# Does petsmart do a good job on grooming?



## malteseluvr (Oct 16, 2006)

We just got a new petsmart.... and i was wondering if they are any good as far as grooming goes.... they arent that expensive..... but i was wondering if it was worth the money?
thanks


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## all4thedogs (Sep 25, 2006)

Ours does, but each location is different.


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## malteseluvr (Oct 16, 2006)

Yeah that make since I've heard diffrent things about diffrent locations
thanks!


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## rmangers22 (Oct 22, 2006)

Each place is only as good as its groomer. a private groomer could be worse. you have to do homework and get references. I saw a groomer at petsmart and I reported her. This poor dog was freaking out and she was manhandling him, I was appauled. I know private groomers that have clipped tongues. This is not something to skimp on. Not saying you get what you pay for. Just saying you should get who is best for your dog, even if it means more money and maybe cut back on the visits and give some baths yourself if money is an issue.


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## chawie78 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Grooming hazzard*

make sure whichever groomer you take a pet to, that they require all dogs to have their shots... a friend of ours took her 11 mo old pup to a groomer and she got Parvo...(since her dogs never "go anywhere" she thought she didn't need to have anymore than the first set of shots...bad idea!). Keeping your dog up to date on shots is extreamly important...
As for grooming, my dog love his bath, and would jump into the shower with anyone foolish enough not to make sure the door is closed tightly!


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## Dulce (Oct 2, 2006)

Try it out once. If you like the job they did, go back. It doesn't hurt to try.


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## Blacksheep (Jul 27, 2006)

well with us it depended on the Petsmart. Ok they all did a good job but one of them our dog was wanting to come home while the other, he wanted to stay.


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## Callie15 (Jul 6, 2006)

I have a maltese and I take him to PetsMart to be groomed. When I go back to get him he looks absoluty adorable. THEY ARE AWSEOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## dogluver101 (Jul 6, 2006)

They are good but I had a run in with a certain groomer and it was not pretty. We had a little cat fight so now we go to a groomer in our town.


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## SkyDreamer777 (Nov 12, 2006)

I love to take my dogs to Petsmart to be groomed! Through the window you can watch and make sure everything is going ok. Once I finish my dog grooming training I plan on applying a Petsmart for a job.

Some of the best groomers out there will allow you to stay with your dog, showing they have nothing to hide.


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## Dulce (Oct 2, 2006)

SkyDreamer777 said:


> I love to take my dogs to Petsmart to be groomed! Through the window you can watch and make sure everything is going ok. Once I finish my dog grooming training I plan on applying a Petsmart for a job.
> 
> Some of the best groomers out there will allow you to stay with your dog, showing they have nothing to hide.


Where do you do your training? 

I do know that PetSmart does on the job training for two years, and then you automatically get a job with them!


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## SkyDreamer777 (Nov 12, 2006)

Right now I'm a truck driver traveling with my husband and taking online courses from the truck. 

On hometime I groom my dogs (that a currently living with my in laws) and my inlaws dogs (she's a dog breeder). I have a Spring Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, and a Chihuahua (she goes in the truck with me). My mother in law breeds Pomeranians and Mountain Fiest. I also groom my mother Maltese, which is easy since she always gives it a Taddy Bear cut.

It will take longer this way but I hope that once I finish the online courses and get my diploma I can show that to Petsmart or Petco and get a job and get some more training through them.

Around my house Petsmart doesn't talk with you unless you have training of some sort. I guess groomers are easy to come by in Atlanta.


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## jerseyguy (Nov 6, 2006)

*Diy*

I like to do it myself. You do get what you pay for and you don't know the expeience of those they hire at petsmart. Plus it can be a bonding experience with your dog. I found this great site that has free video demonstrations. So it makes it much easier to DIY.


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## atldoglover (Nov 8, 2006)

rmangers22,

Are the dogs in your pic cockapoos- they are absolutely adorable.


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## marquie (Nov 27, 2006)

SkyDreamer777 said:


> I love to take my dogs to Petsmart to be groomed! Through the window you can watch and make sure everything is going ok. Once I finish my dog grooming training I plan on applying a Petsmart for a job.
> 
> Some of the best groomers out there will allow you to stay with your dog, showing they have nothing to hide.


