Gitnux/Report 2026

Dog Training Industry Statistics

219Statistics
70Sources
12Sections
1Visuals
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November 10, 2026Updated
Dog Training Industry Statistics
James OkoroWritten by James Okoro·Edited by Priya Chandrasekaran·Fact-checked by Katherine Brennan
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The dog training industry at a glance

U.S. pet-care services revenue reached $12.04 billion in 2024, providing the clearest official market proxy for dog training, which Census classifies within NAICS 812910 alongside other non-veterinary pet services.

$12.04B[55]
Pet-care services revenue, 2024
18,770[19]
Animal trainers employed, 2025
4%[19]
Animal-trainer job growth, 2025–35
95M[56]
U.S. pet-owning households, 2025
Market size
The U.S. Census Bureau reported $12.04 billion in 2024 revenue for NAICS 812910, Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services. This is a broader proxy for dog training because the classification combines training with boarding, grooming, sitting and walking.[55][57]
Forecast & CAGR
Official Census revenue increased from $6.02 billion in 2020 to $12.04 billion in 2024, equivalent to an approximately 18.9% compound annual growth rate over 2020–24; this reflects the broader pet-care-services category rather than dog training alone. The BLS projects animal-trainer employment to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035.[58][19]
Segmentation
Census places dog training in NAICS 812910 and identifies pet training, obedience training, guard-dog training, guide-dog training, and working, sporting and service-dog training among the category’s activities. The same category also includes boarding, grooming, sitting and walking, so a dog-training-only market split is not separately published in the cited official data.[57]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is supported by a large and growing pet-owning base: APPA reported 95 million U.S. households owned a pet in 2025. Labor availability is a structural constraint and opportunity, with 18,770 animal trainers recorded in May 2025 and projected employment growth of 4% through 2035.[56][19]
Consumer behavior & competition
APPA reported $14.3 billion in U.S. 2024 spending on “Other Services,” a broad category that includes training, boarding, grooming, insurance, pet sitting and walking. APPA also reported that pet ownership continued to grow in 2025 while household spending moderated, indicating resilient demand but greater consumer price sensitivity.[56]
Latest news
In March 2026, APPA reported that total U.S. pet-industry expenditures reached $158 billion in 2025, up 3.7%, and projected $165 billion for 2026. The release does not isolate dog-training revenue, but it provides the latest broad market context for training providers.[56]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Dog Training Industry

The leading companies in the dog training industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 9, 2026 · Next review December 9, 2026

Verdict

Dogtopia leads Gitnux's 2026 dog training ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with franchised dog daycare, boarding, spa and training locations across US and Canada. PetSmart is the highest-ranked pet retail operator at 9.0, with group and private dog training classes plus an Accredited Dog Trainer program in US stores.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in dog training franchising

    Dogtopia

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.4 · Dog training franchising

    Why we picked it: Its footprint spans dog daycare, boarding and training, supporting client intake through a multi-service facility model.

    See in ranking ↓Visit dogtopia.com ↗

  2. Leader in retail in-store training

    PetSmart

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.0 · Retail in-store training

    Why we picked it: Its in-store class model pairs group and private training with an accredited trainer program.

    See in ranking ↓Visit petsmart.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    The Dog Wizard

    US

    Ranked #3 · 8.9 · Dog training franchising

    Why we picked it: Its board-and-train and behavior services scale across a reported 100+ training location network.

    See in ranking ↓Visit thedogwizard.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Pick 2 is the highest-ranked company in the top 5 that adds a new segment; no further segment places in the top 5, so pick 3 follows rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the dog training industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Dogtopia

Dog training franchising · US

9.4
2

PetSmart

Retail in-store training · US

9.0
3

The Dog Wizard

Dog training franchising · US

8.9
4

Off Leash K9 Training

Dog training franchising · US

8.4
5

Petco

Retail in-store training · US

8.4
6

Bark Busters

In-home dog training franchise, global · AU

8.0
7

Sit Means Sit

Franchised dog training services, US · US

8.0
8

Starmark

Training products and dog trainer school, US · US

7.9
9

All Dogs Unleashed

Facility-based and in-home dog training · US

7.5
10

Canine Dimensions

In-home dog training services, United States · US

7.5

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 9, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the dog training industry. In Dog Training Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dog-training-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Share of surveyed U.S. dog training businesses by facility type

Not listed holds the largest share at 49.3%.

