The Service Dog Academy is expanding. Our head trainer wants to focus on her diabetic alert dog training program and needs help to so so. Here is what we are hiring for:

Volunteer Training Assistant: Obedience Classes

Description:
Do you love dogs? Do you have a knack for training dogs using only positive reinforcement? Want to help people with disabilities by working for the only dog training school in the Northwest that saves lives, too? Don’t mind getting your hands dirty? You may be the person Service Dog Academy is looking for!

We need someone with weekday evening availability and weekends to assist our professionally certified dog trainers in pet puppy and pet adult dog classes. Keep in mind that while part of the job is engaging with dogs and learning first-hand positive reinforcement training methods from our highly reputable progam, your duties also include:

BEFORE CLASS:

  • Set up the room for students with at least a leash length of space between stations.
  • Set up reactive dog stations with gates and blankets.
  • Help students to their seats. Do not let the dogs greet each other.
  • Set up product table.
  • Cut up treats.
  • Make sure floor is clean.
  • Fill up dog water bowls.
  • Locate and line up instructional tools to be used in lesson (wheelchairs, crutches, skateboards, squeaky toys, etc.)

    • DURING CLASS:

  • After explanation and demo, work your way around the room assisting students with the exercise.
  • Rather than showing them how to do the exercise by taking their dog, walk them through the exercise step by step. Its doubly important to remember to use positive reinforcement methods on the human part of the equation, they are the ones paying for the class!
  • Assist students whose dogs are noisy during class!
  • Ideas for distracting a noisy dog include providing a Peanut butter or Cheese Whiz-stuffed Kong, playing the name game, “touch”, “say hi”, putting up the reactive dog barrier and/or working on basic commands quietly.
  • Again, help the student learn how to keep their dog focused and quiet rather than doing it for them.
  • Clean up any “accidents” using sanitizer and paper towels.

    • AFTER CLASS:

  • Clean up any dropped food left on the floor.
  • Clean out Kongs and empty water bowls.
  • Pack supplies away at the end of class and load into instructors car.
  • Put away any instructional aids.
  • Put chairs back on their risers.
  • Sweep and mop floor.

    • Get more details on the volunteer position here: https://servicedogacademy.com/wp/about/volunteer/

    Qualifications:

    – Must already have knowledge of our training methodology, extensive schooling in dog training and our methodology is preferred.

    – A desire to learn about service dogs and how to train them is a plus

    – Teaching or assisting experience is a plus.
    – Must be physically capable of light manual work, and being on feet for long periods of time.

    TO APPLY:

    Fill out the form on our volunteer page here.

    **This is an unpaid position
    ** Applicants must be willing to go through a background check
    ** You must adhere to only positive reinforcement training methods (no dominance methods allowed)

    Job Title: Assistant Trainer

    Description:
    The Service Dog Academy is looking for an assistant trainer. You will be helping with classes, shadowing individual appointments, staffing tables at festivals and cleaning the studio. For the right person this might turn into a real teaching position and an opportunity to do all the in home appointments I hate to do (I cant stand driving anymore). Must be willing to sign a confidentiality agreement, be interested in service dog training and be OK with working on weekends, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday evenings. For the right person this might also mean you can work on expanding our program to teach what you are interested in (reactive rover, rally, etc). Additionally we are looking for someone to write frequent keyworded website articles with free dog training tips and techniques for our students and help us write and/or apply for a research grant for diabetic alert dog training.

    Qualifications:
    Formal education in dog training or one year of professional experience — dominance/force/coercion based trainers need not apply.
    Basic computer skills in an Apple environment — own computer preferred
    Must have experience volunteering with dogs and/or people with disabilities
    Ability to pass both a background screen and random drug testing
    Ability to push/pull/lift up to 40 lbs
    Mad cleaning/organizing skills
    True desire to make a difference in someones life
    Grant writing skills a plus

    Pay:
    Commensurate with experience level

    To Apply:
    Email your resume and references to mary@servicedogacademy.com with the subject line of “I want to be a dog trainer at Service Dog Academy”.
    Calls about this job will not be returned and will immediately disqualify you from being in the running for this position.

    Special Considerations:
    Local candidates preferred. Relocation assistance not provided as this is a part time position.