Pros
Gives you tools to learn dog training without paying for it, meet a lot of dog friends and regulars, good future opportunities for either dog training or upper management- BUT there's a lot of homework and work outside of your usual 40 hours a week, gives discounts for seminars outside of work, work parties, you get a lot of different kind of benefits (health, vision, dental, accidental, critical illness, animal, ect.) You do have some good days like on weekends when you're not too overwhelmed, but its very rare.
Cons
definitely out weighs the pros... AWFUL work environment- No AC (only in kennels and it works half the time- during the winter!) -You are outside most of the time, summer heat, bugs everywhere while working The company has recently added more services for daycare and boarding dogs such as ball time, tug time, cuddle time, nose work, brain games, walks around the neighborhood, there's only 2-3 people to do all things... company "promises" to give more workers during busy shifts (every single shift) but has been cutting hours AND giving less people on shifts while there's more things to do. Think about this.... You have 40-80 dogs to feed, along with 85 day care dogs. You need to get those dogs out with only 3 people on shift, three yards, WEIRD dogs to put out with others (risking yourself and the other dog), know how to break up a dog fight (possibly get bite- I DID!), go through a loud kennel and deal with puppies peeing every 30 min, cleaning up accidents, dealing with dogs who are thrashing in kennels, hoping they wont bite you and attack another dog. You think this is it? nah... the company wants to add more with grooming and the additional services to do. So here's the big picture... You got 120 dogs, you lie to clients "yeeah the dogs get out 6 times a day" NO seriously we only have time to get the dogs out TWICE a day if they are daycare, FOUR times if they are boarding. Why this little? because the company thinks it's more important to add services to get more money. We dont have time to check on dogs' water intake, check over each dog to make sure they are in good health because there's only 2-3 people doing ALL the work... 120 dogs to get out, 15 baths, 10 nail trims, blowouts, 10-20 walks (that have to be 20 min long) cuddle times, ball times, tug, brain work, nose work (all 20 min each) along with trying to get HOMEWORK done every week that takes at least 1-2 hours. You are working your BUM OFF and then you gotta go home and do homework when you are sweating through your butt all day. If you dont do you homework in time 3 times- you're fired. You are never able to call out because there's no extra person to take your shift, if you do, your co-workers will be PO'd at you because it will be left for at least 2 people to do ALL OF THAT!!!! Mostly women work here because we are more compassionate... haha we women are around each other 40-45 hours a week.. we talk MAJOR TRASH. You better be on your grind if you want good relationships. No one will like you if you slack or have a bad attitude. Also you have to be here at 6am if you work in the AM.. some need to be here at 5:50 am. PM shift comes in at 2-9pm. Your hours move from AM to PM constantly through the week- IT WILL MESS UP YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE! and Sometimes the managers schedule you a PM and then AM the next day! seriously not cool This is just working the back.... If you work Front, You have to run back 80-100 dogs back to the kennel within 3-4 HOURS!!!! day care dogs come in 7am-11am along with boarders (could be up to 50) You have to get SO much information down for boarding dogs along with angry impatient clients standing in the lobby seeing you sweat. Just ONE person up front handling all the incoming dogs.. With all this work combined, you also need to keep yourself self-regulated, keeping your anger and frustration bottled up because dogs pick up bad energy. We are all "trainers" here so you have to bury all your moods until you get home or talk with your facility director if you are too overwhelmed. If you are a heavy set person, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE! This job is VERY ACTIVE. We clean kennels every day and you are scrubbing walls, floors and squeeging all the water out of the kennel. We also clean crate and you sometimes have to get inside them to clean, you have to be able to fit in them. You can not be too big to clean correctly... sorry guys I have been BODY SHAMED before too. I have a larger bum than other girls. As said previously, we work in no AC and 100 degree weather. I wore spandex shorts, my FD complained and asked me not to wear them anymore, other girls with no butt CAN wear them... My butt was NOT hanging out, my thighs were just too big and juicy. Your pay starts at $12/hour, can only go up to $15 no matter how long you have worked here, plus tips. Trainers get $15/hour + commission and tips