Jobs at Dogs Trust – Training and Behaviour Advisor

Job Description:

To take the lead in the assessment of dogs entering or potentially entering Dogs Trust care and provide training programmes for dogs within our care. Providing pre-adoption support for adopters and decide the most suitable post adoption support, either in centre or through the post adoption support team. Provide training and professional guidance to all centre colleagues (staff and volunteers) in the implementation of rehabilitation, enrichment and training programmes, ultimately maximising dog welfare and opportunities to help find dogs their forever homes.

Job Responsibilities:

To assess the behaviour of dogs, before they enter the centre and during their stay, to identify potential behaviour needs, as per Dogs Trust Standard Operating Procedures.
Design and implement Behaviour Modification Programmes and training plans to enhance each dog’s chances of rehoming, in support of the centre’s priorities based on individual dog welfare and requirements. Oversee and support the implementation of training and behaviour plans by colleagues. Monitor the progress of individual training

Provide training and support of colleagues (staff and volunteers) at the rehoming centre, developing practical training and behaviour skills, this include delivery of the defensive handling techniques training course to all rehoming centre colleagues. With the management team, identify any staff/volunteer training requirements to help improve colleagues’ confidence around all dogs and maximise dog welfare.

Provide day to day supervision and guidance to the wider training and behaviour team (CC2 Trainers, Rehabilitation Trainers, Assistant Training and Behaviour Advisors and volunteers assigned to Specialist Rehabilitation Units).
Provide feedback to the management/senior behaviour team Senior Training and Behaviour Advisor (STBA) to let them know about any dogs of concern; including implementing programmes developed with the STBA, preparation and submission of behavioural medication requests and, where deemed necessary, prepare paperwork for submission to the London veterinary team regarding consideration of euthanasia.
Prepare paperwork and present information regarding dogs of concern at the centre’s Periodic Welfare Review – a four-monthly meeting with the Regional Manager, centre management team, centre veterinary team and senior behaviour team which the post holder usually chairs.
Provide a high standard of customer service to members of the public and adopters when meeting them in person or dealing with them over the phone/by email. To provide preand post adoption support to new adopters. This will include:

• Delivering the pre-adoption talks as required
• Work with the post adoption support team and the Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourists to assess the appropriate level of post adoption support for adopters and their Dogs Trust dog.
• Where dogs aren’t suitable for central post adoption support, provide 1-2-1 sessions for adopters and/or undertake home visits with new adopters as required under the guidance of the centre management team.
• Identify where Dog School is a suitable post-adoption requirement and recommend to adopters, including assessing if the individual dog is suitable to attend Dog School classes.

Kennel duties – all rehoming centre staff may be required to work in the kennels on occasions, performing Canine Career duties. What percentage of time this is will depend on the needs of the rehoming centre but isn’t expected to be more than 10% of the duties performed over an average year.
Be responsible for self-development and keep up to date with the latest thinking on canine behaviour and training, attending internal training courses and meetings as requested by the management team.

Job Requirements:

• A positive and proactive attitude and willingness to work with members of the public, staff and volunteers.
• Hard working, enthusiastic and a team player.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (verbal and written).
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Reliable and flexible
• Able to work on own initiative and have good judgement to escalate issues or seek guidance as appropriate.
• Passionate about enhancing the welfare of dogs in rehoming centres through the use of appropriate management, behaviour modification and rehabilitation programmes.
• An animal behaviour or welfare qualification, or evidence of working at an equivalent level
• Experience of working in a kennel/rehoming/welfare environment
• Thorough, in-depth knowledge of dog behaviour, training and welfare including practical experience in devising and carrying out behaviour modification and rehabilitation programmes.
• The ability to write, interpret and analyse comprehensive behavioural reports and record basic (descriptive) statistics where required.
• Experience of safely handling dogs of a range of different breeds and behavioural characteristics, including those who maybe fearful or aggressive
• Experience in reading canine body language, facial expressions and vocalisations, and be understand how these relate to the dog’s emotional state
• Understand the key indicators of compromised welfare in dogs and be able to recognise these in a kennel environment
• A good understanding of the importance of great customer service, ideally with experience of providing excellent customer care
• Administrative skills, including use of MS Office and computerised systems
• Commitments to the aims and objectives of Dogs Trust
• Ability to travel, including staying away from home on occasion, for training, meetings and conferences.
• Full, clean manual UK driving licence and confident driving a variety of vehicles

Job Details:

Company: Dogs Trust

Vacancy Type:  Full Time

Job Location: West Calder, Scotland, UK

Application Deadline: N/A

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