Not listed49.3%
Training facility25.9%
Home-based trainer14.9%
Mobile / travels to you5.2%
Uses rented space4.8%
source-verifiedbarklen.com

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Technology adoption is high in veterinary practices, with 76% using client digital communication tools in 2026; this supports data capture and automation patterns relevant to training workflows.

Digital Transformation in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 44% of U.S. veterinary practices used internet-based practice information management or electronic medical-record systems in 2026.[1]
  • 36% of U.S. veterinary practices used practice information management or electronic medical-record systems installed on-site in 2026.[1]
  • 76% of U.S. veterinary practices used client digital communication tools in 2026, according to a survey of general-practice veterinary providers.[1]
  • 90% of U.S. veterinary practices used digital diagnostic or imaging equipment in 2026, according to a survey of general-practice veterinary providers.[1]

Technology Adoption in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 64.7% of U.S. veterinary practices used an online pharmacy in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]
  • 76.1% of U.S. veterinary practices used practice-management software in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]
  • 32.5% of U.S. veterinary practices offered online appointment scheduling in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]
  • 29.7% of U.S. veterinary practices used telehealth, defined as virtual consultation or client communication, in 2024.[2]
  • 66.2% of U.S. veterinary practices used electronic medical-record software in 2024, based on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s practice-owner survey.[2]

Cloud Computing in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 52.74% of EU enterprises with at least 10 employees or self-employed persons used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[3]
  • 45% of EU enterprises bought cloud-computing services in 2023; adoption was 78% among large businesses and 44% among small and medium-sized enterprises.[3]
  • 83% of EU enterprises using cloud computing used it to host email systems in 2023.[3]
  • 66% of EU enterprises using cloud computing used it for office software in 2023.[3]
  • 68% of EU enterprises using cloud computing used it for file storage in 2023.[3]

Big Data in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 33.02% of EU enterprises performed data analytics using their own employees in 2025.[3]
  • 13.85% of EU enterprises had data analytics performed by an external enterprise or organization in 2025.[3]
  • 26.20% of EU enterprises analyzed transaction-record data, such as sales or payment records, in 2025.[3]
  • 17.62% of EU enterprises analyzed customer data in 2025.[3]
  • 5.92% of EU enterprises analyzed data from smart devices or sensors in 2025.[3]

IoT in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 24% of EU enterprises using IoT used sensors to monitor equipment conditions for maintenance in 2021.[3]
  • 29% of EU enterprises with at least 10 employees or self-employed persons used Internet of Things devices or systems in 2021.[3]
  • 30% of EU enterprises using IoT used smart meters or smart lights to optimize energy consumption in 2021.[3]
  • 48% of large EU enterprises used IoT devices or systems in 2021, compared with 26% of small enterprises.[3]
  • 72% of EU enterprises using IoT used cameras or other connected devices to secure their premises in 2021.[3]

Innovation in the dog training industry

  • 21 million downloads were reported for Woofz, a dog-training app, by 2025, alongside reported annual revenue of $20 million.[4]
  • 2017 was the launch year of Hundeo’s dog-focused website, followed by a 2021 beta launch of its training app.[5]
  • 1 million-plus downloads were reported for Hundeo, a German-language dog-training app, by 2025.[5]
  • 4.7 stars was Hundeo’s reported average app rating in 2025 for its dog-training, health and nutrition application.[5]
  • 2 million-plus downloads were reported for Sniffy in an SEC-filed company document describing its dog-training app business.[6]
  • 400% year-on-year growth was reported for Woofz in 2025, according to a company profile covering its dog-training app business.[7]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Analytics activity appears in provider-adjacent programs and apps, including Woofz at 120,000 active subscribers in 2024 and $1,824 average revenue per Zoom Room customer in the first eight weeks.

