How much does it cost to train and maintain a support dog?

Changing lives free of charge

Support Dogs’ services are provided free of charge for our clients. Allowing people to access their independence is something we believe shouldn’t come at a cost to the individual.

Thanks to the generous donations from our supporters we can offer our services for free. But the cost of creating these incredible partnerships is far from cheap…

The cost of training

It costs around £27,000 to train a support dog from their first assessment up until their graduation over a 2-year period.

This figure covers the cost of specialist and tailored training, health costs and vaccinations, food and bedding, toys and training tools, and everything we need to create a fully qualified assistance dog.

Every dog is different

Every dog that joins us is unique, each with their own personality and pace of learning. The provisional training journey to become an assistance dog takes about two years, but some dogs may need a little extra time to perfect their skills. Some dogs may need a bit more one-on-one attention or a longer training period to fully unlock their potential, especially if they’ve taken a break from training for any reason.

Continued support

Our commitment to changing the lives of the people we support doesn’t end once a dog is placed. After a partnership graduates, we continue to offer 24/7 care and support for our working dogs and their families. Costing our charity around £3-4000 per year for the next 8 years of a dog’s working life.

We understand that the conditions of our clients can be progressive and change over time. That's why we continue to provide additional training to our working dogs, ensuring they can evolve their skills and support their owners through every stage of their journey.

So, how can it be free?

Well, this is where you come in.

We simply wouldn’t be able to provide these services if it weren’t for our amazing supporters. Through your generous donations, fundraising efforts, and gifts left in wills, we can ensure that our clients are fully supported throughout their Support Dogs journey.

But we always need help. Right now, families are waiting and the need for our incredible dogs is greater than ever. With your support, we can reach more people across the UK and change even more lives.

Find out more about fundraising for Support Dogs