Dog Hygiene Technician in Portland, Oregon at BSUE DOGS CORP

Scenthound is built on the concept that dog hygiene is the 4th essential element of responsible dog care. We want to educate pet parents about the importance of their dog's hygiene routine.

While most pet parents are already taking their dog to the vet, feeding them the best food they can afford, and giving them adequate exercise, we are here to educate them on the 4th element of responsible dog care: hygiene. We believe that all dogs: big, small, fluffy, sleek, young, old, calm and reactive deserve to have their skin, coat, ears, nails and teeth cared for and examined each and every month.

We encourage pet parents of all dogs to visit us monthly for their dog's routine hygiene appointment. At each reoccurring, monthly, routine hygiene and wellness appointment, we start by bathing the dog, cleaning their ears, brushing their teeth, examining their skin and checking their glands. We leave every dog we service smelling and feeling better than how they came in.

We also provide pet parents a monthly S.C.E.N.T. Check wherein we rank the dog's Skin, Coat, Ears, Nails and Teeth on a scale from 1-5 in order to provide the pet parent with information and data on their dog's hygiene and wellness as well as point out issues or areas of concern that they can treat further at home or consult with their vet team about.

The role of a Dog Hygiene Tech starts with teamwork and a love of the connection between people and their dogs.

• Training on the basics of a routine dog hygiene appointment: washing from head to tail, cleaning ears, clipping and grinding nails, brushing teeth and blow-drying a dog
• Completing the basic services within a specific timeframe to company standard procedure expectations
• Recognizing signs of stress and aggression in all dog breeds and types, assessing risk and working with leadership to adjust or halt services
• Mastering all Scenthound services up to full haircuts
• Accepting feedback on technique, approach, process and temperament with dogs and fellow hygiene technicians
• Notating and commenting on all areas of each dog’s hygiene status within our digital S.C.E.N.T. Check system
• Educating pet parents on additional service recommendations, best practices, continued treatment and preventative care through our Scenthound app and our internal records
• Collaborating with leadership and peers on a continuous, daily basis in order to adjust and learn from each dog that comes through the doors
• Maintaining a calm, positive, peaceful demeanor always with dogs, peers and leadership to bring love and care to all situations

Dog Hygiene Technicians work in our bathing rooms around running, splashing, spraying water, loud, high velocity dryers, barking and whining dogs and heavy traffic.

Hygiene Technicians are expected to always communicate with intention and professionalism with their teammates and leadership, accept direct and timely feedback, and adjust their techniques, understanding and mindset accordingly.

Dog Hygiene Technicians are expected to keep timing as close to expectations as possible and will be responsible for pursuing on-the-job training in areas where they lack confidence or skill.

We are serious about the emotional well-being of our team members, pet parents, and dogs in our care. As a result, we have a zero-tolerance policy for the following behavior:

• Gossip and interpersonal tension that disrupts our workflow
• Physical aggression towards dogs
• Verbal aggression towards dogs
• Repeated actions that fall outside of Scenthound service standards
• Lack of accountability for mistakes, learning opportunities or personality issues

• The ability to handle dogs of all sizes, breeds, temperaments, ages and physical condition
• The ability to guide a dog safely through all Scenthound services patiently and positively unless a separate course of action is decided by management
• The ability to manage time independently and accurately
• The ability to communicate digitally with the public to discuss dog hygiene and wellness
• The ability to educate pet parents on their dog's well-being and the services that we recommend
• A flexible, open-minded attitude and sense of humor to be successful in the unexpected, sometimes stressful environment of a busy store filled with dogs and people
• A keen attention to detail and the ability to think creatively and flexibly as we want to provide a seamless, pleasant experience for our customers and their dogs
• The ability to independently solve problems using Scenthound values and culture as a guide
• A strong work ethic
• A love of teamwork
• The ability to lift 50 lb dogs into tubs independently
• The ability to bend over a bathing tub, wash and dry dogs, clip nails and brush teeth
• The ability to stand for 9-hour shifts
• The ability to effectively always communicate with management and team-members in a professional manner