Business intelligence in the dog training industry

  • 100-plus technology and analytics experts were employed by Petco in fiscal 2019 to support data-informed decisions across e-commerce, services and customer relationship management.[8]
  • 14% was the compound annual growth rate of Petco’s owned-brand sales from fiscal 2017 to fiscal 2019, a company-reported commercial outcome linked to customer insights and product decisions.[8]
  • 27% of Petco’s total product sales came from owned brands in fiscal 2019, up from 17% in fiscal 2015, reflecting data-informed portfolio expansion relevant to its training customers.[8]

Data analytics in the dog training industry

  • 70% of Woofz users were located in the United States in 2025, with additional user traction reported in Latin America, the United Kingdom, Europe and China.[4]
  • 10 languages were supported by Woofz in 2025 as the dog-training app expanded its international product and user-data footprint.[4]
  • Approximately 70 employees worked at Woofz in 2025, including trainers who helped develop dog-training programs and interpret user needs.[9]
  • 120,000 active subscribers were reported for Woofz in 2024, providing a recurring user base for dog-training engagement and analytics.[10]

Data Quality in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 40% of pet food companies reported they were not currently considering data analytics and digital tools for quality and safety in a 2026 industry survey.[11]
  • 40% of pet food companies selected “not applicable/don’t know” when asked about using data analytics and digital tools for quality and safety in a 2026 industry survey.[11]
  • 29.5% of German equine veterinarians identified data quality as a concern with digital data collection in pre-purchase examinations, based on a 2024 survey.[12]
  • 13% of challenges in the U.S. animal-drug review process were attributed to data quality and governance challenges in an assessment covering 2024 operations.[13]
  • 20% of pet food companies reported using data analytics and digital tools for quality and safety in a limited capacity, with plans to expand, in a 2026 industry survey.[11]

Data Governance in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 2.67 out of 4 was the average AI maturity score among veterinary professionals in 2026, with governance and oversight scoring lowest across the assessed dimensions.[14]
  • 80% of U.K. businesses using AI and data-driven systems reported having well-defined governance processes for key data-related decisions, either very or fairly well, in 2021.[15]
  • 83.7% of veterinary professionals reported using AI in practice in 2026, creating a governance benchmark for a rapidly expanding digital workflow in veterinary medicine.[14]
  • 86% of U.K. businesses using AI and data-driven systems reported storing and managing data responsibly through well-defined governance and data-protection protocols, either very or fairly well, in 2021.[15]

KPIs in the dog training industry

  • 84% was the average customer-retention rate reported for eight Zoom Room dog-training franchisees, based on customers first purchasing training between September 2019 and August 2020.[16]
  • $4,705 was the average historical lifetime revenue per high-value customer, defined as the top 25% of customers, across applicable Zoom Room dog-training gyms.[16]
  • $377 was the average historical lifetime revenue per low-value customer, defined as the bottom 25% of customers, across applicable Zoom Room dog-training gyms.[16]
  • $1,824 was the average revenue per Zoom Room training customer during the first eight weeks of training, based on the franchise disclosure analysis.[16]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Franchise expansion is measurable through openings and territory counts, including Dog Wizard operating in 107 territories by June 2023 and 97 open locations at December 31, 2024.

