Kennel Manager Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a kennel manager job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a kennel manager. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a kennel manager.
Who is a Kennel Manager?
Simply put, a kennel manager is an individual responsible for the daily management of the kennel as well as the care of the animals primarily cats and dogs kept there. They are in charge of checking pets in and out and maintaining everything in the kennel, ensuring that every animal in their care is in good health, eating a nutritious diet, and living in a setting that meets both their physical and social needs.
Kennel manners provide a variety of hands-on assistance and ensure that all kennel operations adhere to company policies, animal care laws, and a safe and clean environment.
Individuals in this career path have a strong desire to work with animals as well as a thorough understanding of how to handle and care for them. To ensure a sustained business, kennel managers should have excellent customer service skills
Kennel Manager Job Description
What is a kennel manager job description? A kennel manager job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a kennel manager in an organization. Below are the kennel manager job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a kennel manager job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a kennel manager include the following:
- Coordinating and supervising the daily activities of kennels that house dogs and occasionally other animals.
- Hiring and training new staff, developing employee schedules, and resolving any problems that may arise.
- Drafting and supervising plans for the workday.
- Completing administrative tasks such as ordering supplies, filing medical records, and scheduling veterinary appointments.
- Establishing and enforcing kennel policies and regulations.
- Ensuring that cages are operational and that the facility as a whole is cleaned on a regular basis.
- Ensuring the care, feeding, and general upkeep of the animals.
- Observing how the animals are boarded.
- Ensuring the safety of workers and other animals.
- Vaccinating animals, looking for symptoms of illness or disease.
- Providing animal training and selling pet food, supplies, and cages.
- Locating and reporting sick or distressed animals for further action.
Qualifications
The qualifications of kennel managers include the following:
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in animal science, animal husbandry, or a related field of study.
- 5+ years of professional animal care experience.
- Management experience, preferably in the animal industry.
- Knowledge of closely monitoring canine health and providing required attention.
- Knowledge of appropriate animal restraint techniques.
- Understanding of various small animal grooming techniques.
- Powerful leadership, motivational, and communication abilities.
- The ability to effectively resolve issues relating to performance, personnel issues, and team conflict.
- Leadership capabilities.
- Ability to complete assigned tasks on your own.
Essential Skills
To succeed, kennel managers need the following abilities:
- Leadership:
Kennel managers frequently work with a group of pet care specialists, so being a strong leader can help you inspire your team. By using your leadership skills, you can motivate your team to achieve their goals, increase their output, and improve their pet-care abilities. You can encourage your team to take breaks by assigning tasks, making schedules, and creating schedules.
- Staff Management:
A kennel manager is in charge of a group of employees, so effective staff management skills are essential. You may need to mentor experienced employees or train new ones. You must also ensure that every employee is doing productive and safe work. You must accomplish this by closely monitoring employee performance and meeting with them on a regular basis.
- Animal Husbandry:
Kennel owners and managers must be able to ensure the animals’ health and safety. As a kennel manager, you may be responsible for the animals in your care’s food, cleaning, and medical needs. Using your animal husbandry skills, you can teach new employees how to properly care for animals.
- Communication:
Kennel managers must be able to communicate clearly with both their staff and their pet owners. You should be able to precisely instruct your team and respond to any questions they may have. You should be able to speak with them in order to answer any questions they may have about the kennel and its services.
- Organization:
Kennel managers frequently have a large number of tasks to complete in a short period of time. Strong organizational skills will help you manage your time and responsibilities more effectively. Using organizational skills, you can keep your kennel clean and safe for your pets.
- Breeding Program Skill:
The process of breeding animals to produce offspring is an important component of kennel management. Kennel managers should have breeding program skills which include deciding which dogs should breed with one another and ensuring that the puppies are properly cared for after they are born. It also entails learning how to detect genetic flaws in the progeny so that they do not reoccur in subsequent generations.
- Customer Service Skill:
Kennel managers must be skilled at customer service because they frequently deal with paying customers. You might be asked to respond to questions about the services your company provides, help clients understand their pet insurance, or justify the need for specific procedures. Because you may need to discipline or counsel your employees as a manager, having strong customer service skills can be advantageous.
- Marketing:
Using marketing expertise, you can advertise the products and services your kennel provides. You could create marketing strategies, advertisements, or flyers to attract new clients. Your marketing expertise can also help you grow your business by promoting special deals or discounts on specific items.
- Veterinary Medicine:
While the majority of kennel managers work with healthy animals, some also work with animals recovering from illness or injury. Kennel managers must understand veterinary procedures and how to treat sick or injured animals.
- Problem-solving:
Kennel managers frequently need to solve problems and make decisions quickly. It is critical in this position to be able to think quickly and come up with solutions to unexpected problems. Staffing, scheduling, and other aspects of the kennel’s operations may also necessitate your input.
- Patience:
The ability to be patient can assist kennel managers in keeping their cool under pressure. As an animal care facility manager, you may have to deal with unforeseen difficulties or emergency situations. Being patient can help you think clearly and act quickly when faced with new information. It can also help staff members who are dealing with difficult situations communicate better.
