# Average cost for private training



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

When nobody would let Ky in class I called around for private training. The cheapest I found was $700. and he said when we were all done it would probably be about $2100. I decided to train her myself good or bad. She turned out great after she taught me how to teach her.
Good luck!


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

What are you training for? Agility? Obedience? Field? They vary in how much they cost.
While I am a big fan of private lessons, with a young dog you really need to try to get him in some group classes, hard as it is sometimes. The biggest thing they need to learn to deal with is distractions, and private lessons just don't cut it. They need to learn to listen to you, and focus on you, despite the excitement of a group class.


----------



## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

I would love to put him into group classes but the ones I found the schedules I'm not able to do. 

Forgot to mention we're training for obedience 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I understand. But you'd be amazed how many dogs are obedience geniuses at home....and then they get out in public....


----------



## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I agree, private can be really useful to work on specific things and to focus on something. But for beginning obedience I think you really need to be in a group. The experience of working in the face of distractions, especially other dogs, is a much more important lesson than any of the commands themselves, in my opinion.


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

What is the problem with schedules???? 

Can just one of you go to the classes? Group classes are hugely important for controlled socialization (your dog is around a lot of other dogs and people and learning to listen and pay attention to you instead of getting spazzed out from the excitement). 

Private... I can't comprehend somebody charging $700 unless that's seven weeks?  The instructor my sister and I once helped out quite a bit, she charged $100 per session. And keep in mind it was that expensive because she was working with dogs who were very dog aggressive and couldn't be in a group class. Had nothing to do with breed. 

Was it because Ky is dog aggressive or out of control around other dogs?


----------



## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

I agree that group obedience classes are the best way to start. Around here Petco offers classes at various times for around $100 for about 6 weeks. There are other private classes for about the same price.

Private individual training easily runs about $50+ per hour.


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

My schedule can be tough. I like to start a pup in private lessons so I have some fundamentals for that specific dog. One of my obedience instructors will sometimes have a puppy class on the weekends, but she has an active show schedule and is now a snow bird as well.

To help with distraction training, once my pups are over 4 months old, a few training facilities within an hour or so hold weekend Family class or drop in classes for the younger dogs - the instructors know me and my goals so I am welcome to practice more formal heeling, fronts etc while in their classes.

Finding classes can be tough, but while useful they are not really necessary - you can duplicate a lot of scenarios at parks, playgrounds, dog shows etc

I also will no longer allow my dogs to participate in the 'play' sessions so common in puppy classes nor do I really think asking/demanding attention of a young dog in a room full of other dogs is really fair until they have learned the basics in a quieter environment, so I guess I am saying I think your approach is just fine 

I pay anywhere from 50-90 per hour depending on the instructor and/or what we are working on.


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Your average dog will be exactly like mine and learn the basics at home, without any other dogs or people around them. At ground zero so to speak. 

The training at class is specifically for the attention skills. Most young dogs have problems focusing on their owners with things going on around them. It is important that the owners learn how to gather and harness that attention and focus before the dogs gain 50-60 lbs and have hormones running through their brains. 

Puppy classes = teaching dogs to sit, down, walk on leash, come, polite greetings, and being groomed by other people. 

All of those things are and can be taught by the owners without any help from an instructor. BUT. What most people have problems with and you see it all the time is they suddenly have big dogs who can't walk on leash, who have no impulse control, who are too much dog for them, etc.


----------



## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

We have done both. Tayla needs some private tweaking or maybe we do. Our trainer charges $85 to come to your house for an hour. A bargain if you count how much $$ we are spending in bully sticks to keep her sharky mouth busy and off of us. 


Sent from my iPod touch using PG Free


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

I paid $600 for 6 weeks of in home training with my first golden Cody.


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

You know, another option is to take private lessons and also find a facility to rent or a park that allows dogs. Then hold informal get togethers with a few friends and/or acquaintances and their dogs, it might be easier to schedule that way - I do that and it can be great


----------



## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

Megora said:


> What is the problem with schedules????


its not that we both want to go to the class. im the one mainly training him anyways so it would be me going but the thing is we only have one car and the classes are no where near me. the closest one is petco which is 20 minutes away.


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Megora said:


> Private... I can't comprehend somebody charging $700 unless that's seven weeks?  The instructor my sister and I once helped out quite a bit, she charged $100 per session. And keep in mind it was that expensive because she was working with dogs who were very dog aggressive and couldn't be in a group class. Had nothing to do with breed.
> 
> Was it because Ky is dog aggressive or out of control around other dogs?


No Ky has never been dog aggressive, she just had never been in a house or taught anything or been around other dogs. She had just had her collar surgically removed so we had to use a harness.
It was for 3 sessions and he said it would probably take around 9 sessions. 
On top of that, this was all on the phone, he had never even met Ky, that's the part I couldn't swallow. Unfortunately I think there are far too many "dog experts" that only take advantage of people when they are at their wits end. They should be ashamed but I'm sure they're not.


