Are you familiar with Cesar Millan? He’s called the “dog whisperer” and the host of a National Geographic program focusing on dog behavior and ways to deal with it. He’s in a way, a magician or a dog enchanter of sorts, as even the most unruly of Pitbulls will submit to him.
If you could watch how he deals with other people’s pet dogs, you might even consider asking him for guidance, especially if you are experiencing hard times with your furry friend.
But we’re not going to talk about hiring Cesar, as he will probably be a lot more expensive than a regular dog trainer (he’s famous anyway). Nevertheless, we prepared a guide to provide you an overview of average dog training prices. Before reading on, here’s a fair warning: regular prices could also be expensive.
Average Dog Training Prices
So, how much does dog training cost? The price range could be as cheap as US$50 to- brace yourself- as costly as US$2,500. Why, you say, is the range that broad?
That’s because dog training schools and instructors offer a wide variety of classes for dogs including group classes, private classes, and dog obedience boarding classes.
Group classes charge the cheapest fees, while private classes charge a bit higher since the pet owner can choose to have his/her pet trained at home. As for dog obedience boarding schools, the institution will both take care of and teach your pet as it will have to stay with the trainers, thus the expensive obedience training cost.
Prices are lower when you’re enrolling a puppy because most schools have discounts for them. If you have an adult dog, you may opt for short-duration classes to save money. However, training dogs may take some time if you want your pet to be completely obedient.
Group Classes
Your local community center or dog daycare may offer group classes that cost from US$40 to US$125 or more. The length of classes corresponding to the said price range can be a minimum of four to a maximum of eight sessions. Each session usually lasts an hour and done once in a week.
Dog training schools also offer group classes that usually costs US$100 to less than US$200, depending on the class size and number of sessions. For example, the school I Said Sit charges US$175 for a group class with six sessions, while a class with four sessions costs US$100. They also have a special offer called Puppy Socialization Hour for puppies under 20 weeks of age that costs US$100.
Paws Chicago also charge fees that are within the price range for group classes. According to their website, a group class of eight with five sessions costs USS$150. However, only dogs aged ten weeks to 5 months are allowed to join.
Another dog training school based in Phoenix also offers a group class with five sessions for a maximum of four dogs for US$150.
Private Lessons
A bit more expensive than group classes, Thumbtack says that the average cost for a private class is US$175, with the price range starting from US$75 to US$415. Private dog lessons are costly because of the exclusivity your pet will enjoy. It also offers convenience as dog owners can have instructors hold in-home classes. That is, you can have your dog learn tricks from the comfort of your home.
Private classes allow you to choose where you want to hold your pet’s classes. For example, the I Said Sit dog training school has school and in-home sessions for consultations which cost US$195 to US$265 and one hour sessions costing US$135 to US$205.
Costs of in-home classes may still get higher if you want to teach your dog specific lessons. For example, the Break It Down Dog Training charges US$375 to US$700 for classes focusing on behavior modification and up to US$900 for a Fears/Anxieties/Aggression program.
Obedience Training Cost
Dogs have tendencies to bite people, fight with other dogs, chew on business documents, and commit other unruly things, because, after all, they are animals. It would be ridiculous for you to expect a dog to behave like humans on the day you gave it a name. That’s when obedience training become important for pets and pet owners alike.
Obedience training, as the name implies, aim to train your dog to be obedient. The training has different levels, based on the difficulty of skill. For example, dogs newly enrolled to obedience training will first learn how to respond when its owner tells it to sit, stand, and run. As the training progresses, your dog may be able to perform more complex tasks. Obedience training can also teach your dogs to behave properly through lessening their aggressive tendencies.
How much does obedience training cost? Prices range from US$2,300 to US$3,000 because aside from the lessons, you’ll also be paying the instructors to take care of your pet.
Choosing a Dog Trainer
Not all dog trainers are created equal. Some instructors may help bring out the best in your pet, but some could just aggravate your dog’s behavioral problems. Before spending thousands of dollars, make sure that the person who will train your dog is trustworthy and capable.
You could first observe several instructors when they hold classes before making your choice. Watch for indications showing that the trainer has immense love for dogs, excellent skills in giving instructions, an acceptable method of ordering and correcting your dog, and knowledge of different dog personalities.
You could also ask around your area to get recommendations for an instructor and a training school. Visit your dog’s veterinarian, gather information from pet stores, or ask your fellow dog owners. Ask how much does dog training cost for each recommendation, and pick the one that fits your budget.
Final Tips
Before spending a considerable amount of money, observe dog classes first and determine what particular training program suits your pet. Some dogs may not have problems mingling with others and have little issues with behavior, so group classes will probably be enough for them.
However, if your dog is exhibiting severe behavioral problems, for example being overly aggressive, opt for a tailor-fit program that will train it to be less aggressive and be friends with other dogs.
Make sure that you won’t regret spending thousands of dollars by choosing the program that best fits your dog. Good luck on your dog training!