Evidence-led pricing guidance for dog professionals

The Professional Pricing Index

The Professional Pricing Index (PPI) is a structured calculator built to help dog trainers, behaviour consultants and behaviourists make fair, defensible pricing decisions. It combines education, professional accreditation, experience, and scope of work to produce a Professional Capital Index (PCI) score and a recommended hourly rate benchmark for Ireland and the UK.

Use the Pricing Calculator How it works

This tool supports ethical, welfare-first professionals in a largely unregulated sector where pricing is often inconsistent and invisible labour (research, planning, follow-up) is frequently unaccounted for.

What it’s based on

The PPI uses principles from human capital economics (education, training and experience as drivers of professional earning power) combined with scope-of-practice & risk modelling (responsibility and liability exposure). This is the same broad logic used across regulated professions where roles are graded by skill, responsibility and risk.

In healthcare systems, including the NHS, role “bands” are constructed by considering qualifications, competence, responsibility, and the demands of the work. The PPI applies a similar structured approach to dog training and behaviour, adapted for real-world industry conditions in Ireland and the UK.

What the calculator measures

  • Education (FETAC → PhD, relevant only)
  • Accreditation (tiered professional bodies)
  • Experience (years in practice)
  • Scope & Risk (puppies → aggression/legal)

Behind the scenes: outputs are standardised to an effective hourly professional rate. Even if you sell programmes or packages, hourly benchmarking helps you price sustainably (and spot underpricing caused by “invisible hours”).

Note: this tool provides guidance, not a mandate. Real pricing will vary with location, overheads, delivery format (in-person/virtual), and the level of clinical risk managed.

Who it’s for

The PPI is designed for professionals working in dog training and behaviour support who want a clear, structured reference point when setting or reviewing fees.

Newer professionals Set a sensible starting point without racing to the bottom.
Established practitioners Pressure-test your pricing and account for prep, research and follow-up.
Specialists & complex cases Ensure higher-risk work is priced ethically and sustainably.
Mentors & teams Use a shared framework for discussing pricing strategy and scope.

Ready to run yours?

Use the calculator, review the breakdown, and treat the output as a benchmark to refine your own pricing strategy.

Open the Pricing Calculator

If you’d like help interpreting the result (especially for packages/programmes), Snout & About can support you with ethical pricing and systems planning as part of business mentoring.