Dog Handler / Kennel Tech

About us

The Ruff House Dog Center LTD. is a full service Dog Daycare, Training, and Boarding facility in Ardmore, PA

Job Summary

The Ruff House Dog Center is growing FAST and needs to add professional dog care providers to our team! The Ruff House Dog Center is a full service dog care facility located in Ardmore, PA, specializing in dog daycare, boarding, and training services. We are a tight-knit, growing small business who takes pride in our love for our pack and the progressiveness in which we treat the dog industry. The Kennel Attendant position is our general dog care facilitator position. With the help of others on our team, it is the job of the Kennel Attendant to assess, monitor, control, coordinate, and facilitate the daily care of our dogs in our facility, whether daycare, boarding, or training. The ideal candidate:

• Is considered in their circle as "The Dog Person"
• Has dog handling or animal care experience in a professional setting
• Is willing and able to work congruently with team members in a small team setting
• Is multifaceted and can adapt to changing responsibilities and conditions within a small business
• Is eager to join a company where their contributions and ideas are met with enthusiasm
• Takes initiative and is eager to advance
• Understands this is a job that can be dirty and physically demanding
• Conducts themselves with integrity, reliability, honesty, trustworthiness, flexibility, and dependability

*SIGN ON BONUS: $300 for FT and $200 for PT after 90 days!

There is currently one (1) full-time positions and two (2) part time shifts (with potential for future full-time)available; Morning shift, Afternoon shift. Rotational holiday and PM boarding shifts also necessary (with additional compensation available). Work hours will vary between 35-45 hours (FT) and 15-36 hours (PT) per week depending on demand and other business factors. Pay is commensurate on experience, and responsibilities, and trajectory, and is negotiable. No prior dog experience but have the soft skills? That's okay, we can train the right people!

Responsibilities and Duties

This position involves working as a team member in all-weather conditions to provide care for the dogs who attend our facility for dog daycare, boarding, or both. The Kennel Attendant monitors and provides the needs and care of animals that are attending dog daycare or being boarded at our facility. The Kennel Attendant is responsible for maintaining a clean, sanitary, safe, and comfortable environment for dogs in our care. This includes cleaning of cages, runs, entire kennel facility, laundry, walking, exercise, and proper feeding. The Kennel Attendant must also help with administrative tasks related to the daycare and boarding portions of our business. Duties include using our CRM system to sign dogs in/out, input service offerings, schedule clients, client vaccination updates, charge for services, and more. This can be a laid back yet fast paced environment and is suited for a proactive individual who can take the reins and make decisions on the fly. We are very detail oriented and require our staff to be vigilant, timely, and show up prepared to work. Kennel Attendant’s operate under the supervision of the Kennel Managers and owners directly.

Specific Job Duties:

• Monitor and control groups of up to 20 dogs at once
• Understand and rotate play groups while identifying issues amongst dogs in attendance
• Exercise dogs and provide enrichment activities
• Ideate and develop in house events for holidays, event days, etc.
• Clean and maintain kennels, playrooms, lobby, yards, office areas, etc.
• Clean and maintain equipment. i.e. cots,, toys, bowls, leashes, brushes, etc.
• Development and posting of photos, videos, and other content on Social Media
• Assist customers in scheduling dogs for services
• Help as needed with admission of boarding, grooming, or daycare pets
• Washing, brushing, and light grooming of dogs when necessary
• Follow proper safety measures and procedures when using chemicals and cleaning products
• Must be aware of the condition of the dogs in our care and notice abnormal behavior, injuries, and illness and report to the Kennel Manager or owners immediately.
• Assist other employees and clients in a cheerful and respectful manner as a representative of The Ruff House Dog Center
• Assist the public in answering questions and providing guidance in regards to our services and facility

Responsible for all other duties as assigned by the Manager or Owners

Qualifications and Skills

• Must enjoy working with dogs; clinical or professional dog experience strongly preferred
• Knowledge of dog health and first aid
• Keen observational skills and solid interpersonal communication abilities are essential
• Able to read, write, understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Able to humanely and safely handle animals under various circumstances
• Able to work harmoniously with other employees
• Able to stand for long periods of shift time (4+ hours)
• Able to walk dogs for extended periods time (can vary for 3 to 5 hours per shift and over 3 miles)
• Able to interact and play with dogs in a safe & humane manner
• Able to lift and carry 50+ lbs
• Able to bend and squat regularly
• Able to be the leader and handle large groups of dogs (15+)
• Able to handle large dogs (150lbs+)
• Must be punctual, reliable, and responsible.
• Hours may vary from M-F and on Weekends
• Must have reliable transportation and ability to show up on time. Those with a car and drivers licenses strongly preferred.
• Must be able to take direction from others, self-motivated, TEAM PLAYER.
• Knowledge of computer systems, Google Apps and Microsoft Office
• Must be adaptable! Duties can change rapidly and those who can adapt and come up with solutions to problems are strongly preferred

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: From $15.00 per hour

Expected hours: 25 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus opportunities
• Commission pay
• Signing bonus
• Tips

Application Question(s):

• Why are you interested in working in the dog industry?
• Are you looking for Full Time or Part Time?
• Provided you are a good fit, when are you able to start?
• We value reliability and consistency as we work with living animals. Are you able to get to our facility consistently despite weather conditions and outside factors?
• Would you consider yourself a Morning or Night person?

Work Location: In person