New Hire Onboarding - Professional Pet Care Provider Application

C9C Professional Pet Care Provider Job Application

Cloud 9 Canine Pet Care & Dog Training, LLC is a professional pet company. We leave our application open at all times and hire whenever we meet stellar candidates we can entrust to serve C9C pet parents.
Dear Applicant,

Please fill out the application completely prior to submitting. If any steps are incomplete *or* if any responses are lacking in detail, the application will not be considered.
Thank you for your time and interest!

Gratefully,

Nicole Bowdish
Owner & Founder | Cloud 9 Canine, LLC
nicole@kzoopet.com

Before proceeding, please visit our website to learn more about us & our services: kzoopet.com
Candidate Requirements

In order to be considered, candidates must meet the following criteria.
18+ years of age on the date of hire.*

I certify I meet this criteria.
Possess a valid U.S driver's license AND personal transportation to commute independently between homes to provide services.*

I certify I meet this criteria.
Own a reliable smartphone with capabilities for completing tasks off a smartphone app with high levels of proficiency—including following a GPS system while on the road and using cellular data in areas without WiFi.*

I certify I meet this criteria.
Own a reliable personal computer with capabilities for completing working tasks using Google systems with high levels of proficiency.*

I certify I meet this criteria.
CANDIDATE INFORMATION

Basic Information About You
FIRST STEP: Email in a resume—please email us a copy of your professional resume to manager@kzoopet.com with the subject line of "(Your First Initial & Last Initial—ie, 'AB') Professional Resume". Check here once this step is completed.*

I verify I completed this step.
Name*

First NameLast Name
Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number
Email*
example@example.com
Home Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Available Start Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
Are you available to work weekends and holidays? Explain.*
Provide Professional References: List at least 2 *professional* references here. At least 1 of the references must be from a previous employer. Include each reference's name, job title, their relationship to you, their email address, AND their phone number. *
Time Commitment

Due to our intensive New Hire Training Program and the relationships that form between team members and the pets we serve (espeically the nervous pets that take awhile to warm up and bond closely with only specific people), we require a six month minimum commitment to consider an individual for employment with Cloud 9 Pet Care & Dog Training. A position with us is not suitable for temporary, seasonal, or short-term work.
Type out the date 6 months from today (MM/DD/YYY). Are you able to commit to 6 months of employment with Cloud 9 Pet Care and Dog Training?*
CANDIDATE PROFILE

Answer the following candidate profile questions.
Do you currently own any pets? If yes, tell us all about your personal pets!*
Why did you end employment at your last job?*
What are your long term career goals?*
If you could do anything in the world and time & finances were not a barrier, what would you do?*
Tell us about a time you got "the short end of the stick" at work: what happened, what did you do, and what did you learn from the situation?*
How do you spend your days off from work?*
Do you have relevant experience or education related to animal sciences, biology, canine/feline/reptile/small animal husbandry & behavior? If so, describe.*
What do you think are the biggest risks, or situations that could go poorly, while providing in-home pet care services to pets?*
Aside from the opportunity to work with animals, why do you want to become a part of the Cloud 9 team?*
Aside from gaining experience, what goals would you want to accomplish while working as part of the C9C team?*
Tell us what pet picture on our website stands out most to you (include the pet's name) and why.*
Of the Cloud 9 Canine values listed on our website, which one stands out most to you? Why?*
Briefly paraphrase the C9C mission on our website. How do you relate to our mission statement?*
Thank you for the information!

Our application process is intentionally more strenuous than most. Due to the nature of our field of practice, it is imperative that all team members have a keen eye for detail and are willing to going the extra mile, which sometimes means reviewing lengthy care instructions or filling out detailed forms on pet behavior or information updates.
Job Demands

The job demands section details the unfiltered difficult parts of the job. Please review this section thoroughly, taking time to honestly consider this position is truly a good fit for you.
We Work with Behavior Cases

C9C is a professional pet company. We do provide some "lower maintenace" care, but the majority of the pets we serve hire us because they need PROFESSIONAL care. You do not need pet experience to be successful in this job, but you will need to commit to skills training and demonstrate some level of passion for developing proficent pet handling skills to work with C9C.