Growth in the dog training industry

  • 10 Zoom Room locations opened during the first half of 2024.[17]
  • 100 Dog Wizard franchise territories had been awarded by June 2023, with business operating in 107 territories.[17]
  • 43 Dog Wizard franchise locations opened during 2024, compared with 34 openings during 2023.[18]
  • 97 Dog Wizard franchise locations were open at December 31, 2024, up from 67 at December 31, 2023.[18]

Differentiation in the dog training industry

  • 2 million+ Dogo downloads were cited as a competitive threat, while Sniffy differentiated itself through trainer-produced videos rather than illustrations and text.[6]
  • 1-on-1 consultations and customizable training plans were identified as Sniffy's product features in its SEC-filed business plan.[6]

Strategic partnerships in the dog training industry

  • 100 customers per year and 3,000+ social-media contacts were the reported reach of Sniffy's partner breeders in its planned partnership strategy.[6]
  • 3,000+ people could be reached through each partner breeder's social media, according to Sniffy's SEC-filed business plan.[6]
  • 2 years was the planned period before Sniffy began collaborating with pet stores for product advertising and commissions.[6]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Labor growth is modest: animal trainers projected to rise 4% from 2025 to 2035, with 18,770 recorded in May 2025, creating throughput constraints for service capacity.

Hiring in the dog training industry

  • 4% employment growth is projected for U.S. animal trainers from 2025 to 2035.[19]
  • 39% of U.S. animal trainers were self-employed in 2025, the largest employment category for the occupation.[19]
  • 17% of U.S. animal trainers worked in support activities for agriculture and forestry in 2025.[19]
  • 6,500 projected job openings were reported for U.S. animal trainers over 2025–2035, including growth and replacement demand.[20]
  • 49,700 animal-trainer jobs are projected in the United States in 2035, up from 47,800 in 2025.[19]

Remote Work in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across UK veterinary professionals, 70% reported working zero days remotely per week in 2024.[21]
  • Across UK veterinary professionals who worked remotely, 7% worked remotely four to seven days per week in 2024.[21]
  • Across UK veterinary professionals who worked remotely, 4% said their weekly number of remote-work days varied too much to report in 2024.[21]
  • Across UK veterinary professionals who worked remotely, 19% worked remotely one to three days per week in 2024.[21]

Hybrid Work in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across animal-health professionals surveyed, 49% said working from home affected their feelings about company culture, while 27% felt less connected in hybrid or work-from-home setups.[22]
  • Among current animal-health employees, 29% felt less connected to their company in a hybrid or work-from-home setup in 2022.[22]
  • Across animal-health survey respondents, 49% said working from home affected their feelings about company culture in 2022.[22]
  • Across veterinary teams in animal research programs, 55% implemented remote work during the pandemic, and 53% of those teams planned or might continue it indefinitely in the survey period.[23]
  • Across animal-health survey respondents, 27% felt less connected to their company in a hybrid or work-from-home setup in 2022.[22]

Upskilling in the dog training industry

  • 1.8% of U.S. animal trainers held a bachelor’s degree in the ASU career profile.[24]
  • 7.9% of U.S. animal trainers held a postsecondary certificate in the ASU career profile.[24]
  • Learning Strategies was identified as a necessary skill for U.S. animal trainers in 2024, with a revealed comparative advantage over the wider workforce.[25]
  • 16.6% of U.S. animal trainers had some college education without a degree in the ASU career profile.[24]
  • 67% of U.S. animal trainers had a high-school diploma or less as their highest educational attainment in the ASU career profile.[24]

Employee Engagement in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among U.S. employees at pet-friendly companies, 88% would recommend their employer, compared with 51% at non-pet-friendly companies, in 2017.[26]
  • Among U.S. employees at pet-friendly companies, 91% felt their company supported physical health and wellness, compared with 59% at non-pet-friendly companies, in 2017.[26]
  • Among U.S. employees at pet-friendly companies, 89% felt their company supported mental well-being, compared with 53% at non-pet-friendly companies, in 2017.[26]
  • Among U.S. employees at pet-friendly companies, 91% felt fully engaged with their work, compared with 65% at non-pet-friendly companies, in 2017.[26]
  • Among U.S. pet parents working for companies with more than 1,000 employees, 64% said additional pet benefits would increase their desire to stay for the next 12 months in 2023.[27]

