Dog Trainer in Grimes, Iowa at Dogwoods Lodge

Dog Trainer — Full-Time
High-End, Well-Established Dog Facility

We are seeking an experienced, personable, and highly skilled Dog Trainer to join our highly awarded, well-established dog facility. This is a full-time, commission-based position for someone who is passionate about dogs, enjoys working with people, and has the knowledge, confidence, and physical ability to work with dogs of all sizes and temperaments.

We are willing to wait for the right candidate. We are looking for someone who takes pride in their work, understands that every dog and owner is different, and can provide an exceptional training experience from start to finish.

Compensation & Benefits
• Full-time, commission-based position
• Typical yearly total commissions: $50,000–$80,000
• Health benefits available
• Retirement benefits available
• Dog-related benefits available
• Opportunity to build a long-term career with a respected, established facility

What You'll Do
The successful candidate will be comfortable and capable of:
• Teaching group obedience and training classes
• Conducting private lessons with clients and their dogs
• Providing hands-on training and behavior modification
• Working with dogs of all sizes, breeds, ages, and temperaments
• Training dogs with challenging or complex behaviors
• Counseling and educating owners so they can successfully continue training at home
• Evaluating each dog and owner individually and developing effective training strategies
• Communicating professionally and building strong relationships with clients
• Maintaining a positive, professional, and confident presence in a high-end training environment

Experience We’re Looking For
Minimum requirements:
• At least 2 years of professional dog-training experience (mandatory)
• Extensive hands-on experience working with dogs
• Ability to physically and safely handle dogs of all sizes
• Experience teaching both group classes and private lessons
• Strong client communication and counseling skills
• Demonstrated experience with:
o Basic and advanced obedience
o Aggression and reactivity
o Hyperactive and high-drive behaviors
o Tricks and advanced training
o Behavior modification
o Owner education and coaching

Training Philosophy
We are looking for a balanced trainer who understands that there is no single training method that works for every dog.

The ideal candidate is experienced with a variety of training tools and techniques and understands how to appropriately use rewards, corrections and other training methodologies based on the individual dog, situation, and owner. You should be able to assess what motivates each dog and adapt your approach to achieve the best possible outcome while maintaining safety, clarity, and fairness.

We value trainers who are thoughtful rather than dogmatic — professionals who can explain why they are choosing a particular approach and who understand that successful training is ultimately about creating a better relationship between dogs and their owners.

Preferred Qualifications
• Certification from a nationally recognized dog-training academy or organization
• Formal education or continuing education in canine behavior and training
• Experience working with difficult, aggressive, reactive, or high-drive dogs
• Experience in a professional training facility
• Strong public-speaking and teaching abilities
• Proven ability to work independently while also contributing positively to a professional team

The Right Person
This position is not for someone who simply enjoys working with dogs…

We are looking for a professional dog trainer who is confident working with challenging dogs, comfortable teaching people, physically capable of hands-on training, and genuinely enjoys helping owners understand their dogs. This person must also be a good fit for our low-drama, hard-working team, and be willing to occasionally help teammates with difficult dogs.

You should be personable, patient, confident, coachable, and able to communicate complicated training concepts in a way that makes sense to everyday dog owners.

Because we have built a strong reputation and operate as a high-end facility, we will take our time to find the right person rather than fill the position quickly.

If you have the experience, skill, professionalism, and personality to become an important part of an established dog-training business, we would love to hear from you.
Apply if you believe you are an exceptional trainer and the right fit for our facility!