Dog agility training is a fun and rewarding activity for both dogs and their owners. It’s not a requirement for your dog to be trained in agility, but it’s a wonderful skill that encourages the developments of obedience, intelligence, stamina, speed, and precision.
Plus, dogs who are agility trained can compete in local and even national competitions!
Problem is, agility training is pretty hard to do without committing to agility lessons. While you can make your own agility training set-up at home, you might not know the best tips and tricks to train your dog to complete an agility course properly.
The fastest way to agility train a dog is to participate in agility training lessons, but if you’re worried about the costs, you might be wondering “Is agility training expensive”?
If you’re interested in agility training for dogs, here is everything you need to know about how much agility training costs!
While the average cost of agility training is $125-200 for six lessons, this is generally the cost of beginner’s rates. For dogs who require more training, this figure is likely to increase until they are ready to advance.
Speaking of advancing, if you choose to agility train your dog at a beginner’s level, then you can stick to those 6 lessons to stay on budget. However, the more your dog learns, the more doors open for opportunities such as competing.
Cost Of Each Agility Class
It’s not easy to say how much an individual agility class costs. This is because dogs will have to partake in several training lessons within the agility training, starting with basic obedience, which is why agility training programs are generally held in six lesson-long sessions.
Other factors that contribute to the cost of each agility class include the geographic location of the class and the skill level of training. For example, beginner-level agility classes in small communities are likely to charge way less than advanced-level agility classes in cities.
Obedience training is the first step to agility training. For a dog to be somewhat successful in agility training, they must be competent in obedience training.
Generally speaking, obedience training is a six-week course in a group of other dogs and owners, with one lesson a week ranging from 60-90 minutes. For the six-week-long courses, you can expect to pay around $150-200 for obedience training.
Some instructors charge for individual training sessions, especially if they work with dogs of varying skill levels in one class, which can cost anywhere between $30 and $100 an hour/per session.
Once the obedience training has been completed, agility training can commence! Much like with obedience training, the cost of agility training varies depending on whether you commit to a six-week-long training course or occasional lessons every couple of weeks.
In most cases, the average cost of agility training is $150 for a five to six-week training course of 1-hour weekly sessions. If your dog needs more training, or if you want your dog to advance to a higher level, then this will come at a higher cost, too.
If we look at an agility course that lasts 6 weeks and costs $150, this amounts to $25 per class (if the classes last one hour and occur weekly).
Each instructor and organization will have their own payment preference. For example, some might offer 6-week or 10-week training courses, while others might only accept one-off payments for however many single hour-long sessions.
In some cases, owners might have to commit to submitting their dog into another agility training program if they haven’t improved enough to advance to the next level.
Likewise, each instructor and organization will charge different fees depending on the level of training offered, whether they offer specific courses for ages and breeds, the professionalism and reputation of the instructor, and the quality of the training equipment.
In some of the most top agility training programs, reputable instructors will allow their high-end equipment to be used, which is often why their fees are far higher than instructors who use cheaper or DIY equipment.
How Agility Training Classes Are Structured
In the majority of cases, agility training classes are split into different categories. These categories include the skill level of the dog (beginner, intermediate, and expert), the age of the dog, and in rare cases, the breed of the dog.
These classes are designed for breed-specific competitions.
Agility training classes for beginners come after completing an obedience course. If your pooch completed an obedience course a year or two ago, the first couple of lessons of agility training should work to refresh their memory.
Puppy agility especially focuses the first half of the program on creating a bond between the owner and the dog before the dog advances to actual agility training.
Dogs don’t automatically become experts in agility after completing various courses. Agility training is for both the owner and their dog, and we all know that every dog has their own speeds of learning skills.
This means that while some dogs might naturally excel at agility training if they have had a background in experienced obedience training, others might need to take a bit longer to complete the agility course at top speeds.
Agility Training On A Budget
If you think that paying $125-200 for a 6-week agility training program is expensive or out of your budget, there are ways to train your dog in agility from home. It all comes down to making DIY equipment that best mimics the equipment used in competitions.
Here are some examples of DIY obstacle equipment:
Collapsible play tunnel – either one for a baby or one for a dog
Tires can be hung from branches to mimic a jumping ring for small dogs
Make a teeter board with a long plank of wood on top of a brick or cylindrical object
Stick poles into the grass to make weave poles
Alternatively, you can buy cheap obstacle course equipment specifically for dogs online. They won’t be as sturdy as expensive and high-quality equipment, but the equipment will give your dog an idea of basic training.
Plus, it’s recommended that you buy or make such equipment in your backyard even if you are paying for agility training classes to improve your skills – both as the owner and with your dog.
So…Is Dog Agility Expensive?
Whether you consider $125-200 for a six-week course made up of a 1-hour session each week expensive or not is your call. As most agility programs cost $150, this roughly works out at $25 per class.
If you think about it, it’s not too dissimilar from paying for your kid’s dance or sport lessons. Plus, you’re paying for both yourself and your dog to learn skills, which is why so many owners consider agility training courses to be a worthy investment.
Hi, my name is Daniel Johnson, and I am a professional dog trainer that specializes in positive training methods. I have worked with many dogs over the years, and have provided fantastic and improved results for both the owner and the dog.
When it comes to dog training, it is important for the owner to be taught the simple but correct techniques, and the way in which you communicate with your dog is vital to this process. I recently decided to set up this blog to share my knowledge and skills with a wider audience.
