# average annual club dues?



## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

Just curious what the club dues are in your clubs if you belong to one? I was surprised when I was invited to join a local schutzhund club that the dues are $350 a year. Maybe it's just average for clubs in this type of sport, I was just curious. The dog clubs I belong to honestly are only $10-20 a year.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Art Lavely's club in Ocala, FL is $125/year.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

240 euro/year/person

we're with 5 persons in our club, the money is to pay the rent, electricity etc.


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## Amanda Layne (Aug 9, 2006)

$150 per year for associate membership. $250 for full membership. + DVG dues, $74 per year.


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## Julie Ann Alvarez (Aug 4, 2007)

We pay $100 a year and $40 per month- this covers Insurance, Rent (winter indoor training), Parks & Rec fee's (our field is on Public park land), equipment needs, porta potty, and 2-3 trials every summer. We have about 15 members. Plus several of the members donate various items/skills through out the year.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

My former club charged $500 for the first year, and $250 a year thereafter. The club I'm at now charges $300 a year.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

$100 per year. If we need something extra for the year we just say so and split the difference among us.


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## Kristina Senter (Apr 4, 2006)

We have a $100 "evaluation" fee before you're allowed to join and $150/yr thereafter. If we host a trial, need extra equipment, etc. it comes out of those eval fees and we split costs for anything that exceeds our balance.


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## Michelle Kutelis (Sep 28, 2006)

I've been in a few clubs, as we have moved around a bit. I've had dues from $75 a year to $600 a year. Both my husband and I train, and we both have always had to pay full dues. (No "family" memberships) Some of these (the more expensive ones included) have also had weekly or monthly "equipment" or "food" related fees.
BUT- when you break it down to per session cost, I think they are all a great value.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

My trainer in Orlando charged $35/session, most people showed up every Sunday, so thats just under $2000/year.

But hey, it's private one on one training you're paying for and covers tracking too. Club dues aren't much if you look at it that way.


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## Amanda Layne (Aug 9, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> My trainer in Orlando charged $35/session, most people showed up every Sunday, so thats just under $2000/year.
> 
> But hey, it's private one on one training you're paying for and covers tracking too. Club dues aren't much if you look at it that way.


HOLY $hit. That is one hell of a training bill.


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## Daniel Cox (Apr 17, 2006)

$250 but we are looking to raise it to $300-$350.


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## Kristina Senter (Apr 4, 2006)

I've trained with several trainers in VA that were $25-$50/day per dog for a group club-like atmosphere. Armin Winkler charges $50/dog and they are worked twice if you're lucky.


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## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

Ya'll should take up whippet racing. Club dues are $10 a year, practices are free every other Sunday, and entry fees in race meets are $12 for the first dog, $10 for your second dog, $8 for your third, or a $35 kennel fee for an unlimited number of same-owner dogs. If you are a club member you also get $1 off each dogs entry. Potlucks are enormous, incredibly good, and free. The most you will ever spend to race a dog is the gas money.  :lol:


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Wow, sounds like my club is actually on the high end of things. We pay 50.00 per month for club dues, so 600.00 a year. That's just a drop in the bucket though when compared to the gas to get to/from training. On a good day it's 2 hours from my house, on a bad day it can take up to 3.5 hours to get there. Luckily I usually carpool so we can split the gas and driving duties, and make use of the carpool lane.


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## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

I am curious as to why the clubs are so expensive....anyone know? I know in whippet racing we also have to have a lot of equipment & supplies, fields, maintenance on equipment and fields, per capita fees at events, insurance, trophies and ribbons for each event, the list is pretty long. Maybe there are just so many more whippets racing than there are working dogs doing their sport that all the entries make up the difference? Our club has 5 or 6 race meets a year, with entries between 30-40 at each meet. In addition we usually host the National about every 3 years with entries around 110-165 each day for that.


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## Keith Jenkins (Jun 6, 2007)

Kristina Senter said:


> I've trained with several trainers in VA that were $25-$50/day per dog for a group club-like atmosphere. Armin Winkler charges $50/dog and they are worked twice if you're lucky.


You get one session of bite work with Armin for that 50 bucks...25 for the second dog.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

At our club each dog get's whatever time it needs in order for it, and the hqndler to understand the particular exercise. Nobody, helper/TD or otherwise, makes a dime on the training. It all goes to insurance, leasing the park grounds, trials, etc.


