3266 N. Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
Group Training Classes in Chicago
Looking for dog training classes in Chicago? Copilot offers group classes for puppies, adolescent dogs, and adult dogs, including obedience training, reactivity support, and real-world outdoor classes. Our programs are designed to help dogs build focus, calm, and reliability in everyday environments.
Upcoming Classes
Browse our current dog training classes in Chicago below. New classes are added regularly, including indoor group classes and outdoor training at Brands Park.
Class Make Up Policy
Because we’re a small training facility with limited class spots, we are not able to offer make-up classes for missed sessions.
If you do miss a class, we’ll send a written recap so you can review everything that was covered and stay on track at home. We also offer a 30-minute private session with your trainer ($50) — either virtual or at our facility — if you’d like extra help going over the material.
If a class ever needs to be cancelled by us, we’ll always provide a make-up class or another solution. We encourage students to sign up for sessions when they’re able to attend consistently, since regular practice week to week makes a big difference in training progress.
Thanks so much for your understanding and for supporting our small business!
Class Details
Find the right fit for your dog
From beginner foundational obedience to advanced city skills, our classes are designed to improve leash skills, engagement, relaxation, and impulse control.
Puppy 1
(10–20 weeks old)
$250 / 5 weeks
A complete puppy foundations class featuring obedience skills, confidence building, social play, and weekly Q&A on common puppy issues.
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🐶 Engagement & focus games
🎓 Obedience basics
Sit, stay, down, stay🔄 Drop it and Leave it
🐾 Leash walking & recall
👋 Polite greetings
🐕 Appropriate play with other puppies
💬 Preparing for vet visits & city life
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For families looking for a balanced mix of training, socialization, confidence work, and real-life puppy guidance.
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10–20 weeks old
At least 1 round of core vaccines
Puppy 2: Teen Edition
(5–12 months)
$200 / 4 weeks
Designed for teen pups who already have some handle on the basics. Strengthen listening skills, work on impulse control, and start tackling relaxation and regulation.
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We'll work on strengthening behaviors like leash walking, stays, and leave it along with introducing a few new ones. We'll also be giving some tips about how to tackle life with an adolescent pup!
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Best for teen pups 5–12 months of age who have some handle on the basics.
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Some basic obedience basics
Your pup is 5 months - 1 year
Vaccinated
Foundational Obedience
$250 / 5 weeks
This class is all about building a solid foundation for you and your pup! Our goal is to help you start off on the right foot with foundational skills.
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Foundational skills such as
Sit, down, stay
Leave it
Recall
Touch
Leash walking
Find it
Eye contact/engagement
Release cue
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Best for dogs who are new to training, easily distracted, or need help focusing in busy environments. Great for high-energy dogs or recent rescues starting fresh.
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Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Intermediate
Obedience
$250 / 5 weeks
This class will work on proofing existing skills like stays, recall, and leash walking as well as more advanced skills like place and heel.
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Build on skills learned in Adult Dog 1, plus
Relaxation
Heel
Place
Tricks
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Best for dogs who know the basics but struggle with consistency, impulse control, or working around distractions like other dogs or people.
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Has taken Adult 1, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Advanced
Obedience
$250 / 5 weeks
This advanced level group class will work on proofing skills to and learning complicated sequences of behaviors.
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Build on skills learned in adult 1 and 2, plus
Combining behaviors
Long distance sit and down
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Best for dogs ready to level up their obedience with advanced skills, off-leash reliability, and real-world challenges like public spaces or group settings.
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Has taken Adult 1 and Adult 2, OR by instructor approval
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Training Club:
Practice at the Park
$40 / class (45 min)
Outdoor drop-in classes for returning students to build real-world skills. Held at Brands Park, each class is tailored to your dog, with obedience proofing, engagement, relaxation and more.
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These classes are tailored to your pup, but
Proofing the basics
Engagement outside around distractions (people, dogs, kids on the playground, and more)
Handling skills
Leash walking
Recall
Disengaging from other dogs
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This class is designed for dogs who can comfortably train around others in a group setting outside.
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Has taken any Copilot class
Your pup is 12 months or older
Vaccinated
Loose Leash Walking & Polite Greetings
$200 / 4 weeks
This class teaches polite greetings and leash walking skills to help your dog navigate city streets and meet people with confidence.
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Ways to approach (and be approached) by people as well as skills to call your dog away when needed.
Loose leash walking in the city.
Games and leash walking exercises that you can add as additional tools in your leash walking tool belt.
How to teach your dog not to jump on others
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Best for dogs who get overly excited or unsure when meeting people and need help with leash manners in busy environments.
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Has taken at least one basic obedience class, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Calm Copilot 1
$250 / 5 weeks
A mix of relaxation techniques, focus exercises and pattern games to give you the tools you need to navigate city life.
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Pattern games
Relaxation
Redirection techniques
Look at That (LAT)
Calming touch and massage with Caragh from Wellness & Wags
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This class is perfect for adolescents, dogs with leash frustration, and any city pup that could use a little more calm and focus in their life!
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Has taken at least one basic obedience class, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is 12 months or older OR instructor approval
Vaccinated
Calm Copilot 2:
Outdoor Edition
$250 / 5 weeks
Held outdoors at Brands Park, this follow-up to Calm Copilot builds on added distractions and new exercises for real-world focus and engagement.
