Answers to your top dog training questions

You can choose from 11 services covering training, care, and transport. The training side covers obedience, socialization, behavior modification, potty training, radius and boundary work, protection, and certified service dog tasks. The care side adds boarding, daycare, and grooming. Dog walking rounds it out. You can run training in four formats: private lessons, group classes, the 2, 4, or 6 week Board & Train board-and-train, or day training where Ray works your dog while you are at work.

Group classes are kept small on purpose so every dog gets real attention and the class never turns into chaos. Dogs are matched by size, temperament, and skill level, so your dog is always working with the right peers. If you want one-on-one attention or have a reactive dog who is not ready for a group yet, private lessons are the better starting point.

Pricing depends on the dog and the program. A short private session is very different from a 3 to 4 week board-and-train with three follow-up lessons and lifetime maintenance classes. Ray quotes the program after the free consultation so the price reflects what your dog actually needs, not a one-size-fits-all package.

Yes. These are the cases other trainers often refuse, and they are some of Ray's strongest work. He has 17 years training dogs through aggression, leash reactivity, fear, separation anxiety, and resource guarding. The first step is always an honest assessment so you know whether weekly lessons will be enough or whether your dog needs a board-and-train to reset the foundation.

Ray Bhimani has been training Chicago dogs for 17 years across every breed, size, and temperament. He is Pet CPR and First Aid certified and trained directly under K9 Master Todd Bartlestein. The training philosophy is 100% balanced: the right tool for the dog in front of him, not a single technique forced onto every case.

Yes. Ray has worked with reactive, fearful, and shut-down dogs across every breed and background, including rescue dogs with rough histories. The consultation is built to read your dog first, then design a plan that fits how that specific dog learns. No two programs look the same.

Yes, tours are welcome by appointment. You can see the training floor and the boarding area, meet Ray, and ask anything you want before committing to a program. Call (847) 571-2728 or send a message through the contact page to set one up. We are by appointment only, so a heads up lets us give you focused time.

Every breed is welcome, from toy breeds in city apartments to large working dogs on big properties. Puppies can start at 8 weeks once they have their first round of vaccinations. Some advanced programs like protection or off-leash radius work do require a baseline obedience foundation first, so we will tell you exactly where to start.

Your dog's safety is non-negotiable. Ray is Pet CPR and First Aid certified and we have a vet on call for any medical issue that comes up during the stay. You are notified immediately if anything happens, and we walk you through what is covered as part of the program and what would be a separate vet cost.

Life happens. Reach out as soon as you know and we will find a new time that works for both of us. We just ask for as much notice as you can give so the slot can go to another client who needs it. There is no fee for a normal reschedule.

You start seeing change in days, not weeks. Foundation obedience usually clicks in the first one to three sessions. Behavior cases like reactivity or aggression run longer, often 4 to 8 weeks in a board-and-train so the new patterns stick. Every Board & Train graduate gets free maintenance classes for life, so the work keeps building after the program ends.

Puppies can start at 8 weeks once they have their first vaccinations for safe socialization. Earlier is easier because the brain is still wide open, but the "old dog can't learn" idea is a myth. Ray has rebuilt senior dogs and rescues just fine. The right time to start is now, whatever your dog's age.

They solve different problems. Private lessons get you one-on-one attention and faster progress on a specific issue. Group classes get you real-world distractions, socialization with other dogs, and a lower price point. Most owners do both: private to build the skill, group to proof it. Reactive or fearful dogs always start in private until they are ready for a group.

Yes, every time. Ray has trained dogs in their double digits with rough histories and rebuilt their behavior in weeks. Older dogs often learn faster than puppies because they are calmer and more focused. The "set in their ways" idea is a story, not a fact.

Yes, this is one of Ray's specialties. Most positive-only trainers in Chicago will not take aggression cases. Ray will. The first step is an honest assessment to read what is driving the behavior, who or what triggers it, and whether a vet behaviorist needs to be in the loop. Most cases respond well to a structured board-and-train with the right plan.

Ray runs a 100% balanced program, which means the toolbox is open and the right tool is matched to the right dog at the right time. That can include marker words, treats, leash work, e-collars, and prong collars when they are the safest path to a fast result. Balanced does not mean harsh. It means honest about what each dog needs to learn fast and stay safe.

You will get photos and progress updates throughout the stay. In-person visits are usually scheduled toward the end of the program because mid-stay visits often reset progress and stress the dog. The whole point of Board & Train is a clean reset. Once your dog is ready to come home, you do a hands-on transfer session so the new behavior carries over to you.

Both. In-home is best for puppy potty training, leash reactivity on your usual neighborhood routes, door-darting, and fear cases that show up in the home environment. The facility is best for distraction-proofing, group socialization, and any board-and-train. We cover Chicago and the suburbs within roughly a 20-mile radius of Franklin Park for in-home work.

Yes. Ray runs sessions over FaceTime and Zoom for owners outside our in-person service area, or any time a quick check-in is more useful than a full visit. Video works well for behavior consults, troubleshooting a specific issue you are running into at home, and following up on a Board & Train graduate. Hands-on cases like protection or service dog training still need in-person work.

