Employment

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 The Happy Hound Play Park is seeking a Dog Trainer to join our team on a temporary basis from October until mid-February, with the possibility of extension. This position may be structured as full-time or part-time employment, depending on the candidate’s availability and fit.

We are a positive reinforcement–based facility that provides daycare, boarding, and training services, with a mission of transforming relationships and changing lives for dogs and their people. We’re intentional about finding the right cultural fit and hiring a trainer who shares our commitment to force-free, science-based training methods.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead group obedience and enrichment classes for various skill levels.
• Facilitate new client meet & greets and training consultations.
• Conduct one-on-one private training sessions tailored to client and dog needs.
• Provide training sessions and plans for board-and-train and day-train clients.
• Develop and implement behaviour modification programs for daycare and boarding dogs.
• Coach and support staff in handling, training, and reinforcement techniques.
• Communicate with clients regarding training progress, guidance, and follow-up support.
• Collaborate with fellow trainers to design and deliver training programs and services.
• Occasionally oversee group activities and personal play programs.
• Ensure consistent reinforcement of training goals across all programs.
• Maintain a safe and clean training environment for both dogs and clients

Requirements

• Dog training certification from a recognized organization (e.g., CPDT-KA, KPA, VSA, or equivalent).
• Minimum 2 years’ professional experience in dog training and/or behaviour modification.
• Strong knowledge of positive reinforcement and science-based training methods.
• Commitment to positive reinforcement and force-free values in all relationships and training practices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to support both dogs and their owners in a professional setting.
• Comfortable collaborating with staff and working independently in a dynamic environment.

Who Will Thrive in This Role

The right person for this role will be more than just a skilled trainer — they’ll be someone who:

• Embraces diversity and contributes to an inclusive, supportive workplace.
• Is collaborative, approachable, and eager to share knowledge.
• Pursues continual learning and development of skills to stay at the forefront of training and behaviour science.
• Is passionate about breaking the mold of traditional daycare and boarding environments.
• Thrives in an innovative atmosphere, always seeking better ways to serve dogs, their people, and the team.

Employment Details

• Position Type: Employee, full-time or part-time, temporary (until mid-February, with possibility of extension).
• Schedule: Up to 40 hours per week, including evenings and weekends based on class schedules and client availability.
• Compensation: Competitive hourly rate, based on experience.

Why Join Us?

At The Happy Hound Play Park, we’ve built more than a business—we’ve built a community. Our trainers don’t just teach skills; they help create lasting, positive change for dogs and their families. Joining our team means:

• Working in a supportive and professional environment.
• Collaborating with a dedicated team that values education, enrichment, and communication.
• Making a meaningful impact by helping dogs and people grow together

Please email us at info@thehappyhoundplaypark.ca and include an email introduction about yourself, your personal and professional goals and why you’d like to join us. Please include your current dog training certification and include recent continuing education you have completed.

If you previously applied, we invite you to apply again. We get a lot of applications and cannot always respond to all candidates.

You have not just a passion for dogs, but also a commitment to delivering the best possible care and to constantly learning more and doing better.

Required training will be provided and must be completed by the successful candidate, including WHMIS, First Aid, and Dog Body Language and Communication Training.

We are a positive reinforcement facility and our activity and educational programs support our goal to educate dog owners and empower them with the knowledge, skills and community to give help them give their dogs the best life possible. We use no aversive techniques, tools, or management methods.

This role:

In this role, your days will be diverse. You will work in all areas of The Happy Hound: dog daycare, boarding care, cleaning and client care and services. You will be engaging with and interacting with the public and will be a forward facing representative of The Happy Hound values and services.

Opportunities:

You will be working closely with all members of the team. We are avid supporters of education and building careers. If becoming a dog trainer is on your radar, there are opportunities to shadow trainers and support their programs. If simply working in the dog care industry is your heart's passion, then this is a diverse and varied job with a ton of potential.

The Hours:

This is a PT job with approximately 15 - 25 hours a week available. We have an anticipated schedule and can work around some other commitments, but flexibility in hours available to work will be required. Opportunity for additional hours if interested in any overnight shifts.

Evenings, weekends, and some holidays required.

Ongoing responsibilities:

• Overseeing play group and ensuring safety of play groups and all guests
• Safe handling of dogs
• Reception/check-in duties
• Customer service and client care
• Indoor and outdoor cleaning duties
• Feeding, medication administration according to instructions
• Administration duties and preparation for daily activities
• Being on-call once a week or as scheduled
• Other duties associated with each responsibility (such as cleaning, client services and communications, etc).

