One of the best GSD breeders in the Midwest. Julie and her team love German shepherds and are knowledgeable in every aspect of the breed. They made the puppy process very fun and educational. We even had a small issue 6 months down the road that the vet was having trouble fixing. We brought our GSD to Julie and their team fixed her up quickly with some bonus training.

My BodyGuard German Shepherds
Marengo, Illinois
About My BodyGuard German Shepherds
My Bodyguard Dogs is Marengo’s premier all-breed training facility and world-class German Shepherd breeder. We specialize in balanced training for real-world reliability. From Board & Train and Group Classes to Private Lessons and Dock Diving, our expert team helps every dog excel. We also breed elite GSDs focused on superior health, genetics, and stable temperaments.
Training & services
Training goals
- Canine Good Citizen preparation Customer-reported
Program details
- Obedience training
Program details
- Puppy training Customer-reported
Program details
How training happens
- Board and train
Program details
- Day training Customer-reported
Program details
- Group classes
Program details
- Owner coaching Customer-reported
Program details
- Private training
Program details
Dog age
- Adult dogs
Program details
- Puppies
Program details
Training level
- Intermediate training Customer-reported
Program details
Dog sports
- Agility Customer-reported
Program details
- Dock diving
Program details
- IGP and protection sports
Program details
Training approach
- Balanced training
Program details
Additional services
- Boarding Customer-reported
Program details
- Grooming Customer-reported
Program details
Other listed services
View 3 additional details
- Breeding Program
Program details
- Dog Sport
Program details
- In Home
Program details
Confirm current programs and availability directly.
Questions & answers
From GoogleWhat people have asked about this business.
When and what is the cost for puppy training classes?
Doug the best advice I can give you is to call them and talk to Julie Saso, I will say that their training is 100 % perfection.
Community answer · Anthony Narbone · 2020-09-21
Our classes are 150.00 for a 6 week course. We are happy to talk with you about your dog and your training goals. Please feel free to call us at 815-568-0484
Community answer · My BodyGuard German Shepherds · 2020-09-21
How much are the dog
Our puppies are priced at $3500. We welcome a visit to meet us and our dogs and puppies!
Community answer · My BodyGuard German Shepherds · 2022-09-21
The dogs are cute there
Community answer · Elijah Garza · 2019-09-21
I believe it's 1800 n up depending on what you're looking for (imports) They're so worth it and much more. Big and beautiful puppies with a great temperament!
Community answer · Rachel Alvarado · 2019-09-21
Don't quote me on it but I think they sell puppies for 2500 each.
Community answer · Tyler Rudy · 2019-09-21
I have a pitbull terrier and I wanted to know is it possible to train her??? She's around 2 years but she's not much of a "guard" dog.
It truly depends on your dogs temperament, not every dog should be trained for personal protection. Go to a personal protection trainer to see if your dog would be a candidate.
Community answer · Breanna · 2020-09-21
Contact them... the trainers there are fantastic. I'm sure they can help you out. Either by doing private lessons, getting you enrolled in an obidence class, or by boarding your dog for training if that works best. They may want to do an "evaluation" of your pup first to see where she is at. I can't recommend this place enough. Have two shepherds from them that are incredible!
Community answer · Kris S · 2018-09-21
the name can be deceiving we have been going there to train our puppy everyone is friendly and though there if anyone can help your dog they can!
Community answer · Mike Charewicz · 2018-09-21
Public community answers. Authors are not verified as business representatives; details may have changed.
Customer reviews
Google listingMentioned in reviews
- my bodyguard dogs 19
- fun classes 15
- obedience training 11
- private lessons 11
- board and train 8
- clean facility 6
All 10 topics
- kind trainer 6
- reactive dog training 6
- puppy kindergarten 3
- protection training 2
Google review topics, not confirmed services.
Wonderful place and amazing people working there.
I want to give a special thank you to Tallia for the amazing care she's given my German Shepherd Lucy while I've been recovering from back surgery. Having to leave my dog in someone else's care wasn't easy, but Tallia made the entire experience so much easier. Her dedication, pa…Read full reviewClose full review
I want to give a special thank you to Tallia for the amazing care she's given my German Shepherd Lucy while I've been recovering from back surgery. Having to leave my dog in someone else's care wasn't easy, but Tallia made the entire experience so much easier. Her dedication, patience, and genuine love for the dogs she works with are obvious. Lucy absolutely adores her, and it's clear Tallia has built a wonderful bond with her. Every time I see them together, I know Lucy is happy, well cared for, and thriving. Thank you, Tallia, for treating Lucy like she was your own and for giving me peace of mind during a difficult time. Your kindness and hard work have meant more to me than you know. I truly appreciate everything you've done.
I couldn’t tell you enough wonderful things about Julie’s my bodyguard dogs. I grew up with a sheppie from here and have my own now named Atlas. If you are looking for training or a new puppy - do NOT get your sheppies from anywhere else. Atlas (& prior dog Aggy are/ ) is the be…Read full reviewClose full review
I couldn’t tell you enough wonderful things about Julie’s my bodyguard dogs. I grew up with a sheppie from here and have my own now named Atlas. If you are looking for training or a new puppy - do NOT get your sheppies from anywhere else. Atlas (& prior dog Aggy are/ ) is the best pup(s) I’ve ever been privileged to have. Over the years with Atlas we’ve done countless board and trains. Eric has been his primary trainer throughout his life (now 2.5yrs) and has done an incredible job working through all sorts of challenges that go with having a strong willed pup. From recall, obedience, working on a mouthy puppy stage that he struggled to grow out of, to showing a bit of early stage reactivity/guarding me around our home.. I can’t thank Julie, Eric and Marty enough for working with my pup. When I drop him off, I never think twice about how well cared for, challenged and loved my dog is. I picked up atlas from a three week board and train about two weeks ago. The changes in behavior are astounding. Obedience has been great, atlas is finally showing strength in his off leash behavior(something I never thought he would be able to - he’s been working 70-120 yards away) even when there are lots of distractions, reactivity has gotten so much better. A lot of it, I think has to do with training me as a handler how to react in certain situations. Extremely grateful for the team at my bodyguard dog for my special pup, couldn’t have asked for a better boy and better people to trust him with. Eric, you’re the best - can’t thank you enough for the training support even after take home. Julie, thank you for helping me find my soul pup. ❤️
We have been doing 1 on 1 training sessions with Eric for a bit now and they are going great! We have seen so much progress with our girl. I have never left a session with Eric feeling defeated or discouraged. We have also completed puppy kindergarten and just about to finish 1s…Read full reviewClose full review
We have been doing 1 on 1 training sessions with Eric for a bit now and they are going great! We have seen so much progress with our girl. I have never left a session with Eric feeling defeated or discouraged. We have also completed puppy kindergarten and just about to finish 1st grade before moving on to beginners obedience classes. These have been great classes not for just teaching us but great interaction for our puppy. We plan to keep up with classes and 1 on 1 sessions with Eric because it has not only been productive with her progress but we feel as the owners we are making progress and learning too.
Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.