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According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a service dog is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. This includes a wide variety of services these dogs can perform, including medical alerts, guide dog services, mobility assistance, emotional support, and more.
The cost of training these service dogs can be quite expensive because they must undergo special selection and extensive training to get their job done. So, exactly how much does it cost to train a service dog? The answer isn’t so simple.
The Importance of Professionally Trained Service Dogs
Service dogs play a very important role in their owner’s life. They restore the quality of life for people with varying issues and are even lifesaving for many. The specific role they play in assisting their person with everyday life depends on the condition the person suffers from.
The ADA provides many resources surrounding the rights of individuals with legitimate service dogs and the regulations and expectations of the animal, which include how they are expected to behave in public.
Many people take advantage of the service dog industry and parade their pets around as service animals, which is not only morally reprehensible and unfair to those with expertly trained service dogs but is also potentially dangerous.
Service dogs must be well trained in not just their field of expertise, but in obedience and public access for the safety of themselves, their owners, and the general public.
How Much Does a Service Dog Training Cost?
Breaking down the exact cost of service dog training is impossible because there are so many different types of services these dogs provide and each service requires varying levels of training and different avenues of training, too.
Dogs that require more intensive training such as guide dogs and hearing dogs will naturally be more expensive because of the rigorous training they must go through. While professional dog training typically costs between $150 and $250 per hour, businesses and organizations will typically select, train, and place service animals.
Areas of Training
Service dogs go through more training than your typical family pet. Here’s a quick breakdown of what service dogs are trained in besides their specific duty, which varies depending on the service:
Basic Obedience
Every dog should learn basic obedience. During this training, dogs learn commands such as sit, stay, come, heel, down, and more. Basic obedience for service dogs goes much further in terms of communication, manners, and overall behavior and expectations.
Public Access
Public access training is a process in which a service dog in training is exposed to public places to establish their behavior. The dog is gradually asked to perform tasks, starting with basic obedience and eventually progressing to advanced, specific service dog duties.
Service Dog Price Range by Type
| Service Dog Type | Price Range |
| Guide Dog | $20,000–$60,000 |
| Hearing Dog | $20,000–$25,000 |
| Mobility Assistance Dog | $15,000–$30,000 |
| Seizure Alert Dog | $15,000–$50,000 |
| Diabetic Alert Dog | $30,000–$35,000 |
| Psychiatric Service Dog | $10,000–$30,000 |
| Autism Service Dog | $10,000–$50,000 |
| Allergy Detection Dog | $10,000–$20,000 |
Additional Costs to Anticipate
There are plenty of other costs outside of the initial cost of the service dog. Most service dogs will not only come fully trained but also fully vetted, spayed or neutered, and with any necessary documentation, such as special identification papers, training certificates, and a vest or ID that identifies them as a service animal.
Here’s a quick list of some of the costs associated with service dogs before placement with their permanent handler:
- Cost of the puppy
- Veterinary exam
- Vaccinations
- Preventative medicine
- Microchip
- Spay or neuter
- Basic obedience
- Duty-specific training
- Public access training
- ADA documentation
- Training certificates
- Identification
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Service Dog Selection
Service dogs cannot just be randomly picked for duty; there is a specific selection process for puppies to be considered for this type of training. Here are some of the traits trainers look for during the selection process:
1. Desire to Work and Please
Service dogs must have an intense desire to work and please their owner. Their lives will be dedicated to the work they are trained to do, so you need a dog that is up for the task. Training requires an eagerness to please, which is an important aspect of the selection process.
2. Calm and Friendly Disposition
Your service dog must be on their best behavior when out in public. They cannot be rambunctious or cause any type of disturbance while they are out and about. They also need to be friendly toward strangers and other animals but not over the top enough to distract them from their duty.
3. Intelligence
Service dogs have a very serious job and have complex duties that require a certain level of intelligence that you don’t find in just any dog. Service dogs must be analytical and have good decision-making skills.
4. Ability to Focus
A service dog’s focus must be on their owner and their job. To get through the selection process, one must be able to focus without being too distracted by outside disturbances.
5. Non-reactive
Service dogs cannot be reactive animals that lash out in fear, or aggression, or have a timid nature. Any dogs that display these traits are typically not considered for service dog work.
6. Scent Driven (Alert Dogs)
Alert dogs rely on their scent to do their job. Trainers will keep an eye out for the puppies that enjoy using their noses and are highly motivated by play that uses their scent.
How Long Does It Take to Train a Service Dog?
The length of time it takes to train a service dog can vary significantly. This is dependent on their specific duty and who is training them. On average, it can take anywhere from 4 months to 2.5 years for a service dog to be considered fully trained and ready for duty.
Most Common Service Dog Breeds
The best service dogs are intelligent, easy to train, calm under pressure, not easily distractible, and highly reliable. Breeds that are bred specifically for these traits and have a long history of this kind of behavior typically make the best service dogs.
They must remain attentive and responsive to their owners’ needs and be focused without being distracted by large numbers of people, other animals, loud noises, and traffic. The most popular dogs chosen for duty include:
- Related Read: 10 Remarkable Service Dog Statistics
Final Thoughts
The cost to train a service dog varies greatly depending on the service they provide. Typically, a service dog costs between $10,000 and $30,000, but they can cost as much as $60,000 or more for those requiring more intensive training.
The total cost of the service dog includes the initial cost, veterinary care, and the training. Assistance is available for those who need a service dog but cannot afford the hefty price.
Featured Image Credit: Rolf Klebsattel, Shutterstock
2 Responses
Thank you, Lindsey and Dogster, for this detailed breakdown of service dog training costs! Many people are unaware of the differences between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs, as well as the significant time and expense involved. I recently cited your article in my TEDx talk, “What if the Best Therapy Included Four Paws and a Tail,” and wanted to give you credit for your great work. You can find it here: https://bit.ly/tedxtherapydogtalk
Hello Pamela,
thank you very much for your lovely feedback and especially for mentioning us in your TEDx talk – it was brilliant! Keep up the wonderful work you are doing!