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Service Dog Training Institute

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Estimated Costs of Owning and Training Your Own Service Dog

estimated costs for owning a service dog

Just owning a dog costs money no matter how thrifty you are. Training a service dog adds extra costs for equipment, ongoing health testing and care, training and ongoing training maintenance costs.

Fundraising before you get your dog saves you stress and makes sure you are ready for planned costs. Don’t forget to have an emergency fund ready as well. It sits there until it’s needed for unexpected veterinary bills or behavior modification training.

Even if you are very thrifty and can get items donated, it still costs money to raise and train a functional dog! You dog may need to have medical procedures done. Even my otherwise healthy dog needed a $1500 surgery to remove a lump from her leg. It was not optional as it interfered with movement and would have eventually burst. The previous two lumpectomies were not as expensive ($700 & $900) but it adds up. As a 3 year old she broke a molar on a toy and got a slab fracture. If left untreated, her jaw would have got infected. That was another $800. She got attacked by a racoon in our yard, another $300. Routine yearly vet visits average about $200.

You can get pet insurance but that can be a costly monthly fee. Some people pay themselves monthly to accumulate a chunk of money so they can pay for unexpected costs.

Costs Estimated Costs of Owning a Service Dog (example) YOUR Estimated Costs of Owning a Service Dog
One Time-Cost
Initial purchase/adoption fee
$2000-$3000
Transportation costs to pick up puppy/dog
$200-$500
Spaying/neutering (at the correct time)
$400-$600
Food dish, water dish, harnesses/leashes/collar/name tags/multiple sizes as puppy grows
$200
Grooming equipment
$200
Crate, bed, toys
$150
In-person puppy classes (2 sets)
$100-$300
Basic adolescent in-person classes (3 sets)
$750
Online service dog training (you learn to teach your dog)
$1200-$1500
Web cam/in person foundation 1:1 coaching 10 sessions
$400-$800
Task specific web cam/in person 1:1 coaching 10 sessions
$500
First vet visits with vaccinations
$125-$250
Property fencing or dog run
$400-$3000
X-rays (orthopedic) (when 2 years old to clear hips and elbows for mobility work)
$200-$500
Additional equipment-mobility harness etc
$300-$500
Subtotal Costs
$7125-$13,350
Taxes
Total One-Time Costs
Ongoing Costs (Maintenance)
Food per month x12
$720-$960
Training treats
$100
Veterinarian 1 visit per year
$125
Grooming x 8 per year
$500-$800
Nail clipping
$120
Licence (annual)
$25 (may be waived for service dogs by some cities)
Dog walker/daycare
$30 x 50 weeks=$1500
Service dog specific training (maintenance)
varies
Emergency vet care/health insurance
$400-$600
Teeth cleaning (small dogs done more often)
varies
Certification costs (where needed)
$100
Subtotal
$3590-4330
Taxes
Total Annual Costs
Updated Oct. 2021 for Costs in Nanaimo, BC Canada in Canadian Dollars
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Wondering how to train your own service dog?

Check out our Service Dog Training Institute classes (for both human and dog).
If you want to learn how to train a service dog like a professional, these classes will give you the skills to do so and to train other pet dogs! You learn as your dog learns.

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