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Pattern games
Relaxation
Redirection techniques
Look at That (LAT)
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This class is perfect for adolescents, dogs with leash frustration, and any city pup that could use a little more calm and focus in their life!
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Calm Copilot 1
Your pup is 12 months or older OR instructor approval
Vaccinated
Reactivity 1
$450 / 6 weeks
This class is for dogs with leash reactivity/frustration in a safe, group setting.
Class size is 4 dogs and taught by two certified trainers.
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Improving handling
Management skills to help you navigate city walks.
Counterconditioning exercises to help reduce reactions over time.
We will give you more information about why reactivity happens, body language, and changes we can make in our daily lives to help you and your pup.
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Dogs with leash frustration or reactivity towards other dogs to learn in a controlled, safe group setting.
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Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Buff Pups Fitness
$250 / 5 weeks
A fun fitness class for dogs that builds strength, balance, and confidence with wiggles, wobbles, and bonding!
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how to safely use fitness and agility equipment
how to build strength, balance and stability
new ways to engage your pup in distracting environments
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Best for folks who want to work on new ways to engage and enrich their pup’s life through exercise, strength, and agility training methods. Great for folks who might want to dip their toe in dog sports to learn a bit more about how to get started.
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Has taken at least one basic obedience class, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Paws on the Patio
$250 / 5 weeks
Ready for Chicago’s patio season? This class teaches skills for relaxing in busy cafes and restaurants, including ignoring food, polite greetings, and mat work. Final class held at a local brewery!
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How to settle calmly at your table (even with distractions)
Mat/place skills so your dog has a clear “job” while you hang out
Ignoring dropped food, servers, and nearby tables
Polite greetings with strangers
Staying under threshold in busy, distracting environments
Loose leash walking through tight patios and crowded spaces
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Best for dogs who are social or neutral around people and other dogs, but need help settling in busy environments like patios, cafes, and breweries.
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Has taken at least one basic obedience class, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Intro to Agility
$250 / 5 weeks
Start your agility adventure with a class that boosts confidence, sharpens handling skills, and keeps you and your dog joyfully connected. It’s all about learning the basics while having a blast together.
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Foundational agility obstacles (jumps, tunnels, low-contact equipment)
Safe handling techniques and directional cues
Confidence-building skills for dogs new to obstacle work
How to work as a team with clear, calm communication
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Dogs who love movement, problem-solving, and learning new skills
Owners looking for a fun activity that builds focus and connection
Dogs who need confidence, enrichment, or an energy outlet
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Has taken at least one basic obedience class, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Intro to Nosework
$250 / 5 weeks
Sniff out a new adventure with this beginner nosework class! We’ll introduce your dog to the joy of scent work, build their search confidence, and teach you the handling skills to be the perfect search partner.
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How to introduce scentwork using simple, positive search games
Building your dog’s independence and search confidence
Reading your dog’s body language during a search
Basic handling techniques so you and your dog work as a smooth detection team
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Best for folks who want to work on new ways to engage and enrich their pup’s life through exercise, strength, and agility training methods. Great for folks who might want to dip their toe in dog sports to learn a bit more about how to get started.
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Has taken at least one basic obedience class, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
$250 / 5 weeks
Designed for you and your pup to build real-world skills and prepare for the official CGC test.
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CGC Test Prep Skills:
Polite Greetings
Handling skills
Leash Walking with distractions
Stays with distance and duration
Recall from a distance
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For dogs over 6 months who are looking to grow their obedience and temperament skills in a goal-oriented class.
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Has taken at least one basic obedience class, OR instructor approval before signing up for a class
Your pup is six months or older
Vaccinated
Not sure if group classes are right fit for your pup?
Learn more about in-home private training or schedule a free consult to chat with one of our trainers!
Copilot HQ
3266 N. Elston Avenue in Avondale
Our Avondale training facility is where classes, drop-off training, and a whole lot of learning happens. The space is calm, welcoming, and intentionally small.
We’re located across from Brands Park, which lets us thoughtfully work around dogs, people, kids, and everyday distractions in a way that actually translates outside the classroom.
Free street parking is available on Elston, and we’ll send everything you need to know before your first visit!
Frequently Asked Questions
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We offer group dog training classes in Chicago for puppies, adolescent dogs, and adult dogs, including obedience, reactivity, and outdoor training. Classes are designed to build real-world skills like focus, leash walking, and settling.
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Each class is designed for a specific age and skill level. If you’re not sure where to start, reach out—we’re happy to help you choose the best fit based on your dog’s behavior and goals.
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We offer specific classes designed for reactive dogs. For more advanced or outdoor classes, dogs should be able to train around others in a group setting. If your dog needs more space or support, we can help you find the right option.
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Bring lots of small, high-value treats, a leash (no retractables), and anything your dog finds motivating. Some classes may recommend bringing a mat or toy.
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We offer puppy classes starting at 10 weeks, as well as options for adolescent and adult dogs. Each class has specific age guidelines listed.
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Our classes are held at our Avondale facility, with select outdoor classes held at Brands Park.
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If your dog isn’t comfortable training around others yet, private training is often the best place to start!
We can help build a plan to get your dog ready for group classes over time.