Clickstart Dog Training Academy

Cassie is amazing. We have used many trainers for our numerous dogs over the years and have found Cassie’s techniques to be by far the best. I believe the reason for this is she is very intuitive about what each dog needs. The dogs know she has a good heart and want to listen to her. She explains and demonstrates helpful approaches to the humans in a very understandable way.

Cassie and Liv have created something truly special with Clickstart Training Academy. Our pup Riley has done various classes with them including Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Communication, Tricks for Clicks, and Clickstart Hikes. We also did private training with Liv when he was a baby. I credit their R+ approach to what an incredible bond I have with him. As a result he is a happy, confident and social pup. As his parent, I have also learnt skills to manage any unusual situations that we might run into out in the world. Clickstart at this point feels like an extended family for Riley. He is always thrilled to see the trainers there and I always feel like I can reach out to them if I need advice on anything as he is growing up. They become a part of your dog’s team and his cheerleaders. They now have a beautiful new location in Lake Forest with a great training space and a store with amazing products. We can’t wait to take more classes in this space.

I started workiing with Cassie and the team right away with my rescued golden doodle. He initially had crippling anxiety and now is confident, well behaved and full of joy. We have done private in-home sessions as well as many group classes (in person and over zoom) and group hikes. Every interaction with every team member has been excellent! I know that i can always rely on them. I highly recommend ClickStart.

I have now completed 2 classes with Clickstart. I had heard about them through the grapevine but I finally decided to participate in the Canine Communication and Advanced Classes. Cassie and Liv are amazing! My dog Misty loved all the staff (especially Michael an his treats). They broke down the curriculum into understandable sections and even tailored their classes to each dog owner's goals. One of my set of classes was a group of around 8 or 9 dogs. The other set of classes was just Misty and one other dog. During both of these classes there were barriers between the dogs to block out distractions and ensure they got the most learning done in class. The classes also allowed for plenty of breaks to make sure the dogs were not overwhelmed or tired. On the last day, Cassie was even generous enough to host an unplanned private to target Misty's super high separation anxiety with her brother. I wish I was able to take Misty to the classes sooner.

I have recommended them to multiple dog friends and will continue to do so. I am super excited for their new campus and the potential for new offerings!

If you are considering what trainers to pick, pick Clickstart!

Highly highly recommend Clickstart Dog Training Academy. I signed my puppy up for Puppy Kindergarten and he loved it. It was a great way to socialize him and teach him new things. All of the trainers are extremely knowledgeable and helpful all things dogs. I will definitely continue training with them. Huge thanks to Cassie, Roma, Nick & Michael!

We cannot say enough good things about Clickstart Dog Training Academy. Ruger is our third cattle dog/cattle dog mix and is reactive and fearful despite early socialization, enrichment, and attempts at group training. We were feeling discouraged with the challenges of a reactive and fearful puppy and we reached out to Clickstart for help. The website has so many valuable resources including the Muzzle Magic course and many other training resources, including virtual classes. The minute we met Liv, we knew we were in good hands. They performed a very thorough assessment via Zoom and sent a follow up e-mail outlining a plan for Ruger’s specific needs, including detailed instructions for training activities. We have met with Liv for several sessions and are blown away by their professionalism, knowledge, and advocacy for animals. Liv is very tuned in to Ruger’s body language and cues during our sessions and does an amazing job at teaching us what to look for when interpreting what he needs. Ruger gets appropriate rest breaks for sniffing during counterconditioning sessions which is critical with our boy so he can stay focused while training without getting overwhelmed. We trust them immensely and Ruger loves them! We feel that we truly have a partner in guiding our Ruger and feel empowered to help him be the best boy he can be. We appreciate everyone at Clickstart especially Liv, Amanda, and Maya. We look forward to continuing sessions with Clickstart and can’t wait until the new facility opens. Thank you so, so much!

We have use Clickstart for 2 of our dogs: a 2 year old with some behavior problems and now for our new puppy Snacks! Cassie and the rest of the team have been excellent. We have done private training as well as homework sessions and are always given email instructions after the sessions to continue training on our own. We love the positive training approach and highly recommend Clickstart for any dog training needs!

There are no words to explain how tremendous and wonderful it was to have Liv in our corner as we navigated the beginning of puppyhood with a three-year-old toddler in the house. We were immediately put at ease because of Liv's vast knowledge about animal behavior, patience with our inexperience, topped off with a great sense of humor. During our training sessions we opted for the at home private lessons due to our dog, Roscoe's young age, and also so we could get pointers on the best way to manage our space. The follow-up emails and handouts are all meticulously prepared so I didn't have to try to remember everything. All this to say you are making the best choice out there if you decide to work with Liv and Clickstart. I'd give them 10 stars if it was an option.

Cassie and Roma are terrific! We are so grateful we found Clickstart to help us raise our new Golden Retriever Dexter. They are incredibly knowledgeable and provide excellent tools that make it easy for us to train Dexter after each session and moving forward. Can’t say enough positive things about Clickstart.

Hands (paws?) down, the best trainers I've ever worked with. They are kind, caring, and brilliant. Helped me understand my rescue dog so much better, which helps us have a better relationship. Resolved issues so easily, and made me love my dog even more than I thought possible. 1000% recommend.

