We recently completed the 10-session GOAT training program with our 18 month old Bouvier (Gus) we adopted 2 months ago. We met with several obedience trainers and selected Balanced Behavior due to their approach and philosophy to implementing repeatable on-leash skills for us and our dog, and building a better bond. Bill is an excellent educator of dogs and their owners.

Balanced Behavior Dog Training Center
Palatine, Illinois
About Balanced Behavior Dog Training Center
Balanced Behavior Dog Training Center specializes in professional dog training and behavior modification for dogs struggling with reactivity, aggression, anxiety, fear, and resource guarding. We go beyond basic obedience by addressing the root cause of problem behaviors and creating lasting results. Our programs are designed to help dogs learn calm, reliable behavior while teaching owners how to provide structure, leadership, and confidence. From leash reactivity to stranger danger to separation anxiety, we transform difficult behavior into cooperation and trust, helping families build safe, happy, and balanced relationships with their dogs.
Training & services
Training goals
- Behavior consultation
- Crate training
- Leash training
- Obedience training
- Socialization
Behavior support
- Aggression training
- Fear and confidence
- Reactivity training
- Resource guarding
- Separation anxiety
How training happens
- Board and train Customer-reported
- Group classes
- In-home training
Program details
Struggling with specific behavior challenges at home? An in-home training session provides targeted, one-on-one coaching in the environment where your dog lives, learns, and demonstrates behaviors. Bill or Krista will come to your home for a one-hour session tailored to your dogs immediate needs and your familys goals. During the session, your trainer will: Evaluate your dogs behavior in its natural home environment to identify triggers, habits, and areas for improvement. Provide step-by-step guidance and strategies to address pressing concerns, including obedience, reactivity, anxiety, threshold manners, and more. Create a customized action plan designed to help you and your dog build consistent routines, reinforce training, and achieve long-term success. In-home sessions are ideal for owners who want practical, real-world solutions applied directly where they matter most. They offer the unique benefit of coaching you as the handler, ensuring you gain the confidence and skills to guide your dog effectively. Please note that availability for in-home sessions is limited due to Bill and Kristas schedule at the training facility. Scheduling is handled directly with your trainer; after booking, Bill or Krista will reach out to confirm a convenient time. · Listed price: From $250.00
- Online or virtual training
- Owner coaching
- Pack walks
Program details
EXCLUSIVE TO GOAT CAMP GRADUATES! Loving Leaders Pack Walk Program This monthly program gives GOAT Camp graduates the opportunity to refine social skills, maintain training, and practice real-world application of learned behaviorsall in a supportive, guided environment. Led by Bill, each hour-long walk takes place in local parks and focuses on reinforcing handler engagement, calm leadership, neutrality, and precise leash communication amidst the natural distractions of other dogs, people, and the environment. Spots are limited to 10 dogs per walk to ensure personalized attention and hands-on guidance. Program Goals: Community Building: Connect with other dedicated dog owners and cultivate a network of like-minded individuals who are committed to positive, results-driven training. Handler Engagement & Skills: Strengthen your ability to remain neutral, maintain focus, and communicate effectively with your dog in dynamic, real-world scenarios. Dog Socialization & Pack Drive: Enhance your dogs cooperative behaviors, reinforce pack-oriented play and work drive, and cultivate harmonious interactions within a group setting. Training Maintenance & Generalization: Apply and generalize skills learned in GOAT Camp to new environments and situations, helping your dog stay reliable and responsive outside of the home. Real-Time Feedback: Receive individualized guidance and corrections from Bill and Krista throughout the walk, ensuring practical application and continuous improvement. Participant Expectations: Arrive on time with exercised, well-prepared dogs. Dogs must remain leashed, maintain safe distances, and follow learned commands. Owners actively follow Bills guidance, remain calm, and reinforce positive behaviors. Bring high-value rewards to support focus and engagement. Participate in post-walk discussion and Q&A to review progress, troubleshoot challenges, and deepen understanding. Walk Structure: Arrival & Briefing (10 min): Check-in, introductions, and a controlled start with initial guidance on positioning, engagement, and leash handling. Guided Walk (30 min): Variable-distance walking while navigating distractions. Bill and Krista provide live feedback, coaching, and demonstrations tailored to each dog and handler. Q&A & Review (20 min): Post-walk discussion to ask questions, address challenges, and review lessons learned during the session. This program not only helps maintain your dogs skills but also empowers you as a handler, reinforcing the principles of leadership, communication, and positive guidance that make GOAT Camp so effective. Join the pack today and keep your dog learning, engaged, and fulfilled! · Listed price: From $50.00
- Private training
Program details
