Dropoff Dog Training in Chicago

• Schedule: 2 non-consecutive days per day, plus a weekend progress meeting, for 4 weeks
• Training environment: In our training facility, plus outdoors in the neighborhood
• Daycare: Your dog can participate in daycare each day while here, important for socialization
• Rest time: Each day also includes rest time
• Free trial daycare day: Bring your dog for a free trial daycare day to make sure he feels comfortable
• Initial consultation meeting: Meet with your trainer to review your goals and discuss the plan
• TrainTrack: Review home exercises each week to ensure you maintain consistency at home
• Equipment included: You will receive:
• Treat pouch
• Walking harness
• Optional clicker
• Starter set of treats
• Dropoff and pickup times: Dropoff between 6:45am and 9am, pick up between 4pm and 7pm
• Requirements:
• At least four months old
• All vaccinations up-to-date, including all boosters for puppies, for canine influenza (H3N2 or bivalent), Bordatella, distemper, and parvovirus. Rabies is required for dogs 7 months and older.
• Spayed / neutered if 4 months or older
• Comfortable around people
• No crate / kennel aggression or reactivity
• If choosing the daycare option, able to be in play with other dogs
• No contagious conditions, including but not limited to giardia and coughing

• Pay with a credit card over the phone
• Split into multiple payments over time
• PayPal Credit, where you pay over time and no interest is due for the first 6 months

What if I want to mix and match behaviors that the trainer works on?

This is very possible, depending on the behaviors and your goals. You should speak with one of our training advisors about this.

What if it is snowy or rainy outside?

If the weather doesn't permit on any given day, we would work indoors during that time - it is not common that poor weather lasts the entire day, so we can head back outside when it clears up. During the winter, we encourage you to bring boots and a jacket for your dog. We can put them on your dog before going outside. It can be helpful to still work on outdoor walking, to teach your dog to not pull you in icy conditions. If we feel it is too cold for your dog, we would head back inside.

What if I need transportation?

Tucker Pup's does not provide transportation, but can put you in touch with transportation companies. You can also schedule rides with companies like Uber and Lyft - you just need to tell them you are bringing your dog.

What if my dog is too anxious to learn?

Every dog comes for a free trial day, just to get their feet wet and see how everything goes. If you decide to move forward, we try to give dogs ample time to adjust, and our trainers go out of their way to help every dog be as comfortable as possible. We can also work with dogs on what may be causing them fear or anxiety, and our trainers have a lot of patience and empathy. After two days of working with your dog, we should have a strong sense of whether the training is working well. We are very honest, and if it seems like it's just not working out, we will call and tell you. If we jointly decide to stop, we would prorate your remaining amount as a refund or credit for other training formats such as private lessons at your home. After two days, if your dog is responding well to the training, Dropoff Training is non-refundable, because by giving you a space, we took it away from someone else.

Can I bring my dog if he is reactive?

It depends on the severity and conditions that cause reactivity. If it is minor leash reactivity, that may be OK. If your dog goes ballistic when seeing any other dog, that would be very challenging in this environment. Our dropoff trainers also cannot work with a dog who is human aggressive. You can certainly feel free to discuss with a training advisor, who may suggest other alternatives such as our Leash Reactivity class, or our behavioral modification program at your home.

What if I can't make it on a particular day?

You may be able to work out a customized schedule with the trainer, if done in advance. If you simply didn't show up, or cancelled with less than one week advance notice, we would still consider the day as used, because by giving you a space, we took one away from someone else.

What if I can't come there during a certain week?

It is best to schedule all four weeks back-to-back, so your dog maintains great momentum. However, it may be possible postpone a week, as long as we know well in advance. Talk with your training advisor about this.

What if I need to keep my dog there a few nights?

If you need your dog to stay here on certain nights, that is certainly possible, but the program in most cases is meant to be for dogs getting dropped off twice per week, with at lesat one day of rest in between. If you do need to board during the program, you can mix and match which days you drop off, and which days your dog will stay with us overnight. It's very flexible. You just pay the extra fee for the overnight option at the end of the program, based on how many nights your dog actually stayed here. The price for staying overnight is $60 extra per night.

Will my dog be fully trained and I never need to do anything differently?

No trainer in the world can say that they can fully train your dog and you will never need to do anything differently. We are going to put a lot of repetitions on your dog and help him become very responsive to positive reinforcement training. We are going to show you how to continue the improved behaviors at home. If you are consistent with our methods, you should have a happy listener on your hands!!

What safety measures do you take on walks?

Our trainers are committed to the safety of your dog. We use double leashes, including with one secured to the trainer's waist. We can also harnesses, and secure the collar to the harness and leash all at once. No dog is ever off-leash outdoors, and the trainers are very cognizant of other dogs and possible leash reactivity situations.

Proper dog training takes focused repetition, not just once per week or every so often. In order for your dog to truly learn and become highly responsive, you must commit to frequent sessions throughout each week. You must also have the time, patience, skills, and energy to get results, for those inevitable times when things just are not clicking with your dog.

For most people, life's distractions get in the way and training becomes an afterthought. There is often a lack of focused repetition each week, they cannot overcome setbacks or unwanted behaviors, and progress stalls.

This is why Dropoff Training is so popular. You will be assigned a trainer whose mission is to turn your ball of distraction into a listening machine. After four weeks, most dogs show remarkable progress, far more than their owner could have gotten alone.

• Avoid wasting many hours sifting through conflicting, incomplete advice that is often detrimental — follow a structured, proven plan instead
• Get immediate expert feedback on your technique and what your dog is actually experiencing
• Avoid common mistakes that can severely limit your dog's progress
• We'll show what adjustments to make when your dog isn't responding
• Use TrainTrack to track progress and get ongoing guidance
• Stay consistent with guidance and accountability throughout the process
• Eliminate the frustration of trying different methods that don’t consistently work

• Do I need to carry treats for the rest of my dog's life? Treats are for teaching behaviors - once your dog can reliably perform, treats can be phased out at your discretion.
• Do I need to carry treats at all times? No. If there are times where you are not carrying treats, our methods can still work.
• Can I use a different type of reward than treats? It may be possible to use something else your dog values, such as a favorite toy.
• Is positive reinforcement too soft for my dog? Not a bit. The best way to build reliable skills is through trust and motivation. Being tough with your dog can cause him to shut down, have anxiety, ignore you, and not truly learn.
• I have tried treats, but they don't work for my dog. You were likely using low-value treats, including from a store. We will recommend high-value treats that are irresistable for most dogs, including in high-distraction environments.
• Will it take longer to achieve results? This is a common myth. Positive reinforcement can create faster results than aversive methods, because your dog is motivated to listen to you, and truly wants to learn.
• Is it bribery? No! All animals learn behaviors from being rewarded, including humans. You wouldn't go to work for free, would you? Motivation + repetition = new behaviors.