A happy, well trained dog from Dog Training Elite, your trusted source for dog training in Chicago, IL

Elite, Award-winning

Dog Training in Chicago, IL

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Elite K9 Training in Chicago, IL. Dog Training Elite

Obedience Training

We believe sustained obedience comes from empowering owners and their dogs to build strong, lasting bonds through training.

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Elite Service Dog Training in Chicago, IL. DTE

Service Dog Training

Built on 40+ years of experience, Dog Training Elite proudly leads the way in professional service dog training tailored to your needs.

Request Free Assessment


Request Free Assessment


Empowering Owners


We work with dogs of any breed, size or age - and we empower owners with lifelong skills to continue successes.

  • Leash Walking & Heel Training

  • Barking Issues

  • Aggression & Reactivity 

  • Separation Anxiety

  • Jumping & Hyperactivity 

  • Sitting & Stay Commands

  • Destructive Chewing & Digging

  • Recall Training (Come When Called)

  • Boundary Training (Off Furniture or Beds)

  • Vehicle Behavior

  • Training for Specific Tasks

  • And More

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago
Serving the West and South Suburbs of Chicago

We offer in Home & Facility Training Options
1488 Bond Street
Suite 101
Naperville, IL 60563
Dog Training Elite Western Chicago

Training Programs

Flexible & Customized for your Pet

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Dog Obedience Training in Chicago, IL. DTE
Obedience Training

Our obedience training for dogs in Chicago, IL is designed to teach essential commands and reinforce good behavior, ensuring your dog is well-mannered in any situation.

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Elite Puppy Training in Chicago, IL. DTE
Puppy Training

Our puppy training in Chicago, IL builds a strong bond between you and your new puppy by focusing on early socialization, basic commands, and good behavior.

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Elite Service Dog Training in Chicago, IL. DTE
Service Dog Training

Our Chicago service dog training turns dogs into dependable companions, trained to perform tasks like retrieving items, providing stability, or alerting to medical conditions.

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Aggressive Dog Training in Chicago, IL. DTE
Anxiety & Aggression

Our Chicago aggressive dog training targets and corrects behaviors driven by anxiety and aggression, helping your dog stay calm and well-behaved in challenging situations.

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Therapy Dog Trainer in Chicago, IL. DTE
Therapy Dog Training

Our Chicago therapy dog training equips dogs with the skills needed to provide comfort and emotional support in various settings. These trained dogs help reduce stress, ease anxiety, and improve the overall well-being of their owners.

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago - Top Group Dog Training in Chicago, IL. DTE
Group Training

Our group dog training classes in Chicago, IL offer a structured environment where dogs can learn and practice essential skills while socializing with other dogs and their owners.

A well trained dog and their owner posing in front of a Dog Training Elite wall.

Our Story

Dog Training Elite Western Chicago

Our programs are flexible and designed to meet the needs of each client’s schedule and their dog’s unique behavior, home environment, and situation. We are a family-owned, professional dog training company with over 40 years of experience specializing in strengthening the bond between you and your dog.

We offer in-home dog training, basic obedience, advanced training, and specialized programs like Service Animals and Therapy Dogs. No matter the breed, size, or behavioral issue, the Dog Training Elite team is here to help. Let our professional Chicago dog trainers help you today.

About Us

Our Team

Katie Matt - Owner /Trainer
Katie Matt
Owner /Trainer

Hi, I’m Katie! I grew up in the Southwestern Chicago suburbs and have always loved dogs. Before my husband and I decided to open up our own Dog Training Elite, I was a high school science teacher in the Chicago suburbs. We have grown our family in the area and love the community! We have always had dogs, and love to be out with our pups. Our dogs are a major part of our family, and really complete us with the love and companionship they provide. There are so many dog friendly areas in Chicagoland, and we love to bring the whole family when we go out. I have loved teaching and coaching, and look forward to helping improve families' lives with their dogs.

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Tim Matt - Director of Operations/ Trainer
Tim Matt
Director of Operations/ Trainer

Hi, I’m Tim. I grew up in the Southwestern Chicago Suburbs, and love the community. Before my wife and I decided to open our own Dog Training Elite, I was an educator in the Chicago suburbs. Dogs provide us with love, companionship, and so many amazing services. Our family, 3 kids, and 2 dogs, loves going out and doing all sorts of different activities together. I look forward to helping you create a better connection with your dog and help to provide our community with some wonderful pets and service dogs.

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Pauline Picardi - Trainer
Pauline Picardi
Trainer

Pauline has always been passionate about animals and is enthusiastic about dog training. She has two daughters and two dogs; a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bernedoodle. In her free time she enjoys a good book, crafting, and visiting new places with her family. 

