Dog Behavior Trainer

Dog Behavior Trainer

APA! BACKGROUND: Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and best-loved nonprofits. The organization is the leader in the no kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at-risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a no-kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals. The organization is distinguished by the scrappiness of its grassroots, non-traditional community-based animal rescue work. 

The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and teaches its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, AmPA! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) project, a collaborative movement of more than 10,000 animal welfare professionals working in nearly 1,900 organizations. HASS is the first-of-its-kind collective of shelters and animal welfare professionals coming together to build community-focused animal services that better meet the needs of people and pets by keeping human-animal families together and keeping pets unnecessarily out of shelters.

BRIEF POSITION SUMMARY/OVERVIEW: The Dog Behavior Trainer plays a key role in the success of APA!’s mission to save the lives of dogs with behavioral challenges and help them thrive in adoptive homes. This position is responsible for hands-on training, socialization, enrichment, behavior assessment, and behavior modification for a diverse population of dogs, ensuring their mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being. From managing complex cases to leading volunteer education, the Dog Behavior Trainer is instrumental in advancing the health, safety, and adoptability of APA! dogs.

The Dog Behavior Trainer is responsible for managing their daily responsibilities, maintaining clear priorities, and delivering consistent, high-quality work that aligns with APA!’s values and goals. This includes staying organized, using data or feedback to inform decisions, and following through on key tasks and responsibilities with minimal oversight. This is a hands-on, mission-driven role focused on results, reliability, and teamwork.

APA! is a volunteer-powered organization, so every staff member is expected to work alongside and support volunteers. The Dog Behavior Trainer collaborates closely with volunteers to complete day-to-day tasks, helps create a positive and inclusive environment, and actively contributes to a culture of shared effort and mutual respect.

This position may involve shift flexibility, weekend hours, and responsiveness during times of high need or MOD coverage. 

Every individual at APA! is responsible for working in collaboration with volunteers; making sure volunteers are recruited, trained and feel impactful through their efforts at APA!. A core part of this role is creating a welcoming and empowering experience for volunteers, including assisting with onboarding, training, and volunteer engagement as part of the day-to-day workflow.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Actively contribute to a volunteer-powered culture by partnering with volunteers during every shift and helping create an inclusive, welcoming environment
• Work alongside volunteers to complete daily tasks, ensuring the work is shared and collaborative—not siloed
• Support the recruitment and onboarding process by welcoming new volunteers and helping them get oriented to the program
• Help retain volunteers by offering encouragement, guidance, and feedback during shared work
• Recommend strong volunteers for deeper involvement or specialized roles to your supervisor or volunteer manager
• Contribute to a positive culture by recognizing volunteer contributions through appreciation, gratitude, and shoutouts
• Help set volunteers up for success by clearly explaining tasks, providing hands-on guidance, and offering in-the-moment support

Behavior Training & Enrichment

• Safely handle and train dogs of all breeds, sizes, and behavior profiles.
• Conduct daily playgroups to encourage healthy socialization and reduce kennel stress.
• Design and implement enrichment activities to support each dog’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
• Develop and execute individualized training and behavior modification plans using science-based, humane methods.
• Lead behavior consults, adopter meet-and-greets, and dog-dog introductions to ensure safe and successful placements.

Behavioral Evaluation & Documentation

• Perform formal behavioral assessments to determine a dog’s temperament, stress level, and placement potential.
• Maintain thorough and up-to-date behavior notes in the shelter database.
• Collaborate with shelter teams to make informed, behavior-based outcome decisions for dogs.
• Support behavioral evaluations of dogs at partner organizations, such as Austin Animal Center.

Education, Training & Mentorship

• Provide training and mentorship to staff and volunteers to build shelter-wide behavioral literacy.
• Lead educational workshops or informal learning opportunities focused on dog behavior and communication.
• Help cultivate a safety-minded culture through clear protocols and consistent coaching

Collaboration & Operational Support

• Collaborate with medical, adoption, and foster teams to provide holistic care and support for each dog.
• Assist veterinary staff with medical appointments, including handling dogs with behavioral sensitivities.
• Support volunteer recruitment and foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all team members.

Safety & Risk Management

• Uphold the highest standards of safety when working with dogs, especially those with behavior challenges.
• Proactively identify and communicate behavioral risks and necessary management strategies.
• Apply evidence-based interventions that prioritize safety, empathy, and effectiveness.

