There’s no standard price for private dog training, and that’s what makes it awkward to compare. Trainers charge by the hour, by the session or for a package, and a session can mean forty minutes or two hours.

From what trainers publish on their websites, a single one-to-one session in the UK ranges from around £45 to £200. Where you sit in that range depends on who you’re booking, where they are and what you get for the money.

What affects the price

Experience. Someone who has spent decades working with difficult dogs will usually charge more than someone who qualified last year. That doesn’t automatically make them better for your dog, but it’s worth asking what they’ve actually done.

Where they work. A trainer who comes to your home charges for travel. A trainer with their own training facility often doesn’t, and you get somewhere without the distractions of your house or street.

Session length. A forty-five minute lesson at £45 and a two hour lesson at £120 aren’t the same product. Work out the hourly rate before you compare.

Package or pay as you go. Blocks of sessions usually cost less per hour than single visits, and they suit most problems better. Nobody fixes pulling or recall in one hour.

The problem. Puppy manners and basic obedience are the simpler jobs. Established behaviour problems take more skill and often more time.

What we charge

Our one-to-one programme is £600 for five hours across four sessions, over a maximum of eight weeks. It works out at £120 an hour.

The first lesson is two hours. We talk through what you want to change, look at how you and your dog work together and start training straight away. The next three sessions are an hour each. It covers lead work, basic obedience including recall, and things like jumping up, mouthing and manners at home.

Lessons run Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm, at our facility at Gate Farm near Nantwich, ten minutes from Crewe. You’ll have homework between sessions, because what you do in the week matters more than what happens in the room.

A lower-cost place to start

If pulling on the lead is your main problem and you’d like to try something at a lower price first, our online course Walk The Walk is currently £37. It’s a video workshop and tutorial bundle you work through at home. It won’t replace lessons for a dog with several problems, but for a dog who just drags you along it’s a sensible first step.

How to compare trainers

Price is only part of it. Ask:

• How many hours will I actually get, and who will be training my dog?
• Do I get support between sessions?
• What’s their experience with dogs like mine?
• What methods do they use? A good trainer will explain plainly what they do and why, and won’t get defensive when you ask.
• What happens if it isn’t working?

Be a little wary of anyone who guarantees results. Dogs are individuals, and an honest trainer will tell you what’s achievable and what isn’t. If you’d like more on this, our guide to choosing the right trainer in Cheshire goes through what to look for.

When one-to-one isn’t the right choice

Private lessons suit owners who want to do the handling themselves and learn how to get the best from their dog. If your dog has a history of aggression or serious reactivity, we’ll usually talk it through first, because those cases often need a different approach. And if you can’t do weekday sessions or would rather your dog was trained for you, our residential programmes are worth a look. There’s a separate article on what residential training costs.

Is it worth it?

That depends on what you’re paying to fix. A dog who pulls, jumps up or ignores their recall is hard work every single day, for years. A few well spent hours at the start can change that.

If you’d like to talk it through, you can book a one-to-one consultation and Paul will tell you honestly whether it’s the right fit.

Want help with your own dog? Tell us about your dog and we’ll get back to you for a chat about it.

Related: One-to-One Dog Training  |  Book a Consultation