Before you place your pet in the care of someone new, you want to be certain they know what they’re doing. You don’t want to trust your pet with just anyone, even if they really, really love animals. You want them to be in the care of someone with training in proper walking methods, who knows how to respond in case of emergency, and who takes their job seriously. You want your pet in the care of a professional.
At Pet Waggin’, a professional is exactly what you’ll get. We put great importance on our staff training so our team is prepared for anything that could come up while caring for your pet. Let’s take a little peek at how we hire and the ongoing training our team members go through so they’re ready to care for your pet.
How We Hire and Train
Let’s just say… we don’t make it easy to become part of the Pet Waggin’ team. Not only are we looking for candidates with professional pet care experience, we’re also looking for dedicated individuals. Why? We put a lot of time and effort into training our staff, so it’s important that we hire the right fit from the very start.
The new hire training we do is what makes us different from the other pet sitters out there. Training to be part of the Pet Waggin’ team isn’t for the faint of heart. Training is intense and starts from the minute someone is hired.
At Pet Waggin’, we don’t hire just anyone. It takes more than just liking animals to succeed as a pet caretaker. We want to hire people who are the perfect fit for the job. This means having good time management skills, a willingness to continue learning, and the ability to follow the rules and boundaries set by pet owners. This means our interviews are very detailed.
We want the nitty gritty details that led someone to apply with us. Of course, a love for animals is a must, but we want to know why potential staff think they’ll love the job. What motivated them to apply with us, and what are their goals when it comes to working in the pet industry? These are just a few of the things we talk to applicants about.
Once we hire a new staff member, we get started on training. Before being assigned to a client, new staff members spend time shadowing experienced team members. This gives them a chance to see how we do things and to ask questions. In addition to shadowing, we also have them complete their new hire training with a program called FetchFind. FetchFind is a training platform just for those of us in the pet industry. Our favorite part about it? It’s mobile-friendly, so our team always has access to it.
Through FetchFind our team members are given material to study and will take quizzes to make certain they’re completing their training and learning everything we need them to know. FetchFind was created by someone with experience in the pet industry. The training guides and material provided by FetchFind reflect that experience and are perfect for helping create a strong team.
We don’t just have our staff read some pamphlets, follow someone around, and then toss them out on their own. When they are hired, every new team member is given their own Doggy Kit. This kit contains everything they need to provide enrichment activities for your pet. The kits include a snuffle mat, a towel, high-value treats, a Kong Wobbler, a bell for behavior-shaping exercises, and plastic cups to create games for your dog.
An important part of training is being prepared for the unexpected. These kits are great for days when your dog needs activity but the weather isn’t cooperating. They’re also used for our enrichment visits (if you didn’t know we offered these, you can learn all about them here!)
We want your dog to be happy, and we want to set our team up for success, and providing our employees with an enrichment kit does both. You won’t need to provide anything, and our staff is prepared and won’t need to invest their own money in materials for work. We’re proud to say that we’re the only pet-sitting business in Long Beach that does this!
Ongoing Staff Training
Training doesn’t end once our staff heads out on their own. The face of pet care is always changing and we make it a habit to keep up with the newest discoveries in animal behavior and care. Since this industry is so dynamic, we never really stop training.
We have quarterly workshops with professional Dog Trainer Jill from Underdogs Long Beach. You can read more about what these workshops look like and get an inside peek at one here. During these workshops, staff members bring their dogs or work with a client’s dog. This provides vital hands-on training while they learn about dog behavior and focus on training techniques.
Underdogs Long Beach focuses on positive reinforcement and no-force training. Jill is a certified trainer and one of the co-owners of Underdogs. Her approach to training is dog-forward, and she promotes building trust and the human/animal bond. Her workshops focus on understanding and communicating with the dogs in our care and on different aspects of training that are beneficial for our team to know.
It takes a lot to maintain reliable staff - who also wholeheartedly embody the ideals of our company - but we’ve done it! You’re investing your trust (and your money!) in us. So it’s our responsibility to invest in our staff by providing high-quality continuous education. Our team is strong and reliable, and everyone gives 100% to keep your pets safe and happy. Good training starts with good people, and we have the best!
Interested in getting your pet on our schedule? You can learn more about all of our services here. Once you take a look, head to our Contact page to get started with Pet Waggin’!