What are the responsibilities and job description for the Stay + Play Dog Attendant position at Hound & Crumb LLC.?
Stay Play Dog Attendant
Hound & Crumb | Fredericksburg, Virginia Part-Time
About Hound & Crumb
Hound & Crumb is a dog-first bakery café opening in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In addition to our bakery and café experience, select operating periods include structured Stay Play experiences for dogs.
Our approach is intentionally different from traditional high-volume dog settings.
We prioritize thoughtful supervision, appropriate interactions, observation, safety, and the individual dog in front of us.
The Role
We’re looking for an experienced, highly observant dog professional to join our Stay Play team.
This is not an entry-level “I love dogs” position.
The person in this role must be comfortable reading canine body language, recognizing changes in arousal and stress, managing group dynamics, intervening appropriately before situations escalate, and maintaining a calm environment without relying on force, intimidation, or punishment.
The right candidate must eventually be capable of supervising a dog space independently.
Responsibilities
- Actively supervise dogs throughout Stay Play sessions
- Continuously observe canine body language and group dynamics
- Recognize early indicators of stress, discomfort, over-arousal, conflict, fatigue, and inappropriate play
- Interrupt or redirect interactions appropriately before escalation
- Help maintain appropriate group composition and activity
- Follow all Hound & Crumb dog-handling and safety protocols
- Maintain accurate awareness of dogs entering and leaving the space
- Communicate behavioral or physical concerns promptly
- Maintain clean, sanitary dog areas
- Complete cleaning and reset procedures between sessions
- Assist with safe transitions into and out of play spaces
- Maintain professional communication with guardians and teammates
- Follow emergency and incident procedures
- Provide additional floor coverage when trained and scheduled
- Maintain attentive supervision rather than relying on phones or passive observation
Required Qualifications
Applicants should have meaningful hands-on experience working with dogs in a professional or structured environment.
Relevant backgrounds may include:
- Dog daycare or structured play environments
- Professional dog walking or pet care
- Training or behavior environments
- Veterinary or kennel settings
- Shelter or rescue work involving direct dog handling
- Other professional canine-care experience
You should be able to discuss canine body language and explain how you would respond to common group-management situations during the interview.
Our Handling Philosophy
Hound & Crumb prioritizes relationship, communication, observation, and proactive management.
We do not use force, pain, fear, intimidation, or punitive handling methods to manage dogs.
We expect team members to understand that successful supervision means noticing what dogs are communicating before a situation becomes a problem.
What We’re Looking For
- Strong canine observational skills
- Calm, confident handling
- Dependability and punctuality
- Excellent situational awareness
- Ability to work independently after training
- Good judgment under pressure
- Willingness to follow established protocols
- Ability to receive feedback and continue developing professionally
- Comfortable communicating concerns rather than ignoring them
- Physically capable of performing normal dog-care duties, including standing, walking, cleaning, bending, and moving throughout a supervised dog environment
Schedule
This is a part-time position supporting scheduled Hound & Crumb Stay Play periods. Weekend availability is important.
Hours will initially be limited and may increase as Stay Play participation and Hound & Crumb grow.
Important
Please include your specific professional or structured experience working directly with dogs when applying.
Dog ownership alone does not meet the experience requirement for this position.
Hound & Crumb is building a thoughtful, safety-conscious dog environment, and we’re looking for someone who understands that excellent canine care requires much more than simply loving dogs.
Pay: $13.50 per hour
Work Location: In person
Salary : $14