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## Daniel Cox (Apr 17, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> At our club each dog get's whatever time it needs in order for it, and the hqndler to understand the particular exercise. Nobody, helper/TD or otherwise, makes a dime on the training. It all goes to insurance, leasing the park grounds, trials, etc.


Same at our club.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> At our club each dog get's whatever time it needs in order for it, and the hqndler to understand the particular exercise. Nobody, helper/TD or otherwise, makes a dime on the training. It all goes to insurance, leasing the park grounds, trials, etc.


same here, the dues are for the bills. We train twice a week. Since our move we travel about 50 min., our friends 60 min. Maybe we're going to train at home at some point in the future.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Julie Ward said:


> I am curious as to why the clubs are so expensive....anyone know? I know in whippet racing we also have to have a lot of equipment & supplies, fields, maintenance on equipment and fields, per capita fees at events, insurance, trophies and ribbons for each event, the list is pretty long. Maybe there are just so many more whippets racing than there are working dogs doing their sport that all the entries make up the difference? Our club has 5 or 6 race meets a year, with entries between 30-40 at each meet. In addition we usually host the National about every 3 years with entries around 110-165 each day for that.



Liability insurance
Rent or mortgage (some clubs own their field)
Maintenance (landscaping, lawn mowers, gas to run lawn mowers, electricity to power refiridgerators and other amenities etc
Equipment - Do helpers provide their own sleeves, scratch suits, bite suits etc, or are these provided by the club?
Building maintenance - Is there a club house?
Property improvements - fencing? kennels? tables?
Food & Beverages - Do club members take turns? Or is there a centrally stocked kitchen, coffee, sodas, snacks, etc that is funded by club dues?
Taxes - Property tax if the property is owned by the club
Field equipment - blinds, hurdles, a frames, agility equipment
Event costs - while these are supplemented by entry fees, often the costs of a trial exceed the entry fees, in the case of a small trial. You need to pay for the judge's trip & expenses, accomodations, food etc. If only 5 people show up at trial, thats alot of unpaid expenses.
Size of club - More members, less cost, fewer members, more cost

It is all very club specific and comes down to what the club wants out of the club experience, as well as what is expected of each club member. If club members take turns to pay for mower gas and take turns riding around on the mower, then there are less landscaping costs. If there is alot of land available, renting the field will cost less. Perhaps the landlord has a certain fee for running field lighting per night. If there is a clubhouse, who stocks the fridge? Who pays for helper equipment? Do helpers have to provide it themselves or is there a selection of sleeves, scratch suits and bite suits in the club house?

If you add up costs per year then it can seem expensive very quickly, but if someone tells me "it costs $50/month to work your dog 8 times a month", thats not much at all, especially if its a nice club with nice facilities and good people.

For the sake of argument, lets say its a good club, and they decide they want all the costs to come out of the clubs finances, so nobody has to pay for food or beverages or anything out of pocket, everything is paid for by the club, and the land is owned by the club itself. Lets say that all the above things are included and equipment needs to be renewed every 3 years or so, and your insurance carrier says that dog bites are high risk so your premiums are pretty high. You train 8 times a month. You would need 20 members paying $500/year to run a club that cost $830/month, and thats assuming you can find land in your area with a mortgage of $400-500/month, and somebody has already paid for the down payment out of their own pocket.

How many Sch clubs really have 20 members????

I'm sure it can be done alot cheaper, but some clubs are nicer than others and some require more than others. Some clubs are run on peoples own land, which means that technically theres no property costs unless the owner of the club decides the club should pay him for the property use at a fair cost. Other clubs dont have anything other than a field, blinds, jumps and a picnic table. Other clubs rent a field from someone who maintains their own property so landscaping costs aren't an issue.

There's just so many variables in starting a club that its impossible to say why some cost more than others. There are rarely 40 or 50 people at the REGIONALS (and I hear National turnouts in DVG aren't even very high), so the cost goes way up because you are splitting between far less people.


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## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

Our racing club has all of those same expenses. We own our own field that we practice on and have one day of all of our 2 day race meets on, the other day we rent a field that is better suited for oval racing (we do straight racing on our field). The only difference that I can see is that we have more members and hold more events with a lot of out-of-staters attending. We honestly only pay dues every 2 or 3 years as we aren't very organized about it and simply don't think about it at our meetings. And the food thing, every event we have is potluck. All of the members simply bring one dish and we have enough food for 4 times as many people then are there. It's all free. The club provides all the eating utensils.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

The only way I can see that working is that either you have ALOT of income coming from the shere number of people that come to your events and attend the club, or your property costs are dirt cheap, or someone is paying out-of-pocket for the club to survive.


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## Amanda Layne (Aug 9, 2006)

Wow.........I DO need to take up whippet racing.


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## Greg Williams (Aug 5, 2007)

Our club is $100 a month. We train twice a week and add a 3rd and even a 44th day for those preparing for a trial. Decoys DO NOT pay a dime. Club also supplies all bite equipment as well as agility equipment. Club dues also go toward hosting trials, seminars, cookouts etc. $1200 a year sounds like a lot, but I can tell you from experience club dues get ate up quick and then these things come out of my pocket.


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## Courtney Guthrie (Oct 30, 2007)

With my club it is $120/year plus DVG membership fees. SO like $200 total.


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## Helan Peters (Oct 9, 2007)

Membership and club dues cost $806. in us £386. uk, best not let hubby see that


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## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks for all of your replies. During a seminar I was attending with the club I overheard a club member in a discussion where they mentioned that the club dues were only $60. At the end of the 3 day seminar when I asked the president of the club about joining she said sure, and that the membership dues were $350 a year, but since the year was 1/2 over I could pay $175 for the remainder of the year. So then when I contacted her several days ago to finally join she told me that would be great, and let me know that the club just had a meeting and voted to _raise_ their club dues to $300. So that's why I asked, something is weird here, I feel like I may be being taken advantage of, and wanted to check out what the "normal" cost is for a schutzhund club. It sounds like it's a particularly reasonably priced club, and I have no problem with whatever it costs, but I'm just suspicious of the conflicting stories I've received from the president of the club.

Regardless, I'm joining, and my first practice with the club is today.


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## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

I found out today that the club had been discussing raising their dues to $350all summer, but recently when they discussed it more and voted on it they decided on $300. So nothing shady went on. And the first day with the club was awesome.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

We charge $40.00 per month with no attendance restrictions. You must be a full member and dogs UTD on shots.


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## Will Kline (Jan 10, 2008)

Our club dues are $300 but may be increased to $400 depending on the vote of the membership this spring. The club is fairly small after a "house cleaning" of sorts. 

Now new members must visit 4-6 weeks without their dog and be willing to help out with set-up and take-down of equipment. This is to ensure that the prospective member is able to get along with everyone in the group and not become the "problem child".

Also, the new member must be able to display basic control of their dog as noone wants a dog that is totally out of control and a liability to the club's insurance. 

Equipment is paid for by the dues and repaired in like fashion. A good deal if you ask me.


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## Sue DiCero (Sep 2, 2006)

One of the clubs we used in the area charged $500 for two dogs. And would ask for donations throughout the year.

But, the training director's wife did private and group OB lessons at the field throughout the week and on the off nights that club was not scheduled, no one had a key to the field. Did not pay for the use - we asked for the breakdown of the club statement.

When I was in CA, Menlo Park was $200 per year, and at that time, we had 3 helpers in the area that were members of the club. Excellent at letting people know what/where the $ went. Had a key to the field.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

This has been covered..


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

$500. annual dues.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Keith Jenkins said:


> You get one session of bite work with Armin for that 50 bucks...25 for the second dog.


Damn I bet your out of there no time.


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## Lisa Clark (Feb 14, 2008)

My club is $100/year plus $20/month for 10 months so $300/year. Helpers get a discount as do I since I do the grounds work and pay for the website. Our dues pays for equipment, gas to mow the field and the tracking fields, and to cover expenses above what trials/seminars bring in. It also covers special things like discounts for members for seminars we host or sending helpers to seminars. People are limited to one dog until they have titled a dog to SchH1. After that there is no limit, but we try to keep people down to 2 dogs. Our club has 1 full time helper, 1 part time, 2 that are progressing very well in their training and 2 to start learning as soon as they finish going through the application process. 

Some of the local hired sleeves get $150/dog per month.


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## richard mattox (Feb 12, 2008)

The club closest to me is $300 a year up front and $150 per month. so $2100 a year total.