- Veterinary knowledge:
Kennel managers frequently collaborate with veterinarians to ensure the well-being of the animals in their care. Understanding the symptoms of diseases and injuries, as well as how to treat them, is aided by knowledge of veterinary medicine. Additionally, it can help you recognize common pet health issues and avoid them.
- Facility Upkeep:
A kennel manager should be familiar with fundamental building maintenance techniques, such as how to run a boiler or repair plumbing. By doing this, you can maintain the kennel’s cleanliness and safety for both the animals and the staff. You might also be in charge of hiring and training employees who carry out these tasks.
- Decision Making:
Kennel managers must be effective decision-makers. You may have to decide which animals to put first in a line-up, how to care for an animal, or how to handle an unexpected situation. You can keep order at the shelter and ensure the safety of all the animals by being able to make quick, and deliberate decisions.
- Canine Behavior:
Everyone in this field should have an understanding and knowledge of how dogs behave in specific situations. Kennel managers are frequently called upon to deal with a variety of dog behaviors, such as when a dog is fearful or aggressive. This can help kennel owners keep both the dogs and their employees safe. Kennel owners and managers must be able to read canine body language in order to understand how their dogs are feeling.
- Physical stamina:
Kennel managers require physical stamina as they are notorious for working long hours. People in this position may be required to stand for extended periods of time, crawl, and bend, in order to work with the animals.
- Empathy:
Empathy is a valuable trait to have as a kennel manager because it allows you to better understand and care for animals. If an animal became ill, a caring Kenny manager would recognize its symptoms and know how to make it feel better.
- Attention to detail:
The ability to pay close attention to detail is essential for kennel managers because it allows them to detect any behavioral issues that could endanger other dogs or people. When a dog is injured or involved in an incident, kennel managers may assess the animal and identify any serious conditions that require the attention of the owner or a veterinarian. Kennel managers can report to the owner and explain a dog’s condition at the end of a walk.
How to Become a Kennel Manager
To become a kennel manager, follow the steps below:
- Obtain Relevant Education:
The first step to take in becoming a kennel manager is to obtain a relevant education. Kennel managers must have a high school diploma or a GED (GED). Some kennel managers may also hold a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in animal science, animal husbandry, or a related field. Students in these programs learn about animal behavior, nutrition, breeding, and other topics.
- Obtain Relevant Experience and Training:
Employers frequently value candidates who are passionate about animals or have relevant experience working with them. There are numerous opportunities to demonstrate these characteristics, whether through employment or volunteer work.
Prior experience as a veterinary technician, dog show handler, dog groomer, dog walker, or dog trainer is an example of relevant prior experience. Another common path to becoming a manager is to begin as a kennel assistant and work your way up through the ranks.
Kennel managers are also given on-the-job training. This training could include topics such as safety precautions, facility equipment usage, animal handling, and company policies and procedures. Training may also include learning how to track animal information and manage the facility’s finances using computer systems.
- Consider Becoming Certified:
Although certifications are not required, they can demonstrate to potential employers that you have the skills and knowledge required to work as a kennel manager. Making the extra effort to become certified can demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field. You can conduct research on animal or pet care professional associations to find potentially relevant certifications.
The Professional Animal Care Certification Council, for example, grants the title of Certified Professional Animal Care Provider. Despite not being directly related, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and Pet Sitters International both offer pet-sitter certifications that can demonstrate your applicable and transferable pet care skills. The eligibility requirements for these certifications vary; depending on the program, you may need to have a certain level of experience, obtain letters of recommendation, or pass an exam.
- Apply for kennel Manager Roles:
Before applying for kennel manager positions, carefully read the job description to determine the qualifications required by the employer.
You can highlight how your skills, experiences, or interests match those needs in your resume and job interviews. You can demonstrate how you would help and contribute to the employer’s team by including relevant information. Having additional education or certifications, as previously mentioned, can help demonstrate your subject-matter knowledge and enthusiasm. Furthermore, it can set you apart from other candidates.
- Network with Subject Matter Experts
Another path to kennel management is to network with others in the industry. Attending dog shows and other gatherings where you can network with kennel workers will assist you in accomplishing this. What they like and dislike about their jobs should be discussed. You can also watch videos and read articles about dog kennels. This will allow you to learn more about the field and, if necessary, prepare for a job interview.
Where to Work as a Kennel Manager
Kennel managers can work in boarding kennels, show dog breeding facilities, veterinary clinics, animal rescue centers, and doggy daycare centers, among other places. A kennel manager may own their own business or work for a well-known one. They may also work for private kennels or animal rescue organizations. The majority of kennel managers are full-time employees, though some may work nights, weekends, or holidays. They may need to be available around the clock in case of an emergency. Kennel managers frequently work in loud, dusty, and odorous indoor and outdoor environments. They may sustain animal bites, scratches, or other wounds.
Kennel Manager Salary Scale
The annual salary range for a kennel manager in the United States is between $23,816 and $30,278. Kennel managers’ pay, on the other hand, varies according to their level of education, years of experience, the size and location of the business, and their level of experience.