DEI in the dog training industry

  • 13.4% of U.S. animal trainers were Hispanic in 2024.[25]
  • 86.6% of U.S. animal trainers were non-Hispanic in 2024.[25]
  • 11.1% of U.S. animal trainers identified with two or more races in 2024.[25]
  • 37.6 years was the average age of U.S. animal trainers in 2024.[25]
  • 4.59% of U.S. animal trainers were classified as belonging to the Other race category in 2024.[25]

Change Management in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across veterinary practices in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, more than 80% of surveyed professionals said they were seeking greater efficiency by optimizing technology in 2023.[28]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Consumer behavior data shows uneven class attendance, with 11% of UK dogs attending a formal training class in the previous year in 2025, alongside higher agreement that dogs benefit after classes.

Customer experience in the dog training industry

  • 52% of UK dog owners agreed in 2024 that ongoing training is important for dogs.[29]
  • 43% of UK dog owners who had not attended a training class believed in 2024 that their dog would benefit.[29]
  • 92% of UK dog owners currently attending training classes said in 2024 that the classes were fun.[29]
  • 45% of UK dog owners agreed in 2024 that everybody should attend dog-training classes with their dogs.[29]
  • 72% of UK dog owners who had attended training classes said in 2024 that their dog benefited.[29]

Customer retention in the dog training industry

  • 11% of dogs in the UK had attended a formal training class during the previous year in 2025.[29]
  • 37% of dogs under one year old in the UK had attended a training class during 2025, the highest rate reported by age group.[29]
  • 36% of UK dog owners had attended a training class at some point by 2025.[29]
  • Only 5% of five-year-old dogs in the UK had attended a formal training class during the previous year in 2025.[29]

Customer acquisition in the dog training industry

  • 27% of UK dog owners said in 2024 that they would attend dog-training classes only if a behavior problem arose.[29]
  • Only 1 in 15 UK dog owners, or fewer than 7%, were currently attending a dog-training class in 2024.[29]
  • 6% of UK dog owners said in 2024 that training dogs was not necessary.[29]
  • 56% of UK dog owners said in 2024 that they could train their dog themselves rather than use classes.[29]
  • 49% of UK dog owners said in 2024 that dog training was a matter of common sense.[29]

Lead generation in the dog training industry

  • Camp Lucky recorded a 3.23% click-through rate across its six-month Meta advertising campaign in 2026.[30]
  • INITIUM generated more than 500 canine-training leads in 2025 and nearly 575 in the first half of 2026.[31]
  • Koru K9 increased dog-training lead volume by 35.34% during the first year of its integrated marketing engagement.[32]
  • INITIUM reduced its cost per lead from €5.48 to €1.89 while increasing lead volume through canine-training advertising.[31]
  • Camp Lucky generated 160 qualified leads at a blended $22.61 per lead from Meta advertising between December 18, 2025 and June 18, 2026.[30]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Integrated acquisition and conversion are tracked via lead and click-through outcomes, including Camp Lucky at 160 qualified leads and a 3.23% Meta click-through rate over six months ending June 18, 2026.

Marketing in the dog training industry

  • Koru K9’s marketing program targeted dog owners across 13 US states.[32]
  • Koru K9 improved its conversion rate by 28% during the first year of its integrated marketing engagement.[32]
  • Koru K9 reduced cost per lead by 26% through integrated branding, search, social, website, SEO and email marketing.[32]
  • INITIUM achieved a 9.54% Meta click-through rate across Cantabria in 2025.[31]
  • INITIUM reached 655,776 people across Cantabria through Meta marketing in 2025.[31]

