New puppies are very cute and full of energy. It’s always fun to play and train them to become awesome life companions. However, you shouldn’t forget that owning a dog comes with some responsibilities. One of your major tasks as a new puppy owner is to train him. Now, you might wonder if obedience classes for dogs are worth it?
That’s an excellent question, I also asked myself the same question not a long time ago. With some research, I didn’t find any good article (or content) that analyses the profitability of training classes for pooches. Moreover, it was often canine trainers’ advice that doesn’t have a neutral position about this subject. Therefore, here’s objective information to understand better if dog obedience classes are worth it!
In general, dog obedience training classes are worth it, especially for puppies. Obedience classes are ideal to save you time and train your dog efficiently. It’s a tiny investment that will have many benefits for both of you. The essential is to provide basic education to your puppy. However, it’s also possible to train him on your own!
These classes aren’t made for everybody. For example, I’ve never done obedience classes with my Labrador and we are both happy with it. Nonetheless, she’s not the most well-trained dog in the world. Maybe investing in his education could help her to be more obedient. Anyway, let’s see more information about what obedience training classes are, how much does it cost, and if it’s worth it!
What Are Dog Obedience Training Classes?
There are many types of obedience classes. Whether it’s about obedience, socialization or any other more specific classes, they always have a common goal. Training your dog is simply the best way to improve his obedience and behavior. Now, here are some types of training classes that you might consider to sign up for!
Different Types Of Obedience Classes!
Basic Puppy Training.
Normally, this should be the best option for new puppy owners. Basic obedience training includes socialization, obedience commands, and other basic training skills. It will be very interesting to build trust, learn your dog to respond to cues and to make him cozy with other dogs or strangers!
Socialization Classes.
Dogs can be distracted by many things when he’s out of your house. New noises, wild animals, strangers and a lot of other distractions can make him go crazy. That’s why socialization training is essential for dogs. These classes will simply prepare your companion for the outdoor world. In other words, it’s all about making him more comfortable in public places or other different environments than his home!
Basic Obedience Training.
This type of class is efficient to have more control over your dog. You should normally learn the basics of dog training. It can be awesome if you have these kinds of questions. How to reward your dog? What commands should you teach to your buddy? How to teach new voice cues to my puppy?… Obedience classes should include basic commands, information, and skills to train your dog well! (Learn more about what is basic obedience for dogs!)
Advanced Classes.
For dogs that already have the basics, this type of training is perfect. Whether it’s intermediate or advanced classes, you will learn many other useful commands and training skills. It can be very fun to teach tricks to your dog and improve your bond with him. Nevertheless, it’s not essential at all to take these kinds of classes!
Other Training Classes.
There are many other ways to train your dog for specific things. For example, service dogs need specific classes to be able to work and help people. Some sports like canicross, agility courses or even dog surfing can be difficult to learn on your own. Therefore, you could find specific classes to enjoy physical activity with your dog!
How Much Does Obedience Training Cost?
Now that you understand what obedience classes are, let’s talk a little bit about money. To determine if a class (or product) is worth it, the price is normally important. On average, training your dog will cost anywhere between $30 and $80 according to HomeGuide [Link Open In a New Tab]. The price will depend a lot on what type of training you want to take!
Dog Training Price List!
| Type | Cost Per Class |
|---|---|
| Group Training: | $30 – $50 per class |
| Private Training: | $45 – $120 per class |
| Obedience Training: | $35 – $75 per day |
| Boot Camp: | $500 – $1,250 per week |
| Service Dog Training: | $120 per hour |
Group classes are logically less expensive than private ones. However, private dog training sessions can be extremely effective. Therefore, the price will vary depending on your needs or dog’s conditions. For example, some pets could have behavioral issues that restrict them to enjoy group classes efficiently or safely!
With a budget of $100-$120, you should be alright to find good group classes or programs to educate your dog. When you think about it, this is extremely affordable. Nonetheless, it could be very expensive for private classes or more specific/advanced/personalized training types. However, let’s see some of the most popular dog obedience classes!
Some Of The Most Popular Training Classes! (PetSmart & Petco)
Statistics are very interesting to analyze, but real examples are always better. Therefore, I’ve found two of the most popular dog training programs to help you understand. PetSmart and Petco classes are among the best for their accessibility and their prices. Here’s more information about these training programs!
PetSmart Obedience Class. [Link Open In a New Tab]
Program Duration: 6 Weeks.
Type Of Training: Group Class.
Price: Around $110.
Petco Puppy Training Class: [Link Open In a New Tab]
Program Duration: 6 Weeks.
Type Of Training: Group Class.
Price: From $80 (On Sales) to $130.
These two programs are extremely similar according to the things you will learn. Some people will love one better than another, but the choice is yours to make. Both group classes will include socialization, basic commands, and behaviors such as loose-leash walking. Furthermore, you will probably learn things specifically for puppies like potty training, chewing, teething, digging, etc. There are also other training classes for dogs that already have the basics!
Here’s a video about another more advanced program offered by PetSmart!
Are Dog Obedience Training Classes Worth It?
Now, let’s dive into the real subject of this article. As I told you earlier, obedience classes are generally worth it. Nonetheless, these training programs are not essential for everybody. What’s certain is that you need to invest either time or money (or both) to educate your dog!
Just as kids need to go to school, puppies need to learn the basics of dog training. You should know that obedience classes aren’t the only way to improve your pup’s behavior. Many people have successfully trained their dogs without any training program. Moreover, behavior classes have many advantages that you need to consider. Here are some pros and cons of training programs for dogs in general!
Pros.
Efficient Training.
