How to hire a service dog trainer

How to hire a service dog trainer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step service 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 service dog trainer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new service dog trainer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a service dog trainer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a service 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a service dog trainer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a service dog trainer that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of service dog trainers.

   Type of Service Dog Trainer	Description	Hourly rate
   Service Dog Trainer	Animal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals... Show more	$11-23
   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
   Customer Service Trainer	A customer service trainer is responsible for training new and experienced customer service staff, providing them with the best strategies and techniques to handle customers' inquiries and concerns. They also resolve customer complaints and ensure customer satisfaction, building good customer relationships, maintaining the company's reputation, and increasing revenues... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Safety Procedures
   • Training Materials
   • Training Sessions
   • Food Safety
   • Training Programs
   • Food Service
   • Guest Service
   • Service Training
   • New Servers
   • Product Knowledge
   • Safety Standards
   • Food Preparation
   • Training Curriculum

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and calculate daily cash deposits and prepare daily payroll ledgers.
   • Greet and assist guest in an upscale dining establishment with knowledgeable wine and dinner suggestions to ensure an exceptional dining experience.
   • Increase restaurant profits by up-selling bottles of wine, wine pairings, cocktails, and after dinner dessert wines and cordials.
   • Coordinate with doctors and register nurses to develop respiratory care plans for patients and provide necessary health education training.
   • Assure proper annotation of administrative MWD utilization and training records used for legal reviews.

   More service dog trainer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the service dog trainer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A service dog trainer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a service dog trainer in North Carolina may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level service dog trainer. Additionally, a service dog trainer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average service dog trainer salary

   $16.44hourly

   $34,195 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level service dog trainer salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

   Average service dog trainer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$55,046	$26
   2	Florida	$35,350	$17
   3	Missouri	$33,992	$16
   4	Virginia	$32,021	$15
   5	Ohio	$30,929	$15
   6	Washington	$30,060	$14
   7	Texas	$27,254	$13
   8	Oklahoma	$26,111	$13

   Average service dog trainer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	General Dynamics	$38,733	$18.62	24
   2	JEAN-GEORGES MANAGEMENT	$37,964	$18.25
   3	Liberty Healthcare	$35,696	$17.16	4
   4	OneBlood	$32,679	$15.71
   5	CSL Plasma	$32,571	$15.66
   6	Isuzu Diesel Engines	$32,499	$15.62
   7	Loudoun County Social Svc	$31,387	$15.09
   8	Conduent	$29,499	$14.18	5
   9	Liberty University	$28,653	$13.78	3
   10	Burrell Behavioral Health	$27,870	$13.40

4. Writing a service dog trainer job description

   A service dog trainer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a service dog trainer job description:

   Service dog trainer job description example

   You could be the one who changes everything for our 26 million members. Centene is transforming the health of our communities, one person at a time. As a diversified, national organization, you'll have access to competitive benefits including a fresh perspective on workplace flexibility.
   
   Position Purpose: The Member Services Trainer will partner with internal clients and technical subject matter experts to develop and deliver training programs to our new and seasoned staff. In addition, they will provide technical consulting and support to effectively maintain and deliver training. Further, the incumbent will identify learning objectives and design learning solutions.
   
   ***This position is fully remote but the Trainer is expected to work 8:30am-5pm EST hours no matter their location***
   Responsibilities:
   
   Partner with internal clients and technical SME's to develop and deliver training programs.
   
   Provide technical consulting and support to effectively maintain and deliver training; fulfills incidental or related duties as assigned.
   
   Perform duties of higher rated positions from time to time for developmental purposes.
   
   Identify learning objectives and design learning solutions> Design delivery modes and effectiveness measures that ensure knowledge and skill transfer.
   
   Deliver or facilitate training; create a positive learning environment.
   
   Assess trainee performance, evaluate training and development effectiveness.
   
   Partner with technical SME's to conduct business and performance needs assessments.
   
   Attend workshops, review professional publications, work to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of instructional technologies.
   
   Education/Experience: BA/BS- Bachelors Degree or equivalent experience. Health Care/Training experience required. Supervisory and leadership skills. Will be expected to serve as coach and mentor to new employees within the organization. Strong ability to work independently as well as in a group. Strong writing skills, including policy and procedure develop. Customer Service: Skilled to communicate with all levels of staff. Strong ability to communicate across all lines of the organization. Skilled to work in a fast paced environment. Must have strong analytical and problem solving skills. Ability to provide a progressive experience in training individuals and groups. Facilitate complex discussions. Ability to develop technical training materials for instructor-led, self-paced, and computer-based training, using sound instructional design methodology. Ability to effectively present and facilitate various technical training programs. Ability to effectively design and facilitate training across the organization using sound instructional design methodology. Ability to manage a classroom and create a dynamic and positive learning environment. Working knowledge of training practices and techniques> Implement principles of adult learning. Systems implementation experience, design and development processes. Ability to identify gaps in performance and make potential suggestions to leadership team on how to improve upon those gaps. Proficiency in Microsoft Office; Lotus Notes; Facets, Visio. Knowledge of organizational development, quality principles including eligibility and enrollment rules. Experience in HealthCare or managed Care organization Instructional Design Experience. Applied knowledge of training practices, techniques and the principles of adult learning, preferred. Experience in multi-media training: classroom, Web-based, blended, and video learning environments, preferred.
   
   Our Comprehensive Benefits Package: Flexible work solutions including remote options, hybrid work schedules and dress flexibility, Competitive pay, Paid time off including holidays, Health insurance coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) and stock purchase plans, Tuition reimbursement and best-in-class training and development.
   
   Centene is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, and values the ways in which we are different. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristic protected by applicable law.
   
   **TITLE:** Trainer - Member Services
   
   **LOCATION:** Various, Illinois
   
   **REQNUMBER:** 1353081

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find service dog trainers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with service dog trainer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 service dog trainer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the service 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new service dog trainer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a service dog trainer?