HANDLER JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Junior Handler
Core Responsibilities
Understanding Dogs and Their Behavior
Junior handlers, once you complete training, you will be skilled in the psychology, history, and characteristics of dogs. You must be proficient in both proactive and reactive handling of dogs during a range of normal to critical situations, essentially controlling the dynamic of the pack, before it ever reaches a critical state. You will be able to effectively communicate with the entire team regarding any issues or concerns in daycare for which you are trained to recognize, react, and report on.
Pack Management and Safety
As a Junior Handler, you are responsible for the well-being and enjoyment of a pack of dogs under your direct care. You must be able to effectively balance the discipline, safety, and amusement a large pack of dogs whilst the rate of occurrence of injury remain minute or nil. You are also responsible for knowing the individualities of each dog under you care, as well as for the cleanliness of the area which you are assigned.
Next Steps
Handlers who have completed their training and have proven to work in harmony with both dogs and co-workers will have additional opportunities for advancement, both in responsibility and in pay.
Senior Handler
Core Responsibilities
Once you have completed your training as a Senior Handler, you will be proficient in the areas of feeding, cleaning, valet service, introductory front desk responsibilities, and an introduction to general business concepts as well as how those concepts apply to this business.
Feeding
One of the key responsibilities that a senior handler will train on is feeding the dogs based upon strict meal safety and operational protocol including organizing and executing an efficient feeding process during any given meal time, following the directions for each dog’s meal exactly without mixing up the identity of any dog(s), accurately recording all feeding outcomes, complete follow through and clean up, and to obtain management sign off for all meal-related duties upon meal completion.
Cleaning
Senior level cleaning includes full sanitation of the facility by following all cleaning protocol as accurately and efficiently as possible, the proper use of all cleaning chemicals, the use of common sense when something needs extra or periodic cleaning, and to obtain management sign off for all duties after the completion of the cleaning checklist.
Valet/Runner
As a Senior Handler, you will be responsible for meeting owners at their car to provide swift service and enthusiastic, friendly greetings to all customers and their dogs at drop-off. You are required to suggestively offer additional services such as grooming alongside a mandatory inquiry into, clarification of, and recording of all customer-specific daily needs and/or details. You must develop relationships and memorize our customers’ names, including the dog and owner to the best of your ability, and obtain their name in a personalized way if you have not yet memorized the customer’s or dog’s name. You will also be responsible for running the dogs around the facility to where they need to be and for assisting handlers with moving groups of dogs around the facility as well.
Secondary Responsibilities
In addition to your core responsibilities, you will be responsible for attending the front desk, for comprehending basic business concepts as they apply to this business, as well as for memorizing this company’s service offering, unique features, mission, values and goals.
Front Desk
In addition to your core responsibilities, you will also be responsible for basic front desk knowledge which includes excellent customer service, basic knowledge of computer program used to manage dogs (including check in, check out, order history, and diligent communication of daily pet notes,) and for the proficient use of cash register and careful handling of cash payments. You will also be responsible for independently attending the front desk for up to one hour during a supervisor break.
Business Knowledge
Once you have completed senior handler training, you will be responsible for learning and understanding introductory basic business concepts including basic terminology, ethics, grammar, teamwork, and professional development as well as for complete and confident knowledge of this business’s services, unique features, pricing and protocols. You will be responsible for having positive and informative conversations with customers in all interactions both in person and by phone.
Next Steps
Senior Handlers who have completed their training and have proven to work efficiently as well as in harmony with both dogs and co-workers will have additional opportunities for advancement, both in responsibility and in pay, with the next position available to train for being as a supervisor. Promising Senior Handlers, once comfortable with their role, may be trained up to serve as understudies for supervisors who either specialize, leave the company, or move up into management roles.
