kennel assistant

shift leader

dog daycare attendant

attendant

front end associate

Hounds Town USA

My experience at Houndstown Millersville was mixed. The staff and assistant manager are knowledgeable, supportive, and enjoyable to work with. The dogs are sweet, though the work can be repetitive. Hours are often reduced due to low dog counts, and there are no benefits offered.

One of the main challenges was workload distribution. On shifts with multiple staff members or with the assistant manager present, responsibilities felt more balanced. However, when scheduled with only one staff member covering operations, that employee often managed most daily tasks alone, including cleaning, supervising playrooms, feeding, laundry, and grooming. Feeding requires dogs to settle before returning to play, which can delay other tasks and add pressure during shifts. When multiple responsibilities overlap, this can become stressful.

Policy enforcement and training application were inconsistent. It was communicated that not all policies are followed consistently and that some training practices are not always used. Scheduling was consistent initially but later became less predictable. A potential improvement would be clearer structure around support during shifts, including communicating when leadership is focusing on administrative responsibilities and when assistance is available, to help staff manage expectations and workload.

There were also moments where newer staff, including myself, were asked to make decisions about dog grouping due to limited time spent in the play areas, which can be challenging without consistent guidance.

There were positives—strong teamwork among staff, an excellent assistant manager, and rewarding moments working with the dogs. However, inconsistent hours, uneven workload distribution, limited on-shift support at times, inconsistent policy enforcement, and lack of benefits made the role challenging overall.

When I first started working here, I genuinely loved the job. I enjoyed caring for the dogs so much that I recommended this facility to other dog owners and trusted it enough to bring my own dogs here. I quickly formed strong bonds with the dogs, felt fulfilled by the hands-on work, and gained meaningful experience that aligned directly with my career path. Most of the staff were kind and easy to work with, and initially I respected the manager’s leadership style and felt hopeful about staying long-term.

Unfortunately, within about two weeks, the environment began to deteriorate rapidly due to the behavior of one particular shift lead. While interactions with the rest of the staff remained professional, this shift lead consistently created a highly stressful and intimidating atmosphere. Staff were frequently yelled at, spoken to harshly, and cussed at. The stress became so intense that it affected our ability to function effectively during shifts, creating tension, fear, and shutdown rather than teamwork.

Multiple staff members experienced similar treatment, and the impact was visible. Employees became quiet, withdrawn, and anxious around this individual. The work environment no longer felt safe or supportive. When concerns were raised, the behavior was repeatedly dismissed as the shift lead “just doing their job,” rather than being addressed or corrected. Attempts to resolve the issue were deflected, and accountability was avoided.

What made this especially disappointing was that the job itself—and most of the people—were not the problem. The situation escalated because unprofessional conduct from a leadership position was tolerated by management. This ultimately led to resignations, including my own, despite how much I cared about the work and the dogs.

This role had the potential to be a positive, long-term experience, but the normalization of yelling, intimidation, and disrespect made it unsustainable.

The best part of this job was the dogs. Many of the clients were kind, and the hands-on experience was valuable for someone interested in animal care.

However, my experience was heavily impacted by leadership and workplace culture. The management style on certain shifts felt inconsistent and, at times, unprofessional. Communication could be intense, with a strong emphasis on control and urgency that created a high-pressure environment rather than a supportive one.

There were also concerns about professionalism within the team dynamic. Workplace communication sometimes included negative discussions about coworkers and shifting expectations, which made it difficult to feel stability or trust within the environment.

In addition, there were moments where boundaries between professional and personal interactions felt unclear, which may not be comfortable for everyone in a workplace setting.

Workload expectations were another challenge. Staff were sometimes responsible for multiple critical tasks at once—feeding, medications, cleaning, and monitoring dog behavior—which could be difficult to manage at a safe and sustainable pace. This contributed to stress and fatigue during shifts.

When concerns were raised, they were sometimes acknowledged, but it was not always clear what changes followed. Over time, this made it difficult to feel confident that issues would be consistently addressed.

I truly valued working with the animals, but due to the overall work environment and leadership approach, I would not recommend this position. I encourage applicants to ask about staffing levels, management style, and how employee concerns are handled.

Pros
Working with dogs; some positive client interactions

Cons
Work environment, communication, and management structure

What is the best part of working at the company?
In my opinion, there were very few positives during my time here. While I enjoyed working with dogs in general, the environment made it difficult to actually engage in that aspect of the job.
What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The overall work environment was very stressful. There was frequent miscommunication, high turnover, and a lack of support. During my time there, multiple employees left, which made shifts feel understaffed and overwhelming. The policies also felt very restrictive, especially regarding interacting with the dogs, which made the job feel less fulfilling.
What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
In my opinion, the environment felt tense and unwelcoming at times. There was a noticeable lack of structure and consistency in management, which created confusion and frustration among staff. I also personally felt that the workplace culture could be improved in terms of communication and overall morale.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical shift involved completing assigned tasks and managing daily responsibilities, but it often felt like there was constant pressure without clear direction. The workload could be demanding, especially during busy times, and the environment sometimes felt overwhelming.


