🐾 EDTC FAQ – Evolution Dog Training Chicago
Supporting families, one dog at a time.
Q: Am I going to be present for my dog’s training sessions, or will they be taken out alone?
A: It depends! Some sessions work better with just me and your dog— that one-on-one time allows your dog to detach from any parts of their home identity that no longer serve them, and to reconnect with themselves as individuals as they build confidence and skills. Other sessions work much better with you present, especially when we’re working on your communication style, energy, and relationship patterns; or when they would really benefit from another pair of hands they trust! We’ll decide together what makes sense for your dog and your schedule.
Q: How often do you recommend seeing my dog for training and walking?
A: I see most of my clients’ dogs once a week, sometimes twice, depending on their goals and emotional needs. Much more important than how many times per week I see a dog is how consistently I see them: the more they come to expect seeing me on a certain day of the week, at a particular time of day, the more they’ll view our relationship as significant, and the quicker we can progress.
Walks can occur more frequently, and are powerful tools to support focus, movement, and emotional balance in real-world contexts. Training sessions are typically spaced further apart, allowing the dog and me to make bigger pushes while maintaining our relationship. We adjust together as your dog evolves!
Q: What’s the difference between training and enrichment walks?
A: Training sessions are focused, goal-driven, and designed to shift behavior or mindset. Enrichment walks are where we work with your dog’s energy, help them decompress, and practice what we’ve been building—in a more dynamic, natural environment.
Q: Do you use treats and positive reinforcement?
A: I use locally-sourced tasty treats for lots of things! (Ask the dogs I work with, and they’ll tell you: “She’s got the good stuff.”) But I don’t like to rely on food, nor do I follow a “positive reinforcement only” model. My training is rooted in genuine relationships, where I understand what each dog needs, their boundaries, and how far they’re willing to go. I’m comfortable saying “no” at times—because that’s part of both helping dogs learn how to navigate the world, and part of building reasonable expectations. I reward engagement, enthusiasm, and steps forward, always within a clear structure that makes dogs feel safe and grounded
Q: Can training help with reactivity, trauma, or anxiety?
A: Yes, absolutely! This is often where I see the deepest, most transformative progress. It can be some of the most challenging, yet most rewarding training I do. Many dogs come to me dysregulated, misunderstood, or overwhelmed. I slow down and listen to them. I earn their trust from scratch, so that, over time, they can feel safer, more confident, and more beautifully themselves.
Q: What makes Evolution Dog Training different?
A: My approach is tailored to every dog, and to every client! I work with your current lifestyle, goals, and needs; I will always meet you where you are. My goal is to create a more connected, symbiotic relationship between you and your dog, rather than immediate, picture-perfect compliance. I teach communication: between dogs and humans. I also help humans find emotional balance in their role as parents! Our work will not always be easy: asking our dogs to grow in who they are requires us to challenge ourselves, too. Dogs are often our mirrors, and, if we let them, they can inspire us to make great strides of our own. Dogs have always been an integral part of our evolution as humans, and we have, in turn, been an essential part of their evolution as dogs. My training explores the unique, life-altering bond between our species, and continues a cycle that has been millions of years in the making!