I've been grooming for 26 years. I've allowed people to stay. I just did with a new owner of a yorkie maltese mix. She didn't ask to, but the puppy wasen't going to take long. All of that said.... a lot of the time it is so much easier to groom a dog that's not trying to get to the owner, easier on the dog and groomer. Somethig I have a lot of pride in is how 90% of the dogs grooming or boarding want to come in, if I get to start them as puppys it's always good. They may not like what I have to do all the time but they always like me  Doing your homework to find a good groomer is your best bet! To find a groomer that has talent, compassion and good work ethics is extremley hard to find, unfortunatley. Good Luck


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## pupskersandhutch (Nov 20, 2006)

OMG OMG I LOVE pets mart they are soo good with our pekingnese same with petco they are so cute with our lil doggies and do an emaculate job!!!!


Love Megs


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## the_gopher (Nov 27, 2006)

I used to be a groomer at PetsMart and of course I did a good job  

That said it really depends on the store and the individual employees. I worked with a great crew, and left when some of them ventured off to form their own business or moved...and the replacements were not of good quality and I no longer wanted to be associated with them (also I decided to go back to school). 

A good groomer definately has nothing to hide and will talk freely with you about the process. I'm very rusty now with my skills since I decided on a career change, but every now and then I sometimes contemplate getting back into it.


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## ejabarnes (Nov 30, 2006)

most groomers will let you watch them have there hair cut if you tell them in advance some groomers believe that over powering a dog while having a cut helps but it does not i have known groomers to grab a dog leg and not letgo cos the dog was wiggling and keep hold of it even though the dog fell of the table she was still holding it while he was dangling of the grooming table i believe in a more friendly approach if your dog is naughty at having a cut make sure you tell the groomer in advance so they can spend more time and make it less stressful for the dog you can not really judge a dog grooming place by other dogs as they may have more than one groomer and obviously some dog groomers are better than others


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## allick06 (Mar 13, 2007)

I am probably the best person to answer this due to the fact that I am a pet grooming salon manager for a certain pet supply store that offers grooming. I think the prices are pretty reasonable for the work that goes into the groom. They price by the dogs breed, and also have special packages for puppies under 5 months old. When you call to make an appointment ask for the salon manager to groom your dog herself and her only. We usually have been at this longer and have a more flexible time schedule to work with. If you'll let me know the breed and age and what you want done to the dog' I'll tell you the cost and what to ask for and what rules to lay down to get the groom you want.


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## Elijah (Dec 30, 2006)

I saw something at Pet Smart a week ago today I didn't like. A groomer was working on a Pembroke Corgi and wasn't exactly gently with him. As I watched, another groomer came up to the one working on the Corgi and had a small Spaniel in her arms. She had the one that was working on the Corgi to turn her back on him while she clipped some fur off the Spaniel. This took about a minute but, in this time span, the Corgi nearly fell off the grooming table. She was ignoring him and he began moving around on the table and his back left leg slipped off the table but, he caught himself. That would have been quite a drop for him with those short legs and could have caused some damage... especially with that "noose" around his neck. I thought about talking with someone about this but wasn't sure who to talk with so, I let it go but, I'll remember this girl next time. I wouldn't take a dog of mine to her.


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## beagleowner5 (Mar 23, 2007)

My parents own a long haired dog and so they take him to Petsmart quite often for a grooming. They do a great job cutting the extra fur off around his legs besides giving him a good cleaning. Then, afterwards, he plays with my dog and the whole "cleanliness" thing goes out the door... My parents have to take him in about every two weeks.


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## Mama 2 Pebbles (Mar 26, 2007)

I would call your local vet offices and ask for referrals. After all, they do know which grooming salons have injuries.

There was a groomer that cut a Shih Tzu's ear off and super glued it back on and didn't say anything to the owner.
The Shih Tzu was kept in a full coat and it wasn't until the owner thought her ear was dirty and she started cleaning it....it fell off. 
So sickening and sad!!!

You can do a search for the story.....it happened in Pierce County Washington State.


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## Kim (Mar 26, 2007)

Find out where the person received their training. I work at a grooming school and I think most of our trained groomers are very good.