Dogs have always been a big part of Pauline's life. Whether they were her own or a family member's dog, she has made close connections with them throughout the years. Pauline has always enjoyed helping people, and dog training has allowed her an opportunity to not only train, but to help people make deeper connections with their dogs. She has completed basic through advanced training at DTE. She is currently a Premier Service Dog Trainer certified, and continues her education in scent based service dogs.

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Grace Schwegel - Trainer
Grace Schwegel
Trainer

I grew up with dogs and have always loved animals, but my passion for dogs developed when I  took a summer job during college as a dog daycare and boarding attendant. I loved spending time with the dogs and getting to know their personalities and breed characteristics, but I was often frustrated by their lack of obedience and manners. This led me to pursue a career in dog training at the Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers (TRS) after graduating from college. At TRS, I trained a malinois puppy and my personal dog, a small munsterlander, in competitive obedience, agility, tracking, scent detection, and the AKC’s CGC test. After graduating from TRS, I moved to Illinois and took a job as a trainer at a dog daycare facility where I worked for 3 years before I found Dog Training Elite. I’ve enjoyed helping clients understand their dogs better, and I’ve learned so much from the various dogs, clients, and other trainers I’ve worked with. I truly look forward to learning more as my career progresses.

In my free time, I love being outside, trying new foods, working and pheasant hunting with my dog Dreya, and spending time with friends and family.

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Get Your Free Assessment

You and your canine companion really can have it all. See how easy it can be to become a member of the elite pup society by requesting a free consultation today!

