Why dog training is great value
Training your dog with the help of a professional is an investment that will pay dividends for the rest of your lives
Priceless. That’s a word that often comes up when a satisfied owner describes their feelings after our training programme. The walk being stress-free now, their dog coming to them when called, their dog being okay left alone when the owner has to go out. Priceless. It’s all about an emotion. Feeling good. Less anxiety about things. Dare I use the Happy word? And like all things emotional, by definition we can’t really put on monetary value on it, can we?
Why your dog deserves to go to school
Quantify something we must though, because trainers need to earn a living by sharing their expertise. Sure, you can take various shortcuts: a book doesn’t cost much, thousands of help videos are widely available and free, or of course you can skip any formal training and fly by the seat of your pants. Many people do. Good luck with that, by the way! Your dog deserves to go to school because it’s the only fair way for them to learn the rules. And for you to know how to help them. (Because a good trainer is training you as much as your dog, don’t forget.)
Just as most people would expect their children to be educated through some sort of formal schooling, so a lot of us recognise the need to have some professional help with dog school too. But for some, the cost can be off-putting, so I am going to try to debunk this.
What’s expensive, and what is not
Owning a dog is expensive. Period. Not owning one, need not be.
Cheeky answer! But true. The current times are difficult financially for many of us. Just the running cost of pet ownership has become too much for some and the tragic stories in the press about this continue. If that is your current challenge – just being able to feed your pet and ensure a minimum standard of welfare, I applaud you for the sacrifices you are no doubt making. But for many of us, baulking at the new price of Buddy’s replacement toy, we still go ahead and buy it.
Let’s consider for a minute how much you think you spend on your dog. Let’s rule out the initial cost of your dog, if it was not a rescue, and the up-and-running costs of beds, leads, collars, toys, bowls etc. None of those items last forever and must be replaced by the way, so a “running cost” should take account of this. Leads and harnesses should be replaced yearly to protect against wear and tear and equipment failure. Beds lose their shape and comfort after a couple of years. And so on.
How much does owning a dog really cost?
In 2022 the PDSA estimated here the minimum cost of owning a dog in the UK to be £5,000 – £12,000 over their lifetime, depending on the size and breed characteristics of the dog. This is the minimum, so only includes basic food and care but does include nominal vet insurance. It does not include any extras nor additional vet visits necessitated by accidents or illnesses not covered by insurance, if you have it, or below your excess costs. This was also before we recently had 10% inflation too, and I found myself going through their list, thinking I spend more than this on almost every category.
What about my dog? (skip this bit if you already know!)
Pen and back of envelope ready?
Here’s a quick exercise. If you have no idea how much you spend, it’s a good thing to learn! Be honest with yourself.
1. Jot down roughly what you spent on:
Getting your dog (Breeder cost, or rescue fee)
Initial running costs: bed, walking equipment, toys, food bowls, vets, microchipping etc.
Write down your total, keep this separate for now.
2. Jot down how much you spend every month (then x12) or on average across a year on:
- Food (main)
- Poo bags (please tell me you use them)
- Treats (if any) and chews
- Health maintenance (vets, boosters, flea/worming, accidents/illness, pet insurance)
- Replacement equipment (leads, harnesses, toys, towels, coats etc.)
- Professional services: grooming, day care, walking etc.
3. Multiply your total for 2) by your dog’s estimated life span and add in your total from 1). Are we £5,000 – £12,000? Or more?
So how much does training cost?
A couple of hundred pounds, usually. In my case, it would cost you £200 – £300 for a personal programme on average. Maybe £400 for a more complex behavioural issue. Maybe another £50 on top of this to buy a better leash and harness. The odd top-up session might cost, say £50 per time further down the line. Often, I have clients who come back for more, because they enjoy it! Otherwise, we almost always keep in touch. I’m always there for advice. Remember training is never over, but once you have the tools to know what to do, you will know how to keep your dog making the right choices for the most common situations. Seen in the context of everything else you spend,
A few hundred pounds goes a long way and with easy maintenance, can last you a lifetime
Let’s even take it a step further and say you went to town on the training, ending up spending £250 initially, and another £250 over your dog’s lifetime. £500 vs. £12,000+. So what does £500 buy you?
Why training is an investment
Training buys you:
- Safer living and exercising
- Boundaries for good manners to flourish
- A calmer existence
- Fun experiences, but under control
Mix these well, adding in our final ingredient: the emotional enrichment of a closer bond with your four-legged friend, and you arrive at…….
Priceless
But that’s what £250 or £500 buys you.
Training is about the day-to-day living with your dog. Allowing your dog to be a dog. But allowing them to fit within your lifestyle and boundaries.
Of course, there are no guarantees with training. And you have to put in effort yourself, whilst enjoying the fruits of that effort every day. But training is not something that comes off a shelf and magically fits every dog, your dog. But it will give your dog the best chance in life: to live life to its fullest, safely. And with you. And that much, you owe your dog.
