Become a Dog Trainer

Training Costs, Franchise Fees, and Earning Potential

Local puppy trainer celebrating puppy progress in graduation training class

What are the costs involved in Puppy School?

Trainees are required to take, and pass, the Puppy School Tutor Training Course. Successful students attain the Puppy School Tutors certificate which allows them to run Puppy School classes and become part of the Puppy School network

The Puppy School Tutor Training Course (and Franchise Fee) is £1,850

An installment plan and 2 scholarship places per course are available - please ask for details during your discovery call or at any time in the joining process.

There are no further up-front Franchise costs (as in you don't pay anything further to join the franchise - only the cost of the training).

New from 2025: 25% discount for Registered Veterinary Nurses and Animal Welfare Charity Employees

Please see 'The Discovery and Training Process' page for details of what is included in the course.

Accommodation and travel costs (courses are held in Worcestershire, England) for the two residential courses will need to be met (one 2-day and one 3-day course), further training is done online from home. Some local travel will be needed to find puppies and dogs to train for the coaching and correspondence course, and for visit puppy classes and for purposes such as research (e.g. when viewing possible venues) and marketing.

Tutors are responsible for running their own business, with full training and backup support provided by Regional Managers and Puppy School Head Office (Associate Tutors work under and for full tutors and so are not required to run their own business).

Ongoing Franchise Costs

In addition to the initial training fee, 20% of all course fees booked through the Puppy School central booking system are retained by Puppy School. This contribution funds the wide range of benefits and support provided to every tutor. The 20% is deducted automatically at the time of booking, with tutors receiving the remaining 80% directly.

While this may initially seem significant, the value of the support and resources included in Puppy School membership makes it a worthwhile investment.

Tutors benefit from ongoing mentorship from experienced local trainers long after initial training, ensuring you are never without guidance or support. Access to discounted retail products to sell in class can provide an additional income stream, and free treats supplied by our sponsor help reduce running costs. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities and conference tickets are offered at cost price, helping you save money while maintaining high professional standards. There are many further benefits for being part of Puppy School — particularly when you are establishing your career (please see the 'The Puppy School Advantage' page for more details). For many tutors, these benefits quickly outweigh the percentage contribution, particularly in the early stages when reputation, marketing, and professional credibility can take years to establish independently.

Puppy School provides the structure, systems, and support so you can focus on delivering excellent classes and building lasting relationships with your clients. Many tutors choose to remain with us long term because of the continued value, community, and earning potential the network provides.

Costs

How much can Puppy School Tutors earn?

Puppy School tutors set their own fees for classes (minimum of £80 for a six week course, average cost across the country is £120 for a 6 weeks course but this varies depending on hall costs and other local cost implications). Guidance is given during your initial training course on what fee to choose for your area and why.

The profit you make from classes depends upon several factors including your course fees, the cost of your hall, the size of the hall, the goods you choose to sell in class, and your expertise (dependent on how long you've been running classes, your education and experience) which will affect the number of puppies you take into a course (maximum of 8 puppies per course).

Please check out the table below which gives a rough approximation of what your earnings could be. (When planning your initial outlay, you will need allow a cost for a certain amount of 'equipment' needed to run classes successfully, such as a mop/bucket, a range of toys (see 'Advantages' section for info about free toys from Tug-e-nuff for new tutors), spare bedding/bowls etc.)

Additional earnings can be made by encouraging clients to take up the offer from Natures Menu of free food (worth £5 for EVERY bag of free puppy food your clients claim (up to 3 bags per client)) this additional income stream is NOT represented in the table below.

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Local, friendly tutor in puppy training class with brown and white Pointer puppy

“I was drawn to PS because it gives you the opportunity to run your own business but you still get the feel and support of being with a bigger organisation so you have people to bounce ideas off and help improve your training. I love all the workshops and training events that I can attend within Puppy School, there's always something new to sign up to and get involved in. We are invited to attend a free 3-day behaviour course twice a year for the first three years of running classes and these are so helpful when you're just getting started in the business. In an industry like dog training, it's important to keep up to date with what is going on, and Puppy School helps me to do this. ”

Kim Hawley

Puppy School Tutor, Gloucester

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