Tom Team Jobs in Connecticut (NOW HIRING)

Love dogs, enjoy being outdoors, and want a part-time job that gets you out from behind a desk?

Tom’s Dogs is hiring a Part-Time Dog Walker to help care for dogs throughout East Lyme, Niantic, and Old Lyme. Occasional routes may also include New London, Groton, Mystic, and surrounding areas.

Most work takes place Monday through Friday between approximately 10 AM and 2 PM, when our clients need their dogs walked during the workday. Hours vary based on the daily route and client demand, with approximately 10–20 hours per week expected.

Previous professional dog-care experience is preferred, but not required. We can train the right person.

What matters most is that you genuinely love and respect animals, take responsibility seriously, communicate reliably, and can be trusted to make sound decisions when working independently.

What You’ll Do

Most of your work will involve traveling between client homes and providing individual or small-group dog walks based on each dog’s needs.

Responsibilities include:

• Walking and handling dogs safely and attentively
• Picking up and returning dogs at client homes
• Following individual care instructions and safety procedures
• Driving between appointments along an assigned route
• Communicating clearly about each dog and reporting anything unusual
• Providing reliable, thoughtful care while working independently
• Representing Tom’s Dogs professionally in clients’ homes and in the community

This is an active, hands-on position. Expect to spend much of your workday walking, driving, handling dogs, and working outdoors in typical New England conditions.

Who We’re Looking For

We care more about judgment, reliability, and how you treat animals than having a perfect résumé.

A strong candidate will be:

• Genuinely passionate about dogs and animal welfare
• Dependable, punctual, and responsible
• A clear and responsive communicator
• Comfortable working independently and making good decisions
• Patient and confident with dogs of different sizes, personalities, and energy levels
• Comfortable driving between appointments
• Willing to learn professional dog-handling and safety practices
• Physically capable of safely walking and handling active dogs

Previous experience with dogs, pet care, animal shelters, veterinary care, training, hiking, or other animal-related work is a plus, but not required.

A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation are required.

Pay & Schedule

Approximately 10–20 hours per week

Predominantly weekdays, approximately 10 AM–2 PM

Compensation is service-based and structured to average approximately $20/hour, plus mileage reimbursement for eligible driving between appointments.

Because our schedule follows client demand, the exact start time, end time, and number of hours may vary from day to day.

Paid Training & Room to Grow

You won’t simply be handed a leash and sent to a client’s house

New team members receive hands-on training directly from the owner of Tom’s Dogs before progressing to independent routes. Training covers safe dog handling, walking procedures, client-home protocols, communication, and our approach to individualized canine care.

For someone interested in developing further, there is also an opportunity to advance into our Pack Hike program.

Pack Hikes involve transporting and safely managing compatible groups of dogs on local trails. They require stronger handling skills, situational awareness, sound decision-making, and good physical conditioning.

Walkers who demonstrate excellent judgment, reliability, physical capability, and dog-handling skills can be trained for these more advanced responsibilities.

About Tom’s Dogs

Tom’s Dogs is a growing professional dog-care company serving southeastern Connecticut.

Our philosophy is simple:

It’s their walk, not ours.

We believe professional dog care means paying attention to the individual dog rather than simply completing an appointment. Safety comes first, dogs are treated with patience and respect, and our team members are trusted to exercise good judgment in the field.

If you’re dependable, thoughtful, genuinely enjoy working with dogs, and are looking for an active part-time job during weekday daytime hours, we’d love to hear from you.