It’s our first time owning a puppy, and I’m so happy we decided to bring Denzel to the puppy socials! We wish we would have done it sooner when she was younger and waiting to get fully vaccinated. She’s about to be 5 months and is just so happy to see other people and dogs of all sizes, but she can definitely overwhelm herself! Phaedra is so kind and is helping us understand how to give Denzel breaks and about different puppy play styles. I will definitely recommend this class to any friends with puppies. We are also enrolled in an upcoming Puppy Manners course that we’re excited about. Thanks again, Phaedra!
- Josh Alletto
I loved the trainers at the Confidence Builder puppy social! Such a cute and fun experience!
- Ruby Guinther
We had a great time at the Whippersnappers puppy social! My dog had a blast. The trainers, MJ and Phaedra, had SO many wonderful tips to pass on for managing my dog. We have signed up for next week's session because we got so much out of this.
- John Rauch
Helena was great for drop off training!
- Victoria Marzullo
Jamie was a wonderful trainer with great energy! Whittaker learned a lot in the Adult Manners course and was able to build on his foundation within a more lively environment. We are looking forward to intermediate training soon!
- Alysha Baker
Jamie was incredible in the Adult Manners class! She made training your dog seem like a simple task. For being in a group setting, she still gave attention to my dog and got to know her.
The Tucker Pup’s space was great. Plenty of room for all the dogs to spread out, clean, and just what we needed.
- Emily Smith
Natalie was amazing!! Our puppy loves her and so do we! We will definitely be getting more training sessions with her!
- Ryan Modreske
Jamie was awesome. We learned a lot and really felt like we got a lot of value from the Adult Manners class. We have seen great progress with Gracie in a short period of time.
- Sam Sauder
We had a wonderful experience with Shaina and Phaedra. Rex is a handful - lots of energy and (positive) reactivity to other dogs. We have been implementing all of the strategies on our daily walks. We are seeing progress.
- Leanne Beaudoin Ryan
I have worked with Natalie since the day I brought home my Golden Retriever puppy at just 10 weeks old, and she’s been with us every step of the way through puppyhood.
Raising a high-energy puppy in a downtown Chicago high-rise comes with its own unique challenges, and Ralph ended up developing some behavioral concerns that were much more complex than typical puppy training. Throughout that process, Natalie has been incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and responsive. She has always taken the time to listen to my (very detailed and admittedly helicopter mom) updates, answer my endless questions, and thoughtfully adjust our training plan as Ralph’s needs evolved.
One thing I especially appreciate is that Natalie never took a one-size-fits-all approach. As Ralph matured, she helped us recognize that some of his behaviors weren’t simply obedience issues, but were rooted in overstimulation, frustration, and anxiety. She worked closely with her supervisors and collaborated with our veterinary behavior team to make sure we were approaching his training from every angle.
It’s clear how much she genuinely cares about both the dogs she works with and their owners. She celebrates the wins with us, is always willing to brainstorm through setbacks, and has been an incredible source of support during what has sometimes been a challenging first several months of puppyhood - especially for someone who is doing it on their own for the first time.
If you’re looking for someone who is compassionate, knowledgeable, communicative, and truly invested in your dog’s success, I would absolutely recommend Natalie. My pup adores her, and we’re incredibly grateful for everything she’s done to help him!
- Victoria Mpistolarides
Maureen was excellent. Our Pittie/staffie pup went from needing fences and sheets between him and strangers (sessions 1-4) to having Maureen doing home visits and, during our last session, allowing me and my partner to leave him and Maureen alone in the house. The progress has been outstanding, and we’ll continue to use Tucker Pups—Maureen specifically—for future training needs.
- Zoe Lindner
Great training - very professional, and extremely helpful for our whole family. Thank you!
- Lauren Berry
The Whippersnappers puppy social was as good for the humans as it was for the dogs. The leaders, Phaedra and MJ, were good at coaching/explaining
- Nick Barton
The Whippersnapper puppy social was such a great experience for my 15 week old golden retriever. Helena and MJ were excellent and it was such a positive experience - we’ll be back!
- Taylor Herring
Leia loved Natalie! It was very helpful participating in the Puppy Starter Program as a first-time dog owner. Natalie came to our apartment and gave us advice on how to help Leia become independent, gave ideas for enrichment activities, and guided us on how to expose Leia to the outside world.
- Vanessa Makris
Phaedra is fantastic. She explains everything and is so calm and positive in the puppy socials.
- Michelle Black
Jessie was great! Super helpful with great tips. We feel a lot more equipped after working with her!
- Erica Joseph
Attending puppy socials is our pup's favorite activity! It's an invaluable offering and we're so happy with the format and experience.
- Leigh Kile
Whittaker and I had a great time at the puppy social! The structure of play and training is perfect for his phase of puppy and he learned a lot! The trainers were great, always sharing information of what to look for, when to intervene, and of course they just love the dogs! Can't wait to be back.
- Alysha Baker
Courtney was always on time and helpful. I'm transitioning to group classes now, but happy I had some private sessions to begin with.
- Jim Mosley
Customer Reviews
Yelp has listed Tucker Pup's as one of the top 100 local businesses in the country in 2025. We are the only pet business who made the list from Chicago, and the only pet resort / training business who made the list nationally.
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