When you first start it's about a day sometimes two on the computer watching videos. It's a process.
And when you finally get to start the actual job it's go go go! But I like staying busy so it was good for me.
You have to be confident and ready to get dirty and make sure you're not sensitive to sound.
Management makes you feel small. When it comes to asking questions or wanting to do more they were great.
It is very high school. If you don't fit in you'll feel isolated. Everyone that's been there acts like you don't exist unless they need you for something. Sometimes rude. If they're talking about you and you walk by they get quiet so you definitely knew it was about you. So forget having a friend unless you click.
Hardest part of the job:
Not being able to touch or talk to the dogs 
You're not able tell them no when jumping on you
Getting in and out of the playrooms can be difficult 
If you have any old or new injub ries forget working there
Getting bit and not being able to tell the parents 
No praising (good job or that's fantastic ) unless you bring it to their attention 
The enjoyable part:
The dogs! Even though you can't touch or talk to them unless in designated areas, they are the best part
Getting tips
Flexible schedule


It’s a great starting point as a first job or to get experience into the Animal field. All depends on the location but my experience could’ve been a lot better. As I first started out it was a great job, I loved it. Pay is on the lower side but it is an easy job. Progressing through the years at HoundsTown, my whole experience went downhill from great to Worse. As dogs were not properly evaluated and putting employees at risk for their safety. Workers getting bitten and when the issue was escalated to higher ups It was brushed off as a problem with the facility and not the dog themselves. They’re allowing dogs to continually come In attacking other dogs and again when issue was escalated it was brushed off and dogs were allowed to come back multiple times with more offenses after that towards humans and other dogs there. New Employees were not properly trained and are mostly left to fend for themselves as the kennel leads are busy most of the time with other dogs which would allow the dog management to not be up to standards. It definitely had potential to be a great job but if management is not willing to make the employees feel safe and have pet parents feel comfortable leaving there dog without others ruining the experience for them it’s not worth the stress. 

I had high hopes working here because I love animals, but unfortunately, the environment was not what I expected. While the job does involve caring for dogs, it often felt like the focus was more on appearances than truly prioritizing the animals’ wellbeing. Serious behavioral issues between dogs, including frequent aggression, were ignored or brushed off rather than handled properly and transparently with pet parents.

The management dynamic was also very uncomfortable. There were frequent arguments between the owners, and unprofessional behavior was common—including discussions about politics at work and gossip about staff in work group chats. Communication often came off as passive-aggressive or nitpicky, making the atmosphere feel tense and unsupportive. There was a lack of consistency and leadership, which made doing the job the right way more difficult than it needed to be.

If you’re just looking for experience working with dogs, this place may offer that. But if you’re looking for a healthy, respectful, and professional workplace, this might not be the best fit.

A typical day at work required a lot of awareness and efficiency. Most of the time I’m usually cleaning after dogs, the kennels and monitoring dogs around the playroom for playtime. Some days I will also bathe a few dogs at a time. I believe I learned about dog’s behaviors and how to handle them in situations, And how to break up a dog fight the correct way. Also some facts about dogs in general when it comes to eating. And management is easy to work with and contact In necessary Situations. The workplace culture is fun and thrilling everyday, and being able to fulfill goals throughout the day is awesome. The hardest part for me is grouping different dogs by their behavior, Size, age, and temper. The most enjoyable part of the job is greeting the dogs and bathing, mainly because they come in happy to see you and go to daycare. And grooming/bathing is enjoyable because it’s a one of the personal times you have with the dog, and they become familiar with you.   

Most of the employees are nice and chill to be around. The environment is *sometimes* fun too. Although, new hires do online training for around 2 days and then have to fend for themselves or be trained by another employee that doesn't know the rules. I was one of these new hires, and I've witnessed it with others who came in. If you don't have the immediate confidence to do your job correctly, you'll be left in the dust for the rest of it. After a few months of working here, I still don't know how to do certain tasks do to not being trained. 

The dogs are exhausting to work with as well. Management will tell you how to do one task, you do it, but it's apparently wrong and it causes a problem. This is not the job for you if you dont feel comfortable with possible hearing loss, injury, and mental exhaustion. 

Had a very bad experience with them, got my professional development stalled and severely used as a ‘salaried assistant manager’ when I started to go through some pretty serious personal things I was awarded no understanding from one half of the owner ship. I was consistently on time, there on my days off and worked from home anytime I was needed. Really disappointed that I wasted almost a year of my life helping people build and staff a facility with literally no pay off for me. The staff and current assistant manager are AMAZING though and will give your dogs top notch care. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Kennel assistant 72 salaries reported	$14.45 per hour
Shift leader 22 salaries reported	$15.66 per hour
Dog daycare attendant 6 salaries reported	$16.00 per hour
Attendant 4 salaries reported	$15.18 per hour
Front end associate 6 salaries reported	$18.33 per hour

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