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Dog Training Prices in Ann Arbor, MI

GDBy the GetDogSchool team·Updated 2026·Expert-reviewed

Dog Training Prices in Ann Arbor

Dog training around Ann Arbor runs from inexpensive group classes to residential programs that cost many times more, and the two ends are not the same product at different quality levels. They solve different problems for different dogs, and the most expensive mistake is buying the right format for the wrong problem.

On this page

This page does not reprint rate cards, because published prices change. It explains what each format buys, what local trainers across Washtenaw County and its edges publish about how they work, what tends to be included and what is extra, how the terms work, and which format gives the best return for a given problem. Ask each provider for its current rates once you know which format you are pricing.

What each format actually buys

Group classes — the lowest cost per hour. Weekly sessions with other dogs and one instructor. For a large share of dogs this is the correct answer, and it delivers what a private lesson cannot: practice around other dogs with somebody managing the room.

Private lessons — priced per session or package. One trainer, one dog, one handler. The right purchase when the problem is specific to your dog or your house rather than generic.

In-home sessions — private rates, sometimes plus travel. The premium buys a trainer who sees your actual front door, kitchen and yard. For behaviors tied to the house, it is the only way to see the real problem.

Day training — quoted per program. A professional works the dog during the day and the dog sleeps at home, with lessons that hand the work over to you.

Board-and-train — typically the largest figure. The dog lives with the trainer for weeks. What decides whether the money worked is the handover at the end, not the length of the stay.

Where to start: evaluations and consultations

Training usually starts with some form of assessment, and the first cost difference between providers is often whether that first meeting is free.

Free first meetings. The Dog Wizard Ann Arbor in Chelsea offers a free evaluation and builds a plan from it. Dog Psych Boarding and Training in Monroe says every new client can start with a free consultation, and Delta Elite K9 Dog Training in Monroe also offers one. Mindful K9 Training in Whitmore Lake starts with a free phone consult. Puppies Are Wonderful Sidekicks Training and Behavior Modification LLC in Chelsea starts with a free in-home evaluation, with a charge for it if you live outside its training area.

Paid first sessions. Training by Jacqueline in Pinckney sells its consultation in your home or by video, with hands-on training started in the same visit, and prices the virtual version lower. Szegi Haus K9 Solutions in Brighton uses a paid meet-and-greet to evaluate you and your dog and place you in the right course. A paid first session is not a worse deal if real training starts in it.

Evaluation before any program. PRO K-9 in Canton begins its in-home training with an evaluation of the dog and its situation. A quote given over the phone for a dog nobody has met is a guess.

Group classes around Ann Arbor

The cheapest structured training in the area, and the easiest format to compare.

Harmony Dog Training in Ann Arbor runs its group classes through a partnership with the Humane Society of Huron Valley, including outdoor puppy preschool, basic manners and classes for reactive dogs, alongside individual sessions and training packages. Northfield Dog Training offers weekly classes and private lessons at its southwest Ann Arbor facilities. The Dog Wizard Ann Arbor sells private lessons, puppy training and group classes side by side.

Holding a place. Lucky Puppy Doggy Day Care in Maybee asks for a non-refundable deposit to hold a place in a class, with the rest due at the first session. Read the deposit and cancellation terms before you enroll.

What drives the difference between two group courses is class size, venue and instructor experience more than curriculum. Ask how many dogs are in the room and how far apart they will be, and ask to watch a session before enrolling. A reactive dog that cannot yet cope near other dogs needs a reactive-dog class or private work first, not a general manners class.

Private, in-home and day training

The middle of the market, and where most households with a specific problem end up.

Programs, not single lessons. Training by Jacqueline sells a program that combines the consultation with follow-up lessons and email support between visits, and treats reactive and aggressive dogs the same way rather than as a separate package. Puppies Are Wonderful Sidekicks Training and Behavior Modification LLC works through weekly visits to your home. Compare packages on what happens between sessions, not just on the total.

Ongoing support. PRO K-9 pairs its in-home program with ongoing support at weekly socializing groups. The Dog Wizard Ann Arbor publishes lifetime support after graduation, and Delta Elite K9 Dog Training also publishes lifetime support. Ask what that support actually consists of before you count it as value.

Day training in your own home. Training by Jacqueline describes a force-free alternative to board-and-train in which the trainer works your dog in your home during the day and then trains you. The Dog Wizard Ann Arbor offers in-home, mobile and facility-based programs. Day formats keep the dog sleeping at home, so the work is practiced where the problem lives.

Virtual sessions. The Learning Dog Behavior & Enrichment Services in Whitmore Lake works in homes across Livingston County, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Dexter, and offers virtual behavior consultations outside that area. Virtual work removes travel from the price and suits problems that are mostly about the owner's routine.

Board-and-train programs

The expensive end, and the format where the difference between a good and a bad purchase is largest.

