The Suburban K9
Difference
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15000+
Pets Trained
Since 2006
27
Professional
Trainers
10
Locations Across
the US
160+YRS
Combined
Experience
OUR TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
Our training methods, which we’ve been developing for more than a decade, focus on ensuring your dog remains both calm and respectful. We tailor our training to the individual dog and the goals that the owner has for the dog, we do not utilize a one size fits all training approach.
Our Story
2006
Early Beginnings
After college Matt Covey uses his childhood passion and experience from breeding Golden Retrievers in order to start training dogs full time. Much of his time is spent rehabilitating dogs that are living in animal shelters and humane societies. As Matt’s reputation grows so does his clientele. Before long, Matt is traveling all around the Chicago area in order to help people with their dogs.
2008
Growing to Meet Demand
Matt Covey is unable to keep up with the demand from clients and rescue groups so he decides to bring on additional trainers. One of these trainers, Matt Wlos, would eventually become a partner in the business and become instrumental to the future growth of the company.
2010
Expansion is needed!
We have a lot of clients that travel from Wisconsin to Illinois in order to work with our trainers and we realized it is time to expand into new markets! During this timeframe we opened new locations in Milwaukee and Madison. Our trainers are busy developing our proprietary training methods and creating our in home training protocols. Our main focus is starting to shift from simply solving behavioral problems to preventing them from occurring at all. Our puppy programs are created to help people raise the perfect dog from day one. Also during this time Matt Covey starred in a pilot for Animal Planet.
2014
Suburban K9 Academy
In order to train our team, the Suburban K9 Academy is founded. It utilizes the principles and processes that were learned from the Milwaukee and Madison expansion. The Academy is a private facility with multiple buildings on 4 acres. Trainers live on site and are immersed in training every day. This allows us to continue to grow into future locations.
Present & Future
Giving our Employees the Best
Potential Life
As the company continues to grow and add new locations, so does our commitment to our team. We are now able to offer our entire team healthcare, a 401k plan, paid time off as well as other benefits. In order to provide the best training services possible we are creating a team of happy and committed employees. We know that when people are taken care of their true passion will shine through on a daily basis.
ORGANIZATIONS WE'VE HELPED
Our business started by working with and training dogs that were considered unadoptable at various animal shelters and humane societies. Here are a few of the many organizations we've helped.




OUR PROFESSIONAL
TRAINERS
With Suburban K9, you gain access to highly experienced professional trainers who use proven methods to deliver the best possible results. All of our trainers are full-time employees who are dedicating to tailoring our programs to both you and your dog’s individual personalities.

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WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING
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Sabrina has been a god send! Buzz and Phoebe are 3 and 1yr old English Bulldogs. They had a lot of challenges adjusting... read moreSabrina has been a god send! Buzz and Phoebe are 3 and 1yr old English Bulldogs. They had a lot of challenges adjusting to each other and finding their role in our family. Sabrina is so loved by them and us. She has successfully helped Buzz through his anxiety issues and we can now walk through the neighborhood without stares from fellow walkers. They were reluctant to Sabrina at first cause she expected a lot from them, but now they can't wait for her weekly visit. She takes them to fun places and does lots of socializing with them while incorporating training. Sabrina keeps us informed of their progress and listens to our concerns. She has changed our life! read less
Jill Orner LovelaceRight from the very beginning everyone was extremely helpful and informative. I inquired about putting my five month old German Shepherd into training and... read moreRight from the very beginning everyone was extremely helpful and informative. I inquired about putting my five month old German Shepherd into training and had a lot of questions of course. I received answers to everything I could possibly think of including the interview process for the trainers themselves along with the benefits of each package and what I should expect. Lilliana arrived to my house and was super friendly and easy to work with right away. She spent a half hour with us in the house and our puppy and getting to know more about what we were looking for and