Our private 1-hour training sessions are designed for clients who may not needor be ready forour full GOAT Camp program but still want hands-on, professional guidance. These sessions are offered a la carte, giving you the flexibility to work on exactly what matters most for you and your dog. During your session, well focus on your specific goals. Whether its leash manners, obedience, behavior issues, or simply building a better relationship with your dog, well tailor the training to your needs. If youre not sure where to start, dont worrywell begin with the foundations and build from there. All sessions take place at our training facility, giving us the ideal environment to set your dog up for success. By the end of the hour, youll walk away with practical skills, clear guidance, and a plan to continue progress at home. Perfect for dog owners looking for professional support without committing to a full programthese sessions are flexible, effective, and all about you and your dog. · Listed price: From $225.00
Dog age
- Puppies
Support between sessions
- Follow-up support
- Homework and practice
Dog sports
- Agility Customer-reported
Your dog’s background
- Rescue dogs Customer-reported
Additional services
- Grooming
Other listed services
View 3 additional details
- GOAT Camp
Program details
GOAT Camp is our signature, results-driven training program for owners who want meaningful transformation and a clear, teachable system they can confidently apply at home. It delivers all the benefits of a traditional board & trainintensive, high-quality training for your dogwithout sending your dog away or leaving you out of the process. Instead, you learn alongside your dog every step of the way. This program blends immersive daily training with thorough owner education, structured homework, and real-world practice so your dogs progress continues long after each session ends. Included: 8 Training Days focused on behavior improvement, obedience, leash skills, neutrality, confidence building, settle training, and breed-appropriate fulfillment. Eight 30-Min 1:1 Owner Sessions to teach you exactly how to handle, guide, and maintain your dogs training. Daily Training Video explaining the concept youll practice during your 1:1 session. Daily Homework with step-by-step instructions to keep your routine consistent. Lifetime access to six of Bills behavior-focused programs designed to build solid foundations, prevent owner-created issues, and guide you through resolving the most common behavior challenges. GOAT Camp is perfect for owners who want structure, clarity, and a proven training system. You gain everything needed to build a reliable, fulfilled, and well-balanced dogpaired with the guidance to maintain those results long after the program ends. · Listed price: From $1,995.00
- GOAT Camp Plus
Program details
GOAT Camp Plus is our most complete, results-driven training program for owners who want real transformation and long-term success. This program blends intensive daily training with thorough owner education, clear structure at home, and real-world follow-up support so your dogs progress continues well beyond the program. Included: 8 Training Days focused on behavior improvement, obedience, leash skills, neutrality, confidence building, settle training, and breed-appropriate fulfillment. Eight 30-Min 1:1 Owner Sessions to teach you exactly how to handle, guide, and maintain your dogs training. Daily Training Video explaining the concept youll practice during your 1:1 session. Daily Homework with step-by-step instructions to keep your routine consistent. Lifetime access to six of Bills behavior-focused programs designed to build solid foundations, prevent owner-created issues, and guide you through resolving the most common behavior challenges. Plus These Extras: 1 In-Home Session to address your dogs behavior where it matters most. 1 Refresher Session to tighten things up after graduation. 1 Pack Walk to practice neutrality around other dogs in real life. 1 Stay & Train Day for a tune-up at the facility. GOAT Camp Plus is perfect for owners who want structure, clarity, and continued support. You gain everything needed to build a reliable, fulfilled, and well-balanced dogalong with the guidance to maintain those results for the long haul. · Listed price: From $2,495.00
- Field Trip Training Session
Program details
True success with your dog goes beyond obedienceits about having a dog who can navigate life calmly, confidently, and reliably. In this one-hour Field Trip Training Session, Bill personally accompanies you and your dog to a public location, providing hands-on coaching and guidance tailored to your dogs current skill level and real-life challenges. During the session, you will: Practice engagement and focus in distracting environments such as pet stores, coffee shops, malls, or other public spaces. Receive professional guidance in high-stress locations, including veterinary offices, grooming appointments, or anywhere your dog may struggle with anxiety, fear, or excitement. Learn strategies to manage challenges in real time, building trust, confidence, and self-control in your dog. Gain actionable tools to maintain and reinforce these behaviors at home, ensuring lasting success beyond the session. Each outing is fully customized to your dogs abilities and needs, emphasizing not just exposure, but teaching your dog to process new environments correctly and respond reliably to your guidance. Whether practicing calm behavior, polite greetings, or self-regulation around distractions, these sessions provide real-world experience with expert support. By the end of your Field Trip session, youll leave with practical strategies, a more confident and composed dog, and the peace of mind that comes from learning directly from Bill in real-life settings. · Listed price: From $295.00
Confirm current programs and availability directly.
