Rescue Dog Training in Chicago

Helping your rescue dog settle in, build trust, and thrive at home through positive reinforcement

Free Consultation

Real-world support from a trainer who works with rescue dogs every day

Hi, I’m Hailey Mott, CPDT-KA. As someone who works at one of Chicago’s largest rescue organizations, I know how much support a newly adopted dog needs to feel safe, understood, and at home.

I’ve worked with tons of rescue dogs—from fearful CACC strays to dogs with traumatic pasts from the south—helping them move from survival mode to confident, connected companions. Now, I help adopters like you do the same through practical, one-on-one training built around how you and your dog actually live.

Training rescue pups is one of my greatest passions. As a certified dog trainer based in Chicago, I specialize in helping rescue dogs adjust to their new lives with empathy, structure, and clear communication Not only do I train them, but I’ve adopted them myself. I get first-hand how different each one is and would love to help you and yours—whatever the goals are.

A woman holding a leash and interacting with a brown and white dog on a leash in an indoor training space. Another woman observes nearby. The room has white brick walls, a few wall-mounted hooks, and an exit door in the background.
A smiling woman kneeling on a sidewalk outdoors with two dogs, a large black dog and a smaller dog in a blue sweater, near a fence with trees and houses in the background.

What Rescue Dog Training Can Help With

Whether you just adopted your first dog or you’re adding another pup to the mix, the early days with a rescue can feel chaotic. Your new dog might be shut down, pacing nonstop, barking at every sound, or struggling to settle in your space. That’s normal! And trainable.

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Decompression planning

Learn what to do (and not do) in the first few weeks to avoid overwhelming your new dog.

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Building trust & confidence

For shy, shut-down, or anxious dogs who need time and guidance to come out of their shell.

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Basic obedience & calming skills

Teach your dog how to settle, focus, and respond to everyday cues like sit, stay, and leave it.

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Potty & crate training + routine building

Support for dogs who are new to indoor life, especially in apartments or shared walls.

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Multi-dog household introductions

Step-by-step help for safely integrating your new dog with existing pets.

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Reactivity, barking & big feelings

Address fear-based behaviors like leash reactivity, window barking, or fear of strangers.

want to learn more?

What I can help with

Private training services

A brown puppy with one eye blue, lying on a wooden deck with a blue collar and red harness, tongue hanging out, in an urban balcony garden setting.

Puppy Obedience & Socialization

Set your puppy up for success with foundational puppy obedience training in Chicago.

  • Crate set up & training

  • Potty training

  • Puppy socialization for confident adult dogs

  • Basic obedience (sit, stay, come, down, drop it, leave it, and more)

  • Loose leash walking from the start

  • Name recognition

  • Puppy biting & mouthing solutions

  • Intro to leash skills / leash walking

A yellow Labrador retriever dog on a walk wearing a red harness and leash, panting with its tongue out, walking on a paved sidewalk with a black fence and greenery in the background.

Adult Obedience, Leash Walking & Recall

Master everyday skills for calm, confident dogs through positive reinforcement training.

  • Loose leash walking & heel

  • Reliable recall (come when called)

  • Impulse control & self-regulation

  • Polite greetings with people and dogs

  • Polite play etiquette

  • Place/settle training

  • Door manners & boundaries

  • Window barking reduction

  • New rescue dog transitions

A brindle and white dog lying on a red wooden bench, looking up with curiosity, with a blue rubber ball beside its paw, on artificial green grass.

Reactive Dog Training

If your dog barks, lunges, or shuts down around people, dogs, or movement, that’s reactivity.

  • Leash reactivity toward people

  • Reactivity toward moving objects (bikes, scooters, skateboards)

  • Barrier reactivity (barking through fences, windows, or crates)

  • Generalized reactivity (reacting to multiple triggers)

  • Over-arousal or frustration during walks

  • Fear-based reactivity in city environments (noise, crowds, traffic)

A brown dog wearing a gray and orange dog muzzle and an orange collar, sitting on a rug indoors.

Behavior Modification

For dogs with fear, guarding, or aggression. Training that builds safety and trust.

  • Resource guarding (food, toys, spaces, or people)

  • Aggression toward people

  • Dog-to-dog aggression (within or outside the home)

  • Touch sensitivity or handling aggression

  • Muzzle training for safety and confidence

  • General fear, anxiety, stress, or noise sensitivity

  • Apartment and high-rise behavioral challenges (hallways, elevators, etc)

A dog playing with a large red toy in a backyard garden.

The importance of enrichment

Mental enrichment is just as important as physical exercise.

When a rescue dog first comes home, everything is new — the couch, the stairs, the windows, the TV, the smell of the dishwasher. For many, it’s their first time inside a home, and that excitement can come out as chewing, zooming, barking, or mouthing. They’re not being bad — they’re just trying to figure it all out.

