Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Dog Kennel Attendant

🎯 Role Definition

A Dog Kennel Attendant is responsible for the daily care, welfare, and supervision of dogs in a boarding, daycare, shelter, or kennel facility. This role combines hands-on animal handling, facility maintenance, client-facing customer service, and accurate recordkeeping to ensure animals are healthy, safe, comfortable, and handled in accordance with facility policies, public health regulations, and best practices. Successful candidates demonstrate strong animal handling skills, attention to detail, physical stamina, and a customer-focused approach while maintaining high standards of sanitation and safety.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Volunteer or intern at an animal shelter or boarding facility
Dog walker or pet sitter
Front-desk associate in a veterinary clinic or pet resort

Advancement To:

Senior Kennel Attendant / Lead Attendant
Kennel Supervisor or Kennel Manager
Veterinary Assistant / Technician (with additional training)
Grooming Assistant or Professional Dog Trainer (with certification)

Lateral Moves:

Pet Sitter / Dog Walker Entrepreneur
Customer Service Representative for pet services
Animal Intake Coordinator / Adoption Counselor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Clean, disinfect, and maintain kennels, runs, beds, bowls, toys, and common areas daily to meet or exceed facility sanitation standards, including proper use of cleaning agents, biohazard disposal, and rotation of bedding to reduce disease transmission.
Feed and monitor dogs according to individualized feeding plans and schedules, including portioning food, preparing special diets, documenting feeding times, and accommodating allergies or dietary restrictions.
Exercise, socialize, and supervise dogs in designated indoor/outdoor play areas, ensuring safe playgroups based on size, temperament, and vaccination status while using positive handling techniques to prevent injuries and stress.
Conduct detailed intake and release procedures for incoming and departing dogs, which includes verifying vaccination and identification records, logging microchip information, confirming booking details, and ensuring owners complete required consent forms.
Administer medications and treatments under supervisor or veterinary direction, accurately following dosage instructions, documenting administration times and any adverse reactions in the animal's record, and communicating changes to management.
Observe and document animal behavior and health status multiple times per shift—recording appetite, bowel movements, activity level, wounds, coughing, sneezing, limping, skin conditions, or abnormal behavior—and promptly reporting concerns to management or veterinary staff.
Maintain thorough, legible records in kennel management software or log books for each dog (feeding, medications, behavior, cleaning, special requests) to ensure continuity of care and compliance with facility policies.
Perform daily laundry and sanitation duties for bedding, towels, and cleaning rags, ensuring items are laundered at appropriate temperatures and stored properly to avoid cross-contamination and maintain a professional environment.
Conduct routine safety checks of kennels, gates, fencing, locks, HVAC, and water/food dispensing equipment, reporting maintenance issues or potential hazards and coordinating repairs to maintain a secure environment for animals and staff.
Greet and check in/out clients courteously, confirm reservation details, upsell available services (grooming, training, pickup/drop-off), process payments, and answer questions about facility policies, feeding, and behavior to provide a high level of customer service.
Isolate and manage sick or injured animals per facility protocols, including providing quarantine care, coordinating with the facility’s veterinarian, and following biosecurity measures to prevent disease spread.
Perform bathing, basic grooming, nail trims, and coat brushing as required by the kennel services offered, ensuring animals are comfortable and using safe handling and grooming techniques to avoid injury.
Participate in shift handovers and communicate important notes to incoming staff, ensuring active cases, medication schedules, behavior concerns, and client requests are clearly conveyed to maintain continuity of care.
Assist with onboarding and training of new kennel staff by demonstrating cleaning procedures, animal handling practices, and proper recordkeeping to ensure consistent application of facility standards.
Help plan and execute daily enrichment programs such as supervised playtime, puzzle feeders, scent games, and short training sessions to reduce stress, encourage positive behaviors, and support mental stimulation for boarded dogs.
Maintain inventory levels for food, cleaning supplies, medications, and enrichment toys, perform regular stock checks, and place or recommend orders to management to ensure uninterrupted operations.
Follow and enforce all facility policies, local/state regulations, and public health requirements related to animal boarding, vaccinations, licensing, waste disposal, and occupational safety, including proper use of PPE when needed.
Respond calmly and efficiently to emergencies, including animal injuries, escapes, severe illness, or natural disasters; execute emergency protocols, provide first aid within scope, and liaise with veterinarians or emergency responders when required.
Perform daily waste removal and disposal tasks (feces, soiled bedding, garbage) in a sanitary manner, maintaining odor control and preventing pest attraction while adhering to environmental and municipal disposal regulations.
Conduct temperament and behavior assessments during intake or scheduled evaluations to identify dog-dog compatibility, socialization needs, and potential risks; document findings and adjust handling or group placement accordingly.
Operate and maintain kennel management software and basic office equipment to update reservations, client records, billing, and communication logs; generate or assist with reports related to occupancy, incident logs, or inventory as requested.
Enforce leash and facility safety policies during all interactions with dogs and clients, modeling best practices for co-workers and providing clear directions to pet owners during drop-off and pick-up.
Provide compassionate, professional communication to owners regarding health concerns, behavioral incidents, or special care needs, documenting conversations in the pet’s file and escalating issues per facility policy.
Assist with transportation of animals to and from veterinary appointments, grooming, or pickup/drop-off services when needed, following vehicle safety protocols and ensuring proper restraint and comfort during transit.
Participate in facility cleanliness audits, training refreshers, and continuous improvement initiatives to elevate animal welfare standards, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Secondary Functions

