# how much?



## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

im sure this has been posted before, but here it goes. How expensive is it to join a schutzhund club? I have my dog in obedience class and that is $145 for 6 weeks, do you pay monthly dues? and how often do you go for training. i know it takes years of training, and that must cost quite a sum.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Depends on the club. I've been to several clubs in my area and on the high end it was $100/mo and the low end was $200/yr total.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Seems the average in my area is $300-$400 a year.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

What do you get with this fee? Is it training space? Member support?
What kind of training support do you receive? Is it more of a get together "study group" kind of atmosphere? Or is it closer to a formal learning environment?


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

marshies said:


> What do you get with this fee? Is it training space? Member support?
> What kind of training support do you receive? Is it more of a get together "study group" kind of atmosphere? Or is it closer to a formal learning environment?


That also depends on the club. Some are very regimented and formal and some are more laid back. Mostly what you are paying for is the access to the place to train and the equipment.(meaning none of the helpers or the TD or anyone is paid to be there) The training director usually sets the tone for the club. They will spend time with you and the experienced members will also pitch in to get you trained but they also expect you to work at the skills and learning about the sport. When we get someone who just stands there and expects us to hold their hand for every little thing we know they won't last long. We want new members to pay attention, ask questions (but don't ask them when people are on the field or obviously working at something). We had a newb not too long ago who came out for a while, even after a few months she hadn't bothered to really learn anything and would even yell to me while I was on the field working my dog to ask when it would be her turn! 
If members want more one on one time then they can pay for private lessons or meet up with other members to work on tracking or obedience, whatever.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

marshies said:


> What do you get with this fee? Is it training space? Member support?
> What kind of training support do you receive? Is it more of a get together "study group" kind of atmosphere? Or is it closer to a formal learning environment?


Depends on the club. I was paying a different club pretty much for space and equipment twice a week for the better part of two years. There wasn't much guidance and I was kind of on my own. I went to a different club this year and not only do I get space and equipment, I get an unbelievable amount of guidance and unconditional support whenever I need it. It's like "on-call" training. Formal training at our field/building is twice a week, but there are also 4 other days out of the week that members will get together to go tracking. I can call the president and other members whenever I need anything. We go on trips to other dog (and non-dog) events together. They are my best friends.  They are the dog people who understand everything about me. 

Just the other day, my dog injured all four of his feet. He collapsed on my front lawn and there was blood everywhere so of course I was hysterical. The first person I called was my club president. She was there to tell me exactly how to handle it. They are the people that can calm me down when I need it and help me think rationally and not over-react. I really think that the relationship that I have with my club is priceless, but I would pay more if necessary to have what I do with this group of people.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Thanks for the responses guys!


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## TrickyShepherd (Aug 15, 2011)

Where I train, it's $100 a month. Once Duke gets to the sleeve (if he ever does!), That will change to $140.

Since it's a more private training group, not really a 'club'... we don't have any other fees. We pay weekly.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

marshies said:


> What do you get with this fee? Is it training space? Member support?


The club dues usually cover insurance, utilities, cost to maintain the field, cost of equipment, and covering events like trials and seminars (it is not cheap to fly judges in and put them up). Sometimes the helpers and/or TDs get paid but that's usually more of a pay-to-play group and not an affiliated club.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I was in a club with $200 a year annual dues(along with a registration fee) But the helper worked for 'tips' and I paid him $25-30 each time depending on one or two rounds of protection. We seldom tracked together, which as a newbie, I needed some direction with(didn't get).
We also paid 5 bucks per session to use a building in the winter months.
Second group(not a club) was $100 per month all going to the helper/TD, nothing of it was for group, but helper provided equipment. We paid again, 5 bucks per session to train in a building in winter months. 
The club I'm in now is $150 annually with $50 every quarter. Club supplies helper & field equipment. We train once per week.
Where ever I've went, it is up to me to work on ob,tracking on my own.
I'd like to be local enough to a club that trains a few days per week together. 

The pay-to-plays usually have many different people showing up to train, often just for the protection phase, and there are several different days to choose to train. The person getting paid usually is doing this as their income source. I have no problem with that at all, but would rather be with a core group of people training together, with more of a 'club' atmosphere.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

My club is $300/year which is broken down into a $100 yearly fee and then $20/month for 10 months. In the winter we pay $5 each session to use the horse barn. We also have a $200 one time equipment fee for new members. We ask members to donate to our trial raffles and for the food at the trial. The dues covers insurance, a full size SchH field, all equipment, 70 acres of tracking fields, maintenance of the fields, and any losses from the trials. Our helpers are not paid and neither is the grounds keeper. We try to be on the field to help everyone during OB and PR and I do my best to track with the members who ask as often as possible. We train twice per week. We do ask that members go outside the club for basic obedience training. 

Other clubs I train with have dues of $500-$1000/year. I used to pay $100/month and then I think that helper/club went up to $150/month/dog.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

In Ontario, Canada they average around $300-$400 a year.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Ours is 300$ year for and individual $450 per year for a family. Unlimited training. Meetings are 3 days per week but guidance is always available.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

Oh, didn't say how much ours is. It's $150 a year for 1 dog and $200 if you have 2 dogs (although rookies aren't allowed 2 dogs until they get a BH on the first dog).

We meet twice a week for obedience/protection. There is a separate meeting every other week for tracking (usually an early morning gathering), so basically you get 10 sessions a month, pretty good deal .


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## Dooney's Mom (May 10, 2011)

TrickyShepherd said:


> Where I train, it's $100 a month. Once Duke gets to the sleeve (if he ever does!), That will change to $140.
> 
> Since it's a more private training group, not really a 'club'... we don't have any other fees. We pay weekly.


I'm at the same trainer as Tricky, breaks down to $25 a class until on the sleeve then it goes to $35 a class- he teaches 3 classes a week (WISH I could go to them all) we get one on one OB training- group OB training and then of course one on one Bitework training.


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

Well, i just paid $550 in 5 months for 4 obedience classes, so schutzhund isnt as expensive as i thought. Ill have to call the whopping 3 that are in my area and get prices. thanks for your replies.


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

We pay $1000 a year for first-year members since they need a lot of extra attention. After that (or if a member is experienced as a handler and/or the dog is older and had training) it's $600 a year.

That price covers: trial fees, field use (both indoor and outdoor fields for year-round, help with training from the TD and of course access to the most important resource of all - a great helper  I know some clubs charge per session and others have helpers that are paid for their services (only know one and he charges $20 per phase so obedience is $20, protection is $20, tracking is no charge) so for $600 a year if I go once per week I'm paying $11.50 a week. But we train twice a week - so that's not a bad deal overall...


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