All dogs need training in one form or another throughout their lifetime. From the moment you add a dog to your life, you will need to prepare for lifelong training ahead. Your dog’s training will likely involve not only manners and basic obedience but also fun tricks to impress others and new skills to help your dog cope with any life changes.
While dog training is surely a challenging but rewarding experience, it isn’t always an option for dog owners to do themselves, especially for those who lead a busy lifestyle. There are countless dog trainers that can teach your dog in the most convenient way for you. This, of course, comes with the question of how much does it cost to train a dog.
If you’re a dog owner with a pup that needs some training, our article is here to help you understand the cost to train your dog and the variables that go into the pricing, so that you have realistic expectations and budget accordingly.
Factors That Affect the Cost to Train a Dog
Knowing the factors that go into the pricing of dog trainers can help you better understand how much it costs to train your dog. Here are five factors that affect the cost to train a dog.
Your Dog’s Training Needs
Dog training is a pretty general term; there are a wide range of training types, and depending on what your dog needs, the trainer will charge a different price. For example, If your dog has severe behavioral issues that need fixing, the cost to train your dog will be higher.
For general training needs, like leash manners and basic obedience, expect to pay an average, with simple commands typically costing the least.
Training Approach
There isn’t just one type of dog training. You can go with in-person training, which is more or less the most traditional approach to dog training. A trainer will train your dog in person in your home, at their facility, or in a public space. This training method tends to be the costliest. There’s also online training, which comes in the form of materials you can follow along or one-on-one video calls with a professional trainer. These tend to be the least expensive options, especially the courses.
Your Location
Another important factor is your location. Depending on the cost of living in your state, you may pay a higher or lower price than average, like every other service or product. The city you live in within your state may also have an impact on how much it costs to train a dog.
For instance, a San Antonio dog trainer, like these recommended by Dog Academy, may charge an average price compared to the dog trainers in costlier cities like Dallas. Therefore, your location will be a big factor in how much it costs to train your dog.
Training Duration
Some dogs need multiple training sessions to achieve the desired goals. A dog trainer teaching basic obedience to a dog is going to have a much shorter duration than fixing severe behavioral issues, for example. If there are going to be multiple sessions involved, the trainer may give you a discount, essentially reducing the cost to train your dog per session. However, this ultimately depends on the trainer’s pricing, and not all trainers may offer discounts.
Training Schedule
Last but not least, the time and date the training takes place may have an influence on the total cost to train a dog. If you’re requesting the trainer to come to your home outside of work hours or on weekends, the trainer may charge you extra for it. Again, this ultimately comes down to the dog trainer’s policy, but it is one of the factors that may have a say in the overall cost to train a dog.
Finding Cost-Effective Dog Training
Now that you know more about the factors that go into dog training pricing, you can have a better idea of how much does it cost to train a dog. Consider your dog’s training needs, training approach you want to take, and smaller details like the total training duration and your schedule.
Doing all these will ensure that you have an idea of what drives the costs to help you find the most cost-effective dog training for your dog.