Torn sweater and broken necklace of neighbor Fido greeted so exuberantly:  $75
Throw rug in family room that Fido used as a potty:  $300
Bumper of automobile that swerved into the pole as Fido ran across the street:  $600
Cost of sofa Fido chewed up because he was bored:  $1200

Your best friend doesn’t have to bring you expense and frustration.  A trained dog is a better companion, and training may not be as expensive as you would expect, especially when compared to the alternative, as seen above.

Cost of one 7-week Canine Manners class:  $90
Cost of one 7-week Canine Manners class if your dog was adopted from Richmond SPCA: $80
Cost of several good strong chew toys to rotate out during the week:  $50
Cost of several balls to play fetch with: $20
Cost of a 1-hour behavior consult:  $0. That’s right.  It’s free – or $20 if you would like to make a donation to help the animals in our shelter, call 643-SPCA.

Cost of a well-mannered dog who is a pleasure to take on public outings:  Priceless.

Give your pet a smart start from the beginning.  Consider the cost of good training when adopting.  It will be less expensive in the long run. Click here for upcoming schedules of training classes.

Today’s blog author is Marie Tripton. Marie is the manager of the Richmond SPCA Behavior Helpline.

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