Hiring the right team is one of the biggest challenges pet care businesses face. Whether you're hiring your first employee or expanding your team, the stress of finding passionate, reliable people can be overwhelming. And let’s not forget the stress of navigating employment laws, figuring out whether to hire employees or independent contractors, and building a team that truly reflects your business values. But fear not—Doug Keeling, founder of Doug the Dog Guy is here!
In this blog post, we’ll dive into Pet Marketing Unleashed’s podcast interview with Doug Keeling, founder of Doug the Dog Guy and the Pawsitive Hiring Course on the topic of helping you hire, build and retain a reliable pet care team—without the overwhelm. Whether you're struggling with high turnover or simply unsure where to start when it comes to hiring, Doug has some tips and strategies to share in our interview, and we’re sharing the biggest nuggets with you below!
I was seriously so happy to have him on the podcast because hiring is seriously such a huge topic for the pet industry because it’s seriously such a struggle. So, let’s get into all things hiring with Doug!
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE NOW:
Subscribe & download the episode to your device: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
WATCH THE INTERVIEW:
Meet Doug Keeling: Pet Care Business Owner to Pet Care Business Coach
Doug Keeling, AKA Doug the Dog Guy, is the owner and founder of Bad to the Bone Pet Care in Jacksonville, FL. Over the past ten years, Doug's team of pet sitters and dog walkers have completed over 100,000 pet care services for over 1,000 families. Doug and his team have won multiple awards, most recently being chosen as the 2023 Pet Sitter of the Year by Pet Sitter's International. Doug is passionate about uplifting and inspiring the pet care industry, and he shares his knowledge and experience on his Doug the Dog Guy YouTube channel. Doug also provides one-on-one coaching for pet business owners, and has the Pawsitive Hiring Course where he teaches solo pet sitters and dog walkers how to hire and grow their team!
Understanding the Hiring Challenge: How to Identify Quality Candidates
One of the biggest pain points Doug often hears from pet business owners is struggling to find the right people who actually care about their clients' pets as much as they do. So, what are the best baseline strategies for identifying quality candidates?
Doug’s Top Tips:
Assessing Core Values: Before you even start hiring, it’s important to know what your business stands for. What values are non-negotiable? What do you want your employees to represent? This clarity will help you find candidates who align with your vision. You want to create everything about your service and your marketing to attract the type of person you are looking for, so make sure you are speaking directly to them.Once you have that outlined, it makes it a lot easier to know how to write the job ad, where to post it, what types of questions to ask in the interview process, etc.
Look Beyond Resumes: While resumes are important, they don’t always tell the full story. Look for candidates who demonstrate a true passion for animals, reliability, and a positive attitude. Skills can be trained, but personality and attitude are harder to change. Ask questions like… What does this person believe in? What do they stand for? Hire for heart, then train the skill!
Evaluate Commitment: Turnover can be a huge issue. Look for candidates who are genuinely looking to grow with your company and not just using your job as a stepping stone.
Red Flags to Watch For:
Start evaluating right away: The second that they submit the application, the first thing I look for is how long are they taking to respond to my emails? If I call them, do they answer the phone? Then, in these written responses on the application and in their email responses, are they communicating with proper grammar and punctuation? That kind of stuff is so important because when they are out in the field providing care for our clients and upholding our reputation, we need to know that they can speak adequately and efficiently.
Do they have their heart in the right place?: You really need to find somebody that can think on their feet and work independently and somebody that again has their heart in the right place and somebody that you know that when things go sideways and things get tough, they’ll make smart moral decisions even if they haven't been trained on how to deal with the situation.
Creating a Solid Foundation: What to Have in Place Before Hiring
Before you start bringing new team members into your pet care business, it's crucial to lay a strong foundation. As Doug points out, "You can’t build a strong house on a weak foundation," and the same principle applies to hiring. If your business infrastructure isn’t ready, bringing in employees will only create more problems down the line.