Digital marketing in the dog training industry

  • Camp Lucky generated 160 qualified leads through Meta advertising over six months ending June 18, 2026.[30]
  • INITIUM used Meta and Google advertising linked to a WhatsApp funnel, with 30% to 60% of WhatsApp leads converting into paying clients.[31]
  • Camp Lucky reduced cost per lead from $25.45 in its launch month to $24.29 in month five of its Meta campaign.[30]
  • Doggy Dan increased conversion volume by 9,085.94% after restructuring its Google Ads and Facebook advertising campaigns.[33]
  • Doggy Dan reduced cost per acquisition by 71.24% after implementing remarketing, bidding and psychographic targeting.[33]

Branding in the dog training industry

  • Camp Lucky built a 62-question user-generated-content and creative framework for its dog-training brand voice.[30]
  • Camp Lucky used roughly 30 founder-provided answers to create a repeatable library of dog-training hooks, FAQ videos and objection handlers.[30]
  • Koru K9’s rebranding and refined messaging supported training-inquiry generation across 13 US states.[32]

Social media in the dog training industry

  • Camp Lucky generated 160 qualified leads from Meta advertising between December 18, 2025 and June 18, 2026.[30]
  • INITIUM reached 655,776 people across Cantabria through Meta in 2025.[31]
  • Camp Lucky’s Meta campaign achieved a 3.23% click-through rate across six months ending June 18, 2026.[30]
  • INITIUM achieved a 9.54% click-through rate on Meta in Cantabria during 2025.[31]

Influencer Marketing in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among 114 pet brands studied globally, TikTok partnerships and influencer reposts produced engagement rates of 5.03% by view for The Farmer’s Dog in 2023.[34]
  • Across U.S. dog owners, 10% followed influencers on Instagram in 2025.[35]
  • Across U.S. dog owners, 30% said social media influenced their dog-food choice in 2025.[35]
  • Across U.S. pet owners, 50% followed pet influencers on social media in 2023.[36]
  • Across U.S. dog owners, 23% followed dog-food influencers in 2025.[35]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational transparency is limited in published listings: 66% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses published no usable program pricing in 2026.

Process optimization in the dog training industry

  • 10.9% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses advertised a free consultation in 2026.[37]
  • 32.9% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses offered board-and-train programs in 2026.[37]
  • 20.6% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses offered in-home training in 2026.[37]
  • 29.1% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses offered consultation or evaluation programs in 2026.[37]
  • 36.7% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses offered private lessons in 2026.[37]

Operational efficiency in the dog training industry

  • 93.8% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses did not state their owner-visit policy in 2026.[37]
  • 95.8% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses did not state their dogs-per-trainer figure on their websites in 2026.[37]
  • 95.4% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses did not state whether overnight staffing was available in 2026.[37]
  • 49.3% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses did not list their facility type in 2026.[37]
  • 92.7% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses did not state whether they maintained a waitlist in 2026.[37]

Quality management in the dog training industry

  • 223 program listings included an owner handoff session among 2,691 U.S. dog training programs analyzed in 2026.[37]
  • 2.9% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses said they did not take aggression cases in 2026.[37]
  • 81% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses listed no verifiable professional certification in 2026.[37]
  • 24% of U.S. dog training businesses described their training methods only in vague terms in 2026.[37]
  • 18.3% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses accepted aggression cases subject to assessment in 2026.[37]

Supply chain in the dog training industry

  • 33 program listings included refresher sessions among 2,691 U.S. dog training programs analyzed in 2026.[37]
  • 4.8% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses reported using rented space in 2026.[37]
  • 5.2% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses described themselves as mobile or traveling to clients in 2026.[37]
  • 10 program listings included food among 2,691 U.S. dog training programs analyzed in 2026.[37]
  • 5 program listings included veterinary care among 2,691 U.S. dog training programs analyzed in 2026.[37]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the pets and animals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 94% of surveyed animal-health companies reported outsourcing services or operations to contract development or manufacturing organizations in 2021 across North America and Europe.[38]
  • 27% of surveyed pet companies were exporting their products to China in 2025, representing a 6-percentage-point increase from three years earlier.[39]
  • 34% of surveyed animal-health organizations identified raw-material procurement and related development or manufacturing resources as their greatest product-lifecycle challenge in 2021.[38]
  • 75% of pet companies importing from China expected China to remain a valuable sourcing market in 2025 and the foreseeable future, according to a survey of more than 40 industry players.[39]
  • 82% of surveyed animal-health professionals participated in their companies’ contract development or manufacturing organization selection decisions in 2021 across North America and Europe.[38]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Published pricing varies by format, with median 2026 per-session prices of $145 for private lessons and $45 for group classes; 66% posted no usable pricing.

