.

Ray runs a 100% balanced program, which means the toolbox is open and the right tool is matched to the right dog at the right time. That can include marker words, treats, leash work, e-collars, and prong collars when they are the safest path to a fast result. Balanced does not mean harsh. It means honest about what each dog needs to learn fast and stay safe.

You will get photos and progress updates throughout the stay. In-person visits are usually scheduled toward the end of the program because mid-stay visits often reset progress and stress the dog. The whole point of Board & Train is a clean reset. Once your dog is ready to come home, you do a hands-on transfer session so the new behavior carries over to you.

Both. In-home is best for puppy potty training, leash reactivity on your usual neighborhood routes, door-darting, and fear cases that show up in the home environment. The facility is best for distraction-proofing, group socialization, and any board-and-train. We cover Chicago and the suburbs within roughly a 20-mile radius of Franklin Park for in-home work.

Yes. Ray runs sessions over FaceTime and Zoom for owners outside our in-person service area, or any time a quick check-in is more useful than a full visit. Video works well for behavior consults, troubleshooting a specific issue you are running into at home, and following up on a Board & Train graduate. Hands-on cases like protection or service dog training still need in-person work.