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Dog Training Class Prices?


Holmesy
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Hi guys,

I've been thinking about signing up for a dog training class for my dog and wanted to know what sort of prices i'd be looking at.

I've contacted one training class and was quoted $180 per session for 5 sessions.

Is this is a normal sort of a price? To me, that seems quite excessive as i'd be looking at $900 for basic training (this is a basic class, not an advanced one).

Maybe I'm just being cheap.

Edited by Holmesy
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Hi guys,

I've been thinking about signing up for a dog training class for my dog and wanted to know what sort of prices i'd be looking at.

I've contacted one training class and was quoted $180 per session for 5 sessions.

Is this is a normal sort of a price? To me, that seems quite excessive as i'd be looking at $900 for basic training (this is a basic class, not an advanced one).

Maybe I'm just being cheap.

Where abouts are you?, that is about right price.... you doing it at a vet clinic? is it for a pup?

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Yes. She's 8 months old. Wasn't a puppy pre-school class.

It wasn't a vet clinic class, but it was a referal from my vet clinic.

I'm at Campbelltown

As she has had all her vaccines I would join up to a proper club because classes run by vet clinics are

a) expensive

b) their training styles are limited

So have a look around at obedience clubs near you, the training thread may have a few good ones as well so have a look there. :)

There is usually a once a year joining fee than a $3-$5 class/ground fee when you attend.

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The price would depend on what sort of training establishment it is and what is offered. Private consults with trainers/behaviourists are going to be much more expensive than club training. They offer different things and what you choose would depend on what you are after.

Eg the club training I have done is generally a joining fee of $20 - 40 and a small amount $2 - 5 each time you come. Club training generally has volunteer instructors with a variety of knowledge and experience (and people skills, and sometimes methods), for a private trainer I would look at their qualifications and what type of method they use etc and see if that is what you are after.

What sort of training are you after? Are you having any specific problems, or after any specific skills or sports or is it general obedience you are looking to train?

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It really depends what you are after.

Privately run training will often be more expensive than club training.

With clubs, the trainers are volunteers - for the others it is their business.

$180 is reasonable for a session (about 8 classes?). You won't find many professional classes for anything for much less than that.

You will find good and not so good in both fields (private and clubs) - so it pays to find out a bit more about the different options available to you and what they offer to find one that suits you and your situation best.

I would definitely not generalise and say that classes run by vet clinics are 'limited in their training styles' as it really depends on the individual trainers.

They can very significantly in their experience and qualifications and in the way they teach - in the same way instructors at clubs can.

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Thanks for the replies. General obedience really (particularly off lead). She is well trained when it comes to obedience with no distractions (sits/lays/very good on leash), however, whenever she sees another dog, any commands and attempts to control her are ignored (she's not aggressive, just your typical adolescent playful over-enthusiastic dog)

I'll have a look to see if there are any obedience clubs in my area.

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Yep, I'd suggest looking at Obedience Clubs. Our clubs in the ACT generally don't cost much more than that for a year's membership, but as others have said, the quality of instructors can vary.

But it sounds like you've made a pretty solid start and just need to give your dog some more practice with distractions, in which a class situation should be ideal for you.

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That's spot on with what I paid for each of Kyojin's courses, but they were all through a private organisation. They run specific courses mostly, rather than say general obedience. Clubs usually charge a small yearly membership fee and then something like $5 each week when you come.

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Hi guys,

I've been thinking about signing up for a dog training class for my dog and wanted to know what sort of prices i'd be looking at.

I've contacted one training class and was quoted $180 per session for 5 sessions.

Is this is a normal sort of a price? To me, that seems quite excessive as i'd be looking at $900 for basic training (this is a basic class, not an advanced one).

Maybe I'm just being cheap.

I'm sorry I must be cheap - there are a lot of great training classes around for a lot less than $180 per session. We have a business where we employ 5 tradesman (paid well above award rate) and don't charge that much per hour :eek:

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I wouldn't pay $180 per session for group obedience training. That seems ridiculously expensive. I'm a member of several clubs, both obedience and agility. You have to become a member and renew your membership every year, which is between $20-30, and then there is either a fee per class, which is $5, or there is a fee for the course of 8 or 12 sessions, which is around $80-90 for the course (not per session).

At $180 per session I would expect one on one training with a really good trainer.

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Look here

http://macarthurdtc.org/about.html#about

Was the one you were referred to near Silverdale?

Not sure if Macaurthur is the best place for a reactive dog.

That is just my personal opinion due to the number of escapee dogs I have had visit me every time I have gone to sign up. Haven't actually ever made it to signing up so don't know what their training methods are like....

I wouldn't be paying that much- I got a great result from seeing a behaviourist who charged much less than what you have been quoted!! I also had email follow up for life AND an extra session at a later date.

Edited by Jumabaar
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Whoops, I only just noticed the "per session" bit. I'm not sure whether this is correct or a typo. I paid about $150 for the total number of classes, which was also about 5/6. This price for each lesson is incredibly expensive.

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You get what you pay for when you go to a $5 obedience class. As someone else mentioned you have no idea what kind of instructor you get; they are volunteers who could have any level of experience, rarely have qualifications and even within a club you'll get instructors who use a huge range of methods etc. This can be both good and bad!

For almost $200 a class I'd rather spend the money on one on one training sessions. I would still ask if I could go along to watch a class to see what kind of value I'd be getting for my money though :)

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Look here

http://macarthurdtc....bout.html#about

Was the one you were referred to near Silverdale?

Not sure if Macaurthur is the best place for a reactive dog.

That is just my personal opinion due to the number of escapee dogs I have had visit me every time I have gone to sign up. Haven't actually ever made it to signing up so don't know what their training methods are like....

I wouldn't be paying that much- I got a great result from seeing a behaviourist who charged much less than what you have been quoted!! I also had email follow up for life AND an extra session at a later date.

I haven't been there for 12 years or so but it used to be great. I went to one at Warwick Farm too, Werriwa???

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Look here

http://macarthurdtc....bout.html#about

Was the one you were referred to near Silverdale?

Not sure if Macaurthur is the best place for a reactive dog.

That is just my personal opinion due to the number of escapee dogs I have had visit me every time I have gone to sign up. Haven't actually ever made it to signing up so don't know what their training methods are like....

I wouldn't be paying that much- I got a great result from seeing a behaviourist who charged much less than what you have been quoted!! I also had email follow up for life AND an extra session at a later date.

I haven't been there for 12 years or so but it used to be great. I went to one at Warwick Farm too, Werriwa???

I think it is still up and running- or at least it was a few years back when I was scouting out clubs.

I drive to Castle Hill for obedience because they have such strict on lead rules :rofl: (I know slightly OTT)

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Thanks for the suggestions. I think that I probably need to clarify if it's $180 per session or for the whole course. I might just have misinterpreted.

I might check out the Macarthur obedience club to see what it's like.

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You get what you pay for when you go to a $5 obedience class.

This is true, and I honestly don't expect all that much from the classes, other than structure and distractions, and basic advise on how to do the exercises if needed. I don't expect them to provide advanced problem solving, and I wouldn't go to a class if what I really wanted was a solution for a behavioural problem.

But for a dog with no particular issues and all you want is for the dog to have some structured training I think the $5 classes are fine.

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