Suburban K9

Name

Suburban K9

Website

https://suburban-k9.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Suburban K9 is a founder-owned US dog training company operating 15 locations with 42 full-time trainers, delivering in-home lessons, board-and-train programs, and virtual video coaching under its proprietary Lifestyle Adjustment Plan methodology for individual pet owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. In-Home Dog Training: Private, one-on-one training sessions conducted in the customer's home. Training is delivered in packages (single lessons, multi-lesson packages, and year-long programs) with 60-minute standard sessions.
2. Board and Train Boot Camp: Immersive training program where dogs stay with trainers. Offered in 1-week, 2-week, 3-week, and custom length packages. Includes pickup, drop-off, and follow-up training in customer's home.
3. Virtual/One-on-One Video Lessons: 60-minute video call sessions with expert trainers. Offered as single lessons or 5-pack bundles for no-contact training support.
4. Suburban K9 Outfitters (Apparel Shop): Dog-themed merchandise including apparel, accessories, and breed-specific items. 100% of profits support the Suburban K9 Gives Back charitable program.
5. Additional Services: Breed selection consultations and corporate speaking engagements offered as supplementary services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Suburban K9 is a professional dog training company that delivers private, one-on-one obedience and behavior modification training through three core delivery models: in-home private lessons at the customer's home, board-and-train boot camp where dogs stay with trainers in the trainers' homes, and live virtual video lessons via Google Meet. The company complements training with breed selection consultations, corporate presentations on dog safety, and a merchandise storefront (Suburban K9 Outfitters). All training is grounded in a proprietary Lifestyle Adjustment Plan (LAP) methodology refined over more than 15 years.

Product overview

Suburban K9 is a dog training company offering multiple service delivery models: In-Home Dog Training (private lessons at the customer's home), Dog Boot Camp Board and Train (where dogs stay with trainers in their homes), and One-on-One Video Lessons (virtual training via Google Meet). These core programs are complemented by extended One Year/One Year Plus packages, Dog Boot Camp Plus, and Suburban K9 Outfitters (a merchandise shop supporting their community program). Additional offerings include Breed Selection Consultation and Corporate Speaking services. The company also provides free educational content through the Dog Learning Center, including articles, guides, and the Balanced Dog Training Podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Suburban K9 Outfitters: Apparel and merchandise brand for dog lovers. 100% of profits are given to the Suburban K9 Gives Back program. Products include clothing, accessories, and breed-specific items.

Products and services

• In-Home Dog Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 pets trained successfully since company founding in 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• West Suburban Humane SocietyminorOthersSuburban K9 donated $1,500 to the West Suburban Humane Society as part of their 2020 Step Challenge competition proceeds. The company supports various animal rescue organizations through their charitable initiatives.
• 4 Paws for AbilityminorOthersSuburban K9 donated $1,500 to 4 Paws for Ability as winner of their 2021 Step Challenge competition. 4 Paws for Ability is a service dog organization.
• Various Animal Shelters and Humane SocietiesminorOthersSuburban K9 began their business by working with and training dogs considered unadoptable at various animal shelters and humane societies. They have helped numerous shelter dogs become adoptable through their training programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Rover: Online marketplace for pet care services including dog walking, sitting, and boarding. Indirect competitor shaping consumer expectations around convenience and digital booking for pet services, though Rover does not directly deliver professional training.
• Petco (Dog Training): National pet retailer operating in-store group dog training classes at lower price points. Adjacent competitor that captures the entry-level/budget training segment; competes more on price and convenience than on the customized in-home approach Suburban K9 sells.
• PetSmart (Dog Training): National pet retailer offering group obedience classes inside stores. Comparable broad incumbent competing on price and accessibility; Suburban K9 differentiates by targeting premium, behavior-issue customers with in-home delivery.

Direct peers

• Bark Busters: Global in-home dog training franchise operating with similar one-on-one, in-the-home service delivery model. Bark Busters is the most directly comparable competitor to Suburban K9's flagship in-home training program, both targeting pet owners who want private lessons at home.
• Dog Training Elite: Multi-location in-home dog training franchise serving multiple US metros. Comparable on service model (private in-home lessons), pricing tier (premium), and customer profile (owners seeking behavior modification rather than basic obedience).
• Zoom Room Dog Training: Multi-location dog training franchise offering group and private classes plus socialization events. Comparable on multi-location footprint and consumer pet-dog focus, though Zoom Room emphasizes facility-based group classes versus Suburban K9's in-home emphasis.
• Off-Leash K9 Training: Franchise-style dog training company operating across numerous US locations with similar private-lesson and board-and-train offerings. Direct competitor in the premium obedience and behavior-modification segment.

Emerging players

• Camp Bow Wow: Multi-location dog daycare and boarding franchise with adjacent training offerings. Comparable on the boarding-plus-enrichment thesis behind Suburban K9's board-and-train, though Camp Bow Wow's core business is daycare rather than training.
• Dogtopia: Franchise dog daycare, boarding, and spa operator with locations across the US and Canada. Adjacent competitor in the boarding-services category with training-adjacent offerings and similar multi-city footprint ambition.

Others

• Wag!: Digital platform offering on-demand dog walking, sitting, and training content. Thematically adjacent via pet-services digital marketplace dynamics; competes loosely with Suburban K9 for the modern pet-owner's wallet and attention rather than directly for training services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/suburban_k9
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCg49_aVs1dzfeQzW_QR7PCQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Suburban.K9
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/suburban-k9
• Instagraminstagram.com/suburban_k9

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Suburban K9