Meet Our Team
Christos Philippou
owner - TRAINER
Founder Christos Philippou started Delaware K9 Academy in the beginning of 2019 in order to provide quality, safe, and affordable training and boarding services to the greater Northern Delaware area. After realizing that owners are still struggling to find a trainer that achieves exceptional results at an affordable price, he set out to build a company that can help. While located in Wilmington Delaware, we service all surrounding areas to make sure people can take advantage of what we have to offer.
Christos graduated from the University of Delaware in 2014 and commissioned as an Officer in the U.S. Army National Guard. He has also worked several desk jobs since graduation, but realized there was a sense of accomplishment missing from this type of work. He began working with dogs and their owners in 2018 and realized that this was his calling.
Mercedez M.
senior TRAINER
Trainer Mercedez “Cede” started working with Delaware K9 Academy in the middle of 2021 and has made a significant difference to the quality of training offered to clients. Mercedez came with a strong background in equine training, making dog training an excellent fit. Mercedez has now helped hundreds of families to live a better life with their dog and is excited to continue to grow to help even more. She has honed her skills in teaching general obedience and has a soft-spot for puppy lessons!
Mercedez graduated from Drexel University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She has worked several different jobs throughout college, however, after graduation, she realized that she enjoyed the jobs working with animals the most. In her free time, you’ll find her traveling, taking photos, spending time with friends & family, and playing with her pet crew. She keeps busy with her dog Kai, her cat Lux, and her horse Aspen!
Cory B.
TRAINER
Trainer Cory became a Delaware K9 Academy trainer in early 2023 with a strong desire to help as many dog owners as possible. While Cory did come to DEK9 with dog training experience, she continues to enhance her skills through dog training seminars, classes, and continued higher education. Trainer Cory also has a strong background in equine training which shares many similar principles and techniques with dog training. She is looking forward to growing the DEK9 family and helping owners live a happier, easier life with their dog.
Cory is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Animal Health and Behavior. She moved to the East Coast from California in the summer of 2020 and has since worked in Vet Med and dog training fields. She has been around horses and dogs her entire life and started training horses professionally in 2015. Although she has made the transition to dog training, she still enjoys horseback riding in her free time, and competing in dog sports with her 6 year old Shepherd mix named Watson and her 2 year old Aussie named Jesper.