Dog Daycare Handler - Spend Your Workday With Dogs! Full-time or Part-time Wags Doggie Daycamp & Boarding - Danbury, CT Love Dogs? Come Work With Them! If spending your workday surrounded by dogs sounds better than sitting behind a desk, you may have found the right job. Wags Doggie Daycamp & Boarding is looking for dependable, energetic people to join our dog-care team. Our handlers supervise groups of dogs playing together in our indoor and outdoor play areas and help make sure every dog has a safe, fun day. Professional dog experience is NOT required. We'll train the right person in dog body language, group play, safe handling and our daycare procedures. What we can't teach is reliability, a strong work ethic, good judgment and a genuine desire to take great care of dogs. What Does a Dog Daycare Handler Do? You'll spend much of your shift directly with dogs. You'll learn their personalities, friendships, play styles and behaviors while supervising group play.

Your responsibilities will include:

Supervising groups of dogs in a cage-free play environment Learning to recognize dog body language and appropriate vs. inappropriate play Keeping dogs safe while helping them have a fun and active day Providing exercise, attention and enrichment Feeding dogs according to their individual instructions Giving baths and assisting with other basic pet-care services Watching for changes in a dog's behavior or health and communicating concerns to the team Helping maintain a clean, safe and comfortable environment for the dogs Yes, There Is Cleaning! We want to be upfront about this because it's an important part of the job. Working in a dog daycare isn't just playing with puppies. Dogs make messes! You'll pick up dog waste, mop, vacuum, do laundry, clean play areas and help keep our facility sanitary throughout the day. Everyone on our dog-care team helps with cleaning. If you don't mind getting dirty and like the satisfaction of keeping things clean and organized, you'll do just fine. Who Does Well at Wags? You may be a great fit if you: Truly enjoy being around dogs of all sizes Are dependable and show up on time Are comfortable being active and on your feet for most of your shift Can work both independently and as part of a team Pay attention to what's happening around you Are willing to learn about dog behavior and safe group play Don't mind cleaning, dog hair, slobber, barking or the occasional muddy paw print Can remain calm and confident around energetic groups of dogs Take responsibility seriously—the dogs in your care are counting on you Previous professional experience with dogs is a plus, but it is not required for our entry-level positions . What You'll Learn This is much more than a job where you "watch dogs." We'll train you to understand: Dog body language and communication Healthy and appropriate play Group dynamics Safe dog-handling techniques How to recognize stress, discomfort and changes in behavior How to safely manage a group of dogs with different personalities and play styles If you're interested in dogs and animal behavior, there is a lot to learn here. Schedule We are currently hiring both full-time and part-time employees .

Full-time:

approximately 32-38 hours per week, generally 5 days

Part-time:

generally 3-4 days per week Typical weekday shifts are:

Morning:

6:45 AM-1:00

PM Afternoon:

12:00 PM-7:00 PM Weekend availability is required. Your regular schedule must include either Saturday or Sunday Because Wags provides overnight boarding 365 days a year: Some holiday availability is required and holidays are rotated among the team Holiday hours are paid at time-and-a-half Employees must be willing to occasionally work an overnight shift when needed, generally no more than once per month Pay Starting pay: $17.50 and up per hour, depending on experience. Entry-level handlers without previous professional dog-care experience generally start at $17.50/hour and receive a performance review after approximately three months of training. Candidates with professional experience in dog daycare, boarding, veterinary care, training, grooming or another hands-on dog-care environment may qualify for a higher starting rate. Why Work at Wags? Spend your workday with dogs Learn a tremendous amount about dog behavior and group play Receive hands-on training—professional dog experience isn't required Work indoors and outdoors rather than sitting behind a desk all day Get to know the same dogs and build relationships with them over time Employee discounts on Wags services Paid time off for eligible employees Time-and-a-half pay for holidays worked Opportunities to learn new skills and take on additional responsibility Opportunities for advancement as Wags continues to grow Wags has been caring for dogs and their families in the Danbury area since 2004. We take the responsibility of caring for our clients' dogs seriously, but we also want our dogs—and our team—to have fun. If you're reliable, hardworking, love dogs and aren't afraid to get a little dirty, we'd love to meet you.

Pay:

From $17.50 per hour Expected hours: 24.0 - 40.0 per week

Benefits:

Flexible schedule Paid time off Application Question(s): What town do you live in? Are you looking for full time or part time? Are you available to work a weekend shift? What attracted you to apply for this job?

Work Location:

In person