Dog Handler

Recurve K9; Greenbush (MA); On-site; USD 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

RcK9, a structured dog care and boarding facility, is seeking a Dog Handler / Care Attendant who truly wants to WORK with dogs, not just cuddle them. You’ll supervise groups, read canine body language, lead structured play and enrichment, reinforce basic manners, and care for daycare and boarding dogs in all weather.

The role is physically demanding and hands-on, requiring reliability, calmness when busy, and the ability to handle dogs of all breeds and energy levels.

Qualifications

• 18+
• Reliable transportation
• Dependable and able to show up ON TIME
• Comfortable handling dogs of all breeds, sizes and energy levels
• Able to stay calm when things get loud, busy or chaotic
• Highly observant with a strong awareness of safety
• Willing to take direction, learn and follow established procedures
• Friendly and professional with clients
• Able to communicate clearly by text and email with decent spelling and grammar
• Dog daycare, boarding, training, veterinary, or other hands on animal experience is a plus, but we will also train the right person

Responsibilities

• Safely supervise and manage groups of dogs
• Read canine body language and interrupt inappropriate behavior before it becomes a problem
• Lead structured play, enrichment and socialization activities
• Reinforce basic training and good manners throughout the day
• Help dogs develop appropriate social skills, manners and crate skills
• Care for daycare and boarding dogs
• Feed, rotate, crate, leash and move dogs safely throughout the facility
• Communicate professionally and positively with clients
• Clean. A lot.
• Follow RcK9's safety procedures and handling protocols

Job description

Dog Handler / Care Attendant

Love dogs? Great. But this is NOT a “play with puppies all day” job.

There are puppies. There are also 80 pound dogs, poop, pee, slobber, barking, cleaning, laundry, bad weather, muddy paws, crates and dogs who occasionally make questionable life choices.

We’re looking for someone who genuinely wants to WORK with dogs, not just cuddle them.

RcK9 is a structured dog care and boarding facility focused on safe socialization, enrichment, good behavior, appropriate play and individualized care. Our handlers need to be observant, dependable, willing to learn and comfortable actually managing dogs.

What You'll Do

• Safely supervise and manage groups of dogs
• Read canine body language and interrupt inappropriate behavior before it becomes a problem
• Lead structured play, enrichment and socialization activities
• Reinforce basic training and good manners throughout the day
• Help dogs develop appropriate social skills, manners and crate skills
• Care for daycare and boarding dogs
• Feed, rotate, crate, leash and move dogs safely throughout the facility
• Communicate professionally and positively with clients
• Clean. A lot. Floors, crates, kennels, dishes, equipment, poop, pee and whatever mysterious substance a dog has somehow managed to create
• Follow RcK9's safety procedures and handling protocols

What We Need From You

• 18+
• Reliable transportation
• Dependable and able to show up ON TIME
• Comfortable handling dogs of all breeds, sizes and energy levels
• Able to stay calm when things get loud, busy or chaotic
• Highly observant with a strong awareness of safety
• Willing to take direction, learn and follow established procedures
• Friendly and professional with clients
• Able to communicate clearly by text and email with decent spelling and grammar
• Dog daycare, boarding, training, veterinary, or other hands on animal experience is a plus, but we will also train the right person

The Physical Reality

This is an ACTIVE, PHYSICAL job.

You must be able to:

• Spend most of your shift standing and walking
• Bend, crouch, kneel, lift, reach and move throughout the day
• Lift 50+ pounds
• Work indoors and outdoors in New England weather
• Handle large, strong, excited dogs safely
• Work around dog hair, dander, slobber, cleaning products and bodily fluids

Schedule

Care and boarding don't stop because it's Saturday.

Applicants MUST have availability for some weekends, holidays, early mornings, and/or evenings.

One More Time for the People in the Back...

This is not a job where you sit on the floor and play with puppies for eight hours.

Working with dogs is incredibly rewarding but it is also dirty, physical, loud, demanding and requires constant attention.

If you're looking for an easy job because “dogs are cute,” this probably isn't it.

If you love dogs and enjoy learning behavior, working hard, staying busy, keeping animals safe and going home covered in dog hair wondering what exactly is on your shirt...

We should probably talk.