Meet Owner and Chief Canine Officer Bill Mayeroff
snuggling with Bodhi.
Working with dogs is Adulthood 2.0 for me. After burning out on a career in journalism, I decided to do something completely different. I started walking dogs for a company called Chicago Dog Walkers in 2013, just as a way to make extra money. After a couple unsatisfying attempts to get back into the journalism world, I decided to let my life go to the dogs.
Since graduating from FetchFind Academy in 2016, I’ve worked with dogs in a few different ways. I’ve worked as a trainer and walker, of course. But I’ve also worked in shelters and at a daycare and boarding facility as their in-house trainer. Each has taught me something and has given me opportunities
to meet and help all sorts of dogs.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my fuzzy family – my partner and our dogs, Chester and Bodhi. I also love finding the best beer menus in Chicago, watching professional darts
and going to White Sox games.
My pronouns are they/them. I’m genderqueer and am proud to be part of Chicago’s queer community. Any form of discrimination, bigotry, hatred, racism, sexism,
misogyny or anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment will not be tolerated. 🏳️🌈
I’m looking forward to working with you and your pups! Thanks and big wags!
The Big Wags Chicago story
Training philosophy
When I started working with dogs professionally in 2013, I thought it was the best job ever. I was outside all day and hanging with lots of cool pups. What’s not to love, right?
But one thing didn’t sit right with me working for other dog walking companies, especially as I began studying dog training and behavior at FetchFind Academy. The walking companies I worked for would often turn down dogs that were considered difficult or that had some behavior issues. But I knew that the skills I had as a trainer would allow me to help those dogs and their guardians that might not have other options.
That, folks, is why I decided to start Big Wags Chicago in 2019. I wanted to combine my love of walking dogs with my love of training and create a sort of one-stop shop. Whether it’s walking a reactive dog who’s been turned away by other companies or providing custom-tailored, private training, I want to help all the quirky, challenging dogs and their people.
In addition to my knowledge of dog behavior and training, I’m certified in canine first aid and CPR through DogSafe.
Thank you all for being a part of this journey with me. By the way, I still think it’s the best job ever.
My goal as a trainer is to set you and your dog up for success and help you create a bond with them that’s built on trust, love and mutual respect.
I’m a purely positive reinforcement trainer and as a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, I adhere strictly to their standards regarding professional conduct and training philosophy. The idea is fairly simple: I use rewards – treats, praise, petting, toys, anything your dog likes – as motivation for your dog to repeat good behaviors. By rewarding the good behaviors and NOT rewarding the others, the undesirable behaviors start to fade away because the dog has no reason to do them.
Long story short – teaching a dog what TO do is more effective than trying to teach them what NOT to do.
In that same vein, I don’t use any sort of punishment to correct undesirable behaviors. No choke chains. No shock or prong collars. No alpha rolls. No aversive techniques at all.
Above all, I want training to be a happy, fun experience for you and your dog.
Call/text: 773.391.0780
Email: bigwags@bigwagschicago.com