Dog Handler

About Downtown Dog Lounge

Downtown Dog Lounge is Seattle’s premier dog boarding and daycare center with two locations in South Lake Union, and Ballard. We pride ourselves on delivering peace of mind in a safe environment by caring for every dog as our own.

Position Overview & Purpose

The Dog Handler is responsible for providing direct care for our dogs, as well as their health and safety while on-site, resulting in exceptional customer service and high-quality pet care.

Pay Range

$20.60-$22.20

A Week in the Life of a Dog Handler

The following is a list of general job responsibilities for the Dog Handler position. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive and may be amended to meet changing business needs.

Daily Operations:

Live out and be a positive advocate for Downtown Dog Lounge’s safety culture

Understand and uphold the Purpose and Core Values of the business in actions and words

Actively oversee a designated dog park in person to ensure positive and safe dog interactions and mitigate escalating behaviors

Develop thorough knowledge and understanding of dog breeds and dog behavior

Follow all safety guidelines and protocols

Attend daily recap meetings, as well as read and understand recap daily

Spend Time With Dogs & Their Parents:

Provide exceptional customer service, including transparent communication

Develop strong relationships with customers (dogs and people)

Learn basic customer service, concierge, and front-facing role duties (answering the phone, replying to emails, posting in Slack, etc.)

Perform additional services such as dog walks, dog jogs, and one-on-one play with a ball

Assist with dog rotations and mealtimes

Assist with running dogs at check-in and check-out

Support with Cleaning:

Clean up after dogs

Perform additional cleaning and disinfection duties including, but not limited to, taking out the garbage, mopping, cleaning crates and surfaces, laundry, etc

Support the Team:

Uphold DDL Purpose and Values, communicating clearly, openly, honestly, and kindly

Communicate and participate as part of the team

Attend periodic required trainings and All Team Meetings

Mentor new team members as assigned

Perform other daily tasks as assigned by the Pack Leader and/or Supervisors

Cross-train for other positions within the company over time (concierge, pack leader, trainer, bather, etc.)

Must Haves

The ideal Dog Handler is an enthusiastic animal lover who must be able to provide an excellent experience for dogs and parents alike.

Experience and Education:

Minimum of High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent

Must be 18 years of age to work independently in the dog parks

Required Skills and Abilities:

Ideally, a successful candidate should have experience working with dogs

Comfortable working within close proximity to approximately 30 dogs in an enclosed park

Desire to develop a thorough understanding of dog behavior

Quick reaction time to unpredictable situations

Comfortable working in a loud environment

Strong interpersonal and customer service skills

Comfortable standing for 8 hours at a time

Able to lift 45 pounds

Must be flexible and will be expected to be available to work weekends, evenings, and during holidays

Downtown Dog Lounge is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We look forward to your application.