Are you a true-blue dog person who believes great training begins with building trust, rather than using force?

Do you find joy in that moment when a dog learns something new? Are you passionate about canine behavior, positive reinforcement, and helping dogs develop new skills while building confidence and trust? Do you believe that understanding how a dog feels is just as important as understanding how a dog learns? If so, we'd love to meet you!

Pets Are Family Pet Sitting Services LLC is seeking an experienced, compassionate, and enthusiastic Professional Dog Trainer to help launch and grow our new Walk & Train program and mentor our dog walkers! As a Fear Free Certified pet care company committed to force-free, reward-based handling and training methods, we believe that dogs learn best when they feel safe, comfortable, and supported. We're looking for a trainer who shares that philosophy and understands that successful training isn't about dominance, intimidation, or control. It's about communication, trust, consistency, and helping dogs make positive choices. This is an exciting opportunity to join an established, highly regarded professional pet care company and play a meaningful role in developing a new premium service.

About Pets Are Family

Pets Are Family is a professional dog walking and pet sitting company serving Alexandria, Virginia, and surrounding communities. Our reputation is built on providing exceptional, reliable, compassionate care and treating every client's pet as a cherished member of the family. Our Fear Free Certification reflects our commitment to recognizing and reducing fear, anxiety, and stress in the animals entrusted to our care. We believe that exceptional pet care requires more than simply meeting an animal's physical needs. It means understanding their emotional needs, respecting their individual personalities, and creating positive experiences.

About Our Walk & Train Program

Our Walk & Train program combines professional dog training with structured, individualized walks in the dog's own neighborhood. Unlike a traditional dog walking service, Walk & Train sessions are designed to teach dogs new skills, develop desirable behaviors, and help them become more confident, responsive, and comfortable navigating everyday experiences. Training takes place in real-world environments where dogs can learn and practice skills that improve their daily lives.

Our program focuses on:

• Teaching loose-leash walking and reducing pulling
• Building focus, engagement, and responsiveness to the handler
• Teaching foundational obedience cues and practical life skills
• Developing polite greetings and everyday manners
• Improving impulse control and appropriate responses to distractions
• Building confidence through positive experiences and enrichment
• Helping dogs develop comfortable, reliable walking routines
• Supporting dogs in learning to navigate everyday environments without unnecessary fear, anxiety, or stress

Every training session must prioritize the dog's physical and emotional well-being.

Our approach is rooted in Fear Free principles, force-free handling, positive reinforcement, and evidence-based training techniques. We believe training should be enjoyable and rewarding for both the dog and the trainer.

What You'll Do

Provide Professional Walk & Train Sessions

• Conduct individualized, one-on-one training walks with dogs in their neighborhoods and other appropriate environments.
• Teach new skills using humane, force-free, reward-based training methods.
• Assess each dog's current abilities, temperament, confidence, and individual learning needs.
• Develop realistic training goals and individualized lesson plans.
• Use positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behaviors and build confidence.
• Recognize subtle signs of fear, anxiety, stress, frustration, and overstimulation.
• Modify training activities, environments, and expectations to keep dogs comfortable and engaged.
• Apply Fear Free handling principles throughout every interaction.
• Balance structured learning with physical exercise, sniffing, enrichment, and opportunities for dogs to enjoy their walks.
• Maintain safe handling practices and respect each dog's individual physical and emotional limitations.

Track Progress and Communicate With Clients

• Document training activities, accomplishments, and areas needing improvement.
• Provide thoughtful, professional progress reports following each session.
• Communicate training goals and recommendations clearly to clients.
• Help clients understand how to reinforce newly learned skills using positive reinforcement.
• Educate clients about the importance of consistency, patience, and force-free training methods.
• Maintain accurate training records using our pet care management software.

Mentor PAF Dog Walkers

• Observe and provide feedback to the company's daily dog walkers
• Troubleshoot issues on dogs walks when they occur
• Provide initial training to newly hired dog walkers
• Contribute ideas for expanding our dog walking services.
• Help ensure all training practices align with Pets Are Family's Fear Free philosophy and professional care standards.
• Manage daily dog walker schedules for efficiency and balance

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who combines professional dog training expertise with compassion, patience, dependability, and an unwavering commitment to humane training methods.

Required Qualifications

• Previous hands-on experience professionally training dogs using positive reinforcement and force-free methods.
• Strong understanding of canine learning theory, behavior, and body language.
• Demonstrated ability to teach foundational obedience, loose-leash walking, and practical life skills.
• Knowledge of how fear, anxiety, stress, and environmental factors influence canine behavior and learning.
• Ability to recognize subtle stress signals and adjust training approaches accordingly.
• Experience working with dogs of different breeds, ages, sizes, temperaments, and learning abilities.
• Commitment to using humane, science-based, reward-based training methods exclusively.
• Excellent communication skills and a professional, client-focused attitude.
• Ability to work independently while following established company standards and procedures.
• Strong time management, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Dependable transportation, a valid driver's license, and the ability to travel between clients' homes.
• Physical ability to safely handle dogs and work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Willingness to complete a background check and participate in company training.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, or comparable professional dog training certification.
• Fear Free Certified Professional designation or willingness to complete applicable Fear Free education or certification.
• Two or more years of professional dog training experience.
• Experience conducting private training sessions or structured day-training programs.
• Experience developing individualized training plans and evaluating progress.
• Knowledge of cooperative care, canine enrichment, and confidence-building exercises.
• Experience collaborating with veterinarians, veterinary behaviorists, and other pet care professionals.
• Interest in helping develop a new service and potentially advancing into a leadership or training mentorship role.

Our Fear Free & Force-Free Training Philosophy

At Pets Are Family, how we train is just as important as what we teach.

Our Fear Free Certification and commitment to force-free methods reflect our belief that every dog deserves to feel safe, respected, and understood.

We recognize that fear, anxiety, and stress can interfere with learning and negatively affect a dog's emotional well-being.

Our training philosophy emphasizes:

• Building trust and positive relationships
• Using rewards and positive reinforcement to teach new behaviors
• Recognizing and respecting canine body language and communication
• Allowing dogs to learn at a pace appropriate for their individual needs
• Setting dogs up for success through thoughtful training plans and environmental management
• Providing appropriate choices, enrichment, and opportunities for positive experiences
• Prioritizing emotional well-being alongside skill development

We do not use shock collars, prong collars, choke chains, leash corrections, intimidation, physical punishment, or other aversive training techniques.

We do not subscribe to dominance-based training philosophies or methods intended to suppress behavior through fear or discomfort.

Our Walk & Train Specialists must embrace these standards without exception.

We also recognize the importance of working within our professional competencies and referring complex behavioral concerns to appropriately qualified professionals.

Position Details

Location: Alexandria, VA, and surrounding service areas

Schedule: Tuesday - Saturdays, hours flexible and based on company need and trainer availability

Employment Type: Hourly: ~ 30 - 35 hours a week

Compensation: $27 - $35 per hour based on prior experience and certifications

Start Date: As soon as we find the right fit!

Come help us build confident, happy dogs and stronger human-animal relationships--one positive experience at a time!

Learn more about Pets Are Family at www.petsarefamilypetsitting.com.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Job Type: Part-time

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• On-the-job training
• Referral program

Experience:

• Dog care (required)
• Certification or within 6 month of certification as a dog trainer
• Fear Free Certification (preferred)

Shift availability:

• Morning Shift (Required)
• Weekend Shift (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Alexandria, VA 22315 (Required)