Responsibilities

BASICS FOR ALL ROLES:

  • Know names of dogs 

  • Arrive at the start time of shift and leave at the end time of shift unless previously discussed 

  • Promote healthy and respectful dog behavior habits 

    • No jumping 

    • No pushing on doors

    • No pulling on leash 

  • Respecting the Space

    • Always positive communication 

    • Clean up yourself

    • Following routines and procedures established by Companion Acres

  • All days off need to be entered into the Days Off Sheet and communicated to the Team Liaison 

  • Exude professionalism when out in the community

RUNNER:

  • This role works largely in unison with the yard manager AND the lead handler and can differ depending on if you’re working the morning shift or the evening shift.

  • Morning AND Evening Shift:

    • As the yard manager lets a pod of pups outside you will be responsible for the following:

      • You will help facilitate getting the group of pups outside

      • Refilling water bowls

      • Cleaning up accidents

  • Morning Shift:

    • Help lead handler finish breakfasts - often the lead will have let pups outside and have them pulled to the back, so you will need to pull breakfasts from bins and feed the pups that haven’t been fed already. Double check with lead for clarification.

    • Check to see if the first load of laundry needs to be started

    • Start pulling any breakfast bowls that are finished and wash them

    • Refill any water jugs that are low

    • Refill towels, if needed

    • Refill Kennelsol spray bottle, if needed

    • Refill plastic waste bag holder, if needed

  • Evening Shift:

    • Around 4:30/5pm (weekdays) and 3:30pm (wknds), start pulling dogs that are boarding to the back - feed dinner and administer any meds needed

    • Wash dinner dishes

    • Prep pups breakfast and place in bins

    • Assist yard manager in cleaning pods when needed

    • Once pods are clean and dry, set cots back down and if dogs will be using the pod, set out 1-4 blankets (depending on # of pups) on the cots and floor to tuck them in for the evening. Double check with lead that all pups can have blankets. Some pups eat or rip blankets.

    • Place clean, filled water bowls in pods that pups will be staying overnight in

    • Refill water jugs

    • Refill towels

    • Refill Kennelsol spray bottles

YARD MANAGER:

  • Rotating pods of pups and timing outside time according to how long lead suggests

  • Proper use of white fencing to move dogs safely

  • Clean up after pups in yard

  • Disposing of waste bags at the end of shift in large garbage can

  • Communicating with the lead on shift any out of the ordinary dog behaviors; aggressive behaviors, lethargy, limping, etc.

  • Communicating with the lead any out of the ordinary bowel movements; bloody stool, diarrhea, constant trying to poop but unable, etc.

  • Morning shift: taking at least 5 outside yard pictures of each pup for the lead to send on the CA phone - these will later be texted to pup parents by the lead handler 🙂

  • Evening shift: cleaning pods for the night which consists of the following:

    • Removing the dirty water bowl and setting in the back sink to be washed

    • Lifting cots, hanging on edge of pod, spraying them thoroughly with Kennelsol cleaner, and wiping them down with towel, trying to remove all hair and dirt

    • Vacuuming pod to get all hair picked up prior to mopping

    • Mopping pod with Kennelsol solution; if the pod is especially dirty, sometimes it’s best to use the Kennelsol spray bottle around the edges and wipe the edges and corners with a towel

    • Once pods are dry, lead handler will set up the pods for the evening, you will do 1-2 final rotations of the pups before close

    • After final rotation, throw away the waste bag in the large garbage bin and close the wooden door to the yard

    • Using the hex key, lock the back door

      THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

      • Always important to learn the names of the pups, the more you work with them, the more familiar you’ll become with their individual personalities, temperament, quirks, etc

      • We encourage rewarding pups good behavior with lots of love and pets, not punishing the bad

      • Do not use leashes to pull on dogs, you might at times need to use a slip-lead or side-kick to move a dog but never pulling!

      • Do not give treats with other dogs present or without checking to see if they can have them. Some dogs have allergies and/or restricted diets. Feeding treats with other dogs present may lead to resource guarding, which can be a safety concern.

LEAD HANDLER:

  • Your role will be at the front desk and will overlap and assist the runner

  • Be familiar with how Gingr works: checking clients in and out, navigating pups profiles, making reservations, adding retail to checkouts

    • If working with a cash client, filling out cash receipt

  • Morning Shift:

    • Start letting pups out for the first quick potty break of the day and cleaning the pod of any accidents that occurred overnight

    • Pull pups to the back, or in pod, to feed breakfast and administer any meds needed - NOTE: a runner will often come in the morning to assist with breakfasts

    • Fold unsoiled blankets and return to basket; soiled can go in laundry to be washed

    • Erase the previous day's pups from the white boards and fill in the pods groups with ALL the pups names at the BEGINNING of the day, along with any necessary notes; intact male, no treats, X (insert dogs name), etc.

    • Manage and respond to messages/texts from clients on the CA phone

    • Take the daily activity photo of the pup’s

      • At naptime, go through yard photos and activity photos and text to pup’s parents 🙂

    • Continually check on laundry; folding, throwing in new loads as needed, etc.

    • Checking pups IN for playcare AND for boarding

    • After checking pup in for boarding, you are responsible for COMPLETELY going through their belongings, often best practice is to remove everything from their bag so nothing is missed!

      1) Write on their bin: how much food they eat and how often

      2) If they take meds: how many, what kind (if we know), and how often

      3) Any specific treats or supplements we are to give the pup

      4) Any other specialty notes, these aren’t always needed

      5) Writing meds on the ADD-ON white board, if needed

      6) Filling pill box, if needed

  • Evening Shift:

    • Checking pups out of Gingr; being familiar with clients who have playcare packages vs credit card payments, adding retail to checkout, grabbing boarding bins from the back, help clients with any questions, maintain the appearance/clean/tidy of the front desk area, etc

    • Manage and respond to messages/texts from clients on the CA phone

    • Continually check on laundry; folding, throwing in new loads as needed, etc.

    • Create a list of pup’s that will need to be fed dinner, and any meds that will need to be administered

    • Help the runner pull and feed pups for dinner

    • Help runner make pups sleeping groups

    • If there are any late pick ups, stay at CA until all playcare pups have been picked up

    • Plug in the CA phone to charge overnight

    • Lockup for the night - making sure all lights are turned off, windows closed and locked, candles blown out, tv turned off, front and back door locked.