Customer reviews
Google listingMentioned in reviews
- Knowledgeable trainers 21
- Dog reactivity 17
- Reactive dog training 14
- Leash pulling 12
- Obedience training 9
- Communication with dog 6
All 10 topics
- Confident dog 6
- Crate training 3
- Anxious dog training 2
- Rescue dog training 2
Google review topics, not confirmed services.
Bill was amazing with our goldendoodle and was immediately helpful with correcting her pulling habit and leash training. Although he was 30 min from us, he was absolutely worth the distance- I highly recommend him.
My pup Kaianne, just completed her GOAT training with an emphasis on the e collar. Kai is deaf and it was difficult to get her attention. In my past experience, the e-collar was tricky, I would shut Kai down simply by putting the collar on her. Now, when the e-collar is on, sh…Read full reviewClose full review
My pup Kaianne, just completed her GOAT training with an emphasis on the e collar. Kai is deaf and it was difficult to get her attention. In my past experience, the e-collar was tricky, I would shut Kai down simply by putting the collar on her. Now, when the e-collar is on, she hardly notices. Kai is a rockstar, I NEEDED this training to learn how to communicate with her on leash and with the e-collar. Bill training me was the game changer and exactly what was needed in my relationship with Kai. As we moved through the 10 classes, Bill was patient and spent time on the areas I struggled with in class and at home. Bill broke it down in a clear way and today, I’m fully able to use the e-collar to communicate with Kai. I learned how to be clear with hand signals and the importance of consistency. I’ve also been able to stop behaviors that have been a pain point, so many wins ❤️. The training sessions were so fun and we even used some agility tools to stretch her skills and she loved it (me too💞) At home, we use e-collar training and sometimes she’ll sit in place to tell me she wants to train, it’s the cutest thing. Grateful to Bill and Krista, you guys are the best 💞.
We did the 5, 1 hour hands on training. Bill was amazing. Our dog was pretty good but has anxiety, pulled on her leash, jumps on people and doesn’t come when called. After 5 lessons she is a different dog. Listens to commands, doesn’t jump and is a much calmer, less anxious dog. Our kids didn’t even recognize her as the same dog.
Completing GOAT camp with our Nova girl is one of the best decisions we’ve ever made! We were weary about the financial investment at first, but it has been worth every penny. Before coming to Balanced Behavior, we had completed a puppy obedience course with a chain pet store, w…Read full reviewClose full review
Completing GOAT camp with our Nova girl is one of the best decisions we’ve ever made! We were weary about the financial investment at first, but it has been worth every penny. Before coming to Balanced Behavior, we had completed a puppy obedience course with a chain pet store, which emphasized positive reinforcement only. Nova had basic commands down, but her obedience was not proofed it all when it came to distractions, etc. Our growing pup began developing anxiety and reactivity, and we had no idea how to effectively communicate with her or how to correct negative behaviors. GOAT camp has completely transformed our relationship with our girl! Bill is very knowledgeable and concise, and provides excellent directions for practicing at home. We’ve learned how to set clear expectations and communicate in a way our pup understands. We’ve learned how to keep Nova feeling enriched and exercised without an excessive regimen. She’s now able to rest and relax around other dogs and we’re seeing her reactivity fade every day. We feel confident bringing her into new environments and look forward to continued growth together. Nova will be so sad GOAT camp is over - she absolutely LOVES Bill and Krista and was so happy and fulfilled on camp days. We’re looking forward to signing up for more opportunities to learn together through Balanced Behavior!
Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.