Support marketing and client engagement efforts by contributing photos, short videos, or updates (with owner permission) for the facility’s social media channels and booking profiles.
Help coordinate and run community outreach events, adoption drives, or open-house days, representing the kennel professionally and answering public inquiries about services.
Assist with basic administrative tasks such as filing, data entry, scheduling appointments, preparing invoices, and responding to routine emails and phone inquiries when front-desk staff are busy.
Keep up-to-date on local licensing, vaccination, and health certificate requirements and assist owners with completing or renewing documentation as needed.
Aid in loss prevention and found-animal procedures by documenting identifying marks, contacting owners, and maintaining a lost-and-found log for returned items or escaped animals.
Participate in cross-functional training to learn reception, booking software, or grooming procedures to provide flexible coverage across the facility during peak periods.
Support product retail areas (if applicable) by restocking pet supplies, answering basic product questions, and processing sales at the point of boarding or checkout.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient animal handling skills for dogs of all sizes and temperaments, including safe leash control, lifting and transferring dogs, and administering restraint for grooming or basic medical tasks.
Experience with kennel management software or pet boarding systems (e.g., Gingr, Kennel Connection, KennelPro, PetExec) for booking, recordkeeping, and billing.
Ability to accurately administer oral medications, topical treatments, and basic first-aid procedures for animals, and document administration per facility protocols.
Knowledge of cleaning, disinfection, and biosecurity procedures for kennels, including proper dilution, application, contact times, and safe storage of cleaning chemicals.
Competence in basic grooming tasks: bathing, drying, brushing, ear cleaning, and nail trims or the ability to learn under supervision.
Understanding of animal behavior, body language, and early signs of stress, illness, or aggression to triage issues and maintain safety.
Familiarity with vaccination schedules, microchipping, and health certificate requirements for boarding and travel; ability to verify and log documentation accurately.
Basic vehicle operation and animal transport safety knowledge for kennel vans or facility vehicles (secure crates, seat restraints, ventilation).
Inventory management skills: tracking stock levels, placing orders, receiving deliveries, and rotating supplies to minimize waste.
Competency in using communication tools (phone systems, email, CRM) and basic office software (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office) to manage client communications and logs.

Soft Skills

Strong verbal and written communication skills for clear, compassionate interactions with pet owners, co-workers, and veterinary teams.
Exceptional attention to detail for accurate recordkeeping, medication administration, and facility sanitation tasks.
Excellent observational and problem-solving skills to detect subtle health or behavioral changes and escalate appropriately.
High physical stamina and manual dexterity; able to lift, bend, stand for extended periods, and perform cleaning tasks repeatedly.
Patience, empathy, and a calm demeanor when working with stressed animals and concerned pet owners.
Teamwork and collaboration skills to coordinate care across shifts and support colleagues during high-occupancy periods.
Time management and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced boarding environment.
Conflict resolution and customer service orientation to handle owner concerns, complaints, or disputes professionally.
Reliability and punctuality, with a flexible attitude toward shift work, weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime.
Commitment to ongoing learning and openness to feedback, including attending in-service training and certifications.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent (GED) preferred.

Preferred Education:

Certificate or coursework in animal science, veterinary assistant programs, or companion animal care.
Certifications in pet first aid and CPR (e.g., Red Cross Pet First Aid or equivalent).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Animal Science
Veterinary Technology / Veterinary Assisting
Companion Animal Care / Canine Behavior

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: Entry-level to 3 years in animal care or kennel/boarding environments; many roles accept motivated candidates with volunteer or pet-sitting experience.

Preferred:

1+ year of direct experience in a boarding kennel, animal shelter, daycare, or veterinary clinic handling dogs.
Demonstrated experience with medication administration, kennel sanitation protocols, and basic grooming.
Prior customer-facing experience in a retail, hospitality, or service setting is a plus.