The Crafty Pup Dog Training

Highly Recommend! Jimmy is an excellent trainer. We have used Jimmy 2x now for training, the 1st time to get our puppy trained on the basics (Sit, Stay, Down stay, heel, come) and the 2nd time we went back to Jimmy to get our pup trained off leash, so we can walk without a leash and have the dog in public places, able to sit and stay. Jimmy is great at sharing updates on the dog's status and video clips of the progress being made. Lastly, Jimmy is very thorough in working with you as an owenr, debriefing you on the training and spending time showing you how to conitnue the training at home with your pooch.

Thank you, Jimmy, for the passion of committing to training dogs and making it fun. You start with basic learning skills and really build on that. As most of us know, a new puppy it takes a lot of work because they are unpredictable and stubborn. When Zoey ( our sweet mini Bernedoodle) was 10 weeks old, we started looking to find someone to help us how to train efficiently. Through recommendations & online we found the Crafty Pup. I reached out to Jimmy. We liked his approach, enthusiasm with his business. I watched him on instagram for more background , as our goal, was to have balanced obedient dog. Jimmy and I communicated after filling out the form from his website. We were interested in the 5 day training problem with daily drop off she was 12 weeks old. A few days later I tripped over a puppy gate. The result was a broken arm & in great pain and couldn’t focus on a new puppy. After we came home from the ER that Sunday night, I made my husband call Jimmy to see if Zoey could start the next day. He made it happen & kept Zoey for puppy training the 5 days which was so helpful. He also arranged for her to be boarded at his families kennel. #1- how many people would do that at short notice? She learned very basic commands that week and then we continued on our own. Working hard on establishing a routine as best as we could giving the limitation of winter weather and limited on most things with my broken arm. We knew, eventually, we would work with Jimmy again to reinforce the basics and add ons. We reserved a time to send her back to Jimmy for the 2 week Board & Train since she was with him already for a week when a younger pup. She was 7 months old. This boot camp helped Zoey so much. He started all over with the basics and refined everything. Heel, sit, sit- stay, down, down -stay. My favorite is Down- stay on her bed or cot. She can sit while I’m exercising and amazingly stays watching instead of jumping up on me until I say OK. The last few days he worked on off leash. He does use a choke collar which made me apprehensive. I asked the vet and talked about my hesitation .Then Jimmy explained to me why and how he uses it when correcting which calmed my concerns. Jimmy sends videos or pictures when the dog is with him so dog parents are updated. Not everyday but enough to feel good about the training process. I recommend Board & Train for a stronger outcome and socialization but if you can’t rationalize the expense there are other options when working with him. Still working on everything to reinforce and she knows this is what is expected of her. Sometimes she acts like a toddler which are not dependable but have the knowledge to build on! When we walk outside many people see she’s sitting on command or in a heel or free. The typical reply is they wished they trained their dog better or didn't really train their dog at all. We believe training with the right person is an investment for a good life for Zoey and the entire family life. His passion is contagious. He’s busy trying to build his business. Just know Jimmy will get back to you. It might not be immediately but everyone has to learn to be patient at time. Jimmy has solid knowledge with training, great enthusiasm, trust and determination to make everything right for your dog. You will get your expectations met but you have to work also to maintain it! I highly recommend The Crafty Pup and Jimmy.

I was referred to The Crafty Pup by Dominator Labs after taking my puppy home in December. We met with Jimmy for a private lesson in January. At that time, Eleanor was about 4 months old. We had been to a group class but hadn’t gotten much out of it. After one session, we had better control of Eleanor on a leash and had the basic knowledge to start teaching her basic commands. We decided to enroll Eleanor in The Crafty Pups day train program. When we started, Eleanor pulled horribly on leash. Literally after her first “ school day” with Jimmy @ the crafty pup she stopped pulling. Over the three week program Eleanor’s obedience skills and confidence improved. At 6 months old we have an obedient puppy. Training is a lifetime commitment for you and your dog; we can’t wait for Eleanor to work with Jimmy on some advanced skills. I can’t recommend the crafty pup enough. Eleanor approves too, she just loves Jimmy and Yeti.

Jimmy is an excellent dog trainer and committed to giving his clients and their dogs the best possible training. I did extensive research across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs and The Crafty Pup offers the most comprehensive set of dog training courses with clear, proven results. My 5-month old lab mix participated in Jimmy's 3 week board and train program and I couldn't be more pleased with her results. Not only did she come away with a strong understanding of the basic skills (sit, sit stay, heel, down, down stay, come, off), she walks in a perfect heel on the leash (previously she was a puller) and most importantly she has incredibly awesome off leash recall. After working with Jimmy, my pup can go from being free in a busy park and return right to my side on the first call. Jimmy gets to know each dog, their personality, their ability, and aptitude and then makes the training fun and rewarding for them while still providing the necessary structure and reinforcement. I would highly recommend that anyone looking for any type of training for your dog send your dog to Jimmy at the Crafty Pup. He's an amazing trainer and I will continue to use his services for future more advanced training for my dog. Highly, highly recommend!

My experience with Jimmy Cocallas and his training methods was extremely positive. My mom was very apprehensive about leaving her 14 month old Berne doodle for 2 whole weeks in the care of a perfect stranger. She is so happy she bit the bullet and trusted in his care and knowledge. It was very reassuring when we would get frequent pictures and videos of them working together. Jimmy is quick to respond to any question or inquiry via text or phone as well. He has many training methods to help with a variety of problems. For instance, we do not want the pup to go on certain rugs in our home and he assisted with that. He taught the dog to stay and be more relaxed in general. He is great at the basics ( heal, sit stay, come)as well as more advanced things like teaching the dog to obey off leash. The dog is strong and good at pulling on the leash and now all I have to do is say “heal” and she is at my side. I really appreciated the lessons at the end of the two weeks so I could continue to reinforce her training at home. His demonstrations are very helpful along with the logic behind what he is teaching. He was also willing to come to our home to help introduce the new techniques in a real life setting. His patience and diligence is a real asset. He has the perfect voice and knows just how to speak to the dogs. He is an extremely hard worker and we highly recommend him for training.