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • phil kotas
    Dec. 18, 2024
    Grace at Dog Training Elite Western Chicago demonstrated exceptional patience, kindness, and expertise, making the entire experience of training our family to train our dog a breeze, and Grace's expert in-home dog training and private dog trainer approaches really helped with my dog training needs. I was particularly impressed with her humor and ability to tailor her leash training for dogs to my 120 lb German Shepherd. He now comes immediately when called and Grace was able to train him to sit quietly on his mat while we eat whenever we just need a break. Thank You Grace!
  • Jessica guerino
    Nov. 7, 2024
    Pauline and Grace have been amazing. I got a cane corso mixed puppy a few months back and she has been the best girl to the training program. These girls have been loving and patient with my dog and it’s definitely paid off. She is starting to learn confidence and I even got her to place on a pot without having to ask multiple times. Thanks ladies! Lily loves you both & thanks you guys for everything!!!
  • Bunni “Alexis” Redscale
    Oct. 18, 2024
    DTE has been an integral part of my training journey with my dog. They are incredibly understanding and will help explain anything you need. I am working through their service dog training program and it has been incredibly easy for me to understand and implement the skills that they teach my dog and I. I also did the puppy training program and I never thought I would ever be able to self train my dog to such a high skill level while he was so young. I highly recommend this group for your training needs!
  • Diana Kassel
    Oct. 17, 2024
    My Lilly( Boston terrier) earned her service dog certification and is wonderful and helps in many ways. My puppy Leona has been thru her basics and I have been able to add some training at home. Leona is able to bring me my medications ( golden retriever) she is not currently in her service training, but will be. Leona recently brought me meds and I did not notice, however Miss Lilly did. She stomped she kicked at the bag and did whatever she could until I took notice that I had my medication. Truly amazing. Tim and Katie are amazing. The programs are amazing I was so impressed with both my champions.
  • Kelly N
    Oct. 14, 2024
    DTE is incredible. They have helped my dog and I develop a deeper bond and trust, all while teaching her how to be a good listener!! Grace and Pauline are super experienced, make group classes fun, and truly love what they do which the dogs can tell! The owners, Katie and Tim are so knowledgeable, I have seen them help dogs and owners come into their own (myself included). I simply cannot express how amazing DTE has been for me and my dog. It is worth every penny. I get compliments all the time for how well behaved my dog is, and its the result of the guidance of the DTE crew. You got to put the work in for it to be worth it, but that’s needed to improve at anything!
  • Jennifer Curran
    Oct. 8, 2024
    I used DTE to help me train my German Shepard. He was my first dog ever and I had no idea what I was doing but I was committed to learning and knew I wanted to give him the best so we could enjoy each other and I wouldn’t have a huge dog that was hard to control. I also decided to give the scent and service dog program a try in order to train him as a gluten detection dog for my celiac. I loved how helpful Katie was when I originally reached out and spent a lot of time explaining the process and they evaluated my dog to make sure he would be a good fit. This also included basic obedience training as well. I loved that I didn’t have to send my dog away for weeks or months either and allowed me a more hands on process with training my dog which I think was a huge help. When you sign up you automatically have the group classes for life. These are really great for us and helps my dog learn to be around other dogs in a safe environment where I have help from all the amazing trainers since I really had no idea how to go about socializing my big dog in a safe way. I am so happy I invested my time and money here! It was worth it!! So much better than programs where you send your dog away for 2 weeks and get them back. All the trainers are so amazing and as someone who knew nothing prior to this I now have a dog who can pick up gluten scent and we’re on our way to service dog status!
  • Heather Krupa
    Oct. 4, 2024
    When I chose to get a service dog, I looked for somewhere that would help me train my dog from puppy all the way through service dog. The only place I found was DTE. After working with them for the past twelve months, I would chose them all over again. *DTE provided a personality assessment for my pup before I adopted him. *DTE came to my home and helped me train my pup during weeks 8-16. *My dog did 2 weeks of boot camp and jumped ahead in his quickness in listening to basic commands. *This year we have attended group classes and improved obedience in a wide variety of settings and with creative distractions. Now that my pup is a "teenager," we are working on not responding to other dogs when they are being agressive. *DTE is quick to answer questions I have about training during the week and give me creative ideas in continued training. *This past year I have taken my pup with me almost everywhere in public and DTE has guided me in how to handle different scenarios. I have NEVER trained a dog before or had a dog (other than an outdoor farm dog when young). I get compliments ALL THE TIME on how well behaved my 12 month old dog is. I'm no super hero and my dog is no saint! We have just applied with skills that Pauline, Grace, Tim and Katie have taught us. You have to put in the work, but it is worth every penny.
  • jason seldomridge
    Oct. 4, 2024
    They are very attentive and invested in your dog's success. The training regiment is easy to follow and if you put in the effort your dog will respond quickly.
  • Courtney Palicka
    Jul. 17, 2024
    Pauline was so great to work with! She was very friendly and made us feel welcomed with our two dogs. Our dogs loved their 7 day camp at the facility and responded very quickly. Pauline gave helpful feedback and always mentioned celebrations from the training. We would totally recommend DTE!
  • Pat Behnke
    Jul. 16, 2024
    We are extremely pleased with Dog Training Elite in Naperville! We had our initial consultation in our home with Tim and Grace and their dog! We were very impressed on the training method they use with the Easy Educator collar. Our 9 month old boxer was in need of discipline and Gunner is doing fantastic! Five one hour private in home sessions and 12 one hour lessons teaching healing etc! The cost is well worth having a happy dog with happy owners too!
  • Debra P
    Jun. 25, 2024
    We have just finished our at home classes are excited for group class which will start tomorrow. Grace came out to our home and every class was a success and Sam, my rambunctious 11 month old Labrador was always so excited to see Grace. She was very professional and very friendly. Grace always took the time to answer all my questions and helped out with a couple concerns I had with Sam. He learned quickly and is always excited to work. Dog Training Elite has very knowledgeable owners and trainers and I’m so very happy to have them to work with me and my dog. I’m looking forward to a long relationship with them and they are worth every penny. Also of note, they always respond in a very timely manner whenever you need to text with questions, concerns or scheduling times.
  • Meghan Grzetich
    May. 29, 2024
    The most patient & kind trainers ever! We are having huge success after just a few weeks of working with Dog Training Elite.
  • FourteenThirtyNine Westglen
    Apr. 15, 2024
    Tim & Katie have helped us transform our pup, Winnie! We started to see immediate results after the first home visit and after the 5th, we had a list of items to keep working on to "give Winnie a job". We are now weekly attendees at group class and Winnie loves the structure and interaction. And most of all, seeing Tim, Katie (sometimes their kids!), Pauline and Grace!
  • Mitch Wolf
    Apr. 11, 2024
    DTE is awesome!! They have changed the way we understand, interact, and live with our dog. The principles we learned have opened up the ability to enjoy our dog as part of our family, and make his life more enjoyable.
  • Karen Hudalla
    Sep. 16, 2023
    Tim and Katie, I cannot say enough wonderful things about the training Charlie has received from your program. You have shown me how to train him so he knows I am in charge and he is so much more confident and happy, partly because you have shown me how not to be frustrated. I never knew training could be this easy. Thank you. Thank you also for being so kind and attentive to all your students even in a group setting. So for anyone that is looking for training for their fur-baby, you can go from school to school, trainer to trainer, but if you are looking for trainers that care deeply about the success of their students and owners, then you need to sign up for training with Dog Training Elite Western Suburbs. It is a great feeling when people stop me and tell me I have such a well behaved boy!
  • Megan Murphy
    Feb. 14, 2024
    I was so pleased by the results at Dog Training Elite in Naperville! As a first time dog owner I needed all the help I could get when it came to my 10 month old Golden Retriever. The trainers at the facility were so helpful and friendly! After each day they provided me with videos and homework sheets to teach me how to work with my dog and the skills he learned each day! Pauline's videos made it easy to understand exactly what I needed to do - she was the best! I can't wait to start group training classes soon! Thank you Dog Training Elite!!!
  • Julie Talsma-Puls
    Jan. 8, 2024
    Katie and Tim are amazing dog trainers. I live in south Naperville and they have done an amazing job with my young German Shephard.
  • Richard Berg
    Jan. 8, 2024
    We adopted a lab mix from a shelter and after a few weeks, the female dog became dominant and bossy. After 2 weeks of this behavior, my wife and I decided it was either time to rehome the dog or hire a professional to help. Tim and turned our little monster into a great puppy who enjoys training and working to become a better dog. I would consider them friends and they really care for our dog and our family. Great facilities and they come to your house if need be!
  • Genie Cross
    Dec. 11, 2023
    This training has been a lifesaver for having my mini bernedoodle listen to me. Walking with her is now a joy. Also, it did not take long for her to learn the come and stay commands in a yard without a fence. It was so convenient and worth every minute spent practicing. Also, the follow up training practice is great for group work and review of skills learned. I would definitely recommend Tim and Katie for training. They are very knowledgeable on what practices work.
  • Janine
    Nov. 29, 2023
    I brought my puppy to start training as a service dog for the initial 7 day drop-off training. He learned a lot and did really well there and he does great at home also. He’ll start the group training classes next. He LOVED going there, was so excited going to the door and was also very excited when he went in and saw the trainers and owners. Pauline did a fantastic job with him in his training and I would recommend them to everyone. They took really good care of him while he was there and even kept his lunch feeding schedule while he was in class. Pauline is an exceptional trainer and I look forward to having him train with her in his future classes.
A child with their happy, obedient dog with training from Dog Training Elite.

