Shelter to Service Dog Trainer

Position Summary:

The Shelter to Service program selects, evaluates, trains, and places shelter dogs with applicants with mental health challenges seeking a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD). The program also trains and places facility dogs, therapy animals (Pet Hug Pack) and emotional support animals (ESAs).

The Shelter to Service Trainer’s role includes providing program dogs and participants with a strong foundation of obedience skills (foundational training), teaching them specific skills to help mitigate a program participant’s disabilities (service skills), and ensuring that each dog/handler team demonstrates safe, appropriate behavior when out in public places (public access skills.) 

This pivotal role provides class instruction to both VFTs (Volunteer Foster Trainers) and participants, assists in matching appropriate dogs with handlers, and provides post-graduation support through behavior and dog management counseling, group training classes, and private training sessions.   

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Interact and communicate with colleagues, volunteers, and the public in a manner that advances a culture of positivity, professionalism, trust, transparency, empathy, and excellence at Joybound.
• Teach group and private dog training classes for both volunteers and program participants in accordance with Shelter to Service curriculum and Assistance Dogs International (ADI) standards, incorporating obedience, service-specific skills, and public access while mitigating specific disabilities and unique needs of each student during the program. Create training plans for dogs and teams in training as needed. 
• Train dogs on- and off-site to prepare them for Foundational Skills (basic obedience) class and to better determine if the dogs are candidates for the program. 
• Assist in daily care, feeding, medicating, enrichment, and exercise for program dogs on site. Note and report any health concerns. 
• Administer Foundational Skills and Public Access tests. 
• Provide post-graduation participant follow-up at prescribed intervals or as needed to troubleshoot and problem-solve issues and ensure a healthy working team relationship; conduct scheduled annual team recertifications. 
• Adhere to all Assistance Dogs International (ADI) standards. 
• Provide excellent customer service to participants, volunteers, community partners, and members of the organization, upholding Joybound’s values at all times. 
• Continue advancing knowledge in dog training, teaching skills, and mental health & disability awareness to meet continuing education requirements (per ADI and/or the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). 
• Assist in developing, refining, and implementing teaching curriculum, protocols, SOPs, manuals, handouts, and video trainings for both VFTs and participants. 
• Record and maintain detailed records tracking each dog’s training progress in sessions with trainers, volunteers, and participants. 
• Communicate in a timely fashion with participants and VFTs via phone, text, and/or email correspondence. 
• Develop and record or present in-person and virtual orientations for VFTs and participants. 
• Set up and remove class supplies before and after each class, maintaining cleanliness of teaching spaces. 
• Participate in events as requested to help support and promote recruitment of prospective volunteers and participants for the program.   
• Conduct Pet Hug Pack (PHP) initial assessments and yearly reassessments for dog and cat teams. 
• Teach PHP classes and assist with ongoing educational training for PHP teams. 
• Train and mentor S to S volunteers. 
• Assist with screening process for program applicants, including application review, phone interviews, and in-person assessments. Assess applicants’ personal dogs for PSD and facility training. 
• Assist in matching dogs with PSD & facility participants and ESA applicants. 
• Collaborate with Shelter to Service Specialists to assist with evaluation of program candidate dogs. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of shelter-related illnesses and treatments. 
• Possess knowledge of and ability to implement effective positive training methods, problem solving, curriculum implementation, and instruction for group training classes and one-on-one sessions. 
• Effective written and verbal communication skills. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter, skilled facilitator, and possess strong organizational skills. 
• Affection for animals, concern for their welfare, and a willingness to accommodate animals in the workplace.
• Pre employment background screening required and complete livescan/fingerprinting process.
• Must complete Mandated Reporter training before working with youth and renewed every two years of employment with Joybound People & Pets.
• Must have a valid California Driver’s License and must not have more than two at-fault incidents in a three-year period and no major at-fault violations in the last ten years and must be insured.

Education and Experience:

• Minimum of one year working as a service dog trainer (candidates with experience training other types of assistance dogs or significant work as a professional dog trainer will also be considered).   
• Completion of an instructor training program (Bergin University, apprenticeship/instructorship through an assistance dog organization, etc.) is strongly preferred. 
• Experience training dogs using positive reinforcement as primary method of animal behavior modification, and a solid understanding of learning theory. 
• Demonstrated experience working with individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or mental health conditions, and an understanding of TBI and/or post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptomology preferred. 
• Experience working directly with a wide range of dogs, particularly shelter dogs and dogs with behavior modification plans, is a plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Specific physical abilities required by this job include:

• Ability to perform physical tasks related to large-breed service animal care and training.  
• Ability to lift and move objects and animals weighing up to 50 pounds for short distances and to humanely restrain animals when necessary. 
• Ability to kneel, bend, stoop, squat, reach, grasp and turn objects, stand, and/or walk frequently and repetitively throughout each shift. 
• Tetanus and rabies inoculations required or must be waived. 
• Ability to push/pull moderately heavy objects up to 25 pounds. Walk dogs weighing up to 150 pounds in a variety of weather conditions. 
• Ability to assess animals visually, audibly, and through other techniques. 
• Dexterity to handle animals and small objects. 
• Capacity to sit for long and short periods of time while using a computer. 
• Work environment includes constant exposure to animals and animal allergens.
• Tetanus and rabies inoculations are required or must be waived.
• Drive an automobile.

Hours:

Nonexempt:

Full-time, non-exempt, onsite position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week. Hours and workdays may vary according to the needs of the department. Occasional evening and/or weekend work may be required.

At Joybound, we value diversity and treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of or traits historically associated with race; color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.