Coralyn R. Pedota

Coralyn “Cori” Pedota is a lifelong animal lover with a passion for helping people connect with their dogs. Their fascination with dog behavior led to a discovery that coaching the humans in dogs’ lives can be equally fun and satisfying. Cori feels that every training goal is its own unique puzzle that allows for heartfelt work and creativity.

Their connection with animals began with their childhood miniature pinschers, the tiniest of whom was declared by a local trainer to be the most stubborn dog he had ever met in his life. But Cori’s interest in training started with horses. In middle school, Cori spent all summer as their horseback riding instructor’s shadow, observing and helping with behavior rehabilitation programs that taught them their foundational understanding of body language and communication. In high school, Cori worked at the equestrian circus The Noble Horse Theater, starring as Clara in The Nutcracker on Horseback for four seasons.

As an adult, Cori entered the dog industry at a 60-dog capacity daycare, where they ultimately became a manager. This experience taught them the nuances of dog socialization and introduced them to dog training. Cori quickly sought out an apprenticeship to become a full-time professional trainer in 2017. The next year, they left Chicago to do a three-month live-in working dog internship at Logan Haus Kennels in West Virginia. There they learned about breeding and socialization for future working dogs, as well as training for police, military, search and rescue, and protection sports. Somewhere in the middle of that, they even learned how to clicker-train chickens.

Cori then briefly lived in Portland, OR, where they continued to work as a full-time trainer. During the initial Covid-19 lockdown, they wrote a 3-hour course for the competition obedience sport AKC Rally. They also fell in love with Doggy Freestyle Dance after teaching a long-term virtual tricks class with a committed group of students that built such a repertoire that they decided to start dancing with their dogs.

Cori returned to Chicago in 2020 to take on the role of Head Instructor at the training facility See Spot Run, where they taught until 2024. Cori designed See Spot Run’s group class program and mentored several junior trainers while regularly working with behavior modification cases. Many of these training clients’ goals were focused on the unique behavior problem of leash reactivity in dense urban environments, which Cori considers themselves particularly well-versed in.

Cori regularly continues their education by attending seminars, webinars, and classes with their personal dogs as students. Their favorite dog training influences are Shade Whitesel, Hannah Brannigan, Sarah Stremming, Denise Fenzi, Forrest Micke, and Michael Ellis.

When not training dogs professionally, Cori is training dogs for fun. They regularly dabble in a variety of dog sports and have the deepest fondness for the aesthetically meticulous genre of competition obedience. They also play the guitar and banjo, write creatively, and practice aerial dance.

Training Philosophy

Cori believes in the importance of the relationship between dog and handler, always customizing every behavior plan for each individual situation and giving thoughtful consideration to the big and small pictures. Their primary focus is on minimizing stress and maximizing practicality for the human and the animal.

Services

• Private Lessons: In-person and virtual private lessons are available, with different durations and pricing based on location and session length.
• Virtual Classes: Coralyn offers online courses, such as the Rockin' Rally-O class, which is a comprehensive online course perfect for both sport newbies and seasoned competition obedience competitors alike.
• Intensive Training Programs: These programs focus on the trainer working directly with your dog, following a consistent schedule designed to meet your training and behavior goals. Options include In-Home Day Training and Board & Train Program.
• Behavior Consulting: Coralyn provides private lessons and behavior consulting to help you understand your dog’s behavior and better communicate with them.

Certifications

Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA)

Specializations

• Basic to advanced obedience
• Fear, aggression, and anxiety rehabilitation
• Competition and sport skills
• Tricks and freestyle
• Leash reactivity
• Dog socialization

Training Methods

Coralyn uses a balanced training approach, incorporating positive reinforcement, classical conditioning, and negative reinforcement techniques. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the dog's individual needs and motivations, and tailoring training plans accordingly.

