Compassionate dog training in Chicago

Sniffspot’s top rated trainers in Illinois

Our Services

What we offer

Private sessions, group classes, and drop-off options to help your dog build confidence, focus, and real-life skills.

Young puppy participating in a socialization class at Copilot Dog Training.

Puppy classes

New puppy? We’ve got you.

Our puppy classes cover socialization, confidence building, and obedience foundations to help your dog grow into a well-adjusted adult.

Group dog training session focusing on obedience and engagement.

Group classes

Build skills in a real-world setting

Our classes improve focus, confidence, and more in busy environments. Great for reactivity, engagement, and even fun tricks. Located at our Avondale training facility.

One-on-one dog training session tailored to individual needs.

Private training

One-on-one, custom training

From basic obedience and potty training to separation anxiety, reactivity and aggression, we offer private lessons with flexible pricing and scheduling.

Trainer conducting in-home day training with a dog in a Chicago residence

In-home day training

Let our trainers do the heavy lifting

Drop your pup off for half- or full-day structured sessions with our trainers at our Avondale location. Perfect for busy schedules and building consistent skills.

Dog enrolled in drop-off training program at Copilot facility.

Drop-off training

Training while you’re at work

Our 4- and 5-week in-home programs combine hands-on trainer sessions with weekly transfer lessons to speed up progress and build real-world skills.

Dogs engaging in supervised playgroup session at Copilot Dog Training.

Playgroups

Safe, structured socialization

Beat the weather and the boredom! Trainer-led playgroups designed for puppies and small dogs learning polite play and confidence around others.

Behavior & training we help with

  • Set your puppy up for success with early socialization, potty training, crate skills, and prevention for future behavior struggles.

  • Pulling, zig-zagging, freezing, or overreacting on walks? We’ll help your dog learn to walk calmly and check in with you, even when the world is full of distractions.

  • Dogs who lunge, bark, or growl at people or other dogs. Whether it’s fear, frustration, or guarding behavior. We help you uncover the “why” and create safer, more confident responses.

  • Nervous rescues, shutdown dogs, or pups who struggle with new environments, strangers, or sounds. We teach coping skills to build trust and resilience.

  • For high-energy dogs who struggle with self-regulation like jumping, grabbing, zoomies, or barking when excited. We turn chaos into clarity using positive reinforcement.

  • Whether you’re starting fresh or rebuilding a bad association, we help make the crate a safe, cozy spot your dog actually wants to be in.

  • Does your dog growl over food, toys, people, or space? We specialize in helping dogs feel safe without needing to guard the things they value.

  • Does your dog panic when you leave? Barking, destructive behavior, accidents, or escaping can all be signs of separation anxiety.

    We’ll help you build independence slowly and create a plan that feels safe for your dog (and for you to follow).

Our Approach

Why choose Copilot

Line drawing of a dog with sparkles representing kind, positive reinforcement training

We Train with
Kindness

Outlined paw print symbolizing personalized dog training

We Know Every Dog’s Different

Training should be kind, clear, and fun, for dogs and their people. We use positive reinforcement to help dogs learn and feel good doing it.

At Copilot, our trainers bring a variety of specialties so your dog gets support and tailored training plans that fits their unique needs.

Hand cradling a heart with a dog silhouette inside, representing community and care

We Love Our Chicago
Community

Outlined dog walking on a leash, symbolizing flexible training options

Flexible Training Options

Training should be kind, effective, and 
fun—for both dogs and their people. We use positive reinforcement methods to help make that happen.

Sign up for group classes at our Avondale location or take advantage of in-home training. Not within our service areas? 
Try virtual sessions!

Testimonials

  • Two light-colored dogs lying on a bed, one resting its head on the blanket, with a fan and bedroom wall in the background.

    “Margaret provided us with so many tools to help support them while walking, and their reactivity has diminished significantly.”

    Vicki & Brenton

  • A gray and white pit bull dog sitting outdoors in a wooded area, wearing a blue harness and collar, looking directly at the camera.

    "Margaret is incredibly knowledgeable and she provided him (and us!) the one on one attention we needed. "

    Lizzie & Laura

  • A happy brown and white dog sitting in a car with its tongue hanging out.

    "Margaret’s calm and positive style creates an environment where dogs and humans can bring their imperfect selves to grow rapidly and approach challenges with curiosity, not fear or embarrassment."

    Dana & Kevin

  • A fluffy black and white dog holding a green tennis ball in its mouth sits on a brick patio in a backyard with outdoor furniture and garden plants.

    "Under Margaret’s leadership, we learned many techniques that helped all enjoy Hank on walks and in social situations. She was professional and friendly."

    Steve & Karen

  • Close-up of a young, brown and white dog with a pink nose, sitting on green grass.

    "Margaret's training methods are based on years of experience which is centered around understanding the underlying behavior and correcting it using positive reinforcement."

    Alyssa

  • Small dog with a black and tan coat, sitting on grass with fallen leaves, wearing a pink harness and black leash.

    "Margaret meets you and your pup wherever you are in your journey and makes the training fun, realistic, and achievable."

    Lizzie

Humans with the treats

Our Dog Trainers

Woman interacting with two dogs near a river with bridges and trees in the background.
A young smiling woman sitting on a dark blue couch, holding a gray dog on her left and a tan dog on her right.

Urban environments, enrichment & therapy dog training

Margaret Fraser

Jess Kupsik

Special needs pups

A young woman with long black hair, sitting on a blanket outdoors, smiling at the camera with two dogs beside her. The scene is in a grassy area with a brick building and trees in the background, and the lighting suggests late afternoon or early evening.
A woman smiling outdoors holding a small white dog with a bow tie and a golden retriever dog, both dogs happy with open mouths, in a wooded area.

Megan Green

Trick training, Canine Good Citizen & all-things puppies

Hailey Mott

Leash walking, calming skills & rescue dog transitions

A woman sitting on a fallen tree trunk beside a river, holding two small white dogs with harnesses, smiling amidst green trees.

Reactivity, stranger danger & confidence building

Cailin Patracon

Susy Vallejo

Ronnie Gutierrez

Separation anxiety & predation substitution training

Reactivity, enrichment & confidence building

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a black T-shirt and ripped jeans, smiling and sitting in a white modern chair, holding a small mixed-breed dog with tan and white fur, dressed in a colorful rainbow tie-dye shirt, against a brick wall background with a potted plant and a framed list of names.
A Golden Retriever dog with a purple harness sitting on a rock on a sidewalk, looking at the camera with a curious expression. There are cars parked along the street, and fallen leaves and small plants are visible around the sidewalk.

Certifications

Trained to train

Seal of the American Kennel Club featuring two dogs sitting on their hind legs facing each other, with the words 'Cain Good Citizen' and 'Evaluator' around the seal.
Top dog trainer in Illinois badge sponsored by Sniffspot
Logo of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), featuring a stylized design with orange and black colors and the organization's name.
Logo for Business Insurers of the Carolinas featuring animal illustrations including a dog, three fish, a bird, and a cat, set against a dark background.
Logo of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), featuring a silhouette of a dog and a person's hand reaching out