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## Amaya-Mazie-Marley (Apr 15, 2007)

I have a Chinese Crested Powderpuff and we took her to petsmart once, and that will be the last time. We picked her up and she looked adorable and smelled great, it wasn't until the next day we noticed she had a cut on the side of her face. We keep her face shaved to cut down on the tear stains around her eyes and then the water stains that get around her mouth. The groomer had to have known she cut her, but did she even tell us, no. That to me is a big mistake. It was most likely an accident, so why not fess up. I wouldn't have been nearly as mad if the groomer would have told me. I wouldn't give all petsmarts a bad name, it just depends on the groomer and the ammout of training that they've had and what not. If I do take Amaya to a petsmart, it won't be that same one.


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## Addison (Oct 4, 2007)

I use petsmart and they are ok... sometimes she comes back and her teeth are great and her shedding is cut in half, othertimes we are not so lucky but she is always better then before I brought her in. I pay about $60 for a bath that takes about 4 hours


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## dane&cockermom (Oct 16, 2007)

petsmart is the biggest competitor for the salon i work at here in part of hampton roads. i only ever hear horror stories from them. they are all concerned with how many dogs they can get done in a day and not the quality of the job they just did. i'm so glad i work where i do and didn't get started with petsmart. i really feel like we care more, and get more personal with our clients and our dogs than petsmart does. i could be wrong, since i've never taken my dog there, but i do only ever hear horror stories. 

but like others have said, it really depends on your area. i don't think most people here have a good work ethic, and that's why it sucks here. lol


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

I tried to take Snoopy once as they were open on sundays and there ad in the phone book didn't say anything about requiring appointments so we went there and their sign said "nail and face trimming $12" then below it said "walk in welcomes" so I figured that they accepted walk ins but they didn't so I won't be going back there because I don't like places that take appointments.


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## lovemygreys (Jan 20, 2007)

I took a greyhound to petsmart once for basic grooming. They did a horrible job. How you do a horrible job on a _greyhound_, is beyond me. But, I'm sure every petsmart different.


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## okgroomer86 (Oct 14, 2007)

Durbkat- most places are by appointment early. We do 51 dogs a day between 6 groomers and it would be crazy if we accepted walkins. The shop I work at is booked 4 weeks in advance with people driving from 3 hours away just to come here!


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

rmangers22 said:


> Each place is only as good as its groomer. a private groomer could be worse. you have to do homework and get references. I saw a groomer at petsmart and I reported her. This poor dog was freaking out and she was manhandling him, I was appauled. I know private groomers that have clipped tongues. This is not something to skimp on. Not saying you get what you pay for. Just saying you should get who is best for your dog, even if it means more money and maybe cut back on the visits and give some baths yourself if money is an issue.


I agree!!! "Shop around"...a good deal isn't always a good deal! And even some places that charge alot of money aren't the best...One thing that will help is to go to a few places and try and get a 'tour' and see how they do things...this will give you and idea of how they handle the animals, how good their grooming is (you don't want your dog coming out all 'choppy' looking, or smelling like he did when he went there!), as well as how they manage their facilities! You don't really want a place that lets the dogs run wild; unless it is an actual daycare facility that has a person doing temperment testing on each dog that gets let loose!! Also, you want a place that is kept clean; if the place smells like a dirty kennel, you probably don't want to bring your dog there, even if they do require shots; atleast I wouldn't! And, yes, you DO want a place that requires proof of current vaccinations.

I can occassionally take walkins; and most of the time I can book people next day, or atleast next week; but I am the only groomer at the place I groom and this town is really strange when it comes to people consistantly booking their dogs...sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't; but oh well...Lol! This town has tons of dogs, but no one grooms them as regularly as they should...sad...


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## Jersey (Jan 4, 2008)

Durbkat said:


> I tried to take Snoopy once as they were open on sundays and there ad in the phone book didn't say anything about requiring appointments so we went there and their sign said "nail and face trimming $12" then below it said "walk in welcomes" so I figured that they accepted walk ins but they didn't so I won't be going back there because I don't like places that take appointments.



The sign meant that they took in Walk-Ins just for nail and face trimming, but the sign probably was for the Nail and Ear Care Package, which is $12 and a walk-in. Sometimes they take in walk-ins for baths or haircuts, but not all the time because they book up fast. Face trimming is sometimes a walk in, if the groomer has time for it. I don't think they would advertise it though.


