Dog Training for Lakewood Dog Owners
Lakewood shares Crystal Lake, the lake, with our home city, so Mystic Paws Academy is practically next door. Our facility at 140 W. Terra Cotta Ave is only about 3 miles from Lakewood, which makes weekly classes easy to fit around work, school and a round of golf at Redtail or Turnberry.
Lakewood families looking for a dog trainer nearby get small, positive classes where dogs learn by play, not pressure. Short drive, real skills, and homework that fits quiet Lakewood streets.
Because Lakewood has no public dog park of its own, many local owners rely on walks, nearby parks and the Lake in the Hills Bark Park. We teach the skills that make those outings easy: leash manners, a steady stay, and coming back the first time you call, even with other dogs nearby.
Lakewood owners can choose from:
Group obedience classes in 4 levels
Puppy training with the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class
Dog sports: Hoopers, Rally, Scent Work, Treibball and AKC FIT DOG
Trick dog classes for the whole family
Private, one-on-one dog grooming
Free online courses you can start at home today
Find Your Fit
Which Program Fits Your Dog?
Which line sounds most like your Lakewood dog?
Start with Level 1, our AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class (from 8 weeks), plus the free Bringing Home Your Puppy course.
Begin with the free Bringing Home Your Rescue course, then join Level 1 when you're ready.
Try Hoopers, Rally, Scent Work or Trick Dog classes to keep a smart dog busy.
Our Programs
Our Dog Training Programs
Lakewood families are only minutes away, so it is easy to stick with a full program.
Hoopers (low-impact, agility-style), Rally, Scent Work, Treibball, and Fit Dogs as an AKC FIT DOG Club.
4 group levels, each 7 to 8 weeks with 40+ exercises. Level 1 is $200 and Levels 2 to 4 are $175 each.
One day a week for 8 weeks, three hours per visit, with a private lesson component. $1,800.
Puppy Training
Puppy Training for Lakewood Puppies
Lakewood puppies can start from 8 weeks, and the short drive makes it easy never to miss a class.
Level 1 qualifies as the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class. S.T.A.R. stands for Socialization, Training, Activity and Responsibility.
Rabies (Illinois-required) and core vaccines your vet recommends (for example DAPP) are needed; Bordetella may be required for group settings.
New puppy at home? Start with our free "Bringing Home Your Puppy" course: setup, potty, sleep, socialization and biting for the first 30 days.
What Lakewood Families Say
Read more reviews from local families on Google
Reviews
Meet Your Dog Trainers
Your Dog Trainers
Trainer • Educator • Canine Behavior Specialist
Looking for a Lakewood dog trainer you can trust? Heather Pohlman founded Mystic Paws Academy and has more than 30 years of experience with dogs. She is a certified Dog Bite Prevention Educator (Doggone Safe), an AKC Canine Ambassador, and a certified Trick Dog, Stunt Dog and Canine Conditioning Instructor. She leads our team of trainers and our groomer.
“Training shouldn’t feel like work. It should feel like a relationship.”
Local Tips
Dog Life in Lakewood: Local Tips
Lakewood is quiet and green, but it has no public dog park of its own. Lakewood owners usually train in nearby Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills spots, each with its own entry rules. Here are the closest places to practice, and the rules that apply.
Crystal Lake Park District allows leashed dogs in its parks and natural areas, but not on Main Beach or West Beach. Its fenced off-leash area, Hound Town at Lippold Park (851 Route 176), needs a key card from the district office.
A 10-acre fenced dog park on Haligus Rd, open dawn to 9 pm. Lakewood residents join at the non-resident rate and get a key fob and dog tag for 12 months. Proof of rabies and distemper shots is required.
Dogs over 4 months need a McHenry County rabies tag, for 1 or 3 years. Seniors 62 and older and owners of microchipped pets get $5 off. Register within 30 days of the shot to avoid a late fee.
