Head Trainer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

We are seeking a passionate and motivated individual looking to join Canine Compass Dog Training, a positive-based (R+) and in-home dog training company based in Charlotte, NC.

We are offering a fulfilling W2 position with a great work-life balance.

Are you burned out working for your company? Are you wanting to improve your dog training skills and knowledge? Are you disappointed with the lack of flexibility within your current team?

Then this is your opportunity to take your dog training skills to the next level! Canine Compass Dog Training is here to raise the standard in the dog training industry by providing in-home evidence-based solutions for behavior problems to dog owners in Charlotte. Canine Compass is a company that provides their team members with a kind and professional work environment. We maintain high standards for staff, dogs, and their owners.

Who we are:

• Canine Compass Dog Training may be a new company in Charlotte, but we are not new when it comes to training and behavior. Our owner is a previous elephant and rhino trainer, holds CPDT-KA and FDM certifications, and brings over 13 years of advanced training skills and knowledge to her clients and employees. With experience training complicated behavior chains with medical-alert service dogs, advanced obedience, and resolving unwanted behavior in dogs with a bite history, our owner works as our head trainer providing employees with a wide variety of knowledge and skills to better their dog training skills.

• Working in clients’ homes (with the option for doing Board and Train training if you would like), allows for our trainers to create lasting and fun relationships with their clients and dogs that lead to lasting success for behavior modification.

• We are choosy when it comes to what clients we work with, and want our employees to feel empowered, comfortable, and knowledgeable when working their cases. There will be opportunities for raises within the first 6 months of employment and beyond, because we are passionate about providing quality employment for those who work for us.

• We provide a balance of honesty, empathy, and knowledge to our clients, guiding them to understand their dog better, fulfilling their dog’s specific breed requirements, and changing their behavior for the better—all through the power of evidence-based positive reinforcement training.

• We are passionate about making a difference for dogs and our clients, and we want people who share our passions to join our team.

Who you are:

• We require all training staff to have experience working with people, whether in a customer service capacity or as a professional dog trainer. Preference will go to those with animal experience and training certifications like CPDT/CBCC/FDM/KPA.

• You must be prepared to handle obedience cases and lower-level behavior cases, and can opt-in to learning how to handle more complicated behavior cases as you gain more experience working for us.

• You should be able to step in immediately with our flexible onboarding process.

• You must be able to work at least 4-5 one-hour sessions a day, 5 days a week (Depending if you are hired for part-time or full time. Full time is 4 sessions per day as the minimum and average). During your probationary period these will likely fall Monday-Friday. Once you are working without supervision, you can choose which days you work, as long as it works for your clients.

• You must be able to drive to each of these sessions. Due to the nature of our industry and service area, some commutes are 30 minutes long in between sessions. Most times it is less than that. If a commute in between clients is 45 minutes to 1 hour, then you will receive an additional $10 travel fee per session.

• You must be comfortable working one-on-one with clients, providing feedback to them, and have strong interpersonal communication skills to build a positive repertoire with them. You must be able to professionally and confidently convey the science of dog training to dog owners, who may have little to no knowledge of dog behavior, or incorrect theories about dog behavior.

• You must be comfortable working with all dog breeds and sizes and have common-sense instincts when it comes to safety and reading dog body language.

Responsibilities:

Private Dog Training Lessons

• Conduct between 4-5, 60-minute in-person sessions/ lessons per day.

• Training sessions are performed at the client's home.

• Execute the training plan determined by our head trainer for each dog.

• Effectively teach your clients how to train their dogs in basic/advanced obedience.

• If present, work with each dog's behavioral issues and reach out to our head trainer if an unexpected behavior appears.

• Provide notes/updates when requested by clients or our head trainer. Provide quality photos and short videos of the dogs in your cases and/or you working with the dogs in your cases for social media or for evaluation purposes.

• New trainers will be in a probationary evaluation/training phase where you will go through the Canine Compass Dog Training protocols and work with our head trainer to ensure your training skills align with our expectations. The length of the onboarding phase will depend upon experience and performance, but typically lasts 3 months.

What we offer:

$28 per 60-minute lesson during your probationary period and then:

$30 per 60-minute lesson ( full-time staff will perform 4-5 sessions daily, with 4 sessions worth of pay guaranteed). ($2,400-$3,000 monthly, pre-tax)

**PLEASE NOTE: Pay can be negotiated to be higher if you hold any (approved) dog training certifications. 

• Professional development, including training, education, and a stipend to be applied to a conference or certification after 1 year of employment.

• Flexible work schedule.

• 2 weeks PTO can begin to be earned after the 3 month probationary period.

• Raises offered within the first 6 months of working and beyond (depending on performance).

• A professional, experienced, and supportive head trainer/owner and team.

• This is a W-2 full-time employment opportunity.

• 5% bonus pay of any training program sold due to Trainer’s sales efforts.

• Liability insurance covering services with CCDT

• Surety Bond Coverage

• Worker’s Comp Insurance

• CCDT Business Cards

• Canine Compass Dog Training Shirts and other company branded products

Work Location: In person, in client’s homes across the greater Charlotte area.