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## Joker22075 (Jan 4, 2008)

The Petsmat in my town has excellent groomers, but all groomers are diffrent. so each petsmart will be diffrent as well


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## imagroomer (Jan 10, 2008)

Like someone else said, it depends on which store, and which groomer you use within that store. Go in and talk to them, see how things are before setting up an appt


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## Ella'sMom (Jul 23, 2007)

My local PetSmart does a GREAT job with Ella.


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## mollysue84 (Jan 14, 2008)

I used to work at their salon as a bather. I LOVED working with the dogs but they would schedule me for seventeen dogs a day. There might be people out there who can do a good job with that many dogs to bath and brush and clip nails and clean ears..... but I'm not one of them. I quit eventually because it was just too stressful. Most of my dogs were big golden retrievers and german shepherds and collies, I didn't have many small dogs. I'll bathe little papillons and chiuhuahuas all day long but I could NOT keep up with fifteen to seventeen dogs a day when at least ten of them were big and fuzzy like that. I won't take my dogs there. They )my particular store) demanded too much out of their employees because the more dogs they get in, the more money they can make.


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## LittleMoonRabbit (Jan 7, 2008)

Yeah, I agree it all depends. I love the job that my petsmart does on my dog. They treat her well... I like that I can watch them groom through the window. I did watch once, and it was kinda fun. However, it all depends on the individual. I purposely stick with the same groomers, so I can expect the same results.


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## Shanette Peters (Jan 14, 2008)

malteseluvr said:


> We just got a new petsmart.... and i was wondering if they are any good as far as grooming goes.... they arent that expensive..... but i was wondering if it was worth the money?
> thanks


I have worked for petsmart infact is thanks to them I am a certified pet stylist. I have my reasons for working for myself at home now. If you are concerned about getting your money worth or having a groomer that knows what they are doing i'd suggest to request the salon manager groom your pet(typically they are the ones with most experience) and feel free ask other clients if they have a favorite groomer and why? also any groomer should be ok with the owner sticking around to watch their pet beig groomed. Good luck!
Shanette Peters/Aunty Noah's Pet Styling(Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada)


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## Lovemytessapoo (Feb 1, 2008)

I had a pug that had severe flea allergies and I took her with my other dog to this groomer my other dog had went to many times. I took her to be dipped. Mind you, I did everything to keep fleas off this dog other than letting her pee inside. The groomer called me and asked if my pug held its leg under her underside saying that sometimes a poodle does this when groomed. She also went on to tell me repeatedly that my dog didn't fall off the table or anything. Well, long story short, she apparently dropped my dog off the table causing her leg to come out of joint, it would not stay in, so my vet had to do surgery. After surgery, my pug developed congestive heart failure and had to be put to sleep within a year. I was heartbroken. 

As for petsmart, I would ask around, or ask when you see someone leaving with their dog, ask what they thought. Also, if you find a groomer that does your dog like you like, ask their name, so if they move jobs, you can look them up.


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## doggone6 (Sep 7, 2007)

It isn't the company (Petsmart) that is good or bad, it is the individual groomer. Grooming is an art, and as in any other field there will be talented groomers, acceptable groomers, and bad groomers. The best groomers will have waiting lists and will probably charge more per dog since they will insist on doing a GOOD job, rather than making money by volume. It's that old "quality vs. quantity" thing.

Just the facts.


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## lenagroomer (Mar 28, 2008)

i used to work for petsmart and i worked in a few stores in my area to help coverage. Take it from me when i say petsmart does not care about your pet. petsmart cares about your money. petsmart primary goal is to sell add on services, such as the top dog package. the primary goal should be quality groom, however, that falls about 8 or 9 on the list. quantity or quality, that's sad when it comes to your baby. not to mention petsmart's policies on caring for the dogs are lacking quite a bit. 
i also worked for petco and they have a better view on caring for animals and on giving better quality. so if you must go with a petsmart or petco over a private groomer, i would recommend petco any day.


hope that helps


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## Shanette Peters (Jan 14, 2008)

doggone6 said:


> It isn't the company (Petsmart) that is good or bad, it is the individual groomer. Grooming is an art, and as in any other field there will be talented groomers, acceptable groomers, and bad groomers. The best groomers will have waiting lists and will probably charge more per dog since they will insist on doing a GOOD job, rather than making money by volume. It's that old "quality vs. quantity" thing.
> 
> Just the facts.