.png)
Lakewood is close, but you can still get going tonight. Start with a free online course: "7 Days Through Your Dog's Eyes", "Bringing Home Your Puppy" or "Bringing Home Your Rescue". No card needed. When you are ready, Level 1 Online is $150 and uses the same curriculum we teach in class.
Start at home
Start Training at Home Today
Adopted from one of our partner rescues? They can give you a code for 25% off Level 1 Online, and they receive 10% of every course you take after Level 1.
Getting Started
How to Get Started
Lakewood is minutes away, so the hardest part is picking a start date. These four steps cover the rest.
Book Level 1 on our booking portal.
Watch the New Student Orientation before your first class.
Bringing kids? Attend the free 90-minute Canine Communication Seminar first.
Already trained? Call 779-994-4200 to be evaluated for a higher level.
140 W. Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. All classes and grooming take place at our Crystal Lake facility; we do not have a Lakewood location.
About 3 miles, roughly 7 to 12 minutes by car. Head east toward Crystal Lake on Lake Ave and Route 14, then to Terra Cotta Ave (Route 176).
From Lakewood
Where We Train
Dog Training Lakewood, IL: FAQs
No. All classes and grooming happen at our facility at 140 W. Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014, about 3 miles from Lakewood.
About 3 miles, roughly 7 to 12 minutes by car.
Yes. Lakewood is in McHenry County, which requires rabies vaccination and registration for dogs over 4 months. You can get the tag at your vet or McHenry County Animal Control. We ask for rabies proof before group classes.
Level 1 is $200 and Levels 2 to 4 are $175 each. Packages save 10% per class. Level 1 Online is $150.
Yes. We are a force-free facility; prong, choke and shock (e-) collars are not allowed in our building.
Nearby Towns
Dog Training Near Lakewood
Our Lakewood families have neighbors from these towns in class with them.
FAQs
Dog Training Lakewood, IL: FAQs
Yes, you can, but you must call first and we will give you options. Some of our classes may contain private or sensitive material and are not open for public watching.
Children are welcome to actively participate in our training, however, if a family has children under the age of 8, the parents need to attend our Canine Communication Seminar first before the children are allowed in the ring. If children over the age of 8 want to train their own dog (with a parent or guardian in attendance in the ring) the child must also come to the seminar before they enter class. Our training space also allows us to gate families with children in so they can stay safe.
Yes, the best training that will happen with your dog is in your home. Think of this, we are here to teach you to train your dog, so homework is more like getting to play intelligently and thoughtfully with your dog!
You will soon! We are in the process of opening our online academy July 1st of 2026. If you are local to us and can't find a class that fits your time needs, you'll be able to take the same class online.
We take all credit cards. We are a cash-free facility, but we can invoice you for any purchases you make.
We take pride not just in cleanliness, but health. We have an amazing Pudu CCP1 Pro autonomous janitorial robot, named Rosie, who scrubs the floors at least once per day with a product that is anti-bacterial and anti-viral. We also regularly clear and sanitize our bathrooms, and all of our public spaces.
There's no right or wrong age. Even an old dog can learn new tricks. Obviously the earlier you can get into training, the better. But if you dog is newly adopted from a shelter or rescue, we do insist you allow your dog several weeks of peace and quiet, no visitors, no outings, to let them decompress and lower their stress levels before you start class.
We don't believe in rushing dogs or people. Our curriculum is detailed, with each level has over 40 exercises! Each course is 7-8 weeks long, but we suggest taking some breaks so you can proof the material between courses. Figure 12-18 months for the entire program to get you up to a confident Canine Good Citizen level.
Absolutely! In fact, we have a shelter and rescue dog program that can benefit new adopters and the shelter or rescue they adopt
We welcome you to MPA! If you have a CGC, CGCA, or CGCU, you are welcome to join our advanced classes. If you do not but wish to test, please let us know, we'd be happy to facilitate that. If you have a graduate certificate, or give us the name of your training facility, we can verify the training. As a final result, we can do a free consultation to evaluate your dog for our advanced classes.
.png)
%203.png)