Dog Handler / Kennel Technician

Green Acres K9 Resort; Boring (OR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

10 days PTO year one

15 days PTO year two

QSEHRA health benefit

50% off boarding and daycare for your

Hard cap 45 hours per week

Guaranteed 2 consecutive days off each

Holiday rotation

Quarterly team bonus

100% of tips distributed to the team

Career ladder posted publicly

Weekly 1:1 with the owner

Job summary

Green Acres K9 Resort in Boring, Oregon, is hiring kennel handlers. Starting wage is $18-$24/hour, with 100% of tips distributed to the team and scheduled raises to $22 at 6 months, $23 at 12 months, and $24+ at 24 months.

36-40 hours per week, occasional overtime, and weekend/holiday rotation with a published schedule. You’ll manage playgroups, feed and medicate dogs, clean kennels, perform temperament assessments, escort dogs, and support overnight and grooming teams.

Qualifications

• Calm under pressure when managing groups of dogs
• Experience in service industry or kennel/vet setting
• Able to stand for long periods and lift 40+ pounds
• Have reliable transportation to Boring, OR
• Willingness to work weekends/holidays
• Provide two employer references
• Genuinely likes dogs and demonstrates safety and stamina

Responsibilities

• Manage playgroups of 8-15 dogs safely, calmly addressing misbehavior
• Feed, water, and administer medications per care plans
• Clean kennels, yards, and common areas throughout the day
• Perform temperament assessments on new dogs
• Escort dogs to/from pickup and drop-off; handle owner conversations
• Log incidents accurately and promptly
• Support overnight and grooming teams as needed
• Follow SOPs for vaccinations, playgroup composition, cleaning, and emergencies

Skills

Calm under pressure

Service industry background

Physical fitness

Reliable transportation

Weekend/holiday rotation

References

Loves dogs

Job description

Wage: $18-$24/hour to start based on experience, plus tips (100% of tips are distributed to the team; typical additional $1-3/hour in effective wages). Structured raises to $22 at 6 months, $23 at 12 months, and $24+ at 24 months for handlers who join at the base rate. Career ladder posted publicly: Handler -> Lead Handler -> Assistant Manager -> Manager.

Hours: 36-40 hours per week, with occasional overtime up to 45 hours during peak seasons paid at time-and-a-half. Weekend and holiday rotation is required. This is a scheduled shift job — you'll get a published schedule each week and be expected to work your assigned shifts. If you're looking for something you drop in and out of, this isn't it.

Location: Green Acres K9 Resort, 26075 SE Highway 212, Boring, Oregon 97009

ABOUT GREEN ACRES

Green Acres has been Portland-metro's family-owned boarding and daycare resort for 19 years. We sit on a 260,000 square-foot campus with pool, creek, pond, and real grass. Dogs live like they're on vacation, and we treat them that way. This isn't a warehouse job — this is a career track for people who genuinely love working with dogs and want to grow with a stable, respected small business.

WHAT YOU'LL DO (THE HONEST VERSION)

• Manage playgroups of 8-15 dogs safely — composing, monitoring, breaking up misbehavior calmly, never punitively
• Feed, water, and administer medications per each dog's care plan
• Clean kennels, yards, and common areas throughout the day — yes, that includes urine, feces, vomit, and the occasional mystery. If that's a dealbreaker, this is not your job.
• Perform temperament assessments on new dogs
• Escort dogs to/from pickup and drop-off, handle owner conversations at the counter
• Log incidents accurately and immediately
• Support the overnight and grooming teams as needed
• Follow SOPs for vaccinations, playgroup composition, cleaning, and emergencies

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Calm under pressure. A yard of 12 excited dogs doesn't rattle you.
• Service industry background (restaurant, retail, hospitality) OR prior kennel/vet clinic experience
• Physical fitness — you'll be on your feet all shift, occasionally lifting 40+ pounds, and moving fast
• Reliable transportation to Boring
• Comfort with weekend and holiday rotation
• Two references from prior employers
• Genuinely likes dogs — but understands that liking dogs is not a job skill; consistency, safety judgment, and physical stamina are

What we are NOT looking for:

• People who just want to hang out with dogs all day
• Anyone who thinks kennel work is a lifestyle rather than a job with structure and accountability
• Applicants who can't commit to weekend/holiday rotation

WHAT WE OFFER

• Starting wage $18-$24/hour with a written raise schedule ($22 at 6 months, $23 at 12 months, $24 at 24 months)
• 10 days PTO year one, 15 days year two — accrued from day 1
• QSEHRA health benefit — $250/month toward your individual health insurance premium
• 50% off boarding and daycare for your own dogs
• Hard cap 45 hours per week — no burnout schedules
• Guaranteed 2 consecutive days off each week
• Holiday rotation — the same 3 people don't cover Thanksgiving every year
• Quarterly team bonus ($250/person) when we hit a zero-bite-incident quarter
• 100% of tips are distributed to the team — pooled and split among staff
• Career ladder posted publicly — you know exactly what you need to do to advance
• Weekly 15-minute 1:1 with the owner — feedback goes both ways

OUR HIRING PROCESS (NO GHOSTING, NO SURPRISES)

1. Apply through Homebase — 5-minute application
2. 15-minute phone screen — if we like your app, we call within 3 business days
3. 30-minute in-person interview and facility tour — meet the owner, see the property
4. 90-minute paid working interview — you shadow a shift at $21/hour. We see how you move on the floor.
5. Reference check — we call 2 prior employers
6. Offer — within 5 business days of your working interview

You'll hear from us either way. If we're not moving forward, we tell you why.

By applying to this job, you agree to receive periodic text messages from this employer and Homebase about your pending job application. Opt out anytime. Msg & data rates may apply.

Powered by Homebase. Free employee scheduling, time clock and hiring tools.