Dog Behavior Specialist

Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $16 / hour
Work Location: On site
Reports to Dog Care Manager

Company Overview

Cincinnati Animal CARE (CAC) is a dynamic and progressive humane society in contract with Hamilton County to deliver exceptional animal services to our community. We enforce animal laws and prioritize public safety while striving to be a community resource providing education and support to the people and animals of Hamilton County. We value our team of compassionate, open-minded and resilient staff and volunteers who make it possible to care for 8,000 animals each year. We believe that lifesaving is a community ethic and implement a collaborative, holistic approach to animal sheltering and Dog Warden services.

Position Summary

The Dog Behavior Specialist plays a key role in overseeing the behavioral well-being of dogs in our care. This position serves as the primary contact for dog care specialists seeking help with dog handling, behavioral concerns, or safety. The Dog Behavior Specialist also maintains safety checklists, enters behavior slips into the record-keeping database, and facilitates behavior consults. The role involves assisting intake and medical teams as needed and handling dogs designated for the behavior team, including providing additional behavioral assessments and maintaining accurate records.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Act as the go-to person for dog care specialists to rely on for assistance with dog handling or addressing behavioral concerns.
• Identify and address behavioral issues and provide solutions and intervention in real-time.
• Conduct detailed behavioral assessments on new arrivals to establish behavior baselines and recommend appropriate outcomes.
• Handle behavior team-only and “Red” dogs, ensuring they receive the individualized care they need for successful outcomes.
• Maintain and oversee the safety checklists for all dogs in care, ensuring that safety protocols are followed.
• Work collaboratively to ensure the safety of staff, volunteers, and animals by providing guidance on proper handling techniques.
• Facilitate behavior consults for staff, volunteers, and foster homes, offering support and advice to help address behavioral issues.
• Respond to behavior support inquiries from various departments, ensuring timely and effective resolutions.
• Assist the intake and medical teams on an as-needed basis, providing behavioral insight during medical treatments or intake processes.
• Lead training sessions for new staff and volunteers on dog handling and safety procedures, ensuring everyone is equipped with the knowledge to manage dogs safely and effectively.
• Collaborate with the Enrichment Coordinator to ensure dogs’ mental and physical needs are met.
• Contribute to behavior and training programs aimed at supporting pet retention and community involvement through public-facing resources.

Requirements:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in training and working with animals in a shelter or behavioral setting preferred.
• Strong understanding of positive reinforcement training, animal behavior, and enrichment.
• Proficiency in record-keeping systems such as Google Drive, Sheets, and Docs.
• Ability to handle difficult situations, exercise sound judgment, and provide clear communication and guidance.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and perform physical tasks such as bending, standing, and handling animals.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment with moderate to high noise levels and frequent exposure to unvetted animals.

Working Conditions:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; in high, precarious places; and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
• Exposure and handling unvetted animals and their waste is frequent.