This sample estimate shows what it might cost to find and train a dog. This estimate assumes a dog that is easy to train, with a handler who is dedicated and finds it easy to follow training instructions. However, since each dog and handler are unique, your individual training plan and estimate will look different. 

A reputable, experienced service dog trainer cannot give a reliable estimate (let alone charge a flat fee) without knowing a lot more about you and your dog. Some of the variables include…

• Your dog’s age. Puppies need lots of special puppy training and socialization. An adult dog with a known, sound temperament will cost less to train than a puppy.
• Your dog’s previous training. A dog with solid manners (trained with reward-based methods), will cost less than a dog that is untrained or poorly trained.
• Your dog’s trainability. Some dogs take more time, effort, and skill to train than others. Dogs that are very food-motivated and relatively uninterested in their environment (dogs, people, squirrels, sounds…) are the easiest (least expensive) to train.
• Your skill as a trainer. If you are able to learn and apply what you learn from your trainer to do more skilled training on your own, you’ll be able to take fewer lessons. (However, infrequent or poor training will slow progress and ultimately cost more.)
• The number and complexity of tasks needed. This is a fraction of the overall cost, but it is a factor.

Given these variables, it may cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 to train your own service dog. If the handler is capable and motivated, and the dog is appropriate, it typically costs $6,000 to $9,000 to train an adult dog (including costs for training, treats, and other equipment). For those who want complex tasks (such as a retrieve) or need day training or board-and-train, it may cost much more.

Download sample cost estimate here.

Training a dog to be well-behaved, quiet, and unobtrusive in public is the most time-consuming part of service dog training. In fact, simply finding a dog that is capable of being relaxed in a variety of public settings is often the most difficult part of the process. While it does cost more to train a dog to perform a complex task (such as gently retrieving a variety of objects) than a simple one (such as leaning against your legs), both of these tasks are far easier than training your dog to walk nicely by your side and lay quietly at your feet wherever you go. 

We have high standards for the service dogs we train. We offer payment plans, scholarships, and discounts to make training more affordable, but we don’t offer any low-quality training. Our finished teams wear our embroidered patches proudly. People who see our teams know, without a doubt, that that is a real, trained service dog. 

The same factors that affect cost (above) also affect time: your dog’s age, trainability, and previous training. Other than that, the biggest factor is how much time you spend training between lessons. Making mistakes will slow training. Not training enough will mean your dog will never finish.

For a highly motivated owner of a puppy with an outstanding temperament, the bulk of the training (manners, public access, and task foundations) can usually be completed in two years, with task training completed by three years old. If board-and-train or day training is used, the time may be reduced by about one-third to one-half.

Payment by debit or credit card is due when you schedule online for a consultation, class, or lesson package. We offer a one percent discount for payment by ACH (automatic transfer from your bank account), cash, or personal check. Contact us to arrange one of these alternative payment methods.

We provide the following options to people of limited financial means:

• Discounts for private training for those on low-income benefits programs – If you’re on SSI, SSDI, VA benefits, or another disability or low-income benefit (e.g., SNAP, Section 8, etc.), please indicate WHICH programs you’re on when you fill out your intake form. We’ll let you know which discounts are available.
• Payment plans – We can set up a payment plan to spread out payments (up to a year). Your debit or credit card will be charged automatically on a monthly basis. There is a five percent flat fee for setting up a payment plan.
• Scholarships – We have three scholarship programs:
  • The Maimes Fund provides 80 percent discounts on private training for proven SDiT teams who are likely to successfully complete training if they receive additional funding
  • The Tubman Fund provides discounts for service dog owner-trainers who are Black, African-American or Indigenous (American Indian/Native American/Alaskan Native) or to any other person of color who indicates that they are low-income and require funding to train their dog
  • The Dasha Morrison Memorial Scholarship waives tuition for six months for our mentorship program for trainers/aspiring trainers who are Black or Indigenous, or for other people of color who indicate that they could not otherwise afford the program
• Fundraising – If finances are a concern, we recommend you begin private fundraising as soon as possible. In addition to training costs, you’ll need several thousand dollars to cover the dog’s purchase price, vet bills, food, toys, crate, leashes, etc. We may help defray training costs, but even owning a pet is surprisingly expensive. Many owner-trainers successfully raise large sums using online fundraising tools, such as GoFundMe. Spread the word to family, friends, and social networks about your need for a service dog and how much it costs to train. Ask them to reach out to their networks, too.

• State Agencies – If you or your family member are already getting services through a state agency, such as your state’s vocational rehabilitation agency or their departments serving people with developmental disabilities, mental health, autism, crime victims, etc., the state may be able to pay for your dog’s training. This will usually involve some advocacy on your part, providing the agency with your trainer’s information and credentials, and a process for the trainer to officially become a vendor for the state program. At Your Service Dog Training has already been approved as a vendor for the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC). Other Massachusetts agencies include the Department of Public Health, the Department of Developmental Services, or the Mass. Office for Victim Assistance. In other states, these agencies may go by different names. For example, in New Hampshire, the agency that oversees vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities is called the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation.

• Veterans – If you’re a veteran, you may also be able to get funding through the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA). A new law was passed by the Biden administration in 2021, the “PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act” (Public Law No. 117-37), which provides funding for owner-training service dogs. The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to provide dog training to eligible veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as an element of their health program, and regardless of whether they have a mobility impairment. The bill also states that trainers working through this program must agree not to use shock collars or prong collars as training tools and to use only positive reinforcement training! We’re still looking into the details of how the law will be implemented and which trainers would be approved. If this is something you’re interested in working with us to find out more about, please let us know. 

Scholarships are only available to people who are training a service dog with At Your Service Dog Training. We do not provide funding for dogs to be trained by other trainers or organizations.

Tubman Scholarship

The Tubman Scholarship offers a substantial discount on our services to people in the US who are African-American, Black, or Indigenous, OR to other people of color who indicate that they are low-income and could otherwise not afford services. To apply, please watch our video and fill out the appropriate intake form for the service you’re interested in (e.g., PEARL DISC or pre-adoption consult, etc.) or email us. In the section where it asks if you have other questions or information, indicate that you qualify for the Tubman Scholarship. (You determine your own racial identity. We believe you.) We’ll contact you with information about next steps.

Low-Income Discounts

We provide discounts on private training for people who are low-income and on SSI, SSDI, or VA benefits. To request the discount, please watch our video and fill out the appropriate intake form for the service you’re interested in (e.g., PEARL DISC or pre-adoption consult, etc.) or email us. In the section where it asks if you have other questions or information, please tell us which low-income benefit programs you’re on. We’ll provide you with a coupon code you can use when you schedule. 

Maimes Fund

The Natan Maimes & Travel Service Dog Scholarship Fund provides as-needed funding to service dog teams to complete their training. The amount of funding we have available varies based on donations.   

To apply for the Maimes Fund, you must meet all of these criteria:

• You and your dog have already completed our intake process 
• You and your dog have taken a class or several private lessons with us, at least some of which have been in-person with our head trainer
• You have limited financial means and income to pay for training
• You have exhausted other fundraising options 

If you’re in this situation, tell your trainer. We may ask you to complete our scholarship application which asks about your dog’s current and future training. It also includes instructions on how to show proof of financial need. After your application is submitted, we’ll meet to set up a plan to complete your dog’s training.

Learn more about or donate to the Maimes Fund.