Groomer Job: Petsmart or PetCo?

I would take Petco just based on the contract being less time.  That way, if they don't give you much chance to actually groom, you aren't locked in to being a bather for three years making peanuts.  Once you are doing full charge grooming, or even if you are a really good bather/brusher, you can learn more and earn more by finding a really good private groomer to work for - then later by getting out on your own.  I suspect that both stores will have a non-compete clause preventing you from working within, say, 10 miles of your store for six months or more after quitting. 

While you are working there, make sure to join your local grooming assn. (around here it's New England Pet Groomng Professionals), and go to the seminars, meet other groomers, including the ones that conduct the seminars - valuable contacts when it comes to looking for a job. 

You aren't locked in until after you become a groomer. They pay for your schooling in exchange for an alloted amount of service.  

Check on what benefits both offer, as well. That's pretty important. Petsmart's benefits are GOOD, and don't cost much out of my paycheck. 

Hi, spiritdogs.  (It's me nockturnal76.)  I changed my name because the new forum wouldn't let me log in for some reason.  I like this new name better any way.  That is good advice, and that's basically what I had in mind already.  As Jennie said, you aren't locked in until you are an actual groomer.  I plan on moving up to groomer as soon as they let me.  My main goal is still to become a professional dog trainer one day, but I think a background in grooming would help.  I want to learn as much about as I possibly can.  You have to to work 15 hours a week doing a separate job at this PetCo to be one of the pet instructors.  So grooming would be the most logical choice.

Jennie, how long were you working at Petsmart before they sent you to grooming school?  How far did you have to travel to get to grooming school?  And how often do these classes start?  Hopefully several times a year.  My main objective would be to get to grooming school as soon as they let me.

One thing about Petsmart is that they have the grooming salon in the very front of the store.  PetCo does not.  Some say that becuase the grooming salon is at the very front of the store, the groomers work much more carefully because they are always being watched.  I am not sure if that really works for everyone though.  I personally do not like that idea.  Every single customer that walks in the store is going to be watching you.  You are right there behind the cash register.  Where as at PetCo, the salon is in the store up a bit to the right.  They have a big window too, but at least it's not at the very front of the store. 

I didn't go to Petsmart's grooming academy. I was already trained as a groomer before I got my job. One of my coworkers recently came back from the academy, and she has a 2 year contract. She stayed in a hotel, at the academy. Petsmart handled her stay. She enjoyed it, and seems to have learned pretty well. I think she'll be a great groomer, with a little more experience.

Handling experience is priceless. I definitely think that grooming is good for someone who is training. Petsmart does have a program where they train trainers, as well. It doesn't pay as well as grooming does, though. I train my own, rotten dog for Rally and Obedience competitions, and the experience I've had handling other dogs definitely makes a difference.  

jennie_c_d

I didn't go to Petsmart's grooming academy. I was already trained as a groomer before I got my job. One of my coworkers recently came back from the academy, and she has a 2 year contract. She stayed in a hotel, at the academy. Petsmart handled her stay. She enjoyed it, and seems to have learned pretty well. I think she'll be a great groomer, with a little more experience.

Handling experience is priceless. I definitely think that grooming is good for someone who is training. Petsmart does have a program where they train trainers, as well. It doesn't pay as well as grooming does, though. I train my own, rotten dog for Rally and Obedience competitions, and the experience I've had handling other dogs definitely makes a difference.  

Wow.  So they actually put you up in a hotel.  If they do this, then they are really relying on you to give them a commitment.  I was hoping that if I get hired, I could start school after a month.  I wonder how long your co-worker had to be a bather before she was sent to the Academy.

BTW, why do you suppose so many people like to make fun of Petsmart and PetCo grooming?  Even spiritdogs above is suggesting that the indepedent salons are better.  Our dog normally gets taken to an independent grooming salon up the road.  But one time I decided to take him to Petsmart, and he looked absolutely incredible.  Like a real bichon cut.  The local groomer is terrible, yet her business seems to be very successful and has been there a long time.  Maybe it's just the bichon she doesn't know how to cut right.

It usually takes longer than a month for people to not be scared of dogs, scared of doing toenails, etc. They go by a criteria of what you can do, how well, and whether or not they need new groomers.

People get silly about chain store groomers because you don't know what you're getting. You drop of Fluffy, and Mary grooms him. You love it. Four weeks later, you bring Fluffy back, ask for the same haircut, and Sara grooms him. It looks totally different, and you hate it. Grooming is an art. Two people don't do the same haircut the same way, and every description is open to interpretation. Also, a lot of folks at chain stores seem to be... inadequately trained. They go through the training program, but never learn more. I am a dog nerd. I go to dog shows. I groom a few show dogs. I know the breed standards, and I want the dogs to look *right*. I'm picky, picky about how my dogs look when they're finished. Every day, I have at least one dog come in that nobody else is allowed to groom, per the pet parent's instructions. I love grooming. Not everybody does. It's good money. It doesn't take much in the way of education. Lots of folks are in grooming for those reasons.  

