Territory Managers
Does it cost money to attend the SK9 Academy?
No!!! Our business model is to train incredible people that want to be part of our team long-term. We do not charge people to attend our program. We do the opposite! We pay people well while they are being trained, and then continue to support them long-term as a member of the Suburban K9 family.
What is covered during my time in the SK9 Academy?
Your training will encompass every aspect of dog training, from easy cases to anxiety and aggression. We start off with everyday issues, then slowly teach you to be able to handle any training issue. Your manager will be there every step of the way to teach you and shadow you on your appointments. Our program includes the following:
- Over 100 in depth classrooms
- Weekly quizzes
- Progression and proficiency scoring sheets
- Hands on training
- Mock training scenarios to get you ready for all types of issues
- Ability to shadow other trainers appointments
- Mentor program where you are connected with one of our senior trainers
- Managerial and Marketing training to prep you for your new location
How long is the program?
Our training program is 6 months (25 weeks) long. We want to make sure you are an expert, and able to handle anything when you open your new location.
What is a typical day in the life of a trainer in your program?
Trainers in our program have a busy but manageable schedule. Trainers in the Academy generally work around 40 hours per week. We typically meet 5 days a week at our training facility for training time. You will also shadow many different types of appointments, have appointments of your own, and get to train a variety of dogs!
Who will instruct me during the program?
Your training will be led by Lenny Szatkowski. He is one of our most senior trainers, and the Director of the Suburban K9 Academy. Lenny has been with the company for over a decade and has over 30,000 hours of dog training experience.
This training program was built from scratch by our management team. Our management team has over 40 years of dog training experience and is constantly monitoring and improving the program.
What can I do to be successful at this job?
We are looking for someone who is dedicated, passionate, willing to learn, and wants to be part of an ever-growing team. People who are motivated and hardworking will thrive in this position! We can teach anyone to be an excellent trainer, but we are looking for individuals who fit into our fun and family-oriented company culture!
What sets Suburban K9 apart from other dog training companies?
There are many things that set us apart, but there are two main points we like to explain to all new team members.
The first is our supportive team. Unlike a lot of businesses, we pride ourselves on having a fun and family-oriented team who are committed to helping each other prosper. From day one, we preach our company culture, and you get to see it first hand by meeting our super-supportive crew. Our entire team is available for questions, help, and support and our trainers from all over the country engage with each other on a daily basis. We also have a top-notch mentor program!
On the dog training side, what sets us apart is that we approach every dog differently. Every dog is different, so having one approach is not appropriate in order to give the clients the best training possible. Combine this with the fact that we do the majority of our training inside clients' homes and it means we can address any situation and help dogs live their best possible lives!
Once I move back to my new market, how will the company support me and help me grow?
We have built an incredible team that is here to help you succeed. Once Territory Managers have graduated from Suburban K9 Academy and go to their market, they will work closely with our Director of Training, Maggie Deemer. We also have a phenomenal Customer Service team that works seven days per week to book you clients and add them to your schedule. Our marketing team and IT team also work extremely hard to make sure that new clients are finding us and have a good experience on our website and during the booking process. Our goal is that trainers can spend their time doing what they do best. TRAINING DOGS!
Trainer Testimony
The best part of our job is our excellent supportive team! You may ask, “Is Suburban K9 a great company to work for”? I think an easier way to answer that is to ask some of our current team members!