Price of obedience lessons
Calling around this week, we're finding group lessons start at $100, and quotes for private lessons left me hyperventilating! Sheesh, what happened? |
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Another pet peeve of mine..... expensive training classes 
My classes are the cheapest around us. I don't teach them to get rich. I teach them so people will have dogs they can live with. Lots of people want well behaved dogs and need the classes. Hard to do if you can't afford the classes! My cheap prices are ending soon. With the new training center, I am forced to raise my prices. The current session is the last at the "old" prices - 10 weeks for $60. A real bargain, and priced that way on purpose. My new classes will be 8 weeks for $80. I have already warned all my current students. 
Still a LOT cheaper than the $100 - for how many weeks? |
| our cheapest (and actually best) classes are 110 for 6 sessions - spread out however you need to do them so if I miss it rolls forward. Agility is 92 for 6 sessions (different schools same theory) |
| The Dog Training club I am a member of Charge $95 for first time students, $75 if you can prove it is a rescue(adoption papers) and $80 for returning students. All of our Instructors are Volunteer and , we only charge to keep the building open and there for future owner handlers, oh yeah 8 week courses, from puppy to conformation , agilityfrom beginner to MACH and from rally to OTCH! |
| Sounds like facilities are becoming the driving factor in lesson prices?
We were just shocked though - even knowing it would be higher just because of time, we weren't expecting 2X-5X as much! We've looked at maybe half dozen group places, priced $100-$160 for some 6/some 8 week courses. I think the cheapest private was $75/hr at their facility, more if they come to your house, but we could only handle three quotes before I got dizzy. Sounds really unreasonable for the private lessons. Must be because everybody has to have these fashionable high-strung minidogs now... 
But...ah-ha!...now have found a "training club" through the 4-H extension that is far more reasonable, 8 lessons for $60. Ding! |
| I used phoenix field and obiedience...puppy class was $40.00 for 8 weeks (once a week)..then it went down to $30.00 for the next session and then bottomed out at $20.00....you just have to stay consecutive....BUT you can take the same class over and over if your dog needs it or just likes the class...... |
chowderdawg wrote: But...ah-ha!...now have found a "training club" through the 4-H extension that is far more reasonable, 8 lessons for $60. Ding!
Training clubs in general tend to be more reasonable because the instructors tend to be all volunteers. One drawback is you can't always predict who is teaching what and not all instructors are created equal. At my club, there are two instructors I like a lot so I've stuck dogs in their classes (with permission) even if the dog isn't at that level yet. These types of classes often work best if you already have a pretty good idea what you're doing and primarily need the structure and distractions, but also another set of eyes and someone with good problem solving skills. At another training club I have a long-standing arrangement that I can drop in on classes that one of my favorite instructors (I've taken privates with her) teaches and I just pay as I go: short version, it actually tends to become more cost efficient to train the further you go. I've never really understood the point in taking privates by having someone come to your house unless you have a special issue that needs to be resolved there. Obedience classes are actually a great opportunity to get our dogs out in a mostly controlled (safe) atmosphere where they can learn to behave around other dogs, new people, commotion, the kinds of things they need to learn to be able to focus and function in the real world. Still, privates can be helpful for some things. Key is, most dogs can't mentally work at their best an entire hour. In a training class, they have some down time here and there simply because they're not the only dog (especially true in agility) I take agility privates, but I wouldn't have a dog left after 60 minutes of intense work. So we do 30 minute sessions and I love them more than I can say. Yes, I pay the instructor what amounts to a $1/minute but she's worth every penny and some days when I'm really braindead, I have to wonder if she regrets not charging me more  (And as I keep reminding myself - I always leave there energized and up - it's still a heck of lot cheaper than therapy and much more fun  )
Some times you get what you pay for, sometimes you get more (or less) than you paid for. And some times you walk away knowing the instructor is grossly underpaid
If you compare the increases (in most cases) with what was charged ten years ago across the board (inflation) you might not be as shocked. Kristine |
| Thanks - and to Kristine for especially great advice as usual.
With regard to across-the-board inflation, etc., I don't know of any profession that the average pay has doubled or more in the last ten years...however, understanding better that so much of it seems to be going to facilities (property & building materials especially have skyrocketed) that does resolve it for me. For us, you've helped solidify the club idea for now, since we aren't beginners and already have made great leaps with Sunny, just need something structured and especially with distractions, et al. Really don't have any references or resources at hand to find a trainer other than a phone book and google to go with. |
| As we get ready to enroll in our next class, I was thinking that it seemed like an expensive thing. Apparently not! The center where we take classes charges $75.00 for a 7 week class. The last place was $80.00 for your first class and if you returned then it was $65.00 for each class. But I think that the extra $10 is totally worth it at this place!