I would go with Petsmart.  I was a bather there and I loved the job.  We had some really good groomers and they had a very good training program.  Petco is a joke!  That is where I work now as a dog trainer.  There is a girl that works there who started as a bather and changed to groomer.  Her training was driving 45 minutes (own gas money) to assist another groomer.  The dogs she did completely while in training earned commission for this "teacher" as well as the teacher being paid for training.  So, she put out the gas money and only got paid minimum wage, no commission, to be trained.  I'm pretty sure that is not the way it is supposed to work and someone took advantage of it.  After all the training, well....just go read the thread "I cannot believe this groomer."  She has improved, but the point is that Petco training is a joke, at least around here it is. 

Also, Petco has more of a "get 'em in and out" attitude than Petsmart.  At Petsmart, each dog was washed very thoroughly, even twice many times, dried as much as possible with the HV dryer and then let dry with a cage dryer if needed.  All dogs were washed before clipping unless matted severely.  This give a much better cut.  We had lots of different shampoos and just the basic shampoo smelled really good.  All dogs got either bows or bandannas.  At Petco, the dog is washed as quickly as possible, put in the cage dryer soaking wet.  Many times they are clipped first "to save on shampoo."  This leaves a choppy look many times because they don't always go back over the body.  The shampoos also aren't very good.  They have a couple of good ones for promotions, but those are only with special packages that are $15.  Their basic shampoo is oatmeal, which is good, but this particular one stinks.  They don't focus on quality at all, but quantity...if only they would realize that in this service, quality equals quantity.  The better the grooming, the more repeat customers.

lvdgs24

 

the post i quoted is very wrong in their generalization of petco. like i said, just as many petsmarts are run this way. my petco salon did none of the things she mentioned, and the only salon in my area that i know that does is a petsmart salon. and their base shampoo isnt even oatmeal, its tearless.

Thanks for this post, lvdgs24.  I kind understood that about "just as many bad petsmarts as petcos" when I read Colleen's post.  I guess she is just coming from the perspective of working at Petsmart.  It does seem to be that people will say just as many bad things about both stores.  I totally agree with what you say.  In the end, I think I will try and get in with PetCo for the same reasons as you stated, but it's going to be tough.  I have called the nearest PetCo for the last 4 weeks, calling once a week to see if there are any new openings.  Nothing yet...  I may have to try for a further away store. 

willgroom4chocolate

Just curious, why have you ruled-out local "regular" privately owned/operated shops?  They are ALWAYS looking for bathers, and a great many shops will train their bathers to become full-fledge groomers, after a certain time period.  If you are having difficulty finding a position at Petco/Petsmart, this may be something to consider.

willgroom4chocolate, great question.  Why haven't I considered local grooming...  Well, I remember years ago I tried to get into grooming this way and they would ask me the same thing: "Do you have experience?" Me: "No."  Them: "Sorry, but you have to have experience."  And when I see these ads on craigslist they often say the same thing about requring experience. 

You are right though.  Maybe I should try a little harder and call up a few more.  But I just know I'll probably run into the same problems.  I wonder how well the training would be at a local groomer as well.  I like the idea of being sent to a formal training school.  And I'm not sure how much a local groomer would pay a bather.  Tomorrow I will make a few calls though..  I guess I have just been so fixated on PetCo.  I am not having any luck with PetCo either.  I just called another PetCo store up, the next closest one and they aren't hiring either.  So now I'm looking at traveling about 30 miles. 

im really glad you took what i said to heart. have you gone into the actual salon and talked to the grooming manager? the grooming manager pretty much has final say on who works in the salon. i would go in to the salon, meet her and talk to her. be really personable and ask her whe she thinks an opening will become available, and explain how much you want to work in this business. if she likes you, your chances of getting hired will be a lot better.

as far as private salons, it is a lot less likely that you will find a job. most do require experiance, and if you dont have any, they dont usually want to take the time to train you, and if they do, you usually wont get paid for the training. they also pay bathers a lot less than petco. normally they will pay hourly, or less than 10 bucks a dog, when you are doing all the work. for bathing, it is not a good deal. however, if you can find a salon that will take you on, and sort of apprentice you into being a groomer, the pros may outweigh the cons.

Talk to the bathers and groomers at each place also.  The Petsmart in our area has a horrible time keeping bathers and groomers.  The reason?  Management!!  The salon manager quit when it was time for her to give birth and so the head store manager began overseeing things.  No one can stand her, so everyone quits (stinks b/c they had some really good groomers).  On the other hand the Petco in our area has manager problems as well.  Mainly that their salon manager was let go from another Petsmart becuase of 2 incidences of animals she was grooming died on her table...... 

So yea...talk to EVERYONE and make sure you can deal with all the issues at whatever place you pick.....even just 1 year is a long time to work with/for people you aren't comfortable with. 

I'm not gonna say which is better b/c really it changes from store to store....  

Well, I got an interview tomorrow with the PetCo Grooming Manager.  Can anyone give me any tips for the interview?  You have less than a day to respond.  I should have asked this earlier I guess.  I'm just wondering what kind of questions are going to be asked.  I have the dog handling experience at the shelter, so I hope that will impress them.