Dog Walker - Off Leash Pack Leader San Francisco

Dog Walker - Off Leash Pack Leader

Full Time • San Francisco
Replies within 24 hours
Benefits:
  • Company parties
  • Employee discounts
  • Opportunity for advancement
  • Training & development
#1 Dog Walker In SF – Work With Dogs Off-Leash, Outdoors, With A Great Team!

Winner of Best Dog Walking Company in SF + Bay Area multiple years

Looking for work outside? Want something new, exciting, active, and fun to offset the madness?

Fresh out of college and have no idea what to do with your degree? Studying for a grad degree and need to pay the bills? Need a sabbatical?

Simply love our fluffy, shaggy, large and small four legged barking friends?

Then we sure do have an offer for you: work with dogs. Seriously, it'll change your life. Your mind will be opened and your soul unleashed. It could be the best job you'll ever have. Keep reading!

We are always looking to meet quality candidates who could effectively LEAD OFF LEASH GROUPS OF DOGS THROUGH OPEN SPACE AT PARKS AND BEACHES with us. Teacher, dog trainer, coach, boot camp instructor, friend, confidant...we wear a lot of hats with these dogs, and sometimes they eat them!

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR are people who'd fit our core values well, who like being outdoors, who are responsible and caring, amiable, and professional at work. If you help us ensure that's you, you're in.

QUICK OVERVIEW & REQUIREMENTS:

  • Job Title: Pack Leader / Jr. Dog Trainer
  • Company: Citizen Hound LLC
  • Pay Range: Starting $22–$23/hr (plus outside-hours options like pet sitting, and plenty of room for growth up to $30+ or even salaries)
  • Schedule: Full-time, always Monday–Friday ~9:30am–4:30pm (opt in to more if desired)
  • Live in SF or within 5 miles
  • NOT Eligible If You Live In: East Bay, South Bay, North of San Rafael (automatic rejection, no exceptions)
  • No experience needed — we train you!
  • Must Commit: Minimum 1-year (because of our training investment)
  • Valid driver’s license & clean driving record
  • You must arrange TWO strong reference calls from past supervisors (to be supplied at the end of the hiring process should we get there)
  • Energetic, athletic, patient, and responsible
  • Great communicator, friendly, and ready to learn
  • We provide company vehicles. Extra $1/hr + mileage if you opt to use your own suitable vehicle
Why This Job Rocks: 

  • Outdoors, active, and meaningful work
  • Work with dogs — your soul will be unleashed
  • Opportunity to learn dog training & behavior
  • Use company vehicle (no vehicle required unless you want the $1/hr bonus)
  • Make a difference and be part of a tight-knit, supportive team
  • Get your hands into a small business — we're agile, and want enrollment
SKILLS YOU'll USE AND BUILD:

  • Problem solving, quality verbal and written communication, customer service, leadership, professional judgment, self-planning/organizing, time management, safety, adaptability/flexibility, proactivity, patience, initiative, creativity, teamwork, geographic navigation.
TRAINING & PAY TIERS:

It’s not different roles, but a growth path — because we want you to see how far you can go here:

Trainee: $22/hr, ~30 days to complete.

Dogtoral Candidate: $22.50/hr, ~60 days to complete.

Puppy Professor: $23/hr. After both training curriculum are complete.

Dean of Dogs: $24/hr, ~1 year+/-

Chancellor Of Canines: $25/hr, ~1 year+/-

Pro: $26/hr, ~2 year+/-

Team Leader: $27/hr+, ~2 year

  • Raises and promotions aren’t tied to time served. If you’re motivated or experienced, capable, and hitting the marks, you can move up quickly. We don’t believe in arbitrary timelines — growth here is based on readiness, not tenure
  • Annual earnings can reach $45k-65k+ with bonuses and extra work
  • Optional pet sitting and outside-hours walks = extra income
  • Earn PTO up to 15+ paid days off
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Lead regular packs of dogs off leash in open space shared with the public and other professionals.
  • Learn to analyze and diagnose dog training needs and perform dog training activities to build safe, prosocial behaviors.
  • Communicate with clients and managers about problems, successes, and ongoing daily activities with your dogs.
  • Work interdependently in a team of at least 10 other walkers and 2 managers.
  • Efficiently and safely navigate pickup and drop off driving routes and client home entry and exit instructions.
  • Help track and enable maintenance needs for a dedicated company vehicle.
THE HOURS:

Shifts typically run 6–7 hours, Monday through Friday, starting around 9:30 AM and ending around 4:30 PM. There are no mandatory nights, weekends, or holidays required.

Additional income opportunities include:

  • Boarding/Sitting, Extra Walks
  • Many teammates choose to take on regular extra walks before or after work to increase their weekly pay and hours but neither these nor sitting are mandatory
DURING A SHIFT YOU WILL:

  • Pick up your company vehicle in the service area
  • Use our app to read your daily schedule, routes, clients notes, etc
  • Drive house-to-house collecting dogs for your first pack
  • Take them to an off-leash location within our service area to run your adventure, with a teammate during training
  • Drop them off and repeat the route with your second pack of the day
Each group has 6 dogs you’ll get to know closely. Taking dogs off-leash can sound intimidating at first, but you’ll never be asked to do it alone until training is complete — and our training is extensive, hands-on, and high quality.

FAQs:

  • Where is the office? Where do we meet in the morning? We do not have an office; you pick up your company van inside our service area to start the day and get rolling to client’s houses, all of whom are regulars.
  • Will there be training? Yes, there’s ample on the job training. You are not asked to drop in and learn as you go.
  • Can I negotiate a higher starting salary if I have experience? Previous experience will undoubtedly help you move faster through our levels, as they’re not confined by time but objective performance metrics.
  • Are there medical benefits? Unfortunately at our current size we’re unable to provide benefits, but hope to be able to in the future if we can hit growth targets.
Development

  • Shadowing & full support during training
  • Learn advanced dog handling and leadership skills
  • Ongoing opportunities for growth. The learning curve is the earning curve
  • Build a resume of responsibility, leadership, service, organization, and emotional intelligence
About the Team

  • Friendly, fun-loving team of ~13
  • Ages 20–50+, great camaraderie
  • We hang out, grab drinks, and support each other
  • We are very considerate of who we bring on so that we build community
  • You’ll spend lots of time with coworkers and pups in the field
Meet the Team: www.citizenhoundsf.com/the-team

HOW TO APPLY:

VERY IMPORTANT: THIS JOB POSTING STAYS UP PERPETUALLY. IF WE ARE ACTUALLY HIRING RIGHT NOW YOU WOULD NOT SEE THIS LINE. YOU MAY STILL APPLY AS WE HAVE HIRED TO EXPAND WHEN WE SEE A HIGH QUALITY APPLICANT, OR IF YOU SEE ANOTHER LISTING ON INDEED WITHOUT THIS LINE, WE'RE HIRING. EMAIL US TO CHECK, IF YOU'D LIKE. 

  • Review the requirements above carefully
  • Submit a strong, personalized cover letter or intro email
  • Show us your personality & why you’d be a great fit
  • Include your phone number
  • Optional: Text, call, email or Indeed message us to follow up after you apply
Need More Reasons to Apply?

  • You want meaningful, non-desk work
  • You love dogs AND people
  • You're ready to grow, train, and take on responsibility
  • You want a job that’s active, structured, and outdoors
  • You’re reliable, upbeat, and eager to make a difference
  • You want to feel a part of a community
Inclusive Workplace

Citizen Hound is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants, regardless of race, gender, religion, orientation, identity, veteran status, or disability.
Compensation: $22.00 per hour




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