to see how she acted in her environment. We signed up for the two week board and train which was a little scary at first to know that we wouldn’t get to see our new puppy for so long but we knew she was in good hands. Throughout the course of the two weeks Liliana sent us updates via text message along with photos and videos of how Maci was doing in the training and all the new pup friends that she was making. At the end of the two weeks Lilliana returned with Maci and spent two hours with us showing us what she learned and transferred the skill sets over to me, my husband and two small kids. We saw an immediate transformation from Maci especially from the basic obedience of just not jumping on somebody at the front door, not going on the couch and heeling by your side when going on walks. Lilliana had all of the items on hand ready for purchase that she used throughout the training that allowed us to continue the training process with her. It was convenient for her to have everything already and made it easier for us to avoid having to skip a beat with the training. There were two more training classes that followed in the home with Liliana it was great to have her coming back and following up to see how she was doing. We are so proud of the growth we’ve seen from our dog and every penny was worth the training for the lifelong adventure we will have with Maci. I highly recommend Suburban K-9 and definitely Lilliana Calero! Thank you! read less
Melissa GodinezWe sent our almost 1 year lab, Ash, to board and train with Julia. He has had some anxiety issues (covid puppy, barking, doesnt... read moreWe sent our almost 1 year lab, Ash, to board and train with Julia. He has had some anxiety issues (covid puppy, barking, doesnt want us to leave, wont stay in his crate) as well as just needed some better manners (jumping on people, bad leash walking/pulling). I have to say I was skeptical of how he would come back and how much of this could be changed. I have to say that Julia is a wonder and Ash has come back a different dog!!!! He now enjoys laying in his crate, he knows all the commands, and is a completely different dog when walking. I can now trust him to let the kids walk him. Julia checked in with us every other day or so and sent us pics and has come back for 1 of 2 follow ups. You can tell how much she knows about caring for and training dogs and how much she cares. She has also randomly checked in on Ash. Overall the entire K9 experience is one we would highly recommend (and have already!!) to anyone that is having training issues with their dog. And please ask for Julia! She was amazing with Ash!! read less
Cathy Blaesing -
Our trainer, Erin Hansen, was a tremendous help to all members of our family! My boyfriend and I have a year and half old... read moreOur trainer, Erin Hansen, was a tremendous help to all members of our family! My boyfriend and I have a year and half old shar pei named Leroy. Before we looked for training options, Leroy was aggressive towards other people and dogs and it was especially difficult to have people come over to our house. He also used to pull really hard on walks. Once we started working with Erin, she taught us how to work with Leroy and push through his stubbornness to get the results we wanted! Throughout our ten weeks of training, we were able to accomplish obedience commands with positive reinforcement, control and peace of mind when people come into our home, and walking without pulling around the neighborhood and inside of public stores around people and other dogs. We are so glad that we did this training because it truly benefits everyone in your house! read less
Carey Amelia RoanShelby (Suburban K9 Dog Training) is a remarkable dog trainer that radiates positivity and confidence. We had a smart, sassy puppy that was... read moreShelby (Suburban K9 Dog Training) is a remarkable dog trainer that radiates positivity and confidence. We had a smart, sassy puppy that was beyond problematic in his destructive and biting ways. Having owned and self-trained several dogs throughout our years without any problem, we realized quickly with this puppy that we were way out of our league. Shelby was able to command his attention and obedience immediately. It was pure magic. She taught our puppy, as well as me and my kids so much about dog behavior. Shelby made herself readily available, was responsive and was able to troubleshoot and solve problems in real time. Having a trainer come into our house for sessions was phenomenal. Shelby was very considerate of our home and our time. Each session she worked with our puppy independently then left plenty of time to go over all the training that took place ensuring we understood and felt comfortable with our “homework”. We went from an overwhelmed family with an out of control dog to very happy dog owners in just 10 sessions. I cannot recommend her enough. read less
