Judit Arroyo
CPDT-KA Founder and Training Director
Judit grew up in the dog world. While other teenagers were hanging out with friends, Judit was spending her Friday nights accompanying her mentor to obedience trials, her Saturdays observing obedience classes, and her Sundays volunteering at shelters and assisting her second mentor certifying therapy dogs. That’s because Judit had always known her passion was dogs and realized she had a second passion in behavior when she was introduced to the world of dog training while still enrolled in high school.
Judit launched her career as a professional dog trainer in 2002, when she was hired by one of Chicago’s premier dog-training schools. During her six years with the school, Judit gained a solid foundation in canine communication, body language, learning theory, and behavior modification, and specialized in working with aggressive dogs. She developed effective problem-solving and training skills using only positive reinforcement rather than force or dominance of any kind. With extensive experience designing and teaching curricula for group classes and workshops, Judit excels at customizing and developing behavior solutions and training techniques that suit individuals’ needs.
Fast forward more than a decade and a half, and Judit’s passion for dogs and behavior continues to grow. After receiving her BA in Sociology with a Psychology minor, Judit continued her dog-training career. In her 15 years of hands-on experience, Judit has been awarded Top Dog Trainer in Chicago on numerous occasions, led the training program for Animal Career Academy, and served as the dog/handler-team test evaluator for Sit Stay Read for 10 years. She writes about dog behavior and two of her articles have been published in The APDT Chronicle of the Dog. Judit’s Reactive Dog class was modeled in the APDT Chronicle of the Dog, and she was the on-set trainer for the forthcoming movie, Beast. She has competed in Rally-O, CPE, and AKC Agility with her Miniature Aussie, Lilu Manai. In addition, Judit has co-authored a manuscript for dog trainers on working with human clients. Judit has also written a manuscript on training urban dogs, and one on troubleshooting problematic dog behaviors.
Education is a big part of Judit’s passion and commitment to the welfare of dogs. She currently sits on the board for the Inner Pup Org as their behaviorist, and travels yearly to New Orleans to volunteer in their three-week education program at local schools. When she is not teaching, blogging, or training, Judit enjoys weekly trips to the forest preserve with her dogs, Lilu and her adopted American Bulldog, Saint. She enjoys her daily fetching outings with Lilu and sign language training with Saint, who is deaf. You can also find her posting photos and running Lilu and Saint’s Instagram page.
Professional Affiliations
- Director of Training, DoGoneFun Chicago
- Director of Training Program, Animal Career Academy
- Certified Trainer through Certification Council for Professional
Dog Trainers (CPDT) - Full Member, Association of Professional Dog Trainers
- AKC Canine Good Citizen & S.T.A.R Puppy
Test Evaluator - Sit, Stay, Read! Dog/Handler Team Test Evaluator,
Program Leader, and Mentor - The Inner Pup Org, Board Member and Volunteer
- BA in sociology with a psychology minor; emphasis on
field research techniques and practice - Support Member, International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
Anna Evans
Anna has been teaching puppy and basic obedience classes at DoGoneFun since 2009. She loves to get puppies off to a great start by teaching their owners about proper socialization, communication, and structure. Her degree in psychology has helped her connect with people as well as their pets, making Anna a great instructor and teacher. Anna’s passion for dogs extends beyond training. She is a dedicated volunteer for Safe Humane Chicago, and she structures and supervises play groups for abandoned dogs at Chicago Animal Care and Control. In 2016, she traveled to New Orleans to assist in The Inner Pup’s educational pilot program. Anna currently offers training classes at both the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago and Canina Dog Training. In her spare time, she goes on hikes and long walks with her 12-year-old Border Collie mix, Shadow, and her adopted ball-of-energy Poodle mix, Larry.
Kat Corea
Dog trainer Katherine (“Kat”) Corea started her training journey in 2013. As an animal lover from childhood, she knew her career would somehow involve dogs. Her high school sweetheart, Buddy the Beagle, opened her eyes to training and its possibilities, and she fell in love with behavior and training. After completing Chicago Animal Care and Control’s Dog Care Program in high school, she pursued her dreams by enrolling in Chicago’s Animal Career Academy. In 2013, She started her training journey alongside her instructor and mentor, Judit Arroyo. Kat completed more than 450 hours of study, including 200 internship hours. During her program, Kat worked side by side with professionals from different fields including a master groomer and DoGone Fun’s business owner. She graduated in 2016 and currently teaches private lessons, group classes, and serves as Head Trainer for our day-training program. Kat is passionate about helping recently adopted dogs and their owners build a positive relationship through basic obedience and clear communication. Buddy continues to inspire Kat, and through him, Kat has discovered her love of tricks; she is currently earning her Certified Tricks Dogs Instructor certification through Do More with Your Dog and looks forward to offering title opportunities to her Tricks Class students in 2018.
Recent Blog Posts
Learn from our team of top thought leaders in the industry.
Why do Good People do Bad Things to Their Dogs?
Would you ever harm your dog? Can you think of a reason that would make you consider hurting your dog? If you are a trainer, do you ever wonder why some of your clients ignore your warnings and switch to non-positive methods? When I started dog training, I heard...
How Friendly is that “Pet-Friendly” High-Rise, Really?
A recent article in the Chicago Tribune discussed a new trend for high-rise apartment and condo buildings: attracting residents through their pets. Urban property managers are adding amenities for dogs, to attract potential buyers to their buildings. These amenities...
How to Socialize an Adult Dog with Other Dogs Part II
A couple of days ago, my dog Saint and I went to our local tennis court to play a game of fetch before I headed to work. This has now become part of our daily routine and his primary form of exercise. As I tossed the ball for Saint, I noticed a woman and her young dog (about 5 months) approaching the fence. More accurately, the dog was pulling her to us, dragging her along behind. As they approached, Saint showed no interest in them, even when she asked “Can we come inside?” I politely replied, “I’d rather not, because my dog’s not going to enjoy sharing his ball.”