Canine Care Specialist

Paws With A Cause; Michigan; On-site; USD 22,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

Paws With A Cause is seeking a Canine Care Specialist to support the breeding dogs and puppies on campus. The role focuses on care, enrichment, and record keeping, reporting to the Breeding Program Department Manager and coordinating with volunteers.

This full-time position offers a supportive culture, work/life balance, and growth opportunities. Weekend work and holidays may be required; starting pay is $15.75–$16.75 per hour with benefits included.

Qualifications

• Must have high school diploma or GED.
• 2+ years of breeding department experience or related training preferred.
• Ability to work weekends and some holidays.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a clean, safe, healthy environment for dogs and puppies.
• Maintain enrichment programs and support of dogs and puppies.
• Support breeding processes and production.
• Maintain breeding department supplies.
• Support on-campus breeding volunteers.
• Report canine care and welfare concerns following PAWS procedures.

Skills

Customer Orientation

Reliability

Working under Pressure

Team Player

Task Completion

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Description

Paws With A Cause® (PAWS) We are excited to expand our team and are seeking compassionate and dedicated Canine Care Specialists to join our Breeding Department! If you love puppies and dogs, enjoy working with people, and thrive in a collaborative environment, we invite you to become a vital part of our mission to make a difference. This full-time position offers a rewarding work environment with a supportive culture that values work/life balance. The schedule is Wednesday through Saturday, 7am-5:30pm, with a starting pay range of $15.75-$16.75/hour based on experience. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, Employer Paid Short-term Disability, a 403b Retirement fund with up to a 2% match from PAWS, a generous PTO package, and opportunities for growth within a mission-driven organization. Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of both dogs and people!

About Paws With A Cause

Paws With A Cause® (PAWS) exists to create opportunities to live with dignity, companionship and confidence. We do our best work by embodying our core values: adaptability, dedication, innovation, optimism and gratitude.

To transform lives and strengthen communities through partnerships with custom-trained working dogs.

Position Summary

The Canine Care Specialist is primarily responsible for supporting the breeding dogs and 8-12 week old puppies on the PAWS campus. For adult breeding dogs, responsibilities include but are not limited to care, enrichment, testing, breeding, and record keeping. For puppies, responsibilities include care, enrichment, and helping the foster puppy department with day of placements. This position will work closely with the Breeding Department Program Manager and Whelping Coordinator to create an appropriate care and enrichment program for the breeding dogs and puppies, and also work closely with on-campus breeding department volunteers.

Key Accountabilities

• Maintain a clean, safe & healthy environment for dogs and puppies
• Maintain enrichment programs and support of dogs and puppies
• Support breeding processes and production
• Maintenance of breeding department supplies
• Support on-campus breeding volunteers
• Report canine care and welfare concerns following PAWS procedures

Essential Responsibilities

1. Under the direction of the Breeding Program Department Manager, all support for breeding of dogs and 8-12 week old puppies at PAWS, including but not limited to care, enrichment, testing, breeding, and record keeping?
2. Primarily responsible for kennel care a the maintenance of the breeding department facility, including but not limited to kennels dedicated for dogs at PAWS for breeding?(female and male dedicated kennels, breeding/clearance kennels, and isolation kennels), puppy rooms, enrichment & grooming spaces, and other breeding department spaces and common areas?
3. Preparation of whelping kits for BHHs ?
4. Supporting the breeding of the PAWS colony under the direction of the Department Manager
5. Sanitization, inspection, and inventory of whelping equipment and other equipment returned from Breeding Host Homes
6. Maintaining inventory of breeding lab and enrichment supplies
7. Supporting volunteers helping with the breeding department functions
8. Back-up support for the day-to-day operational needs of dept?
9. Other duties as assigned

Non-Essential Responsibilities

1. Maintain accessibility and appearance around the breeding and vet departments at the direction of the Breeding Program Department Manager, which could include trash removal and disposal, salting/scraping, and snow removal as necessary
2. Supporting tangential needs of other departments related to breeding, including but not limited to foster puppy, vet, and advancement departments

Supervision Received

• Specific Direction - Follows established work procedures. Receives periodic checks for performance. Refers unique questions/conditions to immediate supervisor

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No supervisory responsibilities

Requirements

Education & Experience

1. Minimum of High school diploma or GED
2. Minimum of 2 years’ experience in the breeding department or related experience/training preferred

Other Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

1. Optional experience with or willingness to learn blood draws, medicating dogs or livestock or other basic veterinary care
2. Optional experience with or willingness to learn the breeding of dogs (may include natural breeding, side by side AI, Mavic or TCI breedings)
3. Must be able to work weekends and some holidays

Core competencies

• Customer Orientation: A desire to serve clients by focusing efforts on listening and responding effectively to customer questions, resolving customer problems to their satisfaction, and evaluating customer satisfaction
• Reliability: Ability to be dependable, trustworthy, and committed to doing the best job possible
• Working under Pressure: Ability to maintain composure when exposed to stress
• Team Player: Ability to be an active participate of a team and move the team toward the completion of goals
• Task Completion: Ability to complete assigned tasks accurately and efficiently, following set procedures and following up when necessary

Physical Requirements:

Average Daily Physical Requirements

• Work in stationary position: 2 to 5 hours
• Move about work area: 2 to 5 hours
• Use hands/fingers to handle or feel: More than 5 hours
• Reach with hands and arms: More than 5 hours
• Ascend/Descend (stairs/ladder/etc.): Less than 2 hours
• Bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl: Less than 2 hours
• Communicate with various parties: Less than 2 hours
• Detect flavors or smells: None
• Move containers up to 100 pounds: 2 to 5 hours
• Visual acuity: More than 5 hours
• Read and understand written word: Less than 2 hours
• Drive/Travel: None
• Operate computer and general office machines: Less than 2 hours
• Operate machines or material handling equipment: Less than 2 hours

Average Daily Environmental Conditions

• Office Environment: No exposure to extreme heat, cold, noise, chemicals or hazardous equipment. : 2 to 5 hours
• Manufacturing Environment: Exposure to dust, oil, various chemicals, solvents, or fumes. : None
• Medical Environment: Exposure to body fluids, radiation, medical equipment, solvents or chemicals. : Less than 2 hours
• Noise: Exposure to constant or intermittent extreme sounds. : More than 5 hours
• Temperature: Exposure to extreme heat or cold either indoors or outside. : Less than 2 hours
• Other: None

This job description does not list all duties of the job. Employees may be asked by management to perform other duties as needed. The Company reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment and does not infringe upon the Company’s at will employment status.

Employee Signature: ______________________________________ Date: ___________________