Anne CorcoranUtilizing the expertise of Suburban K9 Dog Training was the second best decision I made...the best decision being adopting a 5-year-old German Shepherd, Jaeger.... read moreUtilizing the expertise of Suburban K9 Dog Training was the second best decision I made...the best decision being adopting a 5-year-old German Shepherd, Jaeger. He is a sweet dog, but we never had a Shepherd before and needed help with leash training, fence barking and socializing. Zach came to our house which was the best way for him to see Jaeger in his own environment. Zach was on time for all lessons, and we even had a lesson at stores to get Jaeger socialized in unique situations. Zach was friendly and informative, and Suburban K9 has so many options to chose the best training for all pets. read less
Kathy McGrath -
We worked with Allyson in Dallas and she has transformed our Golden pupper! Before Obi started the board and train with her, he was... read moreWe worked with Allyson in Dallas and she has transformed our Golden pupper! Before Obi started the board and train with her, he was hyper, pulling us on walks, jumping on everyone, chewing everything, hating the crate...being first time dog family and having very little time and no experience ourselves to train him, we signed up for board and train plus. We are blown away by the results. Now he walks into his crate, enjoys relaxing in there, great walker (even my 7 yo can walk him), chills in the house without going after our or kitty’s stuff. We stay consistent with continuing practicing commands every day. Obi LOVES when Allyson comes for training sessions. We feel so lucky we found this training program. Thank you Suburban K9! read less
Honey YabidWe were given an 4 year old English Bulldog named Duke from a friend who couldn't handle his behavior of going after people in... read moreWe were given an 4 year old English Bulldog named Duke from a friend who couldn't handle his behavior of going after people in the house. They were going to put him down so I took him so I could give him a chance. I new he wasn't a mean dog but we didn't know how to help him. At first he was managable but after a couple months he started going after my wife so bad that we had to live on different levels of the home. We were at the end of patience when someone told us about Suburban K9 Dog Training. Julia Rose was our trainer and helped us save Duke from his behavior problems. The first session Duke wanted to go after and "attack" Julia, but at the end of our 5th and final session he was fine. He allowed strangers to come in the house, he didn't care that Julia was there, he even let Julia give him treats and pet him. After they left he even was sitting by my neighbor on the couch wanting pets from them. It was a total 180. I know that if it wasn't for Julia and Suburban K9 Dog Training that we would of had to try and find another home for him. Thanks again. read less
Mike CristoforiShelby was an absolute pleasure to work with. I did the two week board and train and my lab/pit mix Harley truly enjoyed her... read moreShelby was an absolute pleasure to work with. I did the two week board and train and my lab/pit mix Harley truly enjoyed her time with Shelby. My main concerns were walking with tugging, jumping on guests, and walking out open doors when not commended to do so. Harley is a pleasure to walk now and she only jumps on ppl when she is super excited but you can see she really fights the urge to do so...but she’s getting so much better. We are still working on the front door but she doesn’t charge the door like she used to. She is such a smart dog and her time with Shelby really did wonders for her. I can’t thank her enough! read less
Jessica Toro -
We did the 10 sessions package. Our dog was extra hard: adult, no prior living in a house, not potty trained. Training was longer... read moreWe did the 10 sessions package. Our dog was extra hard: adult, no prior living in a house, not potty trained. Training was longer and harder than predicted and I only made it (didnt get rid of the dog) because of our trainer Alexis. She help my hand through it, gave so many tips, taught me so much. The company as a whole was easy to work&communicate with, organized, and flexible. Highly recommend! read less
Dina PalmerSabrina has been terrific in helping us welcome our new puppy to the family. She is energetic, caring and gives great advice. Always on... read moreSabrina has been terrific in helping us welcome our new puppy to the family. She is energetic, caring and gives great advice. Always on time and responsive to our questions, she has done a great job training ALL members of the family! Highly recommend her and Suburban K-9. read less
