Employment

Employment at Merry Puppins

Merry Puppins is an award-winning, woman-owned professional pet-care company serving Pittsburgh’s East End and Fox Chapel areas.
We are looking for dependable, compassionate people who take animal care seriously, communicate reliably, and enjoy active, independent work. Our Dog Walkers and Pet Sitters provide personalized care in clients’ homes and travel between appointments rather than reporting to one work location.

Current Openings

We are currently hiring multiple part-time Team Members with different availability.

Weekday Dog Walker and Pet Sitter

We are especially seeking applicants who are available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the daytime, approximately 8:00 or 9:00 AM through 4:00 or 5:00 PM. Monday and Friday availability is a bonus.
A typical day may include 3-6 or more dog walks, pet-care visits, and canine adventures, depending on the employee’s availability, route, and scheduled services.

Flexible Pet Sitter

We are also seeking applicants who are available for some weekday evenings and weekends.
Flexible Pet Sitters provide travel-care visits, evening and weekend care, and additional coverage when client demand is higher.
Applicants do not need to match both availability profiles. We are hiring multiple people and are interested in candidates whose availability meaningfully supports either need.

What Our Team Members Do

Merry Puppins provides all care in our clients’ homes. We do not board pets in employees’ homes.
Responsibilities may include:
  • Providing individual dog walks and pet-care visits
  • Caring for one household at a time rather than walking unfamiliar dogs in packs
  • Feeding pets and providing fresh water
  • Cleaning litter boxes and routine pet messes
  • Administering medications when qualified and assigned
  • Providing playtime, enrichment, affection, and companionship
  • Bringing in packages and completing other small home-care tasks
  • Following detailed care instructions and safety procedures
  • Writing thoughtful visit updates and taking clear photos through our pet-care app
  • Communicating promptly with clients, Team Leaders, and the office
  • Reporting health, behavioral, safety, or household concerns
  • Securing clients’ homes carefully after every visit
  • Providing dependable care in rain, snow, heat, and other Pittsburgh weather

Dog Walking at Merry Puppins

We do not conduct pack walks. Team members generally walk one dog at a time, or occasionally two compatible dogs from the same household when it is safe to do so.
We care deeply about the safety of our team and the animals in our care. We provide training in canine body language, safe leash and harness handling, positive-reinforcement care, and Pet First Aid and CPR.
Professional, volunteer, or extensive personal dog-handling experience is preferred. Applicants must be comfortable working with dogs of different sizes, breeds, ages, and temperaments.

Pet Sitting at Merry Puppins

Our Pet Sitters care for dogs, cats, and other small household pets while their families are working or traveling.
Experience administering pet medications is preferred. Team Members are assigned medication services only when they have the appropriate training, experience, and demonstrated ability.
Daytime, evening, weekend, and optional overnight opportunities may be available based on employee availability and client demand.
Optional overnight assignments are available. Overnight work is not required and is offered separately based on availability and qualifications.

Requirements

All applicants must:
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have a valid driver’s license
  • Have reliable, registered, and insured personal transportation
  • Live in or near our service area or be able to commute reliably to it
  • Have a smartphone with a camera, dependable internet access, and sufficient mobile data
  • Be comfortable around dogs and cats
  • Be able to follow detailed written instructions
  • Communicate clearly and promptly
  • Be able to work independently while remaining responsive to the team
  • Be physically capable of walking on varied surfaces, climbing stairs, bending, lifting supplies, and completing multiple active visits
  • Be prepared to work outdoors in varied weather
  • Successfully complete training
  • Pass a background check
  • Commit to the position for at least one year

Service Area

Our service area includes:
  • Highland Park
  • Morningside
  • Lawrenceville
  • Shadyside
  • Oakland
  • Squirrel Hill
  • Regent Square
  • Aspinwall
  • Millvale
  • O’Hara
  • Fox Chapel
  • Nearby East End and Fox Chapel communities
A reasonable commute to the service area is important because team members travel between client homes throughout their scheduled routes.

Compensation and Benefits

Merry Puppins Team Members are W-2 employees.
Compensation and benefits include:
  • Approximately $16-$20 per hour, including tips, depending on experience, assignment type, route, and schedule
  • Paid hourly training
  • Service-based compensation after training
  • 100% of client tips
  • Optional overnight assignments paying $109 per night
  • Paid Pet First Aid and CPR training
  • Paid sick time
  • Employer-funded health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) for eligible employees
  • Additional holiday compensation
  • Workers’ compensation and liability coverage
  • Reimbursement for required paid parking
  • Employee discounts
  • Opportunities for additional hours based on performance, reliability, availability, and client demand
  • Opportunities for leadership advancement
  • Support from experienced Team Leaders and office staff
Because client needs vary, exact hours and earnings are not guaranteed. During the interview process, we explain the compensation structure and review representative schedule examples so applicants can understand how assignments, travel, and service-based pay work in practice.

What to Expect

This position begins part-time. Additional hours may become available, but we cannot guarantee a full-time schedule.
Pet care has a learning curve and is more physically demanding than many people expect. Team Members must manage changing weather, driving, stairs, active animals, detailed instructions, and the responsibility of caring for clients’ homes.
Our clients rely on us. Reliable attendance, accurate availability, prompt communication, thoughtful judgment, and attention to detail are essential.
In return, our employees receive structured training, established clients, clear procedures, Team Leader assistance, and the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with pets.

Why Merry Puppins?

We believe excellent pet care requires more than loving animals. It requires reliability, sound judgment, thoughtful communication, and respect for every pet’s individual needs.
Our team includes diverse people from many walks of life who are brought together by their love of animals and commitment to excellent care. We use kind, force-free handling practices and do not use prong, choke, or shock collars.
If you are dependable, compassionate, comfortable working independently, and interested in meaningful work with animals, we would love to hear from you.

Apply

View our current openings and apply through Indeed. Please complete all screening questions so we can learn about your experience, location, transportation, and regular availability.

Ready to work with us?

We are looking for driven, pet-loving individuals to join our team!

Join Our Team!

Get In Touch!

833- MRRY-PUP (833-677-9787)
We are excited to talk about your needs and learn about your pets! A phone call is the best way to get the intake process started. Once we talk, we can help set up an online account, and schedule you for a Meet and Greet so we can meet in person!

Get Started