I'm sorry if I am reading your reply wrong but, the waiting list thing and the price thing I don't think falls under whether or not the groomer is best you can get. I know I do a good job but i don't charge an arm n a leg for the work I do either. I don't have a waiting list, I'm in this line of work for the well being of the animals I groom not for the $ i can make. I think it depends on the area you are in, I live in a small city, yet besides me there are 2 other grooming places. Then in larger cities they surely have more. Like Edmonton, you'll find some groomers can get you in right away and others have a list, that doesn't really mean the one's with the list are the best, yet the ones that don't might be pricey. This is deffinately one topic that has a lot of varying. Your first sentence was well put, "It isn't the company...it is the individual groomer".


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## muzz (Mar 13, 2008)

just keep in mind that what you see in the window may be an altered reality, I am salon manager at a certain box store salon, and while I have been there 10 years we have have had a few people hired, who did not work out. all of the girls in my salon are dog lovers, but sometimes when you have a dog/puppy being rowdy on the table it may appear that someone is being "aggressive" or that they are "man handeling" a dog to get control so to speak of what is going on.

I personally hate the windows, I do alot of cat grooming and people watchng just dont understand what they are seeing...so many people come in accusing me of being cruel for shaving cats or for shaving down a severely matted dog, like im the one that doesnt brush regularly or whatever.

Research where you are going, stop in and watch and just remember the big box stores may have bad reputations because of things that are seen that may not be a clear picture

Every salon is different but i have seen so many negative posts about the big box stores, but they do have regulated safety practices to be followed, and the dogs need to be fully vaccinated for the safety of all dogs.......just go in and watch with your own eyes....you may be surprised, and if your dog is well brushed and in good condition you could get the haircut of your dreams.....if you can find photos of what you would like done that would help alot.......good luck


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

I am usually really happy with PetSmart but when I went in to try to talk to their grooming place, the 'kid' behind the counter was absolutely rude, I walked out and am calling the manager. I wanted to know what sort of things they did, and get some info, since this is my first dog and I don't know what grooming is done, and all the kid would tell me is "$50 for a haircut". Well what is a haircut? They were shaving some dogs, and mine should NOT be shaved. I was so annoyed. 

 I tend to stay away from PetCo, at least the ones here. The staff are always rude, the selection sucks and their prices are too high. The only staff member there who was ever nice to me told me 'don't buy this item here, go to X other store and get this other item.'  Plus they sell their rats by size, which is what people who buy them to feed to snakes want, and I do not want to support that. There are only two actual sizes of rats and you are not going to find dwarf rats at PetCo.


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## oldpelican (Apr 28, 2008)

We've taken several dogs over several years to Petsmart for grooming. We have been satisfied up until now. The other dogs we had were Springer Spaniels- 2 of them. We even got our Golden Retriever a "summer cut" because she seemed so hot and she looked adorable, but fat. Now, after a few years without a dog, we have a cockapoo who seems to be suddenly matted around his neck overnight. I can comb them out even though it takes hours, but they have to shave the dog down to the skin all over his whole body except his face because he has matting around his neck. I even asked them to leave his neck alone and i will do it myself, just don't shave him. They shaved him anyway because that is their "rule". But they left him with a beard similar to Fidel Castro's! I'm looking for a new groomer now because it's that time again.
My answer would be ... part of the time.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

oldpelican said:


> Now, after a few years without a dog, we have a cockapoo who seems to be suddenly matted around his neck overnight. I can comb them out even though it takes hours, but they have to shave the dog down to the skin all over his whole body except his face because he has matting around his neck. I even asked them to leave his neck alone and i will do it myself, just don't shave him. They shaved him anyway because that is their "rule".


The reason they shave is because you should not wash a matted dog. The water causes the hair to shrink and makes the mat worse, potentialy causeing serious health problems. Even the best of groomers would probly have difficulty bathing part of a dog and trying to ensure they get all the soap out without getting the mat wet. If you're capable of getting the mat out on your own then I would sugest you do that before you bring him in to be groomed. If they have a mat free dog to start with then there should be no reason to shave. 