Customer Reviews

• Annie & Levi: A friend of mine recommended I have a consult with Coralyn when my then 5 month old GSP pup started having some leash reactivity towards other dogs. I was a bit hesitant as it would be a remote consult, but my friend spoke so highly of them I knew I needed to give them a try! Coralyn gave me some really helpful insights and training exercises to overcome this hurdle with my puppy, responded to my updates and overall provide great knowledge and encouragement in our training journey. My pup now regularly successfully passes dogs without losing his marbles (!!).
• Sarah, Mally & Fiona: We've taken in person and virtual lessons/classes with Coralyn and love it so much! I am surprised at how much I enjoy the virtual classes, but I feel like I get MORE out of it as there are fewer distractions, I'm not having to get ready to go somewhere, and it's just easy for me to show up to. I've seen my dog (and me!) make huge progress as we've been doing the advanced tricks virtual class since the pandemic started—and I have been able to take some of the methods I've learned and use them for teaching things on my own. Coralyn rocks!
• Molly & Oona: I feel very lucky to have been introduced to Coralyn by another trainer. They are a supportive and effective dog trainer who gives practical advice at the level you and your dog are at. I have been fortunate to experience both in-person and online training — we have been having so much fun with online tricks training. We went on to take her virtual rally obedience course as well. I honestly wasn't sure how virtual dog training would work, but it has been awesome. If you are looking for a compassionate and effective resource for your own dog, I wholeheartedly recommend Coralyn.
• Lauren & Luna: I have been working with Coralyn for a little over a year now. What started as someone who lived half way across the country virtually judging my Newfoundland, Luna's, AKC Trick Dog Novice test, has turned into so much more. Due to their hands-on approach (yes, even virtually), individual attention, and training philosophies - Coralyn has become part of our dog world family. They know their stuff, use a balanced training approach and truth be told, there is no one in the working dog world I trust more. Under Coralyn's watchful eyes, Luna has earned her TKN, TKI, VHMA and RN. We took their virtual Rockin' Rally-O class and LOVED it! We have taken private lessons with Coralyn, even dog reactivity classes with them. Chicago is lucky to have this awesome trainer, but in the world of zoom - anyone can have them!
• Ruth & Waco: I have worked with trainer Coralyn virtually for a year, training for competitive Rally. I wasn’t brand new to the sport when we started, but Coralyn still had a big job on their hands helping my dog and I relearn from the ground up how to build the joyful engagement and beautiful precision I craved. Working a rescued hound mix isn’t always easy but Coralyn used their brilliant eye, superb skill breakdowns, creative reward markers and never ending enthusiasm for heelwork to patiently mold us into the team I really wanted us to be. After a year of hard work we finally got our rally advanced title with the scores I wanted, to earn us a CARO RA- MCL. We have many more titles ahead of us and I know I’ll always want to call on Coralyn’s expertise when I meet new skills I need to learn. You will absolutely not regret approaching a career in obedience with trainer Coralyn navigating your journey. Whether you’re just starting or have already taken steps, Coralyn has the knowledge and love of the sport to get you where you want to go.
• Daphne & Riot: Coralyn is an exceptional trainer. I wanted to learn more about the world of IGP with my puppy Riot and Coralyn has been our Jedi master. They break down their lessons in a simple and effective way that is easy to follow and allows us to build up on once we grasp the concept. I’ve taken some of their ideas to add on to my own tool belt as a professional trainer. Riot and I were excited to show our progress and eager to learn more each lesson. We also love their helpful homework handouts and video examples of the behaviors they have taught us. Their pups Cupid and Mars are goals for Riot’s sport dog journey. We appreciate everything we have learned from them and look forward to learning many more things from them!
• Anna & Manchi: Coralyn has been an exceptional trainer and support system since I first adopted my dog -- a 1 year old Shepherd mix with a seemingly unlimited supply of energy and zero impulse control. Coralyn gave me the fundamentals to feel confident working with my dog in new situations and understanding how subtle changes (like when I was using my verbal marker or how I was moving my hands) could help my dog read me better. On more than one occasion, I walked into our lessons feeling overwhelmed and walked out with more confidence and a better relationship with my dog. From learning how to play with toys effectively to games to capture calm behavior, I can thank Coralyn for the tremendous change I've seen in Manchi in the last 6 months!
• Giovanna & Enzo: We've been working with Coralyn for almost three years, and I wouldn't want to train with anyone else. We started our journey with 1-on-1 training sessions to address my dog's anxiety, reactivity, loose leash walking, and over-excitement. Coralyn's expertise and dedication were evident from the start. The transformation in my dog's behavior has been remarkable, thanks to Coralyn's guidance. They provided both personalized 1-on-1 sessions and encouraged us to join group classes, even though I was initially nervous due to my dog's selectiveness with unfamiliar dogs. Coralyn makes training enjoyable and shows you how to seamlessly incorporate it into everyday tasks. Whenever I have questions, Coralyn is always ready to help, breaking down solutions for both me and my dog. Coralyn truly is the best!
• Max & Rue: Highly recommend Coralyn for any training needs. We have been training on and off for about 2.5 years now and always look forward to our sessions. More importantly, our dog Rue is always very excited when we get to the lesson and has a hard time leaving her buddy Coralyn at the end.

Media Appearances

Cupid and Mars have both starred in films by local director Brandon Daley: Technology Lake (2019) and $Positions (release date TBD).