How Much Does Owner
Service Dog Training
Really Cost?
Costs can vary widely for owner service dog training, but they tend to be much less than the cost of a program-trained dog. Here are the costs for two owner-trained service dogs.
Dog A: (Rescued adult from animal shelter, 2 years training time)
$100 purchase price
$2,000 vet bills (inherited dental issues caused increased costs)
$2,000 training expenses (emotional baggage caused increased costs)
$100 service gear
$1,000 food/treats/toys
$5,200 total
Dog B: (Purchased puppy from service dog breeder, 2 years training time)
$2,250 purchase price
$750 vet bills
$1,100 training expenses
$100 service gear
$1,000 food/treats/toys
$5,200 Total
Experience has been that the purchase price of Dog B is offset by Dog A’s increased medical and training costs due to her being a rescue with some emotional baggage and inherited medical issues. In the end, it cost about the same to obtain and train a dog from an expensive breeder as it did to train a shelter dog.
Dog A went on to require $3,000 in vet bills for joint and other medical issues that may have some genetic basis. Additionally, her working life span was cut short by inherited medical conditions. One owner's rescued service dog cost her over $15,000 in eye issues that are a result of bad breeding.
Remember that above all you are trying to find a dog that will succeed in being trained as your service dog. Save money for a few more months or fundraise to get the dog that is right for you. Don’t instead settle for a dog that is not your first choice. Make your decision based on what will be best for you, which type of dog will be most likely to succeed with your abilities and lifestyle.