Wage: Starting at $17/hour

Essential Skills:

• Able and willing to follow directions, demonstrating consistent adherence to protocols learned and practiced during the training period
• Must love dogs and helping people.
• Must have good people skills and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced and changing work environment
• Ability to manage multiple priorities
• Strong leadership qualities (ability to use judgment, delegate, and be supportive)
• Good decision maker
• Responsible and reliable with an outstanding work ethic
• Ability to learn new software for client check-in and schedule updates
• Outstanding written/verbal communication
• Outstanding customer service skills
• Ability to be on feet for up to 8 hours at a stretch
• Ability to lift 50 lbs
• Ability to run/move/react quickly
• Computer proficiency
• Excellent work history and references
• Must be over 18 and authorized to work in Canada

Skills you must feel confident you can learn:

• Working knowledge of dog body language and behavior
• Capable of maintaining awareness of dog behaviour and responding promptly when necessary
• Working knowledge of dog group play management techniques
• Comfortable supervising and handling off-leash dogs
• Comfortable in an off-leash play setting with varying numbers of dogs of varying breeds, temperaments, sizes, and energy levels

The team you’ll be joining:

You’ll be joining a team experienced in the dog industry and in business development, with a track record of creating and proving business models and developing successful businesses. We very intentionally curate our team to complement one another’s strengths and we believe in investing personally and professionally in our team.

Please email us at info@thehappyhoundplaypark.ca and include an email introduction about yourself, your personal and professional goals and why you’d like to join us.

Please include a PDF or Word doc resume detailing your education and experience.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: $17.00-$20.00 per hour

Expected hours: 15 – 25 per week

Additional pay: Tips

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Flexible schedule
• On-site parking
• Store discount
• Tuition reimbursement

**Even though we're not currently hiring, you're welcome to submit your resume and express interest! We never know what's around the bend**

We are looking to fill an overnight Dog Boarding Attendant shift to work overnight shifts three or four nights a week, 9 pm - 6 am providing the highest standard of care and oversight for dogs in our care. This position combines administrative duties, cleaning, and hands-on dog care.

**If you have applied for positions in past, we invite you to re-apply. We are unable to respond to all applicants for each posting **

The Happy Hound Play Park is a positive-reinforcement facility, and no aversive techniques, tools, or management methods are used. We have a very safe and secure facility with 24/7 security monitoring.

This position reports directly to management, with accountability to the team leads/trainers.

The ideal candidate is someone who is physically active, able to multitask, has a positive attitude, can work independently and manage their time.

Experience with dogs is an asset. There is opportunity for this position to evolve to offer daytime shifts as well.

Hands-on training in dog care will be provided in advance of beginning overnight assignments. Additional required education for the position will be provided and includes First Aid, WHMIS and online dog care modules.

Job Type: Part-time, up to 36 hours a week

Salary: From $17.00 per hour

Schedule: 9 pm - 6 am

Work Location: In person

Essential Responsibilities:

Overnight monitoring and care:

• Ensure all boarding directives and instructions are followed for every guest and the highest standard of care is provided.
• Tracking dog sleeping and food consumption
• Providing dogs with morning bathroom let-outs
• Be prepared to handle minor first aid situations and quickly respond to any emergencies that may arise.
• Monitor dogs' behaviour and report any signs of illness or injury to management
• Assist with feeding and ensuring all dogs have access to fresh water
• Other duties as assigned

Cleaning:

• Perform cleaning duties including laundry; cleaning boarding, administrative areas and park areas; snow maintenance in parks and other cleaning duties as assigned.
• Assist with additional tasks and projects as asked by management.

Administration:

• Various administrative duties in support of operations

Teamwork & Communication

• Work as a team to ensure essential information is being communicated and tasks completed
• Communicate support or other needs to the team
• Read daily communications and take note of all comings/goings, special instructions, etc.
• Ensure that all communication is passed along to next shift
• Assist management in ensuring that all policies and procedures are being followed

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift to 50 pounds
• Handle animals weighing up to 150 pounds
• Work standing, walking and bending for up to 9 hour shifts

Experience and Qualifications:

• Must love dogs and be comfortable handling dogs.
• Must be comfortable working alone, independently with autonomy and with responsibility
• Previous experience in a pet facility or pet care environment a plus
• Excellent work history and references
• Must be over 18 and authorized to work in Canada

Please email us at info@thehappyhoundplaypark.caand include an email introduction about yourself, your personal and professional goals and why you’d like to join us. Please include a PDF or Word doc resume detailing your education and experience