That’s where enrichment comes in.

Mental stimulation helps your dog decompress, build confidence, and burn off energy in healthy ways. It’s also one of the best tools for preventing behavior struggles before they start — especially with dogs who are mouthy, bored, or under-stimulated.

As part of our work together, I’ll help you build an enrichment plan that fits your lifestyle, your dog’s breed needs, and your home setup. From food puzzles and “find it” games to safe chewing outlets and easy confidence boosters, we’ll give your dog ways to work their brain and settle their body right from day one.

Private sessions are a great fit if you want a one-on-one experience in the comfort of your home — especially if you’re dealing with any of the following:

Who is private training best for?

  • Newly adopted rescues adjusting to a totally new life

  • Dogs with stranger danger or fear-based reactivity

  • Dogs who wouldn’t do well in group classes due to anxiety, overarousal, or aggression

  • Families dealing with behavior challenges like barking at the door, reacting to hallway noise, getting overexcited when guests come over, or leash-pulling in tight apartment spaces.

  • Busy parents who need scheduling flexibility

  • First-time dog owners looking for clear guidance

  • City dogs who need help navigating real-world distractions

  • Families with kids who want support building safe interactions

Ready to start training?

If you’re looking for private sessions that are down-to-earth, practical, and engaging, I’m here for it.

free consult

FAQs

  • This is unique to your pup. I usually recommend letting your dog decompress for a week or two first. In that time we’ll also gather tons of information about them.

    However, we can always get started right away building a routine that will support their transition and setting your dog up for success.

  • Yes! I specialize in reactivity, fear, and confidence building for dogs who’ve had a tough start. We’ll go at your dog’s pace.

  • Multi-dog households are very common! I can help with safe introductions, pacing, and harmony-building during the transition.

  • Very likely! I’ve worked with dogs adopted from One Tail at a Time, CACC and others. I know the common challenges that come up in Chicago homes.

  • I use positive reinforcement and science-backed methods that focus on building trust, not fear. No prong collars, no alpha stuff, no harsh corrections.

  • Yes, and you’re not alone. A lot of my clients come to me after group classes or previous training didn’t quite work. Private training gives us the time and space to troubleshoot and build something that actually fits your dog and your life.

A happy black dog with a white patch on its chest sitting on a small blue platform outdoors, wearing a bandana with pizza slice prints, with a bright open mouth and tongue out, in a backyard with a blue fence and wooden stairs.

Service Areas

Providing private in-home dog training across Chicago, including:

Andersonville · Avondale · Bridgeport · Bucktown · Edgewater · East Garfield Park · Fulton Market · Hermosa · Humboldt Park · Irving Park · Lakeview · Lincoln Park · Lincoln Square · Little Village · Logan Square · McKinley Park · Near West Side · North Center · North Lawndale · Old Town · Pilsen · Portage Park · Ravenswood · Roscoe Village · South Loop · UIC Medical District · Ukrainian Village · Uptown · West Loop · West Town · Wicker Park

Not sure if you’re in range? Contact me to confirm your area for at-home dog training services.

Meet my rescue dogs

& what we’ve worked through together

A young woman with long dark hair smiling while sitting on a white circular chair, holding a small dog with tan and white fur. The woman is wearing ripped jeans and a black t-shirt. The background features a brick wall, a potted plant on a brick ledge, and a sign with names and paw print icons.

A sweet boy found matted roaming the streets of Gary, IN. Due to chronic, painful skin allergies, Dave developed severe touch sensitivity and handling issues, often resulting in biting. With lots of desensitization, our boy now associates touch with good things to come, not discomfort.

Dave (7)

Two smiling women kneeling on the sidewalk with a brown guide dog in front of a sign that reads 'One Tail at a Time.' The women are outdoors on a sunny day, and there are parked cars and trees in the background.

A long-term One Tail puppy who grew in a shelter environment and was adopted and returned 3 times. We fostered Hazelnut on a whim, knowing she really needed out of a kennel environment. She came with crate anxiety to the point of hurting herself, confinement anxiety, hyperactivity, and needed potty training. Today, Hazelnut happily takes herself to her crate at bed time, no longer has accidents due to anxiety and has beautifully learned what relaxation time is.

Hazelnut (1.5)

Two smiling women holding a small, gray and white dachshund with floppy ears, outdoors in front of a backdrop decorated with autumn-themed leaves and dog illustrations.

We adopted Bean at 18 🤍 He’s blind, deaf and has no teeth. Training: not needed. Just endless love, patience and making him feel comfortable after losing his people in Texas of 18 years. While blind dogs and super seniors weren’t my specialty, I now have an understanding for their emotional and spatial needs.

Bean (19)

The key theme with rescues? Patience, time and continued understanding. They’ve been through a lot and deserve the world.