How to Use the Pet Training School Cost Calculator
When you start potty training or basic command training with a new dog or cat, you have to decide between hiring a professional trainer or investing your own time. A training school offers expertise and convenience but costs money, while DIY training is free but takes a real time commitment. This calculator takes the training school's weekly cost and total duration, along with your estimated weekly DIY hours and hourly time value, and compares the dollar cost of each approach.
For your time value, use your actual hourly wage, overtime rate, or freelance rate if you have one for a more realistic comparison. If you're salaried, you might use a conservative estimate of what your free time is worth instead of your exact hourly wage.
If training school costs less than the value of the time DIY training would take, hiring a professional may be the more rational choice. If it's the other way around, DIY training may not cost you much at all. That said, behavioral issues like aggression or separation anxiety usually call for professional help regardless of cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
It varies by format, but group classes once or twice a week usually run $30-60 per session, while intensive private training can run $100 or more per week.
Basic potty training and command training can work well if you invest consistent time. But issues like aggression or separation anxiety often benefit from a professional trainer's help.