We Train Every Breed

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Each dog breed has different behaviors and personalities due to a combination of genetics, selective breedings, and environmental factors. At Dog Training Elite, we work with every dog. Our team understands canine behavior and the unique challenges of every breed.

We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we apply specific breed training techniques to bring out the best in your dog. From impulse control in terriers to focused mental stimulation for herding breeds, we’ll work with you and your dog to design a personalized training plan.

Two dog owners with a group of trained dogs.

Dog Training in Chicago, IL

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At Dog Training Elite, we’ve seen how DIY dog training can lead to inconsistent results and frustration. Our qualified professionals bring the expertise needed to assess your dog’s unique needs and apply methods that work. Choosing experienced trainers makes a noticeable difference in attaining reliable, lasting behavior changes.

We rely on positive reinforcement, a training method that delivers lasting results, even with the most challenging dogs. Our trainers are skilled in addressing any behavioral issue and can help your dog to reach their full potential with encouragement and proven techniques.

An obedient corgi on a leash after recieving training from Dog Training Elite.

Professional Dog Trainers in Chicago, IL

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Pet owners often have many options when it comes to dog training, including low-cost, quick-fix programs that claim immediate results. However, our training methods stand apart by focusing on sustainable, long-term success rather than temporary fixes. We provide a high standard of expert dog training that is built to last, ensuring that you and your dog benefit from a deeper, enduring bond and advanced obedience that continues over time.

Investing in effective dog training is one of the most valuable choices you can make for your pet’s health, behavior, and happiness. Our trainers are dedicated to delivering personalized training plans that target your dog’s unique needs, going beyond basic obedience to include specialized behavioral work and service dog training. Our goal is to be the last dog trainers you’ll ever need — bringing advanced training quality to the Chicago, IL area for lasting, meaningful results.

A well-trained DTE dog on a surfboard.
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Educate, Empower, Elevate, Elite

Unleash Your Dog's Potential

A dog that has just graduated from Dog Training Elite's award-winning training program.

Award-Winning
Dog Training

With Dog Training Elite


At Dog Training Elite, we are proud to offer training services recognized for outstanding results and effective methods. With skilled trainers dedicated to helping dogs and their owners build strong, lasting relationships, we guarantee your dog receives the best care and guidance.

Our programs cover everything from basic obedience to advanced behavior modification, customized to your dog’s needs. Whether you’re addressing behavioral issues, improving obedience, or strengthening your bond, our methods deliver reliable results.

Experience the difference our award-winning training can make in your dog’s life.

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