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I have taken private lessons with three different obedience trainers, two of which give seminars across the nation. The prices have run from $50-80


----------



## goldilover2650 (Jun 14, 2012)

I am paying 350 for 5 sessions with my current trainer. I see you live in NJ....not sure which part but I really like this trainer. He lives in south jersey-Atco. If you happen to live close and are interested let me know and i can forward his info. I had a different trainer with my last puppy and this guy is so much better and cheaper too


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I'm glad that you didn't agree to have that guy over. Holy moly. >.< 



> she just had never been in a house or taught anything or been around other dogs


This is possibly problematic if you told the trainers that. Because it may imply that she might go berserk if suddenly in an enclosed space with other dogs.

My instructor back then - and I have to think that there are others like her still (she's retired because she developed pretty severe health issues) - would arrange for a couple private lessons (at her location generally) to evaluate the dog. And she would have her own dogs on hand. The goal was to get the dog into class, and generally she would inform the other owners that the dog needed space.

I train at AADTC and through some of the classes, there were definitely dogs who had dog aggression issue. In competition obedience, this is not always a huge issue because the dogs are very well trained or their owners are experienced. In rally or lower level classes, the instructor warns the class to give each other space. When we were taking rally, there was a GSD who always kept his dog at the opposite end of the room because the dog was very dog aggressive. I attended 6 months worth of classes with this guy in the same classes, and that dog was never put in the position where he had a chance to freak out. A lot of that was the awareness of the owner of what set his dog off. A lot of it was also the instructor and helpers running things so the problem dogs did not have a chance to be in any confrontation space with any other dogs.

The fact is that there are a LOT of dog aggressive or fear aggressive dogs in obedience rings. Even this weekend, I sat with a woman whose adopted border collie had major problems interpreting the behavior of other dogs. As long as the dogs are not interacting or bouncing around in her space, this dog is fine and excels. The owner is responsible for keeping a buffer between her dog and others. And she does this well. Her dog is put in stays with other dogs while the owner leaves the ring and goes out of sight, and nothing ever happens.

Actually, a lot of the border collies I've met in obedience tend to be either shy or anxious about other dogs or they are aggressive or reactive. 

Obedience training isn't just for perfect dogs. 

@OP - Do you have any friends or family in the evening who would be OK with driving you? Give them gas money, etc. <- I did this through my teens while training my Danny.


----------



## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

Megora said:


> @OP - Do you have any friends or family in the evening who would be OK with driving you? Give them gas money, etc. <- I did this through my teens while training my Danny.


i dont really have too many friends, and the ones i do have dont drive or have a car. my family isn't close to me, moms in florida, sister is in jersey city and is always busy.



goldilover2650 said:


> I am paying 350 for 5 sessions with my current trainer. I see you live in NJ....not sure which part but I really like this trainer. He lives in south jersey-Atco. If you happen to live close and are interested let me know and i can forward his info. I had a different trainer with my last puppy and this guy is so much better and cheaper too


thank you but south jersey is too far for me. im really up north by trenton so it would be too much of a drive for us.


----------



## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

I think puppy classes are very important for exposing your pup to the largest possible range of experiences you can. My Duge baby is going to puppy class, we have soooo much fun, even though we get in trouble all the time because my obedience coach wants us to teach him to jump on us and keep him reved up while in class our instructor is focused on keeping the pups calm.

Oh, and I also have to say that $700 seems way too much to me. As Megora has said, teaching the pup in a different setting with other dogs is so critical for a dog who will exist in the world outside your house.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Megora,that is really inexpensive. Geez I was paying $50/hour for riding lessons with my horse twenty years ago and it was way cheaper than where I grew up.... However, I usually bring multiple dogs....


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

PS don't know about income...


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Sally's Mom said:


> PS don't know about income...


I was going to assume that the cost of living is higher so wages are higher... something like that. 

*laughs* When I was taking riding lessons _eons_ ago  $50 would get me 2 show prep classes (1 hour lessons) a week. I bought my horse because it was a lot cheaper than taking 2 weekly lessons. Board (stall with daily turnout) was only $200 back then.

I don't know what this instructor's rules are as far as multiple dogs? I think she may charge per dog? 

The other place I train at - they charge about $80-90 per trainer and hour. So people take advantage of that and sometimes bring more than 1 dog to work with. And it sometimes is less because they are club members.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

My friend lets me work with multiple dogs. A twelve week old pup, although brilliant can only train so much.... Ha ha.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I'm late to this thread but I've got a trainer lined up for our future puppy. She charges $95 for 6 weeks of group for a maximum number of 8 dogs. We live in a very high parvo area and this trainer will not allow any dogs in her classes until they've had all their shots with the exception of rabies which is to be given on schedule. Future Puppy's vet is also telling us the same thing. The trainer will be coming by our house before pup can go to class and charging us $50 per session. Future Puppy will get simple training and fun with frequent crate breaks while we do refresher work with Toby. I thought this sounded like a very good deal!


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

So,Dallas Gold, where is future lucky pup coming from?


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Sally's Mom said:


> So,Dallas Gold, where is future lucky pup coming from?


No news yet.  I think Toby is ready for a little brother or sister though.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

There is one in the future..my clients all think I am nuts... When they ask how many I have ... Yesterday one of my little boys came in and went nuts when he saw me. His owner was surprised.... And pleased. My babies are loved unconditionally.


----------

