Cheap with employees and clients alike - Pet Groomer PetSmart Employee Review

2.0
Sep 12, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Get to be surrounded by dogs

Cons

-I never got proper training offered to me apart from watching some videos all employees had to watch and taking a test on the videos. While I have experience as a groomer, other groomers started off with zero experience and received no hands on training. The consequences of this showed in low quality work. -Employees in all departments could only work as part time (except managers and contracted groomers who had to go to their petsmart grooming school & accept a two year contract, or be stuck paying several thousand dollars). It wasn’t typical part time hours, though- they’d put us for 28.5 hours per week so they wouldn’t be required to get us benefits. -I was lied to during my interview, saying I can start off as a groomer and then move to the floor sales very soon. Upon being hired I found out this was not true. In fact, my interview was with intention to be hired as management- the interviewer knew this. My double-major bachelors in business degree did not matter either way. -Groomers were forced by the manager to get booked got far more dogs they can handle. Ten dogs in an eight hour shift meant was the norm- I could never do a thorough job on any dog. Additionally, because I had to rush, it leaves more room for accidents. I witnessed accidents almost daily and the owners weren’t ever notified. All because they did not want to turn down walk ins and were money hungry. -They would allow certain dogs with a bite/aggression history if the client brought the dog in regularly, as they didn’t want to lose a regular. Again, putting the safety of groomers at risk because of greed. I am very proficient yet I still managed to get bit by a dog with a bite history. -You feel pressured by coworkers to work even through your lunch break because of the big load of dogs. This Petsmart was in Miami, FL and was always incredibly busy. -If a client purchased a more expensive grooming package (ie deshedding/furminator), and we were out of the shampoo used for that, we were told to not tell the client and just use another shampoo. Shampoos that weren’t in line with the grooming package purchased was a common practice. I even witnessed a dog come in for a sensitive skin problem, requiring hypoallergenic shampoo, and was still given standard product. -Sick, injured dogs were allowed in. In one particular instance, I was told to ignore the mildew in the dog’s ears. He was also riddled with fleas. He had a serious painful ear infection and should’ve gone straight to the vet, but I was made to do the dog anyway. This was not a rescue case- he had been brought in before just like this. Petsmart policy normally wouldn’t allow a dog like that into the salon but management was more concerned about the money.

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5.0
Jul 13, 2026
Anonymous contractor
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

everyone communicates and willing to pass on knowledge

Cons

no cons that i can think of

1.0
Jul 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The staff care a lot and try their hardest but it leads to burn out and being taken advantage of by a company the does not care about YOU.

Cons

Poor management. No work life balance. Bad scheduling. Bad pay. No communication. Leads expected to work more than 10 hours a day during high volume periods, Be responsible for too many things. You run around like a chicken with it's head chopped off the whole time you're at work. Staff are snippy, and rude. A few are okay. Company has you working bare bones, and does not care. Pet parent's are weird, and I don't think have realistic expectations that the boarding facility is more like dropping your dog off at a dog shelter for a week while you go on vacation than a "fun time" for your dog. Dogs get fed, watered, pottied. If that is all you care about, then use the PetHotel. If you want your dog to have fun, and be out of a stressful environment (few dogs do well with constant barking and noise all day, plus being stuck in a cement run, thrown in with a bunch of other dogs who have never been properly socialized) just do in home boarding. I would never board my dog at a place like this.

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