
With our Dropoff Training option, you drop off your dog at our training facility three days per week for three weeks, and one of our trainers will work one-on-one with your dog to instill a full set of manners, listening, and self-control skills. This includes walking with a loose leash, coming immediately when called, listening the first time, staying in place when you walk away, leaving objects alone, and much more. We work both indoors and outdoors, depending on the weather, and spend a lot of time walking your dog in the neighborhood.
Once per week, you meet with your trainer at our training facility for a progress meeting, so you can learn how to keep using the exercises at home. We also answer your questions and make sure that we're all on the same page.
Dropoff Training also has the option to include daycare each day that your dog is here. This socialization can be an important factor for a dog's behavior. In our daycare environment, we separate the dogs into groups based on size and temperament, we have the nicest outdoor area in Chicago, and staff members monitor the dogs at all times.
By the end of the program, most dogs have made massive progress, and our customers are delighted that they have a great listener.
Space is limited, and reservations are required.

Otto and I worked with Susy Vallejo through Dropoff Training and, overall, both had such a great experience. Otto has gone from an out-of-control puppy to an energetic, happy puppy that understands boundaries. It's been a huge change for our family and we owe it all to Susy, who worked diligently with Otto and us to make sure we brought the best out of each other.
A special note on Susy. She was incredibly easy to work with. She was kind, flexible, and very clearly cared about Otto first and foremost. That meant a lot to our family. It was great to work with someone that cares so much about our pups and clearly loves what she does. Five stars!
Will definitely recommend Tucker Pup's and will be back in touch with Susy later this year about signing up for intermediate training.
- Yolanda Magallanes
Included in your tuition:
- Initial in-person consultation with a trainer at our facility, to review your goals, answer your questions, and discuss the plan.
- Nine days of training at our facility (three days per week, on weekdays). You drop off and pick up your dog each day. Multiple sessions each day with a trainer.
- Equipment
- Starter set of treats that we recommend
- Treat pouch
- Walking harness
- Optional clicker
- Three progress meetings with your trainer, once per weekend for one hour each, at our facility. We will show you what we've been working on and how to be consistent at home.
Includes:
- Multiple daycare sessions per day while here for training. This helps with socialization, which is an important part of training.
- Free trial daycare day for your dog, to get him acclimated to our play environment.
Please note that if you pay for the daycare option, but group play is not working well once the training begins, we can switch to the non-daycare option and offer a prorated refund or credit for the difference.
If you are considering starting in the near future, we strongly encourage you to reserve it in advance, so you get the dates and days of the week that work best for you.
It may be possible to start right away if you are interested. Feel free to inquire about availability.
Payment options:
- Credit card, including over the phone or in person
- PayPal Credit, where you can pay over time, and pay no interest if paid in full within six months. Learn more
- Cash or check
In Dropoff Training, we try to implement the same curriculum and behaviors that we use in our classes.
Option 1: Adult Manners
- Loose leash walking
- Coming to you (recall)
- Waiting for permission
- Focus and attention
- Leaving items alone
- Staying in place
- Not jumping on dogs or people (polite greetings)
- Minor leash reactivity
Option 2: Puppy Manners
- All behaviors in Adult Manners, plus:
- Crate training
Option 3: Mix and Match
- We can customize a curriculum to your specific needs, mixing and matching behaviors you want us to work on
- Please note that some advanced behaviors may not be possible until going through basic behaviors first. You would need to discuss with your trainer for what is realistic, and together create a plan
Option 4: Intermediate Manners
- Add difficulty to all Adult Manners behaviors listed above
- Off-leash heeling (walking at your side while staying very focused on you). Please note that we never go off-leash outdoors.
- Go to a place, such as a crate or mat
- Finish (end up at your side after coming to you)
- Sit, down and stand from a distance
- Emergency stop
- Front command (come directly to my feet and give me eye contact, in the sit position)
- Basic tricks
Behaviors We Cannot Work On in Dropoff Training:
We CANNOT work on the following in Dropoff Training, as these are specific to your home and not conducive to a facility. These would require private lessons.
- Potty training
- Dog-human aggression or reactivity
- Separation anxiety
- Barking
- Major leash reactivity
- Correcting off-leash play behaviors such as biting or playing roughly
- Our Dropoff Training program is run by experienced trainers. Our trainers have many years of combined experience and numerous industry-standard credentials. We do not just hire people who call themselves a trainer.
- Your dog will gain exposure to multiple trainers and staff members, which is important for socialization purposes.
- We only use positive reinforcement. No choke chains, shock collars, prong collars, or dominance methods. We are very transparent and have nothing to hide. The fact that some call it "Boot Camp" should be your first red flag that they may be using domination, which is not necessary and is very outdated.
- Your dog goes home each night. For places that offer a "Boot Camp" where your dog is gone for 2-3 weeks (or longer) this can be very stressful and demoralizing for them. Our format helps your dog build his relationship with you, and he will be able to sleep in his own bed at night. Dropoff Training dogs typically come bounding through the door the next day and are happy to be here.
- Training is a major component of our business and we take it very seriously. We have the largest and most comprehensive dog training program in Chicago, including with classes, private lessons, puppy socials, and more. This is not something we just happen to do on the side.
- Your dog has the option to be in play for a portion of each day, for socialization purposes. The play includes our outdoor play area, which is the nicest in Chicago and includes grass meant for dogs, pools, and playground equipment.
- We train indoors and outdoors, including on walks around the neighborhood. Our training facility is spacious and is great for indoor exercises, such as with the use of cones.
- We have a very structured system, where exercises build on each other and get more and more difficult. By the end of the program, your dog should be able to perform a wide range of skills very reliably.
- We include several retail items in our package, such as a walking harness and treat pouch.
- You meet with your trainer once per week at our training facility for progress meetings, so you can stay consistent at home and have a deep understanding of what we are working on. In many other businesses, you only have a brief meeting at the end, if at all, and it can be very overwhelming to take it all in.
Tucker Pup's Training Center
1046 W Fulton Street
Chicago, IL 60607
This is where we work on exercises indoors. We have traffic cones, wide-open spaces, and other equipment to help teach your dog the exercises.
Tucker Pup's Pet Resort
219 N Carpenter Street
Chicago, IL 60607
This is where you will drop off your dog, and where we have daycare and the boarding suites.
In the winter time, 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.
- 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 7 months or older
- Not reactive towards 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
- Sign our Liability Waiver and Dropoff Training Agreement
- More defined curriculum and structure, with a minimum of 9 training sessions.
- Pay in advance.
- Multiple private sessions included, at our training facility.
- Treats and equipment included.
- We train your dog while here for boarding or daycare.
- We work on a few behaviors, but not a full curriculum like in Dropoff Training.
- Less training time per day than Dropoff Training.
- Pay when you check out from boarding or daycare.
- If your dog is boarding with us, there is a minimum of three training days. If here for daycare, we can train just on that day. For Dropoff Training, there is a minimum of nine training days.
- Private session available at our training facility, after your boarding stay, in order to review what we worked on. This is at a reduced rate from our normal private lesson fee.
- Treats and equipment sold separately.