We were making fun of the instructor because of a particularly "difficult" student in class. We suggested a tiered tuition system where troubled people pay more for classes. She said that there isn't enough cash in the world! |
| As I am getting ready to sign up for classes again - my issue is gas! classes are 35 miles each way, that is over $12 a night for gas. I am trying to cut back to one night a week but it is difficult. |
| Here in northeast OH prices have gone up too. And to make matters worse, the 2 best facilities around in my immediate area have closed up over the last sevearl years. I had one that was less than 10 minutes from my house. I started out with them back in 1997 & they did a great job in obedience, conformation & puppy classes. 2 older sisters who were retired & had over 15 years exerience (at the time I started) in conformation & obedience. Prices back then were $50 for 6 weeks of obedience & if you were a repeat customer they knocked $10.00 off the price! The owner of the building they were leasing decided to use the building for other purposes & they felt they were just too old to relocate. We had such a nice group of "hard core" competition people who showed up there week after week, month after month. These ladies steered me on to another facility when they closed & the trainers there were great. Helped me refine my handling skills enough to get Melody's CD in 4 tries. Unfortunatley after a few years they had to close down due to financial reasons. This place was about 25 minutes in the opposite direction. I use a local kennel club for conformation run-thrus but just wasn't satisfied with their training in obedience. It took me about 2 years to find a new facility where I thought the trainers were doing more than just "babysitting" the students & dogs. $80.00 for 6 weeks of lessons. Beautiful facility with state of the art cushioned matting (great on my old knees). Only draw back is it is a 50 minute drive (all super highway) each way so that's about 120 miles round trip each week. The price of gas is a pain right now. But I figured I'd be wasting more money training at a closer facility with instructors that just weren't capable of training me for competition. So I bite the bullet, make the drive & come home each week feeling good about the time Mariah & I have spent there. And then I go to work each day so I can justify doing this again the next week |
ChSheepdogs wrote: Beautiful facility with state of the art cushioned matting
That's the other thing with our classes. Went from a nice, climate controlled facility with that great matting to a facility that is a converted pole barn with a dirt floor. They also have an entire outside course too so bonus there. I think that you do make sacrifices for that perfect instructor though! |
| Man, I need to move! I paid $200 for a seven week class, and was only able to attend two classes |
bestdogsx4 wrote: Man, I need to move! I paid $200 for a seven week class, and was only able to attend two classes
Yikes!!! If I paid that much, Adele Yunck or someone along those lines had better be my instructor!!! (You have some really great instructors in MI  )
Kristine |
bestdogsx4 wrote: Man, I need to move! I paid $200 for a seven week class, and was only able to attend two classes
wow - did they learn to do the housework too??? sorry that's just a dream of mine.... Sheepies vacuuming, Sheepies dusting, A Sheepie bringing me iced tea on the deck........ |
kerry wrote: bestdogsx4 wrote: Man, I need to move! I paid $200 for a seven week class, and was only able to attend two classes wow - did they learn to do the housework too??? sorry that's just a dream of mine.... Sheepies vacuuming, Sheepies dusting, A Sheepie bringing me iced tea on the deck........ Kerry - mine vaccuum. Anything remotely edible that drops to the floor. And dust. As they slide along the table tops and whip under the sofa (looking for...?) But bring me something to drink? Not on your life!!! Jan and I stopped briefly - very briefly!! Right outside of St Louis. I got out of the car to consult with her for maybe 75 seconds and when I returned my 3/4 full small chocolate milkshake that had been in the cup holder was GONE. They did leave me the straw... 
Kristine |
Wow, I am impressed with your well behaved sheepies Kristine! They left you the straw  |
bestdogsx4 wrote: Wow, I am impressed with your well behaved sheepies Kristine! They left you the straw
They even returned the plastic lid - chewed. I'm still searching for the cup.... If I could afford it, I'd buy Sybil her own x-ray machine. That way I wouldn't have to waste so much time searching for things.
Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: bestdogsx4 wrote: Wow, I am impressed with your well behaved sheepies Kristine! They left you the straw They even returned the plastic lid - chewed. I'm still searching for the cup.... If I could afford it, I'd buy Sybil her own x-ray machine. That way I wouldn't have to waste so much time searching for things. Kristine Or have Simon and Chewie babysit her.......
(The infamous Sybil was in my Element - loose- with my 2 and did not touch a thing - nothing!!! I had an open tote bag with 2 bags of treats, and a bag of Nutter Butter snack size cookies. I wonder what Chewie and Simon where telling her, as she sat like a good girl om the back seat the whole time!. Really. And we did check back and peek in the windows several times!) |
got sheep wrote: Or have Simon and Chewie babysit her.......
(The infamous Sybil was in my Element - loose- with my 2 and did not touch a thing - nothing!!! I had an open tote bag with 2 bags of treats, and a bag of Nutter Butter snack size cookies. I wonder what Chewie and Simon where telling her, as she sat like a good girl om the back seat the whole time!. Really. And we did check back and peek in the windows several times!) Yes, it's true. And not only did she not steal anything, she was sitting at attention the entire time. When I looked in Simon was strategically placed so she'd have to step over him to get to the bags. I really don't think it was a coincidence. They probably took one look at her and said - nuh-huh, you're not getting US in trouble, wench!!! Kristine |
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