You talk through what is going on with your dog and Ray reads them in person if you bring them, or over video if not. By the end of the call you walk away with a clear program recommendation, a realistic timeline, and a price. No upsell. If your dog needs a different specialist (vet behaviorist, medical work-up) Ray will tell you that straight instead of selling you a program that will not work.

Call (847) 571-2728, send a message through the contact page, or fill out the 4-step intake form on the contact page. The intake form is the fastest path because it captures your dog's breed, age, what you need, your timeline, and how to reach you in one shot. Ray reviews it and books your free consultation from there.

R.O.A.R. is the four-step framework Ray uses on every dog: Recognize, Observe and Assess, Act with Precision Training, and Reinforce and Rebuild. The short version: most trainers fix a behavior. Ray decodes why the behavior is there first, then replaces it with a pattern your dog actually understands. Read the full breakdown on the R.O.A.R. Method page.

Balanced means the toolbox is open and the right tool gets matched to the right dog at the right time. Markers, food, leash work, e-collars, and prong collars are all on the table when they are the safest path to a fast result. It is the opposite of "one method for every dog." Most positive-only programs in Chicago refuse aggression cases because their toolbox is limited. Balanced does not mean harsh. It means honest about what each dog needs.

Yes. Up to date core vaccines are required for any dog staying at the Franklin Park facility, for the safety of your dog and every other dog on site. The intake form asks if your dog is current. If you are not sure, that is fine. We will check with your vet during the consultation and walk you through what is needed before drop-off.

Your dog, their regular food in a sealed container, any medications with clear instructions, and proof of vaccinations. That is it. The training collar is provided and included in the price. You do not need to bring beds, toys, or treats. Familiar items from home can actually slow the reset we are running in week one.

Yes. Leash pulling is one of the most common reasons owners call. The fix is not stronger arm strength or a new collar by itself. It is teaching your dog that the leash is information, not a tug of war. We rebuild the foundation in private lessons or a Board & Train, then proof it on real Chicago sidewalks until the walk is calm every time.

Yes. Separation anxiety is a behavior pattern, not a personality. We work it in a structured Board & Train where Ray can manage the dog's schedule, exposure, and recovery throughout the day. Severe cases sometimes need a vet behaviorist in the loop alongside training. Ray tells you straight at the consultation if that applies to your dog.

Yes. Resource guarding (growling, snapping, or biting over food, toys, or space) is a behavior modification case. We assess it carefully at the consultation because guarding cases vary widely. Some respond to structured Board & Train work. Others need management plans alongside training. Either way Ray gives you an honest read on what is fixable, what needs lifelong management, and what the timeline looks like.

Yes. Puppies can start at 8 weeks once they have their first round of core vaccinations. The 8 to 16 week critical socialization window is the best time to start because the brain is still wide open and habits set fast. We run puppy work in private lessons, group classes, and as a foundation Board & Train for owners who want a structured reset.

Pickup day is the 90-minute go-home transfer session. You spend that time hands-on with your dog and Ray, learning every command, the timing, and the corrections. Your dog also gets a full grooming on pickup day: bath, brush, nails, ears, and a breed-appropriate trim, included in the program price. You leave with a trained dog, a clean dog, and a written plan.

If we cannot make meaningful progress on the issues we agreed to in your free consultation, you get your money back. It is a 100% money-back guarantee. Most trainers in Chicago do not offer one because most trainers cannot stand behind every dog. Ray can. See the guarantee section for the full terms.

Yes. Multi-dog households are common in Chicago and pricing reflects that. The discount depends on whether the dogs are running the same program together, whether one is a serious behavior case, and whether they can be worked side by side in a Board & Train. Ray quotes it at the consultation.

Yes, every week. Rescue dogs with rough histories are a real specialty here. Ray does not need the dog's backstory to be tidy or known. We read the dog in front of us, build the right plan, and rebuild from there. The "rescues cannot be retrained" idea is a myth that costs dogs their homes.

A service dog is trained to do specific tasks for a handler with a disability and has public access rights under the ADA. An emotional support animal provides comfort but is not task trained and does not have ADA public access rights. We train service dog candidates with task-specific work. We do not certify ESAs.

Todd was Ray's mentor and a master dog trainer who shaped how Ray works today. Todd has passed. The In Memoriam tribute on the About page tells the story. Ray's 100% balanced approach and the depth of work on aggression and protection cases trace directly back to what he learned from Todd over years of working dogs side by side.

Dog Roar trains dogs across Chicago and 28 surrounding suburbs within roughly a 20-mile radius of the Franklin Park facility. That includes Franklin Park, Schiller Park, Melrose Park, River Grove, Northlake, Stone Park, Rosemont, Norridge, Elmwood Park, Park Ridge, Forest Park, River Forest, Des Plaines, Niles, Lincolnwood, Skokie, Edgewater, Rogers Park, and more. See the locations page for the full list.