Love dogs? We do too. Come join the pack!

Dog Handler – Morning Shift📍 Naperville, IL | 🐾 $16.50–$17.50/hour | ⏰ 30–40 hrs/week

 

About Us

For over 20 years, The Crate Escape has been Naperville’s go-to dog daycare and overnight facility. We're more than just a place for dogs to hang out—we're a trusted second home, and our team is a big part of what makes it so special. Learn more about us at www.thecrateescape.com! Please check our social media/Facebook page for a sneak peek at what we do.

 

About the Role

We're on the hunt for awesome humans to join our team as Morning Dog Handlers. If you're energized by wagging tails, don’t mind a bit of fur on your clothes, and love the idea of building bonds with dogs and their human family, keep reading. You’ll be working with large packs of dogs — this is not a solo dog-walking gig. It’s fast-paced, physical work that requires patience, awareness, and a whole lot of love. You’ll be responsible for keeping dogs safe, happy, and giving them the time of their lives.

 

What You'll Do

•Supervise dog play groups and keep a watchful eye on dog behavior – time to wear your Alpha hat!

•Administer breakfast and medication (as needed)

•Clean, clean, clean (did we mention clean?)—yes, poop scooping is part of the job!

•Build relationships with dogs and their humans

•Be super reliable, we need people who will be on time and ready to go every single day

•Maintain a safe and positive environment for all pups

•Communicate with teammates and think like an owner—if something can be done better, speak up!

•Really strong candidates will be interested in assisting with social media content, parent report cards, or helping us grow our business (bonus points for creativity!)

•Help out on weekends and holidays when needed (with extra holiday pay!) Working weekends and holidays might not be for everyone, we get that! But caring for dogs doesn’t break for Saturdays, Sundays, or federal holidays!

 

What We’re Looking For

•Ideally, folks who have experience with dog handling with dogs in large groups. We will provide extra training to ensure we have a common understanding of expectations around dog handling; however, we are hoping for a candidate who knows the ins and outs

•To us, the safety of dogs and people is number one, it has to be your number one too.

•A true dog lover who gets that working with dogs isn’t always easy—but it’s always worth it

•Someone who wants to form lasting connections—with both pets and people

•A team player who’s dependable, observant, and ready to jump in

•Comfortable working in a fast-paced, sometimes messy environment

•Strong communicator and willing to give and receive feedback

•Interested in growing with us long-term (some of our team has been with us for years, and we love that!). We want you to strive to go beyond your current role and help us build this business. 

 

Job Details

🕕 Morning Shift: 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM

💰 Pay: $16.50–$17.50/hr based on experience

🎁 Bonuses when the business does well

🎉 Holiday Pay

🏖️ 40 hours of paid time off accrued annually

📅 30–40 hours/week

🫶 Occasionally flexible scheduling to support your teammates

 

Ready to Join the Pack?

If you’re looking for more than just a job—if you want to be part of a team that feels like family, do meaningful work, and get tail wags daily—we’d love to meet you. If we do make time to chat, let us know what you think from our website and Facebook posts, we will know you’ve looked and are engaged !Send us a resume now and let’s make tails wag together! 🐕✨