Who we are
Coal Creek Canine Co. is a new licensed and insured dog trail hiking service launching in the Boulder and Jefferson County corridor. Small groups. Real trails. Leashed, structured, and safe. We take this seriously — permitted, insured, and built around professional standards from day one — but we're not a big corporate operation. We're a small team that cares about doing this right.
We're looking for our first Trail Handler. As we grow, there's a clear path to stepping into a lead handler role with more scheduling input and responsibility — but we want the right person first.
What the day actually looks like
You'll be transporting small groups of leashed dogs in the company vehicle to open space trailheads in the Boulder/Jefferson County area, hiking with them for an hour or two, and bringing them back. This role is part-time at launch with a realistic path to full-time as the roster builds.
Hikes run on a defined seasonal schedule:
- Summer (June–August): typically departing around 8am and 5pm
- Shoulder seasons (March–May and September–October): typically departing around 9am and 1pm
- Winter (November–February): one hike per day, typically departing around 10am
Times are consistent and set in advance — this isn't a last-minute, on-call schedule. You'll also participate in new dog intake assessments and handle brief, professional check-ins with owners before and after hikes.
What we're looking for
- Real experience handling multiple dogs on leash at once — we'll ask you about a specific situation in the application, so have one ready
- Comfortable reading dog body language and making calm judgment calls when something unexpected happens
- Valid Colorado driver's license with a clean driving record (MVR check required)
- Able to hike 3–6 miles on variable terrain and in typical Colorado weather (heat, cold, altitude — this is an outdoor job year-round)
- Able to control large dogs on leash, including dogs up to 80 lbs
- Reliable and communicative — our clients are trusting us with their dogs
- Pet First Aid & CPR certified, or able to complete the course within 30 days of hire (we'll cover it — it's a half-day class)
Nice to have — not required:
- Vet tech background or animal shelter/rescue experience
- Fear Free Certified Professional (we'll cover this certification for the right person)
- Familiarity with Boulder County or Jefferson County open space trail systems
If your background is mostly private in-home training or one-on-one behavioral sessions, this probably isn't the right fit — the day-to-day is group trail work, not individualized training.
What we offer
- $25/hr, W-2 — you're an employee, not a contractor
- Company vehicle for all hikes — no miles on your car
- Defined seasonal schedule with consistent departure times — no on-call surprises
- Pet First Aid & CPR covered if you don't have it yet
- Fear Free certification covered for the right candidate
- A small, tight operation where your judgment in the field actually matters
- Clear path to a lead handler role as the team grows
To apply
Tell us about the last time you handled multiple dogs at once in a situation that got unpredictable. What happened, what did you do, and how did it turn out? Doesn't need to be long — just real.
Send your message to [email protected]
Pay: $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Opportunities for advancement
- Professional development assistance
Work Location: In person