Susan FaberOur Pomsky/Mini Husky Miller was a handful (that’s putting it lightly) He not only has the intelligence of the Husky gene, but also the... read moreOur Pomsky/Mini Husky Miller was a handful (that’s putting it lightly) He not only has the intelligence of the Husky gene, but also the Pomeranian gene. Combine intelligence with the stubbornness of a Husky, and you have what we affectionately called our babe “the spawn of Satan”. He listened sure; but only when he wanted to. We couldn’t even sit on the couch without him attacking us with his baby shark teeth. He also thought it was okay to jump on tables, had ZERO will power to stay when a door was open .. and getting him to come in from the yard took an hour... the list goes on. We were at our wits end. We enrolled him in the two week board and train with Sabrina. I AM NOT KIDDING, Sabrina is a magician. She must work some sort of dog sorcery because MILLER IS THE BEST BOY NOW. He comes when he is called, he stays when the door is open until we let him know he is free, he is so socialized with other dogs we have play dates, on walks he is right by our side knowing the heel command. Everywhere we go, people compliment how well behaved he is. OUR DOG? Well behaved!! I still can’t believe it. He is an absolute dream to be around now, and I am so happy Sabrina made this possible. He is only 6 months, and I know because of Sabrina, we will have the best, most well behaved little best friend for years to come!! read less
Becky Olson -
Sabrina has transformed our spirited and slightly obstinate Aussie doodle into an extremely well behaved pup! She quickly and accurately identified personality traits... read moreSabrina has transformed our spirited and slightly obstinate Aussie doodle into an extremely well behaved pup! She quickly and accurately identified personality traits that could be an area of concern and helped us to address these while our puppy is still young. In addition to being a dog whisperer, Sabrina is fantastic at knowing how to adjust her approach to fit all the different personalities in our home. We love that training includes some field trips and visits with other dogs so our pup will be well prepared to behave in a variety of situations. read less
Heather HayesNelson is the best! He has been with us since our Bernese Mountain Dog was a brand new puppy. From the initial two week... read moreNelson is the best! He has been with us since our Bernese Mountain Dog was a brand new puppy. From the initial two week boot camp to occasional refreshers over the last year, Nelson has been a tremendous resource. He understands our dog and our family dynamic and provides immediate feedback and valuable tips and suggestions. We highly recommend Nelson! read less
Steve BorgNelson has been our GSD's trainer for almost a year now. We can not say enough about the progress Archie has made with Nelson.... read moreNelson has been our GSD's trainer for almost a year now. We can not say enough about the progress Archie has made with Nelson. The training has not only been for Archie, it has been for us as well. It has been such a blessing to have Nelson and Suburban K9 in our lives. We would highly recommend Nelson and Suburban K9. read less
Brett M. -
A little late because I’m a procrastinator... but last fall (September 2020) we had Nelson as a trainer for our sweet little monster puppy,... read moreA little late because I’m a procrastinator... but last fall (September 2020) we had Nelson as a trainer for our sweet little monster puppy, Quinn. This half german shepherd, half husky is a little firecracker of a thing and she knows it. At 6 months old and 45 lbs this little girl was SMART! She knew most of her basic commands but she chose when she wanted to do them, and who she wanted to do them for. She couldn’t walk on a leash properly, jumped on people as they walked in the house, and she did not like men what so ever. So we KNEW she was going to have to get some kind of training to help us make her the respectable yet fun loving pooch we wanted her to be. After looking into many training programs we landed on suburban k9.
Her originally booked trainer got sick a few days before pick up and instead of rescheduling us for a later date (much later) nelson stepped up and volunteered to take Quinn for her two week board and train. And let me tell you we were so glad he did! No dog mom or dad wants to see their cute little pup leave for two whole weeks but we couldn’t have been happier that she was going to a full house that was going to give her all the loving we would, if not, more!
Honestly we kind of felt bad for the guy, knowing he was gonna have his hands full with our little devil for two weeks. But he sent updates frequently that included details about their training and told us how well she was doing, he sent us cute little photos of her playing with the other dogs and kids and told us about how good of a girl she was with other trainers. He answered so many of our important questions not only while she was gone but also on the day he brought her home. He was super knowledgeable on how to keep her trained once she came home, he modified training for things that worked best for our house and our rules, and has even been very helpful with sending tips and tricks since training when we’ve had little new things come up!
