Island Kennel Training Hong Kong: current fees and the method question
Island Kennel publishes private dog-training prices, from a HK$1,650 assessment to HK$6,900 and HK$11,200 programmes. Check the training method before booking.
Island Kennel Training makes the cost of private lessons unusually easy to see. It publishes the assessment fee, programme prices and expiry periods. Lead trainer Sebastian Alcaraz lists a psychology degree and CPDT-KA credential, and the service says private clients receive a written report after each session.
The question to settle before paying is its method. The website describes its approach as “minimally aversive”. That phrase leaves room for more than reward-based teaching. Ask the trainer who will handle your dog exactly what happens when it barks, freezes, refuses food or pulls on lead. Will they use leash corrections, choke, prong or electronic collars? We would book only a reward-based plan. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends that approach and advises against aversive methods.
What you will pay
These are Island Kennel’s published prices on 24 September 2026:
| Service | Price and commitment |
|---|---|
| Initial in-person assessment | HK$1,650 for 90 minutes |
| Tailored training | HK$6,900 for four meetings; valid eight weeks from the first session |
| Puppy Essentials | HK$11,200 for eight meetings over two months; valid twelve weeks from the first session |
| Single follow-up | HK$1,850 for 60 minutes, for clients who have already had an assessment and training |
| New-client phone consultation | HK$580 for 45 minutes |
Puppy Essentials is for dogs under five months. The site says six of its eight meetings take place in the first four weeks, so check that your household can keep up. Shelter-adopted puppies get 20% off that programme with adoption papers. Location surcharges may apply to in-person work.
Ask for a written total before choosing a package. Is the HK$1,650 assessment additional to the programme fee? What travel charge applies to your address? What happens if illness, a typhoon or a trainer cancellation pushes lessons past the expiry date? Those answers matter more than comparing a four-session package with a single hourly rate.
Who is it for?
The four-meeting plan covers concerns such as fear, leash pulling, guarding and household safety; the puppy plan asks for much more frequent owner practice. A private assessment is useful when a problem happens in a specific place, such as the lift lobby or outside your building. The website says the assessment is in person but does not promise it can happen at every client’s home. Ask where your dog will be observed and who will teach each meeting.
For a dog that has bitten, tell the service before anyone arrives. Agree on safe separation, whether a muzzle needs gradual introduction, and when a vet should be involved. If the behaviour appeared suddenly or your dog may be in pain, see a registered Hong Kong vet first. CPDT-KA is a training credential, not a licence to diagnose or prescribe.
Island Kennel is worth contacting if you want a priced, structured private programme and can practise between visits. The published numbers are a strength. Get the method and the full quote in writing before you commit. If the trainer cannot explain a reward-based plan for your dog, choose someone who can. See our Hong Kong dog-training guide for group and other private options.
Sources and disclosure
DogDogHK checked the official site on 24 September 2026. The prices, credentials and service promises above are the provider’s published claims; we did not attend a lesson or receive compensation. Confirm current availability and terms directly.