[GMK]

Hope this is in the right section. My wife and I will be getting a puppy from Landschaft Kennels in January and are looking for suggestions on a trainer in our area. We live in the Elgin area and would like to find a trainer that is close (within 30 min drive). We're interested initially in obedience and achieving a CGC. We've been recommended Car Dun Al and Kanosak, but would like to find one that had training classes on Friday nights or Saturdays so we could both attend.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[vat]

Be very careful of Kanosak, I have heard horror stories about some methods used there. Now this has been awhile and maybe it was a specific trainer and all may be fine now. If you go there or to any trainer and you do not feel comfortable with how they do things leave!

My trainer is in Waterman, IL and that is more than 30 minutes. I do have a friend who used to train in Sycamore, I will ask her if she knows anyone in the Elgin area.

Oh and welcome and congrats on the new pup!

 

[Andaka]

Lincolnwood Training Club

This club specializes in German Shepherds. But I don't know how close it is to you.

 

[GMK]

Lincolnwood Training Club

This club specializes in German Shepherds. But I don't know how close it is to you.

Lincolnwood is about 40 miles away from us. It's not that we're opposed to traveling this far, but we would like to find somewhere closer that would be easy for us both to attend. Not to mention Lincolnwood is in towards Chicago which would mean evening training in the weekday would be out of the question because of traffic into the city.

 

[agilegsds]

Cardunal is compulsive, they train the Koehler method, as in put on a prong collar, give command, and pop the dog until it complies. I took classes there many years ago and have been there for other events since then and it hasn't changed.

I would recommend two positive trainers in your area who clicker train. Jan Hicks: Paw Law Dog Training And a friend of mine in South Elgin, Julia Lane: http://www.spotonk9s.com Julia loves GSDs and used to do GSD rescue when she lived in New Orleans.

 

[Brian84]

YES! Try going to the German Shepherd club of Chicago. It's in Hanover park so it's not too far from you. You can enroll in the different classes that they have there or you can do drop in training for only $6 for a 45 minute class. Those are on Wednesday nights and Sunday mid-day. You don't have to enroll for the drop in classes so if you don't like it you don't have to go again.
We've spent over $600 training our dog with private trainers who just want to teach the dog tricks that she already knew. Then they want more money for advanced classes if you want to learn more.
We take our dog there every wednesday and Sunday and these people know these dogs so well. They take the time to talk with you and privately work with you for no extra charge

 

[Chicagocanine]

I would recommend Paw Law, they're a great place, I've only heard good things about them. I haven't taken obedience there but I took a flyball class there once.

There is also a GSD Training Club in Hanover Park, but I don't know much about them:
German Shepherd Dog Training Club of Chicago Homepage