Here are Doug's key recommendations on what needs to be in place before you start hiring:
1. Set Your Prices Adequately
Ensure your prices reflect the cost of running your business, paying employees, and making a profit. Many pet business owners need to raise their rates before hiring staff to ensure financial stability.
2. Solidify Client Contracts and Policies
Make sure your clients understand and follow your policies. Having clear, well-communicated contracts will prevent confusion when you start involving team members.
3. Set Boundaries with Clients
Establish professional boundaries by setting office hours, using a business phone line, and creating systems for scheduling and payments. This is essential once you have employees.
4. Develop a Predictable Schedule and Revenue
A predictable schedule and steady revenue stream are necessary before hiring. If your calendar is inconsistent, focus on creating more stability before bringing in new staff.
5. Plan for Employee Pay and Scheduling
Have a clear plan for how you’ll pay employees and manage their schedules. This includes setting wages, creating a payment structure, and anticipating how you’ll handle issues as they arise.
6. Prepare for Leadership Challenges
Think about the kind of leader you want to be and the skills you need to lead effectively. Strong leadership is essential for team success.
7. Build Employee Infrastructure
Prepare key tools like an employee handbook, training manuals, and a payroll platform to ensure smooth operations when you hire.
And, if all of this sounds a bit overwhelming, here is Doug’s powerful reminder: "This is a marathon, not a sprint." Taking the time to properly lay the foundation will save you from rushing and making costly mistakes. Here’s how to stay calm and avoid overwhelm:
Pause and Breathe: Doug advises taking a step back, taking a deep breath, and reminding yourself that it’s okay to slow down. Don't rush the process—even if it means turning away a few clients temporarily.
Brain Dump: Write down your business goals for the next year, five years, and beyond. This "brain dump" allows you to get all the ideas out of your head, making it easier to prioritize and plan. Once you've written it down, you can review and organize these thoughts more clearly.
Zoom In and Out: Building your team is like creating a work of art. Sometimes you need to focus on the finer details, and other times you need to step back and look at the bigger picture. By shifting between these perspectives, you can stay grounded and avoid getting stuck in the weeds.
By following these steps, you can reduce stress and make smarter, more thoughtful decisions when hiring.
Tangible Pet Business Hiring Tips
Writing Effective Job Ads to Attract Quality Pet Care Employees:
Know Your Ideal Candidate: Tailor your job ad to the specific person you're looking to hire.
Keep It Short & Sweet: Limit your job ad to 400-600 words. Use bold, italics, and bullet points to make it skimmable.
Test & Adapt: AB test your job ads, including wording, format, and where you post. The job market is always evolving, so don’t settle on a "one-size-fits-all" approach.
Top Interview Questions to Assess Pet Care Candidates:
Scenario-Based Questions: Ask candidates how they'd handle situations like an emergency with a pet or dealing with a damaged home. This shows how they prioritize tasks and their problem-solving skills.
→ Example: “A dog has diarrhea all over the rug, and the kitchen sink is leaking. How do you prioritize your tasks?”
Evaluate Their Values: Look for candidates who care enough to go above and beyond, like ensuring a pet gets medical care if needed—even if they haven't heard back from the client.
Independent Contractors vs. Employees: What’s Best for Your Pet Care Business?
Protect Your Business: If you hire independent contractors for core work, you risk legal issues. Employees allow for proper training, consistency, and alignment with your business values. Go for Employees: Legally, independent contractors can’t perform core business tasks (like pet sitting or dog walking) and must have their own business structure. Training and maintaining control over your workers means they need to be employees.
Overnight Pet Care Services: Should You Continue or Discontinue?
Weigh the Pros and Cons: Overnight services are valuable, but they can be a logistical headache. Consider whether it’s worth continuing or if you’d prefer to discontinue the service to avoid complications.
Pay & Scheduling: If you do offer overnight services, figure out how to manage pay for long hours and overnight shifts fairly. It might involve adjusting your pricing or employee schedules.
Retaining Your Employees and Team
Once you’ve made the hire, the work doesn’t stop there. In fact, the real challenge begins: ensuring that your new team member feels supported, valued, and motivated to stay long-term. Retaining your team and setting them up for success takes intentional strategies from onboarding through ongoing evaluation.
