What are the responsibilities and job description for the Certified Dog Trainer position at Pet Care Club?
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Opportunity for advancement
- Training & development
About Pet Care Club
Pet Care Club is a locally owned, locally run pet care company serving Des Moines, Ankeny, West Des Moines, and the surrounding metro. We do pet sitting, dog walking, boarding, daycare, and pet transportation — and we are adding one-on-one dog training to the lineup. Our clients already trust us inside their homes and with their dogs. Now they keep asking us who they should call for training. We would rather that be you.
We are hiring a certified trainer to build this program with us from the ground up. You bring the credential and the skill. We bring the client base, the scheduling, the billing, and the back office, so you spend your time training dogs instead of chasing invoices.
Compensation
$35-$45 / hr all in. This includes hourly wage, travel pay, and commission on packages sold. While you are earning commission on packages sold, you are not in charge of selling the packages. Travel time between consecutive appointments is paid. This is a W2 hourly position, not contract or gig work.
What You Will Do
- Run private, one-on-one training sessions in clients’ homes and around the Des Moines metro
- Assess each dog and build a plan the owner can actually follow after you drive away
- Handle the bread and butter: puppy foundations, leash manners, recall, house manners, and the everyday nuisance behaviors that make people want to pull their hair out
- Coach the humans. Most of this job is teaching owners to stay consistent between sessions
- Write up session notes and next steps in our team app after every appointment
- Know your scope and say so. Serious aggression or suspected medical issues get referred out, not improvised
- Help shape the program itself — pricing input, package structure, and what we should and should not be offering
What We Are Looking For
- Professional certification. Required. CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP, IAABC or CDBC, CBCC-KA, or an equivalent recognized credential. Tell us which one you hold and when you earned it.
- Documented one-on-one training experience. Group classes are a fine background, but this role is private, in-home work. We want to hear about specific dogs and specific owners you have worked with.
- Reward-based methods. We work positive reinforcement and LIMA. No prong, shock, or dominance-based work under our name.
- Reliable, insured vehicle and a valid driver’s license. You will be driving between client homes.
- A smartphone with a reliable data plan for scheduling and client updates.
- Comfort writing. Owners get a written recap after every session, and it has to be clear enough to follow without you standing there.
- Willingness to complete a comprehensive criminal background check.
Nice to Have
- Experience with puppies and with senior dogs — both are a big share of our client base
- Pet first aid and CPR certification
- Experience taking referral cases alongside veterinarians or behavior consultants
Perks of the Club
- W2 employee, not a gig worker. We handle your payroll taxes, and you are fully covered under our comprehensive corporate liability insurance, bonding, and worker’s compensation.
- Paid travel time between consecutive appointments. Your drive time is on the clock, not on you.
- A warm client base. You are not cold-prospecting. Our existing pet parents are the pipeline.
- Flexible part-time schedule built around your availability, with room to grow as the program does.
- Paid onboarding and ongoing training and development.
- Independence and support. Work independently without micromanagement, backed by an admin team that actually answers.
- Unmatched co-workers. Wagging tails, and the occasional deeply judgmental cat.
Salary : $35 - $45