What is included. SK Dog Training in Ann Arbor includes an in-home session in every board-and-train when the dog comes home, includes equipment if it is required, and offers pick-up and drop-off to certain areas. Lucky Puppy Doggy Day Care describes its board-and-train packages as all inclusive with overnight stays, and asks owners to set time aside at pickup to learn the cues.

The handover. Dog Psych Boarding and Training says its board-and-train works dogs multiple times a day and includes progress updates, transition support and post-program follow-up. Thompson K9 in Ann Arbor pairs its board-and-train programs with follow-up lessons. A residency that sends the dog home with no owner coaching is worth far less than one with a strong handover, whatever the headline number.

A residency suits an owner who genuinely cannot do the daily homework, a behavior that is entrenched, or a household deadline. It is the wrong purchase for leash reactivity, which depends on the handler, and for separation distress, which by definition needs the dog in its own home.

The terms worth reading before you pay

Local trainers publish their terms in more detail than most people read. A few minutes with them saves money later.

Deposits and refunds. Szegi Haus K9 Solutions states a strict non-refundable policy, and Lucky Puppy Doggy Day Care takes a non-refundable deposit to hold a class place. Neither is unreasonable; both are easier to accept before you pay than after.

Payment plans. Puppies Are Wonderful Sidekicks Training and Behavior Modification LLC invites clients to ask about payment plans. If you pay over time, ask for the total rather than the installment.

Travel. In-home trainers set a service area. The same Chelsea trainer travels beyond its area for a travel fee and charges for the evaluation outside it. Ask whether your address is inside the area before comparing quotes.

Regression. The same trainer will come back for a free follow-up visit if a behavior it corrected returns. A written policy for what happens when things slip is worth more than a lower first figure.

Equipment. Some programs include it and others leave it to you. Ask before you compare two quotes.

Best value by problem

The most useful way to read all of the above is by what you are trying to fix.

A normal puppy, no particular problem. A puppy class inside the socialization window. The cheapest training you will ever buy, and the one that prevents the expensive categories later.

An adolescent that pulls and ignores you. A group manners course with daily homework.

Door rushing, counter surfing, chaos when visitors arrive. In-home sessions, because the problem lives in the house.

Leash reactivity. An assessment, then a reactive-dog class or private work at a distance the dog can cope with. Do not buy a residency for this.

Separation distress. A vet conversation, then a structured plan at home. Do not buy a residency for this either.

No time at all. Day training in your home, with the owner lessons taken seriously.

A dog genuinely too much for its handler. A board-and-train can make sense here. Buy it on the handover and follow-up, not on the number of weeks.

Three questions that save money

What exactly is included? Session length, how many sessions happen with you rather than without you, homework, support between sessions, and what happens if you need more help. Two quotes with the same figure can be very different purchases.

How many sessions do you expect this to take, and why? A trainer who has assessed your dog should be able to answer. One who cannot is guessing, and so is the quote.

What are the terms? Deposits, refunds, package expiry, travel and payment plans. Read them before you pay. Cheap training that does not solve the problem is the most expensive kind, because you end up paying twice.

Reviewed Dog Trainers in Ann Arbor

These reviewed Ann Arbor-area trainers from our directory can walk you through pricing for their programs. Each links to a full profile with specialties, certified credentials, reviews, and contact info:

See all Ann Arbor dog training prices trainers →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does dog training cost in Ann Arbor?

It depends far more on the format than on the trainer. Group classes are the lowest cost per hour, private and in-home sessions cost more per session, and day-training and board-and-train programs are quoted per program. Decide the format first, then ask each provider for its current rates — published prices change.

Do Ann Arbor trainers offer free consultations?

Some do. The Dog Wizard Ann Arbor offers a free evaluation, Dog Psych Boarding and Training and Delta Elite K9 Dog Training offer free consultations, Mindful K9 Training offers a free phone consult, and Puppies Are Wonderful Sidekicks Training and Behavior Modification LLC offers a free in-home evaluation inside its training area. Others charge for the first session and start training in it.

What should a board-and-train include?

Look for the handover. SK Dog Training includes an in-home session when the dog comes home, Dog Psych Boarding and Training includes transition support and post-program follow-up, and Thompson K9 pairs its programs with follow-up lessons. A residency without owner coaching is worth far less, whatever it costs.

Is there an alternative to board-and-train?

Yes. Training by Jacqueline describes a force-free alternative in which the trainer works your dog in your own home during the day and then trains you, and other local trainers sell in-home programs with ongoing support. The dog sleeps at home, so the work is practiced where the problem lives.

Do local trainers offer payment plans?

Some do. Puppies Are Wonderful Sidekicks Training and Behavior Modification LLC invites clients to ask about payment plans. If you pay over time, ask for the total rather than the installment, and read the deposit and refund terms first.

Related: read our complete dog training prices guide or the full Ann Arbor dog training overview.

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