Onboarding and Setting Expectations
A successful onboarding process begins with clear expectations. Before your new hire even steps in the door, have their next steps mapped out and in writing. This includes scheduling their onboarding session, explaining their online training modules, and outlining when they'll have opportunities for growth, like pay raises or promotions. Knowing what's coming next gives them a sense of direction and helps them feel more secure and invested in their role.
It’s also helpful to think about onboarding the same way you approach client onboarding—set clear boundaries, expectations, and goals. Both require a well-thought-out strategy to ensure the process is smooth and productive.
Keeping Your Team Motivated Long-Term
To keep your team motivated, get to know them beyond just their work tasks. Have them fill out a bio form with both public and private sections—use the public part for the website and the private part to understand their preferences for recognition and communication. Whether they prefer a gift card, a shoutout, or something more personal, knowing what motivates each person helps create a positive, supportive work environment.
In addition to personalized recognition, regular performance evaluations are essential. Every 90 days, track key performance indicators (KPIs) like timeliness and quality using tools like Time to Pet. These data-driven evaluations ensure that decisions are fair, transparent, and focused on growth. By using data, you remove emotional bias and create a clearer path for team members to improve and advance within your business.
By showing genuine care and providing clear feedback and growth opportunities, you can foster a team that stays motivated and committed long-term.
Adapting Hiring Strategies for the Future
Align Your Hiring Process with Your Mission and Values
Post-COVID Shift: Employees are now more focused on working for companies whose values align with their own. Many are willing to accept lower wages or fewer hours if the business's mission resonates with them.
Communicate Your Values Early: Make your mission and values clear right from the start in your hiring process, such as including them in your automated applicant emails. This helps attract the right fit and shows candidates what your business stands for.
The Shift from Independent Contractors to Full-Time Employees
Trend Toward Employees: Many pet care businesses are moving away from the independent contractor model and transitioning to full-time employees. This trend is expected to grow, offering more stability for both businesses and their teams
Plan for Future Wage Increases
Stay Ahead of Minimum Wage Changes: With minimum wage increases happening across the country, plan ahead by looking at your state’s future wage increases. Build this into your budget so you're not caught off guard when the changes take effect.
Think Long-Term When It Comes to Hiring and Business Growth
Look Beyond the Current Year: Consider what your compensation structure and hiring strategy will look like 2-3 years down the line. This long-term approach will help you scale sustainably and avoid short-term fixes.
Write Your Mission and Values: Even as a solo pet care provider, outlining your mission and brand values gives you clarity in attracting the right team members as your business grows.
What is your biggest piece of advice or tip or best practice when it comes to managing burnout and stress in business?
Exercise, Sleep, and Healthy Eating
It may sound cheesy, but regular exercise, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet are essential for reducing stress and burnout.
Exercise: Even if you can’t hit the gym, a regular walk (not a dog walk, but a personal one) can do wonders for mental clarity and stress relief.
Sleep: Aim for 8 hours a night. Prioritize good sleep hygiene, like reducing screen time before bed.
Sustainable business success starts with personal well-being. Taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally creates the foundation for long-term success in your business.
There you have it! Thank you to Doug for his expertise on the crucial topic of hiring and how it lays the foundation for building a successful pet care business. If you want to dive even deeper into Doug's expert tips and hear more about his personal experiences with hiring and team building, don’t miss the full podcast episode!
Hiring the right people is key to building a brand and business you love, and it all starts with a strong foundation. Speaking of foundations—if you’re ready to elevate your brand and communicate the right message to the right people (aka potential clients AND potential hires), we’re here to help! Check out our branding services to create a brand that resonates with both your team and your ideal clients.
For pet care businesses looking to implement these strategies, Doug's Pawsitive Hiring Course offers step-by-step guidance on creating a solid hiring plan, attracting ideal candidates, and leading and retaining a motivated team. And psst… the Pet Marketing Unleashed community can get 10% off his course by entering PMU at checkout!
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