Information about the role of a dog kennel manager, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A dog kennel manager is a specialist operations position within the operational support sector of policing. It's a team leader role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
Dog kennel managers supervise and manage the performance of a dog unit kennel assistant team responsible for caring for dogs boarding at the police dog unit. They oversee the exercise, feeding, enrichment, and grooming for dogs boarding in the kennels to ensure that the high standards of welfare to dogs is maintained at all times.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Managing performance effectively, assessing the capabilities and development needs of team members and helping devise appropriate development plans to promote high performance and potential progression.
- Monitoring pressures faced by team members, encouraging personal reflection, and supporting team members to recognise and address their wellbeing needs to ensure the delivery of an effective policing response.
- Assessing the capabilities and development needs of kennel assistants and helping devise development plans that promote effective performance.
- Developing and maintaining a robust kennel management regime that ensures consistently high standards of hygiene and cleanliness in all aspects of the kennels to ensure the health and welfare of the dogs.
- Administering logistical aspects of the kennels including: equipment maintenance, dog food and other equipment for ordering as required to ensure organised, safe and effective running of the kennels.
- Liaising regularly with the force veterinary surgeon concerning dogs in the care of the kennels to ensure appropriate care is administered as and when required.
- Upholding national and local dog welfare standards when caring for dogs to meet their physical and psychological needs and ensuring that any issues are identified and addressed immediately.
- Managing any threats of risk or harm during the care and training of police dogs by applying health and safety policies and guidelines and completing necessary risk assessments minimising the impact and risk of harm to police officers, staff, and members of the public.
- Specifying guidance on kennel hygiene and the safe handling of police dogs to visitors or dog handlers within kennel environment to ensure the safety of all.
- Administering all aspects of the breeding and puppy rearing programme (if applicable) in conjunction with the dog unit training manager to support the ongoing provision of police dogs.
Competencies, values and core skills
The competency and values framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes the behaviours required by police officers and staff to be effective in their roles and uphold the Code of Ethics for policing.
Competencies
The CVF has six competencies, which are split into levels. These levels can be used flexibly to allow for a better fit with frontline and non-frontline policing roles, and at different levels of seniority. This ensures that there is consistency throughout all the policing professional profiles. Some roles may contain different CVF levels due to the specialist nature of the role. Those working at higher levels should also fulfil the requirements of the lower levels.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following competencies.
- We are emotionally aware – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We take ownership – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We collaborate – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We support and inspire – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We analyse critically – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
Values
The CVF has three values that apply to everyone in policing, regardless of their role or seniority.
Core skills
All roles in policing have nine core skills in common. These are split into levels that represent the different levels of policing. This role should be operating at or working towards the following core skills.
Education, qualifications and experience
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following standards, training and qualifications should be met.
Previous education, qualifications and experience
- All staff must have a documented continuing professional development (CPD) portfolio to ensure they are adequately trained or within the process of being trained to promote the welfare of police dogs.
- Successfully completed dog first aid training.
- Successfully complete National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) specific risk assessment training requirements for role.
- Experience or knowledge of:
- dog kennel environments
- working dogs and their training
- dog mental enrichment techniques
- all aspects of kennel management
- dog/puppy assessment (if applicable)
- welfare and dog/puppy development within a working kennels
- the whelping of brood bitches and the rearing of puppies from birth until six months, to include all aspects of health and wellbeing, environmental development and basic training (if applicable)
In-role education, qualifications and experience
- Successfully complete NPCC specific risk assessment training requirements for role.
- Successfully complete NPCC specific health and safety training requirements for role.
Continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) enables everyone in policing to develop and gain recognition for their professional skills, knowledge and competence. CPD ensures that we continue to provide high-quality policing to keep the public safe and help to drive career aspirations. Discussion of CPD is usually included as part of professional development review (PDR) conversations.
Learning and accreditation
- Complete all core training and learning required by the force.
- Complete all annual and mandatory training for example risk assessments in relation to all areas of police dog care, training and deployment.
- Any exemptions to learning and accreditation requirements are at chief constable discretion, in line with the local force policy.
Professional development
This role should consider the following CPD:
- maintain knowledge and understanding of NPCC guidance, Police dogs authorised professional practice (APP), best practice and any local policy applicable to dog kennelling, welfare, care and training.
- Maintain and update key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to legislation policy and practice in relation to the kennel assistant function and the area of police dog training and welfare.
- Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of new and evolving evidence-based dog training and welfare methodologies, research and ideologies that impact upon the role of kennel manager, and current best practice to tackle these to enable a pro-active and preventative approach.
- Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of animal welfare legislation and current, new, and evolving best practices with regards to dog training and dog welfare.
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