"Working at GDB has been the best experience. I have worked in places that talk about creating a culture. GDB lives it. Everyone is so welcoming and supportive. I came in with limited dog experience and some concerns that it may not be well accepted. I found quite the opposite. My mentor was patient, knowledgeable as well as each person I sought information from." Canine Welfare Training Technician
Kennel Technicians
Let your love for amazing dogs guide you here.
If you love working with dogs and want to be part of a collaborative team that is committed to ensuring that our puppies and dogs thrive, consider joining us as a training or neonatal kennel technician.
If you can't access the online application, please send us your cover letter and resume by e-mail to [email protected].
As a training kennel technician or neonatal kennel technician at GDB, you will ensure our dogs in training and puppies are healthy and thrive. Ultimately, you are playing a critical role in supporting GDB’s life-changing mission while you expand your skills and work with an amazing team.
Neonatal Kennel Technicians
At our California campus, you’ll assist with deliveries and provide specialized care for newborn and weaned puppies, new and expectant mothers, and adult breeding dogs. In addition to maintaining a sanitary kennel environment, you will help with overall daily health care, socialization, and enrichment for our dogs. Our 28,000-square-foot Puppy Center and nursery is a state-of-the-art setting to continually develop your skills.
Training Kennel Technicians
In this role at our California and Oregon campuses, you will take on varied duties for adult dogs, such as feeding, bathing, grooming, playing, and exercising, as well as maintaining a clean kennel environment. You will help reinforce basic canine obedience training, learn how to evaluate dog health concerns, and administer treatment plans with veterinary support. It’s a great way to work full-time with dogs and build a valued skill set.
Complete Support
We provide structured, ongoing training to learn our protocols. You will work with a mentor for three months to gain practical, hands-on training. We offer constructive feedback and regular progress updates, including quarterly conversations to help you stay on track and define your goals. You’ll appreciate working in an environment with the very best resources to care for dogs throughout their lives as you build new skills and deliver specialized care.
Paths to Advance
Our career path for kennel technicians includes multiple levels of growth as your skills develop and expand. Promotions are based on your proficiency in canine care, not on a specific timetable, so your progress is tailored to your individual skills and experience. We also offer a paid Apprentice Instructor Program, which consists of on-the-job training, mentoring, and academics, if you wish to become a guide dog mobility instructor.
A Special Breed
This job requires collaboration, attention to detail, and a commitment to teamwork, quality, and safety. Kennel tech roles are physical in nature, requiring you to be on your feet all day, bending, lifting, scooping, and hosing. Our kennels operate from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and require working weekends and some holidays. Training kennel technicians work some evenings, and neonatal kennel technicians could require some overnight shifts.
Excellent Rewards
Our pay scale is above average for kennel technicians, because our roles require more than basic animal husbandry. You’ll appreciate our generous and comprehensive benefits package with perks that include a fitness center, wellness program, staff lunches, and more. You’ll love working on our beautiful campuses in either California or Oregon, which allow you to be active and spend time outdoors in natural settings.
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“Belonging to the team at GDB means everything! I don’t know what I’d be doing if I wasn’t here. Not only is it a job—it’s a job with a purpose of changing lives. The fact that a dog can do this job, and that someone is going to trust their life to them, is awe inspiring. The training and the bond are something that, as a child, I couldn’t even imagine. But I knew that it was something I wanted to be a part of.” Canine Welfare Training Technician Supervisor
“I was attracted to the job because of the opportunity to be around puppies and assisting with their births. Since starting here a few years ago, I have learned so much more than I ever thought I would. And, I’ve had a great team that has helped support my growth. To know that we are making an impact in someone’s life that we don’t personally know is a gift that I never knew I could give.” Canine Welfare Neonatal Technician