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Achieve mastery of specialization roles within the department.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization, ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for both dogs and staff.
• Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings.
• Maintain timely, open and consistent communication with the Director, Manager, Supervisors, and colleagues.
• Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager or director.
• Must demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, use of reasoning, and good judgment skills
• Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
• Maintain open and consistent communication with Program Manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues
• Partner with Volunteer Managers to learn about the volunteer programs and support volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis
• Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
• Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
• Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
• Comfortable working autonomously when given goals and deadlines

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

• This role offers a tiered career pathway with clear advancement opportunities based on experience, demonstrated skill, and behavioral knowledge. Team members begin at a level commensurate with their experience and have the ability to progress through career promotions as they gain expertise in training, handling, and behavior rehabilitation.
• Opportunities for growth within APA!'s Behavior Program, including advanced training certifications, leadership roles, and specialization in behavior modification techniques are available to all Behavior Team members.
• Access to professional development resources such as workshops, seminars, and mentorship from experienced behaviorists are provided.

Advancement criteria may include:

• Increased experience with handling dogs displaying significant behavior challenges.
• Completion of advanced training and behavior certifications.
• Leadership in mentoring junior staff and volunteers.
• Direct involvement in behavioral outcome decision-making.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, & EXPECTATIONS:
Required Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience working with dogs in a professional setting.
• Understanding of basic dog training principles and ability to read canine body language and stress signals.
• Commitment to working respectfully and productively with staff, volunteers, and members of the public.
• Commitment to humane, evidence-based training methods.
• Physical ability to handle large, strong, and energetic dogs, including those with behavioral challenges.
• Ability to uphold and promote high safety standards in working with dogs of all sizes, breeds, and temperaments.
• Commitment to being flexible and adaptable in responding to the evolving needs of the program and organization.
• Ability to react to change productively, and maintain a positive and solution-focused approach as challenges arise.
• Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions and represent the program positively.
• Commitment to APA!’s mission and a strong desire to increase its life-saving capacity.
• Embodiment of APA!'s core values of innovation, respect, drive, resourcefulness, and inclusion.
• Commitment to APA!'s customer experience expectations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Formal training certification (CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, DPFL, etc.).
• Hands-on experience with behavior modification.
• Previous animal shelter experience.
• Proven ability to lead training workshops and mentor staff/volunteers.
• Experience conducting full behavioral assessments and determining placement suitability.

PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to routinely lift 40-50 pounds.
• Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather.
• Must be able to comfortably interact with cats/dogs of various health levels, including cats who may carry zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, scabies, intestinal parasites, etc.
• Must be able to walk big dogs that pull and jump for multiple hours a day.
• Must be able to be on your feet for long periods of time.
• Must be able to visually observe people and animals from up to 150 feet away.                     
• Ability to hear normal speech at close contact and shouting up to 150 feet away with the ability to hear and discern dog vocalizations both soft and loud.
• Must be able to pass all required dog handling training required for this position.
• If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship to the organization.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

• Use own transportation to travel and transport.
• Exposure to unpleasant odors and noises.
• Work is approximately 75% outdoors and 25% indoors, regardless of weather.
• Possible exposure to contagious diseases.
• Rapid pace with exposure to potential hazards including animal waste, disinfectants, and high levels of noise.
• Potential for animal bites and scratches and diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people.
• Must be able to walk around shelter as needed - uneven ground, keeping a safe distance from dogs and handlers.

TIME COMMITMENT: 

• This is a part-time, nonexempt position with up to 29 hours per week, based on business need
• Shift and schedule flexibility is required, as weekly schedule is subject to change
• Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Occasional after-hours work may be required to support program needs.

PAY:
This position starts at $18. Eligible employees will be able to receive up to $2/hr stipend within approximately 6 months through successful completion of internal APATec certifications (applicable to shelter operations, customer service, and medical roles). *Certifications and stipends are discretionary and subject to change based on business need.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: Reports directly to the Dog Behavior Program Manager.

LOCATION'S: 
APA! Main - Town Lake Animal Center 1156 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78703
May travel to offsite locations as needed

BENEFITS:
All employees are eligible for access to an Employee Assistance Program, Discounted Perks Programs, fully subsidized Pet Insurance and time off incentives.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT
Austin Pets Alive! is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply. 

Austin Pets Alive! does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Austin Pets Alive! is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation.

APA! is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the employment application process. To request an accommodation, please contact Talent Acquisition at [email protected]  at least one week in advance of your interview.