Obedience classes are most of the time extremely effective. The truth is that nearly everything they will teach you is available on the web. However, it will be longer to find the information and find the right training method for your dog. Having some tips directly from dog trainers is always interesting to have better results faster!
Good Socialization.
This is something extremely important for puppies. Without socialization, your buddy could have serious behavioral issues such as anxiety or aggressivity later in his life. Young dogs need to learn how to be comfortable with other dogs and strangers. Group obedience classes are awesome to familiarize your companion with other puppies and new environments!
Cost-Effective.
Investing in your dog’s obedience is extremely profitable. Untrained furry friends can be very difficult to live with, so obedience classes are cost-effective. Compared to other types of training like private classes or hiring a dog trainer, group programs are much more affordable. Moreover, all the information that you will get during the training classes should save you a lot of time!
Motivation To Train Your Dog.
Sometimes it’s difficult to motivate yourself to train your dog at home. That’s why obedience programs could be very interesting to not neglect the education of your furball. The simple fact to buy something will motivate you to go to every class and be more focused. At home, many distractions could make you skip your training sessions or make them less effective!
Cons.
One-Time Education.
Many people think that they won’t need to continue to train their dogs after the program. It’s like to think that kids will be good and smart adults after 1 year of elementary school. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. Dog training will require long-term commitment and patience to succeed. Therefore, obedience classes can save you some time, but you will still need to work at home!
Not Ideal For All.
Some dog owners will enjoy training their companions more without an obedience program. Whether it’s because your schedule doesn’t fit with the program or your dog isn’t suitable for group classes, it’s alright to train him at home. Furthermore, it could be as efficient as training programs with the right method and attitude!
Less Fun.
Being surrounded by strangers isn’t the best place to play and let loose. Therefore, obedience group classes aren’t the best places to have fun while training your dog. Furthermore, it’s essential to enjoy dog training to do it over a long period. It’s always fun to be a little bit crazy while teaching new commands or games!
So, Are Obedience Training Worth It?
Overall, there are plenty of good reasons to sign up for obedience classes. To be honest, I’m seriously thinking about taking one with my Labrador. I’m also suggesting you consider some basic training programs especially if your dog is young. This tiny investment can have a huge influence on both of your lives!
With as little as $100-$120, you can find 6-Weeks-Training-Programs that are worth it. These obedience classes will help you to strengthen your bond with your dog, understand the basics of canine training, and benefit from many other advantages. Without any doubt, that’s an excellent investment to keep your companion obedient, smart, and happy!
Can You Train Your Dog On Your Own?
Yes, it can be great to start canine training on your own. Anybody can train his pooch to improve his behavior. Obedience classes aren’t necessary for everyone. Of course, professional support and advice will help. Nonetheless, it can be very fun to begin this adventure without training programs!
Obedience training for dogs isn’t always easy and simple. It will take you time to do research on this subject and find the right method for your needs. Every companion is different, so you will need to understand your dog’s language and conditions to train him well. For dogs with serious restrictions or behavioral issues, professional help would be more efficient, safe and profitable!
What’s The Secret To Succeed At Dog Training?
The key to success is patience, preparation, and hard work. There’s no secret solution to train your dog without putting time, effort or money. Therefore, you will need to find useful information (books, videos, websites…), start consistent training, and persevere until you have satisfying results. Whatever situation you’re in, I’m 100% sure that you can make it!
How To Get Started With Dog Obedience Training?
To train your dog on your own, there are many things to understand. There’s so much information out there that it could be very difficult to know where to get started. With house training (or crate training), leash training, obedience training and other types of canine education, it’s a lot of things to teach. Nonetheless, where you begin isn’t very important as long as you start!
For beginners, it would probably be easier to start with the basic obedience commands. That will include voice cues such as «Sit», «Stay», «His Name», etc. These simple commands can be taught to puppies as young as 7 or 8 weeks old. More formal dog training should be interesting for dogs over 6 months of age. After one-year-old, you should make sure that your companion masters the 7 basic obedience commands, house fundamentals, and leash walking!
Simple Process To Start Dog Training!
To help you get started, I’ve created a simple 5 steps process to train your dog. Many people think that the basic commands are the only way to train pooches. However, canine training is more complicated and broad than that. Here are the 5 phases to give you an idea of how much time and work this activity requires!
- Preparation Phase. (Socialization, Proper Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyle…)
- Introduction To Puppy Training. (House Training, Potty Training, Teething…)
- Teach The 7 Basic Dog Commands. (Sit, Down, Stay, Name, Look At Me…)
- Start Leash Training. (On-Leash Walking, Loose-Leash Training…)
- Explore Other Advanced Training. (Advanced Commands, Dog Sports…)
In this article, I won’t explain all these steps. (It would be too long!) However, it’s important to know that you can start with every step that you want. This order is just the easiest way to progress and the logical one in my opinion. Therefore, you could start some basic obedience training with the video below or find other ways to train your dog in this article [Link Open In a New Tab] from The Spruce Pets website.
Last Thoughts About If Obedience Classes Worth It!
To sum up, there is a lot to know about dog training. Therefore, obedience classes are awesome to help you get started with this fun activity. Moreover, their affordable prices make training programs very interesting investments. Overall, most obedience classes are worth it!
Nevertheless, that doesn’t restrict you to train your dog on your own. With patience, hard work and perseverance, every dog owner can improve his companion’s behavior. Whether you sign up for training programs or not, your dog’s well-being is your responsibility. I hope this article helps you understand if obedience classes are worth it for your situation. I would love to see one of my readers having more control over his dog while walking with my Labrador!