PAWS Chicago Blazer Building Training Center

A dedicated dog training facility on Marcey Street in Lincoln Park, run by PAWS Chicago — and the first listing in this category that is a training operation rather than a daycare or boarding facility that also trains.

That distinction is the whole reason the Trainers page has been honest about being thin. Every other listing here is a kennel with a trainer on staff. This is a building whose purpose is classes.

It teaches clicker training, and says so. In its own words: "Clicker training is a method of training that relies on recognizing desirable behavior and rewarding it... a great way to practice positive reinforcement and strengthen your bond with your pet." And it will adapt — if you would rather not use a clicker, instructors "will be happy to work with you to develop an alternate method that suits your needs and your dog's needs." Positive-reinforcement-based, with flexibility stated rather than implied, is more than most Chicago trainers put in writing.

Classes run at levels, from Basic upward, for "dogs of all ages and sizes." Both in-person and virtual options are offered.

The credentials question, which matters more here than anywhere

Illinois does not license dog trainers. Anyone may use the title. So the only meaningful question is certified by whom — and PAWS does not publish its trainers' certifications. What it says is: "Our trainers have extensive experience in training all types of dogs, from recently-adopted shelter dogs to competition obedience."

That is a statement about experience, not about credentials, and the two are not the same thing. It is not a criticism — most trainers in this city publish neither — but it is the question to ask on the phone. The ones worth asking about by name: CCPDT (CPDT-KA or KPA-CTP), IAABC, Karen Pryor Academy, Fear Free, and DACVB for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, which is a veterinary specialty rather than a training certificate.

Working with a shelter population is relevant experience in its own right — recently-adopted dogs arrive with gaps that a dog raised from eight weeks does not have.

Neither prices nor class hours are published on the FAQ page, so both are blank here. The center references evenings and weekends when discussing parking, which suggests when classes run, but it does not state a schedule. Call 773-475-3302.

Source: PAWS Chicago's own training centre FAQ and contact pages, read 2026-10-02.