China woman spends US$1,700 to enrol dog in school for personality testing, training, company
A young Chinese woman has spent US$1,700 to enrol her six-month-old dog in a pet kindergarten for companionship and personality testing.
Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin A young Chinese woman has spent an eye-watering 12,000 yuan (US$1,700) to enrol her six-month-old Samoyed in a dog kindergarten due to her busy work schedule.
The woman opted for a package that includes personality testing, behaviour training, social activities and even a school bus for pickup and drop-off.
The woman, who uses the pseudonym Taotao, was born in the 1990s, and is based in Shanghai.
She said that due to a lack of time to provide enough companionship, she enrolled her six-month-old Samoyed in a “dog kindergarten” for training.
A dog being trained by a coach in a park in China’s capital, Beijing.
Photo: AFP “I am usually too busy with work and do not have much time to keep it company,” Taotao told Cover News.
The service costs 12,000 yuan a month.
According to Taotao, the monthly fee includes a daily boarding charge of 188 yuan (US$30), 368 yuan for “parent-child” interaction classes and a “school bus” pickup and drop-off service, while pet meals are charged separately.
The facility also offers a one-stop service that includes personality testing, behavioural training, daily cleaning, health check-ups and socialisation for pets.
A happy-looking little white dog waits for its next instruction at “school”.
Photo: Shutterstock Owners can also monitor their pets in real time online.
A founder of such a pet school in Shanghai, surnamed Chen, said that these courses and services are in high demand, with a waiting period of two to three weeks for enrolment.
During the off-season, the facility can accommodate around 20 to 30 pets, but during peak periods such as the Chinese New Year, it may house more than 100 pets.
People play with a tiny canine in a pet shop at a Beijing shopping centre.
Photo: AFP According to the 2026 China Pet Industry White Paper, the market size of urban pet consumption in China reached 312.6 billion yuan (US$45 billion) in 2025 and is expected to exceed 405 billion yuan by 2028.
These pet kindergartens not only cater to pet owners’ needs but also help correct behavioural issues in dogs, such as excessive barking, jumping on people and inappropriate urination.
Currently, pricing in the industry varies widely.
In Shanghai, for example, basic day care services cost around 950 yuan (US$140) per month, mid-range services range from 3,000 t
原文链接: 南华早报