This means you will be expected to learn how to and be comfortable staying alert, professional, and independently implementing professional reasoning with pets in all kinds of health and behavioral needs:
- We serve dogs with bite histories who have, can, and will bite unskilled/uneducated handlers.
- We serve dogs who are going to pull HARD and lunge on the leash and could injure unskilled/uneducated handlers.
- We serve cats that may need intrusive medications, such as insulin shots or inhalers, that may not be receptive to taking these mediations and require skilled, careful, fear-free restraint.
- We serve pets that will be scared of new people and not let you touch/leash them, requiring handlers to be patient and skilled to complete care tasks.
- We utilize standardized systems for careful documentation of pet care needs, requiring handlers to be able to independently review and implement detailed care histories and instructions before seeing a pet.
- Handlers must be able to adhere to behavior plans and protocols exactly as written for their safety and for the well-being of the pets they care for.
- We work independently and do not meet every single pet for shadow visits before caring for them, requiring proficency in our systems.
...and more. This is not "just a dog walk" or "just a pet sitting" as we are a professional pet company. You will be provided with training, but it is imperative any applicants understand the scope of what our handlers do.
Describe your comfort level with the job scope described above.*
We Don't Get to "Call In" From Work

As an essential service, unfortunately we can't just simply let everyone know we need to call off of work for a day and leave it at that: pets depend on us. We provide essential life-sustaining care to living creatures. If we do not show up, it can lead to illness, injury, or even death of a pet. Our team has to be considerate of the demands of the job; we are responsible for all pets scheduled to be in our care each day, even when we are not feeling well or have personal matters going on. Pets cannot miss doses of medication, stay stuck in their crate too long, or go without fresh water.
Describe your comfort level with the attendance demands aspect of the job described above.*
We Have to Show Up If Coverage Is Not Available

In the event that we attempt to find coverage and no one is available and willing to cover our assigned services for us—which can happen to everyone at some point— we still have to go out to take care of the pets assigned to us, even when we are genuinely not feeling well or have personal matters going on.

This includes ensuring we are able to independently self-manage our time off, plan ahead, and monitor & update our availability. Every member of the team has to take responsibility for their own schedule and be respectful of the work-life balance of our co-workers.
Describe your comfort with the aspect of potentially not having to be able to secure coverage and having to go to provide service to the pets on your schedule for the day as described in the above job description.*
We Have to Be Resourceful

In the event of a barrier in us making it out to homes to providing essential care services, we have to be resourceful. C9C does not cancel on clients and guarantees we will show up.

An example would be if our car doesn't start one morning, we have to be able to seek out alternate transportation (borrowing a car from a friend or family member, utilizing public transportation, professionally communicating with clients that we are on the way but a bit delayed, or using rideshare apps) to still make it to our visits. Being able to stay calm in stressful situations and independently work to find solutions without getting overwhelmed (with training, of course!) is critical in this line of work.
Describe your comfort with the expectation of being able to be resourceful to solve problems at work as described in the above job description.*
Scheduling Expectations for New Staff
- Services hours are 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
- MOST demand for services is in the early morning (6:00 AM - 8:00 AM), midday (11:00AM - 1:00PM) and late evening (8:00 PM -11:00 PM). The less availability you have during these peak times, the less likely we would be able to routinely schedule you for work.
- Inflexible availability on your end would also make achieving new hire training requirements difficult and therefore may make one less suitable for employment with Cloud 9 Canine.
- Demand for services also increases on weekends (Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night, & Sunday morning).
- We utilize a seniority system so longer-term team members are given priority in scheduling them during their most ideal working hours. Everyone takes turns working the late nights/early mornings, but newer team members will need to have availability during potentially "less popular" working hours in order for us to regularly schedule you.
Describe your comfort with the scheduling expectations outlined above.*
Commuting Between Homes
- We provide in-home services, traveling between client residences on our routes of assigned services.
- We commute throughout Kalamazoo, Comstock, South Portage, Parchment, and Texas Corners which consists of a lot of time spent on the road.
- This requires comfort driving in extreme and hazardous weather conditions to ensure pets receive food, water, let-outs, and medications even in the middle of severe weather events.
- Service hours are 6am-11pm which will require commuting to and locating homes in the dark.
*We prioritize safety over timeliness (i.e, being able to drive slow and not rush in poor weather), but we provide services in all weather so team members need to be comfortable driving in and working outdoors in all kinds of weather, even severe (we provide life-sustaining essential services).
Based on the above description, how comfortable are you having a job that requires confidence driving and navigating Kalamazoo in serious weather conditions (white-out blizzards, ice storms, heavy rain) and pitch-black times of day?*
New Hire Training Process Expectations
- We value coachability over perfectionism; meaning, taking the need to be constantly learn from your trainers, your co-workers, the clients, and the pets you spend time with seriously is the most important factor for the job.
- ALL new hires, no matter their background within the pet industry, always come in with a LOT to learn about evidence-based, +R paradigm-centered, skilled pet handling.
- Given the unregulated nature of the pet industry, everyone also comes in with a lot of beliefs and practices to "unlearn" (throughout new hire training).
- We don't expect new hires to be fluently skilled and knowledgeable from day one: ability to respond and implement the feedback new hires receive from management and more experienced team members is the #1 trait we look for in new hires. This is not a good job for people that aren't looking to have to learn a LOT more than is typically expected. Our tag line is they are "so much more than just a pet" and this job is SO much more than "just dog walking."
Based on the above description, how comfortable are you committing to the intensive new hire training program as part of this job?*
A-DAY-IN-THE-LIFE SCENARIOS

