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DOG WALKER

 

HOURS

 

10am-4pm Mon-Fri (required)

Some evenings/weekends (flexible, as schedule allows)
 

LOCATION

 

Our service area is northwest Chicago and surrounding areas, with boundaries of Pulaski to Cumberland, and Belmont to Oakton. Walkers must live within 20mins of the area to qualify.

 

JOB DESCRIPTION
 

Please note, applicants must be at least 21 years old and make a commitment of service for a minimum of 6 months. All of our employees must complete a background check and provide professional references, and a smartphone (ability to text/email/apps) are required for work. In order to be a fit for this position, you must be able to travel between client homes quickly (usually 1-3miles in under 10mins; personal vehicle or all-weather biker preferred) and walk for several hours each weekday.


• Dog walkers must be comfortable performing new client consultations, including a meet and greet of new clients and their pets, gathering detailed information about their needs and special requests, and collecting necessary completed paperwork.


• Walkers must be willing to take on all types of assignments within the standard M-F 10am-4pm walking hours, as well as evenings/weekends/vacation care as their schedule permits. This could include daily dog walks or cat care, each for a range of breeds and temperaments.


• Walkers ensure the safety of the dogs and those (humans and dogs) around them, as well as maintain home security when entering/exiting. They are also expected to reinforce any trainings or walking behaviors as outlined during new client consultations or meet and greets.

 

• Even when it is raining or snowing, dogs need to go out! Walkers must be willing to drive/walk in inclement weather.


• Walkers will be required to check in with the office staff and software systems to confirm that everything has been completed to client specifications.


• Walkers must be comfortable holding keys to clients' homes and take responsibility to not lose keys or get locked out.

• Due to the bonding that occurs between a sitter and animal, we require at least a 6 month commitment.

PAY/BENEFITS

 
Dog walkers are paid on a bi-weekly basis with monthly income ranging about $650-1400+ for a full schedule.  All walkers are W2 employees and start at $13.50/hr, going up $.25 every 3 months to $14.50/hr with one year of tenure. In addition, they enjoy the following benefits:

       

  • Support of a team of pet lovers

  • Pet First Aid/CPR Certification  

  • ​Online and in-person training (all paid)

  • Paid sick leave     

  • Paid Time Off  

  • Periodic team outings and perks

  • Service tips and holiday bonus

  • Participation in community pet events     

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ABOUT S'WOOFT

 

The mission of S’wooft is to offer loving, reliable, and professional pet care in far northwest Chicago and surrounding areas.

We do this through:

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  • Hiring the best staff, who are fully screened, qualified, and trained 

  • Offering our staff competitive pay, benefits, and a respectful work environment

  • Continually training our staff in Pet First Aid/CPR and other skills that will allow them to offer excellent service to the pets we serve

  • Offering clients consistency in coverage for all daily walks, with additional coverage for off hours needs

  • Maintaining professionalism in all communications, policies, and practices

 

We specialize in daily dog walking, vacation care, and cat care—all of the ways pet owners need to be able to rely on someone when it comes to the daily care of their pets. Families trust us with their fur babies and their homes, so we're careful to thoroughly screen all of our staff with a full background check, professional references, and shadowing, to see if they have the same abounding love for pets that we do. Rather than a pet service based primarily on convenience, where the quality of staff may be inconsistent, we pride ourselves on each individual who makes up this team. We also strive to build community, both within Team S’wooft and among the greater Chicago area pet community. We do this through team outings, use of an ongoing chat app (Slack), community events, and our various marketing efforts. 

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​S’wooft is an equal opportunity employer. This means that we select, place, train, and promote the most qualified team members based on relevant factors such as experience, work quality, attitude, and availability. We do not consider race, color, religion, age, gender identification, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy status, veteran status, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, genetic information, order of protection status, status as a victim or perceived victim of domestic or sexual violence, status as a qualified handicapped or disabled individual, or any other proscribed factor in our hiring, salary/wage, promotion, or termination decisions, in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

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