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It’s a damp day in the woods, and Claire Hunter is alone with just her thoughts, the wildlife and the three dogs bounding at her feet. She has already clocked thousands of steps, is covered in mud and couldn’t be happier that this is how she’s paid to spend her time.
This pace of life is worlds apart from her career in recruitment, which she left 14 years ago to move into the pet industry. And now she wants to encourage other animal lovers to join her in what, she says, is the best job in the world: becoming a professional dog boarder.
Claire is the owner, founder and managing director of Claire’s Comfy Canines, an award-winning, five-star doggy day care based in Burnham. She has recently launched sister company, Hunters Dog Holidays, a network of trusted, vetted, licensed dog boarders providing homes-from-home to dog lovers who want the very best for their pets while they’re on holiday.
And she is looking for new members to join her.
“There’s a saying that goes ‘if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life’ and I totally believe that,” she says, as we sit down to hear all about this opportunity for animal lovers looking for a career change. “Life is too short to do something you don’t love, and I love what I do. I am so excited about finding people who want to work with us, helping them to make their business a success.”
Hunters’ aim is to create a membership package that takes the stress and loneliness out of running a dog care business, where members are trained to become a verified dog boarder. Unlike other careers in the pet industry that need qualification and experience, Claire is looking for the right type of person she can train to deliver the professional, high-end home boarding service Hunters is known for.
We train our members to the highest possible standard with the best industry knowledge possible. That’s the foundation of the service we provide.
“Becoming a dog boarder is a much more accessible step into the industry, because we fill in the gaps in knowledge and trust the judgement of life experience,” she says. “We train our members to the highest possible standard with the best industry knowledge possible. That’s the foundation of the service we provide.”
“Then on top of this we provide all necessary documentation, guide them through the process of licence application with the local authority, provide first-aid training and give all the advice they need to know to run their own business, from risk assessments, policies, marketing advice and more. Plus they’ll appear on our web directory of trusted, verified dog boarders, where interested clients can book with them directly.”
Offering clients the peace of mind of using a verified dog boarder is a top priority for Hunters, and Claire is no stranger to the governance needed to protect the welfare of dogs. She has sat on the board of directors for the Pet Industry Federation and even worked with the government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs when licensing for boarders came into place under the Animal Welfare Act. Excellence in dog wellbeing is not something Claire takes lightly.
So what does she see as the benefits to a career working with dogs?
We have a community of like-minded, passionate people who share their interests, struggles and knowledge, bouncing ideas around their network, which is incredibly important.
“Where do I start?!” she says. “It keeps you incredibly active, often walking around 20,000 steps a day and it just takes you away from the stresses of everyday office life. Come rain or shine, all you need is a reliable coat! This means you can fit around family life, giving a level of freedom and flexibility you just don’t get from a 9-5 job. Plus you have full autonomy on how you run your business, as long as you’re working within our framework.”
There is an added benefit that Hunters members can enjoy, something Claire knows is all too important as an entrepreneur: a sense of belonging.
“When you’re a micro-business, it can feel really lonely and overwhelming, trying to do everything yourself,” she says. “But we have a community of like-minded, passionate people who share their interests, struggles and knowledge, bouncing ideas around their network, which is incredibly important. They can still set their own terms for the sort of dog boarder they want to be – whether that’s specialising in elderly dogs who just need love and cuddles, or someone who wants to take working dogs and can give them the energetic pace of life they need. Once you’re trained by us, you are free to be who you want to be as a business, with as much of our support as you need.”
There are three tiers of membership and payment plans in place for anyone wishing to take this career step. Claire’s team takes the time to interview interested candidates to ascertain their suitability, such as whether or not they have access to a secure private garden, and if a landlord has given permission if living in a rental property. So if you’re interested, get in touch.
To find out more information, visit the Hunters website and download a membership prospectus, or give the team a call on 07760383988.
Hunters Dog Holidays’ expertise columns
Each month, Hunters share their expertise on the best practice for doggy wellbeing. You can browse them below:
