Karen Pryor Academy Review (2024 Upd.) Does it Really Work?

Last Updated on December, 2024

Become the BEST to be able to train your dog the BEST! This is the philosophy of the Karen Pryor Academy, a school for you, the owner, or in other words, aspiring trainer!

It is obvious that you may be looking to train your dog and have come across the Karen Pryor Academy and wondered whether THEY could help you TRAIN your pooch!

Well, you can TRUST us with the information in this article. At iPetGuides, we specialize in providing you with the laser-focused solution to your PET QUERY!

Is the Karen Pryor Academy the right people to trust when it comes to information delivery towards EFFECTIVELY training your dog? In this REVIEW, we find out!

The Good

The Karen Pryor Academy is a good resource when it comes to training your dog. They have a good set of courses that can basically even turn you into a professional trainer. 

The Not So Good

Though the resource may be valuable, the courses at the Karen Pryor Academy are known to be very expensive.

The Bottom Line

The Karen Pryor Academy could be a good resource through which you can train your dog. However, if you are only looking to train your dog, you may want to find something more affordable, if not free

What is the Karen Pryor Academy?

The Karen Pryor Academy is an online dog training provider that provides YOU, the dog owner, with the information, instructions, and education you need to help train your dog.

The Karen Pryor Academy quintessentially takes YOU, the dog owner, and aims to turn you into THE trainer that will be able to train your dog. 

This is how the Karen Pryor Academy is advertised. In actuality, though, the reliability of these statements has to be verified and testified based on consideration of the VALUE this online dog training service provides. 

Karen Pryor Academy logo

They offer courses intended to provide you, the dog owner, with direction on a specific area of training. From puppies to training more senior dogs, the information and the value of the content in relation to the price have to be considered.

The Dog Trainer Professional course will cost $5600 in the USA (Prices vary worldwide.)

This course is intended to turn YOU into a DOG TRAINER quintessentially!

It is clear this Academy is intended to help you train your dog; however, is it a valuable source of information? Let’s find out!

How Does the Karen Pryor Academy Work?

Karen Pryor Academy course page

When it comes to courses offered by the Karen Pryor Academy, there are many. From the Dog Trainer Professional course to Puppy Starter courses, they even have a course intended to help you better care for an animal that may have been kept at a shelter. 

So YES, they do have specific courses which are very niche; however, in general, this highlight of the Academy is the Dog Trainer Professional course, which is intended to educate and train YOU, the dog owner, to TRAIN your dog effectively!

They offer HOURS of live video coaching, which will help provide direction and guidance on helping you train your dog. However, of course it comes with a price.

Karen Prypor Academy is NOT free, and you will have to pay for courses ranging from $139 to $5600!

So yes, there is a variance in the prices. For instance, if you BUY the course intended to help you navigate a BETTER vet visit, then sure, it will only cost you $139.

Further to helping you find a trainer close to YOU, the website also states that you can get CERTIFIED as a dog trainer through Karen Pryor Academy. 

This certification program is in relation to the Dog Trainer Professional course, which is intended to, as mentioned, TURN you, the dog owner/lover, into a PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINER!

Pros and Cons of the Karen Pryor Academy

So the point of the matter is this. This review would not be complete without a JUST critique of the Karen Pryor Academy through a good pros and cons analysis.

Pros

The Karen Pryor Academy is a ‘world-recognized’ BRAND, which means it is USEFUL for those looking to take a more professional stance in training your dog. 
This is an ACTUAL professional dog training COURSE intended for people looking to train dogs!
The certification received as part of the PROFESSIONAL course is recognition that you are NOW in the ranks of a dog trainer.
This can be a cool thing for many people, who often jump at the chance and expect the content to be GREAT and offer real value. 
The course list covers just about everything, including puppies and adult dogs. So though the main course is expensive and similar basic courses in the $1000 area, the Karen Pryor Academy does provide a good COVERAGE of information.
At the end of the day, it depends on what exactly YOU are looking for. Are you looking for a means to EFFECTIVELY train your dog or turn training dogs into a profession?

Cons

Well, yes, but at the price of $5600! Now, most people will tell you $5600 is not a small amount. It is above the tax bracket of affordability in some places.
So yes, there is a question of cost. Though there is a sense of recognition and faith, you have to invest a substantial amount of money, EVEN to test the content of the course.
Which I did, to the shocking truth that in comparison to other FREE content I have seen on the internet, it was no different. It just cost more because it was tied together with a certification program of recognition.
It is this recognition that comes with a price. So, though you CAN, in actuality, find FREE content on the internet that will teach you more or even BETTER, you won’t find the recognition if not through a similar school such as the Karen Pryor School.

So, if you are looking JUST to train your dog, you don’t NEED the Karen Pryor Academy. As in, the option stays open for you; however, plenty of GREAT competitive resources on the internet could provide a JUST alternative!

Testimonials: What Do Customers Have to Say?