We are so grateful to Clickstart Academy. When we brought home our sweet Loki it had been over 14 years since we had a puppy in the house. To say we weren't prepared for the puppy energy would be an understatement! But, Roma quickly put our minds at ease. She worked with us, helped us manage our expectations and taught us how to raise a confident puppy through positive reinforcement. We cannot say enough wonderful things about this training academy. After every Homework/ Coaching session we are sent detailed summaries, videos and photos on what was taught and worked on for that particular session. We absolutely love their training philosophy. They let your dog be a dog, but capture and reinforce the good behaviors you want to see in them. And the best part, they show you how to do it! Roma was always available to answers questions or concerns I had even in between sessions. I watched Loki, a ball of energy and anxiety, learn to settle and be calm in most situations. Today, I can walk my 75 lbs 8 mos old without worrying about being pulled, or being reactive to various stimuli, and its all because of Roma. She listens to your concerns and works to helps provide you with the best tools! I will recommend this academy and Roma to any dog owner wanting to raise a confident self-assured puppy!

If your recently adopted dog is reactive and have been searching for the a trainer, you can stop because you've found them. I wish I had started with their class first then do private lessons but I went the other way around. Trust me you'll save yourself A LOT of money and time. It is such a relief to be around other reactive pet owners also working on reactivity and asking the questions you forgot or were thinking also but too shy to ask.

I also definitely recommend the add on the hybrid reactive if you can (online + in person). Well worth, it got us to see parts where we needed work. The online reactive rover course covered so much needed material in the class and at the end is just really nice to incorporate the lessons in a public setting with trainers around to help manage the environment. So worth it to practice and do more with the materials taught online. Bonus: join their well managed hiking sessions, the team has the environment managed and under control so you can just focus on the walk with your dog.

[PD] #accessibility picture of Teddy (red Pomeranian) able to settle in brunch.

The clickstart team has been instrumental in helping us raise our puppy. The puppy homeschooling program with Alex taught us how to train and listen to our pup. Puppy kindergarten was awesome for socializing with others of similar age. And we continued private classes with Alex weekly to further strengthen our training regiment. They have the best resources, product suggestions and care about the success of your dog’s development.

Awesome classes! I learned so much about how to properly and humanly train my dog, even Luna loved it and got excited for it, possible because of the all treats. Cassie and her team are excellent trainers. I wish I would’ve brought her sooner. I am now happily enrolled in the advance class.
Claudia

Thank you so much to the Clickstart team! We recently completed the six-week virtual Reactive Recovery program for our rescue-dog who is reactive towards other dogs and humans. In this program we learned various skills that will be a part of our long-term training and our day-to-day interactions. We deeply appreciate Cassie's and Liv's approach to reactive dogs. It is an approach that is grounded in science, knowledge/resource sharing, but most of all, compassion towards our four-legged family members. We are thankful for the confidence they have instilled in us and for the community that was built during these six weeks. If you don't know where to start where to start with your reactive pup or already have some knowledge/experience with reactive dogs, we recommend this course to all! Thank you, Clickstart!:)

My husband and I are so grateful for Clickstart academy. We were completely overwhelmed with our little pup Ellie but Roma helped put us at ease. From private coaching sessions to homework sessions, our pup Ellie has improved so much and we are excited! We cannot say enough great things about this training company. They send summaries of each training session and videos to go over what they work on. I would HIGHLY recommend Clickstart to anyone! Best part, Ellie looks forward to every training and homework session and loves her trainer Roma.

I booked a virtual cat behavior and training session with Liv, and it was wonderful! My sweet cat Captain is "high needs" and demands constant attention, which has wreaked havoc on Zoom calls, etc. Liv had so many smart tips that easily paid off; I've been able to channel Captain's energy and affection into less chaotic/annoying behavior, and he still gets just as much time with me as he still (more politely) demands. Liv also followed up after the session and made some suggestions/answered some questions. I'd never thought so much about cat behavior before, and now I feel so much more equipped to make my feline friends' lives happier and healthier - and way less chaotic!

Alex is wonderful! She's incredibly kind and positive, and her ability to train our puppy (or really train us to train our puppy) is like magic. Thanks to Alex, our puppy is thriving and we feel much more in control. We're so lucky to have gotten the benefit of her expertise!

It's hard to express how lucky we are to have found Clickstart Dog Training. We have a very anxious and male-fearing Australian Cattle Dog, Benji, that struggles to relax in general. I found a reel by Clickstart Dog Training on Instagram showing their group session of dogs relaxing on a mat in public. Seeing what looked to me as a pipe dream for our anxious pup, I decided to still reach out. The amount of care and knowledge that Cassie brings to our training sessions is incredible. She was able to pick up on Benji's body language and learn more about his triggers with each session, peeling back the layers of Benji's fear and anxiety. She takes special care to not push him past his threshold to ensure that each session is a positive experience. After every training session, she delivers a thorough wrap-up email detailing what we went over, along with additional training materials to expand upon our learning. Benji has made so much progress across the board, and Benji's, as well as our own, quality of life has improved drastically as a result. It's not just that Cassie has such a thoughtful and empathetic approach to dog training (and people training), but her whole team and everyone she works with are just the best people in the world. One of her team members, Michael, helped us with Benji's male reactivity. He was so patient with every session, sometimes just being present so that Benji could eventually build up to more interactive training with him. Cassie also introduced us to an incredible new dog sitter, Sarah. Given Benji's special needs, we didn't think that we would be able to travel again without putting Benji through a very stressful experience. However, Cassie created a month-long plan of action and did what we thought was impossible. Our new dog sitter is so chummy with Benji that it makes our heart melt. I could go on forever gushing about how wonderful Cassie and her team are but just do yourselves a favor and schedule a consultation with her and see for yourself.