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## Alex Corral (Jul 10, 2007)

Wow Richard, that is pretty expensive. 

Lisa, your club sounds pretty nice. I think those are a good set of rules. 

In our club, if you are accepted as a provisional member, it's about 4 mos and it's $70 for that. Once, you are voted in as a full member, it's $280 per year. 

When we need equipment, it comes out of the club's dues. All members pay the same amount.


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## Chris Wild (Jan 30, 2008)

$400 a year. Ours is a new group with only a few people, so at this point that barely covers insurance and equipment. As time goes on and there's more members and less equipment to buy, we may lower dues, or put the extra in a kitty to save up for seminars, etc...


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## Kevin Kinker (Dec 28, 2007)

The closest club to me is $100/month and they are not even a registered club. It is still a 2 hr drive for me and I am not able to make it every Sunday so I asked if I can pay by each time I make it ($25) and was told NO!! I have a Tiekerhook pup that is far to intense for this group and the helper seemed lost on how to work her. So she went out to www.eisenfaustkennels.com and is doing awsome!!!!


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

A lot of clubs wnat people to make one payment because it's too difficult keeping track of who owes what & having to get after people to make their paymnet.

I have a little bit different question. How much does your club charge guests? The one I am going to right now charges $25. per night, for one dog. That money can be applied towards membership if the person decides to join and they are accepted. Also guests go last.


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## Chris Wild (Jan 30, 2008)

susan tuck said:


> I have a little bit different question. How much does your club charge guests? The one I am going to right now charges $25. per night, for one dog. That money can be applied towards membership if the person decides to join and they are accepted. Also guests go last.


We don't charge guests anything. People from other clubs who want to guest train are welcome to come out anytime, for no fee. Though if they're also a helper, we'll probably put them to work too.  Most of the clubs in this area follow the same model and if someone wants to come out and train with them on occasion there won't be any fees charged. Now if someone was coming out every week or every other week over a long period of time, that's not a "guest", and at some point they'll be asked to join and pay up. 

We don't charge people who are visiting because they're thinking about joining. They get to come out for a few weeks, get to know us, we'll work their dogs, and then after a few weeks if they want to join and the rest of the club agrees they'll be a good addition, they become official members and then they start paying their dues.


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## Lisa Clark (Feb 14, 2008)

We also don't charge guests nor people interested in joining. We have associate members too. These are members that train with us only once in awhile, usually before trials. They just want to be a member of a club so pay $100/year.


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## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

My club doesn't charge for guests either.


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## Marie Miller (Jan 16, 2008)

I have belonged to two clubs in California. One club was $100 a year for membership and $40 a month mandatory field fees. The helper did not get paid at all which is unusual in California, The funds went to great lighting, fencing and equipment on the TD's field.
The other club is $200 a year for membership and you pay $20 per bite session. If you don't attend that day you don't pay.


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## Alex Corral (Jul 10, 2007)

Our club does not charge guests either. We let them come out as often as they like, and depending on their interest and effort will extend a provisional membership for 4 mos. Also, guests are usually not allowed to participate in bitework, unless we know they are members with another club.


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## Matt Hammond (Apr 11, 2006)

We charge $150 a year for one person (up to two dogs) and $200 for a family. This covers equipment, APPDA dues (or other sports if need be). We train twice a week. Not a bad gig I would say after seeing some of the other club dues. \\/


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## jay lyda (Apr 10, 2006)

Matt, now you've done it. You just let the cat out of the bag and now everyone will be coming down here to train. LOL. :wink:


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Alex Corral said:


> Wow Richard, that is pretty expensive.


I go to that club also, but it's not the closest for me. 2.5 hour drive one way. But after researching this for a year, it was the best option for me. And having gone since January, I'm very glad.


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## richard mattox (Feb 12, 2008)

I agree Ted. When I looked into other clubs that were near me they were all futher away. They were close to the same $ and they would cost me more in gas. The T/D has done wonders with my dogs in bite work.


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## Jack Martin (Feb 12, 2008)

Our club is currently $250 but soon to bump up to $300 a year.As stated above the money is used for a variety of different resources.We are definetly non profit.We always ask for new people to come out to be evaluated and their dogs too:lol: We also encourage people from other clubs to come train with us.It is always a good thing to learn from others and have the opportunity to train when you can.


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