Your other option would be to find a really good profesional groomer that will brush out all the mats before bathing, but that is going to cost more then a petsmart groom.


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## Purplex15 (May 28, 2007)

oldpelican said:


> We've taken several dogs over several years to Petsmart for grooming. We have been satisfied up until now. The other dogs we had were Springer Spaniels- 2 of them. We even got our Golden Retriever a "summer cut" because she seemed so hot and she looked adorable, but fat. Now, after a few years without a dog, we have a cockapoo who seems to be suddenly matted around his neck overnight. I can comb them out even though it takes hours, but they have to shave the dog down to the skin all over his whole body except his face because he has matting around his neck. I even asked them to leave his neck alone and i will do it myself, just don't shave him. They shaved him anyway because that is their "rule". But they left him with a beard similar to Fidel Castro's! I'm looking for a new groomer now because it's that time again.
> My answer would be ... part of the time.


first of all, matts do not come over night. and asking a groomer to leave matts alone is out of the question. it is a rule, that if a dog cannot be done for whatever reason, the groomer does not have to do the dog. the reason could be the dog has matts and the owner wouldnt let me take them out, or shave them out. i dont know why it is such a big deal, you didnt brush your dog, so it got matted and needed to be shaved. that is not the groomers fault. a cockapoo is much more high maintanace than springers or goldens, in terms of matting, so you should be doing a lot more work to ensure your dog doesnt matt. im sorry to sound harsh, but you are blaming the wrong person for your dogs grooming experiance. 

"The reason they shave is because you should not wash a matted dog. The water causes the hair to shrink and makes the mat worse, potentialy causeing serious health problems. Even the best of groomers would probly have difficulty bathing part of a dog and trying to ensure they get all the soap out without getting the mat wet. If you're capable of getting the mat out on your own then I would sugest you do that before you bring him in to be groomed. If they have a mat free dog to start with then there should be no reason to shave"

you are right if the dog is completely pelted and the coat is in one peice. however, you can get a lot of matts out by bathing the dog first, working in conditioner on troublespots, and the blow drying the dog. the blow dryer will blow the matts away from the skin, then the matts can be carefully worked with and should come out. many groomers also use a technique called wet shaving where you bath the dog and then shave the dog while it is still wet. but you are also right in that this should not be done unless the whole dog is being done. in regards to pelican, you would have ended up with a more matted dog is they had done what you ask. you really should thank them


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I agree with Purplex. Many "loose" matts can be loosened and brushed out by using the correct bathing techniques and dryers/drying techniques. However, I also agree with animalcracker in that the dog should not be washed, dried and matts left in it regardless. If they don't loosen up to be brushed out after the bath, then they need to be clipped off. I, as a PROFESSIONAL, entrusted to safely and humanely style peoples beloved pets, will not torture an animal with dematting for vanity's sake. Its hair, and it grows back. I will NOT leave matts in an animal. I send matted dogs home with their owners when they drop them off for their appt if I do not have permission to do whatever is necessary to get the dog in a healthy state of coat. If the owner wants to try to brush them out at home and reschedule, that is great. I will do whatever haircut they want when the dog is matt free..guess how many owners actually do that? For a dog that has trouble matting around the neck, and wears a collar, I find the rolled leather collars to cause MUCH less matting than the standard flat nylon collars. The wider the nylon, the more the matting. Rolled leather is the best to help lessen the matting.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

Really, the best way to find out if a groomer at PetSmart is good, is to observe them! Easy to do since their wall is all glass (at least in the local stores I've gone into).


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## kolp (Jun 15, 2008)

I took my pup to PetSmart yesterday, and was extremely pleased with the results. I will most likely take him there again.


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## erway (Jun 15, 2008)

All locations will be different and will have different groomers working there. That being said, I took my min dacshund to Petsmart to be groomed once. He was so traumatized, he hid underneath the chair for the rest of the day. I don't know what they did to him, but I never took him back there. I go to a local groomer now and he loves it. I would ask people around you and find what their experiences have been. I've heard that Petco also does a really good job, but I haven't tried them.