Pricing strategy in the dog training industry

  • $145 was the median per-session price for private dog training lessons among priced U.S. programs in 2026.[37]
  • $130 was the median per-session price for in-home dog training among priced U.S. programs in 2026.[37]
  • $99 was the median daily price for board-and-train services among priced U.S. dog training programs in 2026.[37]
  • 66% of 753 U.S. dog training businesses published no usable program pricing in 2026.[37]
  • $45 was the median per-session price for group dog training classes among priced U.S. programs in 2026.[37]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Digital product performance is quantified for training apps, including Woofz at 20 million downloads reported by 2025 and 4.6 stars reported on Google Play in 2026.

Product development in the dog training industry

  • 800-plus creative assets were submitted to Woofz’s TikTok Creative Challenge, providing product-development input for a dog-training app’s advertising and content strategy in 2022.[40]
  • More than 100 technology and analytics experts worked at Petco in fiscal 2019 on rapid-deployment teams serving e-commerce, services and customer relationship management, including dog-training products.[8]
  • Woofz’s creative success rate increased from 2% to 5% after its TikTok Creative Challenge, reflecting tested content optimization for a dog-training application in 2022.[40]
  • 5,000 new products and 89 new brands were launched by Petco over the three years through fiscal 2019, alongside development of online dog training and pet-wellness applications in the United States.[8]
  • Over $150 million was invested in Petco’s digital systems during the three years through fiscal 2019, supporting e-commerce, services, customer relationship management and online dog training in the United States.[8]

Product lifecycle in the dog training industry

  • Woofz recorded a 70% revenue increase from its TikTok Creative Challenge compared with 2022 campaigns, showing a measurable commercialization outcome during the app’s growth stage.[40]
  • Woofz reported a 4.6-star Google Play rating for its dog-training application in 2026, indicating customer reception during the product’s mature operating phase.[41]
  • Woofz had surpassed 20 million downloads and 10,000 daily active users when its product lifecycle was documented on the company’s creator-partnership page in 2026.[41]
  • Woofz reported a 4.8-star Apple App Store rating for its dog-training application in 2026, indicating customer reception during the product’s mature operating phase.[41]

After-sales in the dog training industry

  • 102 of 386 dogs adopted during the Tampa Bay case study were associated with adopters who used GoodPup training between July 27 and August 26, 2022.[42]
  • 45% was the overall reduction in the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s dog-return rate during the GoodPup training test, falling from 11% before the test to 6% during it in 2022.[42]
  • 59% was the reduction in behavioral-return rates, from 4.4% to 1.8%, after GoodPup training for adopters at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay in the United States.[42]

Value proposition in the dog training industry

  • 3.3 times more was spent on average by Petco training customers than by non-training customers in fiscal 2019 in the United States.[8]
  • 180,000-plus pets were served by Petco’s training business across approximately 1,470 pet care centers in fiscal 2019 in the United States.[8]
  • 65,000-plus dogs and their owners had been trained by GoodPup when its Tampa Bay case study was published, serving customers in the United States and Canada.[42]
  • 2 times as much was spent by Petco service customers as by non-service customers over the three years preceding fiscal 2019, supporting training as part of a broader recurring-service proposition.[8]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Ethics and accreditation remain inconsistent in profiles: two-thirds of 100 highly rated dog trainers’ online profiles did not list educational accreditation, with 55% incorporating aversive methods.

