1

Dog Care Associate Jobs in Rancho Santa Fe, CA (NOW HIRING)

Training & development Who We Are Scenthound is a wellness-focused dog care company on a mission to ... About the Position The Sales & Front Desk Associate is a key position at Scenthound, focused on ...

Training & development Who We Are Scenthound is a wellness-focused dog care company on a mission to ... About the Position The Sales & Front Desk Associate is a key position at Scenthound, focused on ...

Pack Dog Walker

San Diego, CA

$16.25 - $22/hr

Our mission is to raise the standard of care and quality of life for apartment living pets while ... This job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work associates/leaders ...

Pack Dog Walker

San Diego, CA · On-site

$16.25 - $22/hr

Our mission is to raise the standard of care and quality of life for apartment living pets while ... This job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work associates/leaders ...

... care * Build strong relationships with dog parents and provide outstanding customer service ... High-performing Membership Sales Associates will have a clear path to management roles , including ...

Associate Veterinarian

San Diego, CA · On-site

$80K - $180K/yr

Join us as an Associate Veterinarian at VCA 4 Paws Animal Hospital and you'll quickly discover that ... Patient mix: dogs and cats Who we look for * People obsessed with pets and their care * Dedicated ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Dog Care Associate information

See Rancho Santa Fe, CA salary details

$10

$21

$35

How much do dog care associate jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for dog care associate in Rancho Santa Fe, CA is $21.09, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.78 and $22.40 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Dog Care Associate vs Pet Care Assistant?

AspectDog Care AssociatePet Care Assistant
CertificationsBasic pet care, animal handlingBasic pet care, animal handling
Work EnvironmentDog shelters, pet stores, veterinary clinicsAnimal shelters, pet stores, kennels
Industry UsageCommonly used in pet care facilities focusing on dogsUsed across various pet care settings including dogs and other animals

Dog Care Associates primarily focus on caring for dogs in shelters, pet stores, or veterinary clinics, often requiring similar certifications as Pet Care Assistants. While both roles involve basic animal handling and care, Dog Care Associates typically specialize in dogs, whereas Pet Care Assistants may work with a variety of animals. The roles are similar in work environment and industry usage, but the focus on dogs makes the Dog Care Associate position more specialized.

What cities near Rancho Santa Fe, CA are hiring for Dog Care Associate jobs?

Cities near Rancho Santa Fe, CA with the most Dog Care Associate job openings:

Animal Care Associate (Full-Time, Part-Time)

San Diego Humane Society

San Diego, CA • On-site

$20 - $22.25/hr

Full-time

Retirement, PTO

Posted 4 days ago


San Diego Humane Society rating

8.3

Company rating: 8.3 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

San Diego Humane Society is hiring Animal Care Associates for our San Diego Animal Care team!

 

How you’ll impact our mission:

At San Diego Humane Society, we’re united by our mission to Inspire Compassion. The ideal candidate will be responsible for providing daily care and enrichment for our shelter animals, including feeding, cleaning, disinfecting, grooming, vaccinating, medicating, and possibly performing euthanasia.

This role delivers service at the gold standard level in alignment with the SDHS Way, to meet the needs of animals and the people who love them by leading with compassion, finding creative solutions, providing personalized care and building connections. 

This role delivers service at the gold standard level in alignment with the SDHS Way, to meet the needs of animals and the people who love them by leading with compassion, finding creative solutions, providing personalized care and building connections. If you’re passionate about making an impact in the animal welfare movement, we’d love to talk to you.

What’s in it for you?

At SDHS, we’re proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and commit to being a place where every person – staff, volunteer, and guest – can feel a sense of belongingWe support and invest in employees through conscious delivery of benefits and a workplace environment based on our Core Values. 

As an employee you’ll enjoy:

  • Competitive pay and paid time-off (including your Birthday Day Off!)
  • Comprehensive benefits package, training and well-being programs
  • 403(b) retirement plan with 5% match after 1 year
  • Free pet adoptions, pet vaccines and spay/neuter services
  • …and so much more!

What you’ll do:

  • Complete daily husbandry routines, including appropriate feeding and exercise, maintaining assigned area in a clean, organized and professional manner.
  • Monitor the health of shelter animals; follow established procedures if symptoms of illness arise based on the degree of illness or injury. Administer daily medications, vaccinations and other treatments as appropriate.
  • Monitor animals daily and record details of diet, physical condition, elimination and behavior.
  • Provide kennel enrichment, training, and socializing of animals in conjunction with Behavior & Training, as time permits. Perform dog introductions and facilitate dog play groups with multiple dogs, following current protocols.

What we’re looking for:

  • High school graduate or equivalent required. 
  • One (1) year experience working with animals in a shelter, kennel, vet clinic or volunteer environment preferred.
  • Working knowledge of animal breeds, general care, and behavior related information preferred.

 

Location & Hours: Based at our San Diego Campus. We are hiring full-time and part-time Animal Care Associates for our [CAMPUS] Campus. Full-time positions work 40 hours a week. Part-Time positions work 24 - 28 hours a week.
 

At any given time, we may also be hiring for Animal Care Associates (Intercampus Floater) who support both the San Diego Campus and the El Cajon Campus as their secondary location. Employees in these positions alternate between locations based on staffing needs and may be eligible for mileage reimbursement when commuting to their secondary location.  
Pay: Starting range is between $20.00 - $22.25 per hour. The actual hourly rate is determined by your related education and experience. 

 The listed hiring range for this position depicts the target range of pay rates for candidates. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. Compensation for internal candidates may increase beyond the listed range based on performance over time. For all candidates, the actual starting pay rate is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to your years of related education and experience, internal pay equity, and position location. 

To learn more about our benefits and perks, click here.

Career Growth through Job Levels: Animal Care offers three job levels as you grow within your role. Growth is based on time worked in your SDHS Animal Care role and meeting other training and performance requirements – everyone can advance once they meet the requirements! Advancing levels is recognized through a title change and pay increase.


What San Diego Humane Society employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom