How to hire a dog trainer

How to hire a dog trainer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dog trainer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a dog trainer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dog trainer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a dog trainer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A dog trainer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, dog trainers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of dog trainers.

   Type of Dog Trainer	Description	Hourly rate
   Dog Trainer	Animal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals... Show more	$10-22
   Guide Dog Instructor	A guide dog instructor trains dogs, which are used as guides by people with disabilities. A guide dog helps a great deal for people who cannot do certain tasks on their own... Show more	$15-34
   Service Dog Trainer	A service dog trainer specializes in training dogs to perform service tasks for disabled handlers. They teach dogs to follow specialized commands and to be calm in stressful situations... Show more	$11-23

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Training Techniques
   • Customer Service
   • Behavior Issues
   • Various Training
   • Front Desk
   • Law Enforcement
   • Training Programs
   • Group Classes
   • Animal Handling
   • Behavior Modification
   • MWD
   • Training Sessions
   • Private Lessons

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Accept shipments and manage using AS400 system.
   • Bathe all types of dogs including clipping nails, cleaning ears, brushing teeth and cleansing anal glands.
   • Train assigned K9's in explosive detection, obedience and control aggression, building searches, area and article searches.
   • Conduct training programs in order to develop and maintain desire animal behaviors, husbandry and well being for all animals.
   • Include cutting the animals hair, giving them a bath, blow dry also clips their nails and clean their ears.
   • Train dogs in show handling, tracking, k-9 work, bite work ,

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your dog trainer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A dog trainer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, dog trainers' average salary in vermont is 38% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level dog trainers 52% less than senior-level dog trainers.
   • Certifications. A dog trainer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a dog trainer's salary.

   Average dog trainer salary

   $15.77hourly

   $32,811 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level dog trainer salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a dog trainer job description

   A good dog trainer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a dog trainer job description:

   Dog trainer job description example

   This entry-level animal care position earns a competitive wage of $13.00 - $14.00/hour . We provide great benefits and perks , including paid time off (PTO), medical bonuses, and advancement opportunities to grow in the company. If this sounds like the right entry-level opportunity for you, apply today!

   ABOUT CENTRAL BARK

   When dog owners in Carol Stream need a reliable, safe place to leave their fuzzy friends, they come to Central Bark. We are a doggy daycare that offers a variety of incredible services such as socializing, special training, boarding, grooming, and interactive playing. Our dedicated team adheres to our Whole Dog Care approach, which aims to nurture and enrich dogs throughout their entire lives. As dog parents ourselves, we take pride in loving on and treating every pet as if it were our own!

   We know it can be scary leaving beloved pets in the care of another, so we strive to build a team of caring, compassionate people who will take care of every animal. Every employee matters here because every employee is vital to our success. We thank our staff by providing generous compensation , great benefits , and a fantastic, positive work culture!

   A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DOG HANDLER

   As a full- or part-time Dog Handler, you perform vital work at our doggy daycare. Every morning, you help prepare the facility to open by turning on lights, adjusting the heat and air as needed, and getting the play area ready for the day. You cheerfully greet every dog and human that arrives and make notes about the specific needs of each pet. As our fuzzy guests are dropped off, you set them up in a good area where they can feel comfortable.

   Throughout the day, you take care of the dogs by playing with them, preparing their meals, and cleaning up after their messes. During every interaction, you treat each pet as if it were your own. At the end of the day, you reunite our doggy pals with their owners as well as perform other closing activities. You love working with animals all day and providing them with a sweet home away from home!

   QUALIFICATIONS

   • 16+ years of age
   • Ability to manage multiple dogs at once
   • Passion for working with animals

   Do you have excellent communication and interpersonal skills? Are you energetic and upbeat? Can you work well alongside a team? Are you motivated to do a great job? Do you learn quickly? If yes, you might just be perfect for this entry-level animal care position!

   WORK SCHEDULE

   This full- or part-time entry-level position can work between the hours of 6:30 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 6:30 PM with an hour lunch.

   ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR TEAM?

   If you feel that you would be right for this full- or part-time animal care job, please fill out our initial 3-minute, mobile-friendly application . We look forward to meeting you!

   Location: 60188

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right dog trainer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your dog trainer job on Zippia to find and recruit dog trainer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit dog trainers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new dog trainer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the dog trainer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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