Bramham Pooch Patrol is accepting speculative applications from animal loving people keen to change career!

A job with Bramham Pooch Patrol would centre around collecting and walking up to 4-6 dogs between the hours of 10.30am and 2.30pm; with occasional walks and home visits outside these hours if desired. The majority of the walks will take place Monday – Friday however you will be open to working the occasional Saturday when demand requires.

Due to the nature of the work the hours will increase over time, eventually averaging 15-25 hours per week, depending on the needs of the applicant, with the possibility of extra hours to cover sickness, holiday and busy periods. Benefits include paid annual leave, a competitive salary, plenty of fresh air and exercise!

Applicants must be dog lovers, with experience handling dogs and a good level of fitness as walking in all weathers on a variety of terrains is expected. Please note that this job is not just about walking dogs – a successful applicant will show an understanding of the different risks and issues that may arise on a dog walk, and the high level of responsibility which dog walkers must take for their canine charges. Patience, understanding and keeping a calm head in a crisis is absolutely vital for this role. If successful, you will be required to complete a canine first aid course, at the business’s expense.

Applicants will only be considered if they meet the following requirements:

• A full and clean UK driving licence.

• Ownership of a 5 door car/van suitable for use collecting dogs and transporting them to their walks. The successful applicant will be required to obtain business insurance for this vehicle (any additional expense will be reimbursed) and adapt their vehicle to ensure dogs are transported safely (at the business' expense).

• A clean CRB check completed within the last 18 months – customers will be entrusting the successful applicant with keys to their home and more importantly their beloved pets. A clean CRB check will be required to demonstrate trustworthiness. A fresh CRB check will be obtained once the successful applicant has been selected, at the business’s expense.

• Ownership and use of a smartphone with capability to take good quality photographs on walks (see the business Facebook page for examples), and ability to send text message updates to customers on a daily basis.

Applicants must address each of the above points and explain how they meet these requirements in their application. Individuals who fail to do this will not be considered for any role.

It would be beneficial for applicants to have the following qualities:

• Flexibility – whilst the role will be predominantly Mon-Fri between 10.30am and 2.30pm, some occasional work outside these hours will also be required on an ad hoc basis.

• Dedication, enthusiasm and a passion for animals – your enthusiasm will be returned tenfold by the dogs..!

• A sense of humour – you cannot take yourself seriously in this job (even if you do, the dogs won’t!)

• Punctuality, exceptional timekeeping skills and excellent organisational skills.

• Ability to keep calm under pressure, think on your feet, avoid risks and deal with unexpected events in a level headed manner.

• Knowledge, experience and confidence with animals – especially dogs – including an understanding of dog behaviour and at the very least a basic grasp of training methods with a willingness to learn more. A successful candidate must support positive reinforcement training methods.

• Good communication skills – whilst this role involves a lot of time spent with dogs, you will be expected to become a part of the business and communicate with customers on an ongoing basis. Being a people person is therefore a benefit.

If you are interested in speculatively applying for a position with Bramham Pooch Patrol, please send your CV by email to bryony@bramhampoochpatrol.co.uk with ‘Job application’ in the subject line. Please use the body of the email to explain how you meet the requirements set out in this advert. I’m afraid I do not have time to contact unsuccessful applicants.