Well, there are those within the customer base who appreciated the Karen Pryor Academy and had good things to say. There were happy customers.

However, what was shocking were the comments left by UNHAPPY clients, who either found the service undesirable or found themselves FRUSTRATED by their purchase decisions.

For instance, this review.

Karen Pryor Academy customer testimonial 1

It expresses clear frustration on the certification not being recognized and states that the courses are not worth it!

So, in actuality, you have to at least question your purchase. The Karen Pryor Academy is not as well known as some other dog trainers online, its recognition is limited within limited circles. 

Hence, obvious to state there are GAPS such as this. 

Then, there is this review. 

Karen Pryor Academy customer testimonial 2

Simply stating and affirming that this is $5000 we are talking about. This person completely states that the Academy is HORRIBLE and that it simply isn’t worth the MONEY it costs to attend it!

At the end of the day, we are talking about VIDEOS on the internet, and at some point, you will be like, wait… I can HIRE a dog trainer with that kind of money!

My Personal Opinion: Is the Karen Pryor Academy Worth it?

So is the Karen Pryor Academy worth it? In my personal opinion, it sounds like a valuable resource; however, its value is hyped and hyperinflated. 

That is why this course costs so much money. There is recognition attached to the course by way of certification, whether recognized or not. 

The certificate is a plaything, almost like a toy given to every dog owner. So, in actuality, it doesn’t have the value that it could be perceived to have.

All in all, it is a lot of money, and if you want to BECOME a professional dog trainer, there may be finer institutes that could TEACH you or maybe a coach you could consult.

So, in actuality, is this Professional course worth it? NOT to me.

Are the other courses worth it? Training your dog with the Academy will cost around $1000 for an adult dog and about $250 for a puppy. 

So, yes. The Karen Pryor Academy is an OPTION when it comes to training your dog or even becoming a professional dog trainer; however, is it the ONLY option when it comes to training your dog?

The price is too high, and I would much rather find a more reliable and extensive resource to rely upon. This is especially true if I was JUST trying to train my dog!

The More Competitive Alternative: K9 Training Institute

Now, if you are JUST looking to train your dog or even start learning how to train dogs, this more competitive alternative could be your BEST pick!

The K9 Training Institute is a VERY popular dog training program and is considered to have a BIGGER client base than the Karen Pryor Academy. 

The K9 Training Institute also provides courses that can help you better train your dog! However, the courses are one thing.

They offer a FREE Dog Training Workshop that is a GREAT place to look when looking to start training your dog. 

Not only do you NOT have to invest money into testing the content, but you also get a real practical feel and understanding of how the institute works without paying a single dime. 

This is why the K9 Training Institute is much bigger than the Karen Pryor Academy programs.

When considering the content’s quality, take it from me; the lessons and guidance in this FREE workshop are GOLD!

The courses offered by the K9 Training Institute are also fine-tuned and tailored as a Masterclass that you can attend, which will cost you money. 

However, the initial workshop is 100% free; you don’t need a credit card. All you need is an email address and a mobile number.

Take it from me here at iPetGuides; when it comes to finding valuable content that could help you improve your pet’s quality of life, iPetGuides is on it! 

So, TRUST the value of the content and the QUALITY assurance of guidance and delivery, and trust the most trustworthy FREE resource to help YOU train your furry friend!

Other dog training program reviews:

Final Thoughts

When training your dog, finding the right information can be difficult. With so much information available to us through the internet, you never know who you can really TRUST to deliver the most value.

Often, we are misled to think that expensive things have more value. This is not always the case, and we must always weigh the value of a product in comparison to the cost. 

With that in mind, it is just to state that in this review on how to train your dog, the Karen Pryor Academy has not proved to be the most recommendable considering their courses are rather expensive. 

Though it can provide value, that value will come at an exorbitant price. Plus, not all content is absorbed well by everyone.

So it is best to sample the content before committing large sums of money in hopes of effective instruction delivery when training your dog! In this case, you can checkout the free workshop provided by K9TI.

FAQs

No, the Karen Pryor Academy is not free. Many of their courses require payment.

The Karen Pryor Academy is a reputable training program, but it can be expensive compared to other options and may not be considered the “best” choice.

The Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional Program costs $5600 in the USA, although prices may differ in other countries.

BETTER ALTERNATIVE
K9 Training Institute
k9 Training Institute logo
Effectiveness
Ease of Training
Price

4.8

4.8

5.0

Overall Score

4.9

visa-master-amex-paypal
Pros
It is suitable for any type of dog with behavioral issues.
The institute has a free online dog training workshop.
The K9TI offers unlimited personal coaching for specialized training.
Training works well for both puppies and adult dogs.
Get the BEST PRICE valid until the end of December
Cons
The paid dog training program can be a bit expensive, but there is a free workshop too.

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Author
Cristina Cerase
Cristina Cerase is a graduate of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She is also a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) in both Canine and Feline Practice. She has a Labrador Retriever dog breed.

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