Answer how you would respond in the following scenarios that will likely occur at some point during the job.
The lock to open a client's home is jammed shut and not opening. The client is not responding to your messages and you have poor phone signal. What do you do?*
You are at what was booked as a 40 minute visit. You have been at the visit for 57 minutes and are instructed to get the dog in the crate at the end of the visit, but the dog is running away, rolling onto their back, and refusing to go in the crate. What do you do?*
A puppy has a diarrhea blow out in his crate that spills over onto the carpet and splatters up the wall. The fecal matter is thick and slimy, making it difficult to clean up, and the house is low stock on paper towels so you are about to run out. Some of the fecal matter gets onto your pant legs. How do you handle this?*
Tell us your favorite memory you have with an animal, whether it was a past pet, current pet, or a pet you worked with.*
If you can't figure out how to put on a dog's harness, what would you do?*
Pretend you are caring for the pets in the scenario below.
- You have just finished an early morning pet sitting visit for a pair of dogs, Bella and Tycho.
- You discover one of the dogs has peed on the rug when you walk into the home.
- Tycho jumps on you and scratches you when you walk in, barks loudly while you leash him and Bella up, and lunges at squirrels you pass on the walk.
- You take them on a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood.
- They both are served breakfast, which they eat.
- After breakfast, you spend the rest of the visit hanging out with them on the couch.
Write a detailed narrative of how you would report this visit back to the client as if you were sending it to the client as a post-service report.*
Submit a picture you've taken of a pet that you would consider "report card worthy" to include in a post-service client report.*

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WORKING DETAILS
Ideal number of hours to be scheduled per week:*
We are only able to hire individuals available where demand for services is (weekend nights, daily early mornings, and weekday middays). List your availability in the box below following this format:

MONDAY: TIME - TIME

TUESDAY: TIME - TIME

WEDNESDAY: TIME - TIME

THURSDAY: TIME - TIME

FRIDAY: TIME - TIME

*Friday late evening availability is required.

SATURDAY: TIME - TIME

*Saturday late evening availability is required.

SUNDAY: TIME - TIME
General Availability*
List your desired weekly earnings (total gross income, not hourly rate).*
Sign here to authorize Cloud 9 Canine, LLC, to run a criminal background check + contact your listed professional references should we decide to move forward in the hiring process.*

Clear
APPLICATION COMPLETE!

Thank you again for your interest! Once we review your application, our system will mark your application "approved" or "declined" via email. Then, we will contact you directly should we wish to move forward with the hiring process. Please only contact us via email and not by phone—we receive a large volume of calls and messages daily. We will reach out to you via email if there is mutual interest!
Should be Empty:

C9C Professional Pet Care Provider Job Application

Candidate Requirements

CANDIDATE INFORMATION

Time Commitment

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Thank you for the information!

Job Demands

A-DAY-IN-THE-LIFE SCENARIOS

WORKING DETAILS

APPLICATION COMPLETE!