ESG in the dog training industry

  • 118.2 was PACT Dogs Ltd’s overall B Impact Score, compared with a 50.9 median for ordinary businesses completing the assessment; 2023, United Kingdom.[43]
  • 5.4 points was PACT Dogs Ltd’s Ethics & Transparency score in its B Impact assessment; 2023, United Kingdom.[43]
  • 18.8 points was PACT Dogs Ltd’s Governance score in its B Impact assessment; 2023, United Kingdom.[43]

Ethics in the dog training industry

  • Two-thirds of 100 highly rated dog trainers’ online profiles did not list educational accreditation; study data cited in 2026, United States.[44]
  • 55% of 100 highly rated dog trainers’ online profiles incorporated aversive methods; study data cited in 2026, United States.[44]
  • 17 of 35 surveyed U.S. professional dog trainers used a reward-based orientation, while 18 used mixed methods; 2026, United States.[44]
  • 35 professional dog trainers participated in a U.S. study examining ethical reasoning, evidence interpretation and views on industry regulation; 2026, United States.[44]
  • 62% of more than 700 Canadian dog trainers supported some form of professional regulation; study data cited in 2026, Canada.[44]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Cross-border franchise footprints are measurable, including Dog Wizard with 1 of 97 locations operating in Canada at December 31, 2024.

Globalization in the dog training industry

  • 1 of 67 Dog Wizard franchise locations operated in Canada at December 31, 2023, while 66 operated in the United States.[18]
  • 1 of 97 Dog Wizard franchise locations operated in Canada at December 31, 2024, while 96 operated in the United States.[18]
  • 107 Dog Wizard franchise territories covered 22 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada, in June 2023.[17]

Stakeholder management in the dog training industry

  • 800+ subscribers retained for at least six months was Sniffy's first-year customer goal, according to its SEC-filed business plan.[6]
  • 25,000 registered users were reported by Pawway, a pet-care platform that included dog-training services, in 2022.[6]
  • 4,000+ customers was Sniffy's second-year target for its dog-training app, according to its SEC-filed business plan.[6]

Distribution channels in the dog training industry

  • 2 million+ downloads were reported for Dogo, a competing dog-training app, in a 2020 SEC-filed company document.[6]
  • 4,600 cities across all 50 U.S. states were covered by Wag's platform offering in-person and digital dog-training services in 2022.[6]
  • 1 million total downloads were reported for Zigzag, including more than 500,000 in the United States, in 2025.[54]

Key questions about the Dog Training Industry

What is the market size proxy for U.S. dog training in 2024?
The U.S. Census Bureau reported $12.04 billion in 2024 revenue for NAICS 812910, Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services.
How fast did the broader pet-care-services proxy grow from 2020 to 2024?
Official Census revenue increased from $6.02 billion in 2020 to $12.04 billion in 2024, an approximately 18.9% compound annual growth rate over 2020–24.
Which companies lead the dog training industry?
Dogtopia leads Gitnux's 2026 dog training ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with franchised dog daycare, boarding, spa and training locations across US and Canada. PetSmart is the highest-ranked pet retail operator at 9.0, with group and private dog training classes plus an Accredited Dog Trainer program in US stores.
What technology shifts show up in adjacent veterinary workflows in 2026?
In 2026, 44% of U.S. veterinary practices used internet-based practice information management or electronic medical-record systems.
How is dog training positioned in U.S. category data (and why does that matter)?
Census places dog training in NAICS 812910 and includes pet training, obedience, guard-dog, guide-dog, and working/service-dog training, alongside boarding, grooming, sitting and walking.
What are typical 2026 prices for dog training services when published?
Median per-session prices in 2026 were $145 for private lessons, $130 for in-home training, and $45 for group classes; median board-and-train was $99 per day.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Dog Training Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dog-training-industry-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Dog Training Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/dog-training-industry-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Dog Training Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/dog-training-industry-statistics.

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