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## sweetmazzy (Jul 2, 2008)

I have a bichon poo and a golden retriever. Petsmart always does a fabulous job with both of my dogs. My golden always looks so shiny, handsome and clean. My bichon poo always looks so glamorous after going to petsmart. My dogs have never been mistreated or had cuts/ injuries from grooming. The staff is friendly and courteous enough.

I've done Petco, while I like the staff and they treat my dogs well, I think that the Petsmart in my neighborhood does a better job than petco. Petco lacks the va va voom result for some reason.


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## NCGirl (Sep 9, 2010)

I have worked for Petsmart as a bather. I can honestly say that I take my dogs to our groomers. All the groomers I have worked with have been really good with the dogs. We all like dogs, that's why we work there. I don't think someone that was mean to a dog would last. We work in a small area with several groomers and have all the windows with people watching. 

We don't have a problem with people watching their dogs getting groomed but I will tell you that for alot of dogs they do better without the owners there. It's just like when you drop off your child at daycare or in the church nursery. They will tell you that they were fine once you left. It's usually the same for dogs. If you really want to watch them then try to stand where they can't see you. I have seen dogs become so excited when their parent is standing outside that it becomes hard for the groomers to work on them. That's when accidents can happen like a nick or sliding off the table. It rarely happens but if there is a nick we take them to the vet in the store and call the parents immediately.

As far as being all about the money, Petsmart is a business, just like all groomers. That doesn't mean they will do a bad job or rush it. They only take the number of dogs they are comfortable with doing. I have never seen the manager ask them or myself to do more. We do sometimes use a kennel dryer but only on certain dogs. They can't be older or any of the breeds that have breathing issues like pugs, bulldogs, shih-tzu's,etc.. Some dogs don't like the handheld dryers and that's when we use the kennel dryer. Besides us constantly checking on the dogs one of the managers comes in once an hour to check on them. I don't know that all groomers do that. We also are always cleaning. I have really been impressed with they way things are run. I'm hoping to go to grooming school soon.
We want you to be happy and to come back. We love seeing parents get excited when they see their dogs groomed! It's a great feeling!


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

Depends on the indivdual groomer, not the store itsself. 

I dont know how groomers do it there, huge windows, people distracting dogs at all times, people walking in and out, again distracting the dogs. I would hate to be watched like that. Not to mention once a dog sees its owners they go nuts.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

I worked for Petsmart about a year ago, I worked in the grooming Salon, and my Manager would do 4 or 5 dogs a day, in an 8 hour shift. And if her dogs weren't all done when her day was over she left them to a lower level groomer. I myself as a Bather brusher was ussally saddled with anywhere between 15 and 20 dogs in a 4-6 hour shift. And to do a good job, it was expected the dogs HAD TO BE DRY, Nails clipped and dog fully brushed out before it could leave the shop. If all 20 of my dogs were not done at the end of my 4-6 hour shift I was not allowed to leave. I asked to be moved back to the Cash Register and from there moved to being a Trainer.


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## tskoffina (Jul 23, 2010)

I only get Dakota's ears and nails done there, but I really love that they let me stay with her. She's fine with strangers, but she doesn't understand when they want her to do something, and it's too complicated to show a groomer what to do for her, so they let me stay. It's good she gets baths at home, it would be a real challenge to find a groomer I could leave her with.


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

Tankstar said:


> Depends on the indivdual groomer, not the store itsself.
> 
> I dont know how groomers do it there, huge windows, people distracting dogs at all times, people walking in and out, again distracting the dogs. I would hate to be watched like that. Not to mention once a dog sees its owners they go nuts.


I groom a really nice little cocker on a semi-regular basis. The last time the dog was here the owners came back an hour early and decided to wait in the office. That's fine, but I had to put the dog away and ask the lady NOT to stand in front of the window and stare at her dog. Every few seconds the dog would attempt to leap off the table. NOT safe, and if the dog WOULD have jumped off the table because her owners were staring at her it would have been my fault. (IMO, an owner standing and staring at their dog when the dog is physically restrained is nothing short of teasing or taunting.) Another lady dropped a golden mix off. I put the dog on the table, the dog caught sight of the owner standing at the window and she FREAKED. Almost knocked me over, almost jumped off the table and sent a new pair of clippers flying and busted them. The owners were LAUGHING. No greater way to tick me off than stand there and laugh when your dog almost knocks me over and breaks brand new equipment.


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