NorthShore Canine Academy - Wilmette, Illinois

Zack A.

Sophie is an amazing trainer! We’ve had her working with our mini aussiedoodle puppy for a few sessions now and we saw results so quickly! She is so wonderful to work with, and her knowledge of training and dogs in general is so impressive. You can tell she really knows what she’s talking about, and we appreciate that she also focuses on the personality of our pup in addition to teaching him skills. With Sophie, you get more than just teaching your dog a few commands- she really focuses on overall behavior and helping us understand our puppy better. We’ve had such a great experience with her! We highly recommend Sophie to anyone looking for dog training!

Bea P.

The Best Dog Trainer Ever!
Sophie is truly the best dog trainer I’ve ever worked with, and I cannot recommend her enough! From the moment she walked into our home, she was so personable, gentle, and welcoming, immediately putting my rescue dog at ease. The way she spoke to him and treated him was so incredible—it was clear she has a deep understanding of dogs and a natural gift for training.
I was amazed by how quickly my dog picked up new skills and tricks under her guidance. Up until that point, I genuinely felt hopeless, but Sophie proved me completely wrong. She showed up on time, fully prepared with treats, toys, and a clear plan. She even sent us a detailed list of everything we’d need to keep him trained and entertained after her sessions.
Thanks to Sophie, our home is so much more cohesive. She not only trained our dog but also taught us what to do, what not to do, and what changes we could make to create a better environment for our one-year-old pup. Her expertise, patience, and kindness have made all the difference, and we’re so grateful for her.
If you’re looking for someone who will transform your relationship with your dog while making the process enjoyable and stress-free, Sophie is the trainer you need! She’s truly a lifesaver!

Esil E.

Sophie is an exceptional dog trainer! We just had our first session and I already feel so much more confident in my ability to help Tofu with his reactivity. Sophie is so knowledgeable and explained all the different ways I could help Tofu with his reactivity. We had another trainer before that was very fear forward and Sophie was so patient and understanding of Tofu’s needs. If you are looking for a trainer that truly cares about your pet and creates a force/fear- free environment, Sophie is the one!

Rosanne C.

Sophie came to our home this past weekend to work with us and our new rescue dog, Nala. It was worth every penny! She took time helping Nala (who is VERY anxious) to get acquainted. She brought a number of toys, food and other resources to help us out. The hour was jam-packed! We learned so much that was new to us, even though we have other dogs. After our session was over, Sophie sent training info to help us remember, as well as links to different pet tools and toys for us to consider. We are completely delighted!

Catarina P.

I can't recommend Sophie enough! She is an amazing dog trainer and has a real talent for understanding dogs and what they need. She was very patient, knowledgeable, and made the training session a very cool experience. My dog responded so well to her techniques and managed to replicate them without her. Sophie also took the time to explain everything clearly and gave me great tips to continue reinforcing the training at home (a guide). If you're looking for a skilled and caring trainer, Sophie is the best choice!

Kelly S.

Sophie was absolutely amazing both before we got our puppy and once she arrived. We had a pre-puppy meeting where she went through so much useful info and even gave us a full list of items to buy and articles to read before our puppy came home. And once our puppy was here, Sophie did a great job of teaching her (and us) all of the fundamental skills (house training, sit, stay, leave it, whistle training etc.) in just a few sessions. She explains her methodology very well so we've been able to continue training our dog even after our sessions with her. I highly recommend Sophie to new dog owners as well as anyone looking to change behaviors with their existing dog. She truly has a special talent, she's just the best!

Tim T.

Sophie was fantastic with our cavapoo puppy. We really didn’t know what we were doing and Sophie helped with house training, sit, stay, leave it and other fundamental training that made having a puppy manageable. She is knowledgeable, patient, gentle and kind. She uses only positive reinforcement which aligns with how we want to treat a member of our family. I highly recommend Sophie.

Nancy K. S.

Working with Sophie is a pleasure.
Her training recommendations were fantastic. Sophie lives up to all the great comments on training from current and old customers.
I love that her goal is to train with being positive with your dog. Her reward system is remarkable with fantastic results. I highly recommend Sophie!

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