Dog Trainer & Dog-Walking Team Trainer for Frolic Pet Services

About the position Frolic Pet Services is seeking an experienced Dog Trainer to train and support dog and cat sitting clients, and crucially, to assist in supporting and training their team of professional dog walkers. This part-time role can be combined with office scheduling or dog walking positions for more full-time hours (35+). Frolic Pet Services is a locally owned, women-led professional pet care company operating since 2008 in the Puget Sound region, offering customized in-home pet care including dog walking, cat care, drop-ins, vacation care, sleepovers, and training services. They pride themselves on providing expert training and continued guidance to their W2 employee team, supported by a close-knit home office team. The company's service area spans from North Seattle to Federal Way, based on staff location and client needs. The founder, a dog behaviorist, established Frolic to ensure all pets, regardless of breed or behavior, receive experienced care and support. As a Dog Trainer and Staff Trainer, you will provide insight, guidance, training, and evaluation to the Dog Walking team, conduct client pet behavioral evaluations, and offer client dog training. This involves close collaboration with the office team for coordination. While established procedures exist, a creative mind for adjustments is valued. You will report directly to the operations manager and interim owner, working from the Des Moines WA home office and in the field at client appointments. This position is part-time, with potential for more hours by taking on additional roles like dog walking, pet sitting, scheduling, or management, with opportunities for company ownership for experienced candidates. The company is also hiring for part-time dog walking/pet sitting positions.

Responsibilities

• Assistance with and/or at client appointments like dog walking and pet sitting of all pets, breeds, temperaments and training methods. - including overnight pets sitting in clients homes on an occasional basis as needed.
• Covering emergency call-outs to ensure pets are always cared for - all service areas.
• Behavioral evaluation of client pets over phone with client, in person, at client home, and over messaging.
• Identifying issues and coordinate a plan with the team.
• Providing basic training guidance to clients, when issues are identified, to ensure our staff can safely and successfully complete services.
• Take client and staff calls to support them through emergencies, questions, and provide guidance in various situations that may arise.
• Assist Operations manager and scheduling team in the companies scheduling system
• Update client profiles
• Initial dog walker interviewee evaluations
• New staff training - online, in person, and evaluation of service area / client introductions as necessary.
• Create and maintain a training profile for each staff member
• Provide continuing education, guidance, and training support to staff on an ongoing and case by case basis.
• Staff safety evaluation and body mechanic guidance. Ie. dog walk leash handling.
• Provide Dog training to clients using a combination of Frolic related methods/materials combined with your own.
• Provide hands-on, customized training services to new and existing clients
• Create a guidance plan for dog training clients for the dog walking team.
• Behavioral evaluations
• Use and adapt to any and all training methods that our clients request.

Requirements

• 3+ years experience working as a leader within a team, training, managing or supervising
• Comfortable with the many methods of training and various gear used by clients. ie comfortable supporting clients and staff with handling pets with different training styles, methods, and gear (harness, collar, prong, etc) to ensure the highest level of safety.
• Confident communication - high level
• Accountability and ownership - thinking ahead and making a plan
• Attention to detail and follow through - find an issue and execute
• Interpersonal skills to train and guide clients and staff of various personalities, behaviors, and physical skill and ability.
• Enjoys working in a small close knit team with a shared mission to provide the highest level of pet services to clients.
• Confident in being a spokesperson for our company - ie marketing in person, at events, and outbound calls.
• 2+ years professional experience with one-on-one Dog Training - we are not interested in group setting experience at this time.
• Professionally trained - with IN-PERSON HANDS ON EXPERIENCE. While we appreciate online training and continuing self education, our team needs practical experience.
• You adopt and adjust to various training ideologies
• High level leash handling skills - understand all tools clients could possibly use
• Behavioral analysis experience
• Behavioral modification - understanding various physical, mental, and emotional aspects
• Knowledge of dog body language
• Ability to read animal body language and adjust your own, as well as teach others to do the same
• Prior experience with a variety of breeds and behaviors - no doggie breedists, we love them all!
• 21+
• Drivers license
• reliable car
• travel within our service area required
• technology savvy
• Meet all the requirements we request of our Dog Walkers - see our website https://www.frolicpetservices.com/careers under the Tell Me More About "Physical Requirements" section.

Nice-to-haves

• team management and small business office or operations experience

Benefits

• options for commission

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