She came home a brand new dog! She listened to her commands, she stopped jumping on people, she didn’t hate men anymore; she learned everything we wanted her to while gone AND MORE!! If it wasn’t for her two different colored eyes I would have thought he switched my dog out. He did absolutely fantastic and we couldn’t have been happier to have him as our trainer! Thanks again Nelson! You rock! read lessLacey DinsmoreIn September 2018 after the sudden & tragic loss of our Leonberger at 4 years old, we ventured out to get a new puppy... read moreIn September 2018 after the sudden & tragic loss of our Leonberger at 4 years old, we ventured out to get a new puppy which was an unusual giant breed called a Caucasian Mountain Shepherd. We named him Granite, as we knew he would grow to be big and strong. He was projected to grow to over 150 pounds, the largest dog we’d ever had. We loved giant breeds and had previously been pet parents of a Great Pyrenees, a Great Dane / Mastiff mix, and a Leonberger. The rare Caucasian Mountain Shepherd was bred to protect the flock from large predators such as bear and wolf. Having this knowledge and knowing he would grow to be a big strong boy, we knew we needed some help training him. Our dogs are our children, and we take them with us everywhere we go, including long trips in our RV. It was critical that we be able to walk him in our neighborhood, in campgrounds and on hikes where he would encounter many strangers – both people and other animals. We did some research and landed on Suburban K9 because they could accommodate our busy work schedule by coming to our home for training sessions. The sessions included both individual sessions of the trainer with Granite and sessions with us as owners. Our trainer was Nelson, who had great experience with large and aggressive breeds.
Nelson was exactly who we were looking for…….he earned not only our trust but the trust of our dogs (our boys) Granite, and his Dane/Mastiff brother (Tucker) and his soon-to-be new little Leonberger brother (Trax), who both also benefited from Nelson’s training. We had complete confidence in Nelson and were comfortable letting him in our home when we were away at work, and more importantly, allowing Nelson to take our boys on field trips as part of their training. He exposed them to other dogs at nearby parks, strangers in retail stores that allow dogs, and even Suburban K9 events for the trainers. We also really appreciated Nelson’s responsiveness, as he was always available via text or phone if we needed guidance in between sessions. In short, not only did Granite learn to be an incredibly well-behaved magnificent companion that we could trust in all circumstances, but we as pet parents learned so much. After all, the pet parents are really the ones who need the most training.
Now, Granite is almost three years old, and we have recently moved from the Chicagoland area to large property that we purchased in the mountains of Idaho. Granite is really in heaven here. With large predators all around us now, including bear, mountain lions and wolves, we feel so comfortable with our protector Granite around. He actually chased off a bear that was within 100 feet of us that we didn’t even know was there. We also have lots of elk, deer and turkey here, which are great temptations for Granite to chase. As a result of Nelson’s training, Granite is now not only controllable on the lead but also by voice commands when he is off lead and running free on his ranch. And he loves greeting the many different construction workers that come to work on our project, including their dogs that some often bring to our property for the day’s work. We would have never imagined that Granite could be so well-behaved with other people and animals, while also maintaining his natural breeding traits of being a fierce protector when truly needed. There are not sufficient words to express how much we appreciate Nelson for all he did for Granite and our family. Thank you, Nelson and Suburban K9! read lessKristi Garner ThomassonNelson is amazing! He has work with our Golden retriever Sunny for several months and everything he has taught her (and us) is pure... read moreNelson is amazing! He has work with our Golden retriever Sunny for several months and everything he has taught her (and us) is pure gold. This is our first family dog so Nelson has been able to teach us how to train Sunny. He is so knowledgeable and passionate about dogs. He is always available via text/call if we have any questions or concerns. My favorite is his sense of humor and his exuberant personality. I could chat with him all day if I could! Our experience with Suburban K9 and Nelson is more than 5 stars! 🌟✨⭐️💫 read less
Lisa Rambert-Kersting
Our Customized Training Programs
All of our programs are custom tailored based on your
dog and your family's goals.
In-home dog training
Private lessons tailored to your dog
One on One access to our expert trainers in the comfort of your home. Lessons can be tailored to any training goal.

Board and train boot camp
Your dog will live with one of our expert trainers
We pick-up, drop-off and provide follow up training in your home. Results Guaranteed! We offer standard 2-3 week options as well as custom length stays.
