PetSmart review: not satisfied with their services! 103

Never ever work for this company...They promote kids to be managers..And when kids get power they like to fire people if they don't like you...If this is what our country has to offer as far as jobs go I don't want one...

I want to know how much it will cost me to take my long haired (and matted) cat in for a full grooming. She goes a little nuts with the change of seasons - wouldn't go outside all winter and now, half the time, we can't get her in!

If you are a groomer that is complaining... I don't care. you choose your job! I work in a bar and in the corporate world. the money I make to deal with drunks get touched by drunks, harassed by drunks, stalked by drunks, and vomited on by drunks is my choice. also, my # boss comes with the territory. but I am not on here #. my customers come in to get what they want done, not to get attitude from their server or from their account rep. if you are not willing to get the job done... then do not do it! I am sorry but you # petsmart groomers and bathers need to grow up! poor you... but not really. we all have bad days, and when I am done with mine and don't have the energy to cut my pets nails.. I bring them to you. so do not tell me its all about you and not about pets and their owners... it should be all about us. do nurses get to tell patients to politely f* off when a screaming 2 year old sticks with with the needle by flailing their arms around? no. so stop complaining. complaining is for weak people.

we have an 8 month old mini schnauzer. I took her to Pet smart groomers on 3105 Argentia Rd. Mississauga they did a good job, but she we very lethargic, she slept on her bed and would not move.. she did not want to go outside for her evening walk and had to cut the walk short. I was very concerned about her and she did not each that night. the next day, she we sick on our kitchen floor … twice… but… she did not eat the evening she come home or the next morning… do any of your pets feel this way..do you notice any similar symptoms, is my puppy being sedated in order to have a wash and trim..? All help and comments would be appreciated.

I am a groomer at Petsmart. The only person I can speak for is myself and my salon. It's not just Petsmart there are a lot of shady salons out there. The problem is, it is not like being a human hair stylist or barber. There is no licencing or certification that is a requirement. You could go to walmart and buy a $30 pair of clippers and call yourself a groomer. The grooming world can be a SCARY world. You want to make sure where ever you are taking your pet to ask some questions before you take your pet in for a grooming. I encourage owners to come in and meet their groomer first. This also gives the owner an opportunity to discuss things like price and what their concerns are. I would never leave my children in somebody else's care without meeting them first. Go with your gut. If you feel comfortable with this person if your dog seems to be getting along with this person then start asking some questions. Ex: How long have you been grooming? What is your favorite type of dog to groom? Find out if certian groomers specialize in certian things. What do you do if a dog is misbehaving or tries to bite?
Sometimes as groomers we do have to have difficult conversations with people. I never recommend shaving someone's pet down because I think it's going to look good. I don't think dogs look good shaved at all. It's just somtimes with a matted pet it's the only safe option. You need to agree on a price and a service with your groomer before you leave. Make sure they know you expect there to be no suprises when you pick up. I would suggest initaling next to the price and service notes on the paper you sign. If your groomer then makes a pricing mistake they have to suck it up. They messed up!
Owners should be able to observe the trimming process on their dogs. I encourage my customers to come watch at any time. For dogs that are more excited than others its best as the owner to watch where the dog can't see you. You don't want them getting too excited before the groomer has a chance to finish.
Cutting dogs...accidents happen. Sometimes with groomers I'm sure it's carelessness. However if you could please keep in mind that we are working on moving targets we would appreciate it. I am very cautious and careful on each pet I groom. I don't take my eyes off of it and really try to concentrate on what I'm doing. Especially when I'm working on a pet that isn't standing the way that I need it to.
Finally, don't be afraid to ask your potential groomer questions. They should be willing to be open and honest with you and if not find yourself another groomer. If your groomer isn't smiling when you drop off and pick up find a new one.

My daughter took her 4 pound Yorkie to the East Brunswick, NJ Petsmart for grooming as she did last year (without incident) for a summer cut. My daughter advised the groomer that he was very active so that they would be aware that he did not sit still and be cognizant of the difficulty when grooming him. But I guess they did not take heed and the result of it was that he was rushed to the veterinarian care unit they have within the store to care for the cut made in his nose during grooming. I can only say, thank God they have one there. The Vet couldn’t give him stitches because it was vascular so he had to put surgical glue on the cut area to try to stop the bleeding. They must have been very concerned because they kept him for several hours to monitor him before releasing him and made an appointment to see him again to make sure all was well. A professional groomer takes all precautions to assure the safety of the animal being groomed and yes, accidents happen to the best of us, but a professional should take all precautions necessary to see that none occur. Needless to say, my daughter will not return to Petsmart for grooming. However, I do want to compliment the Veterinarian that took care of him. P.S. My daughter was not charged for any of the services provided (as should not have been)

Please dont take your pets to petsmart! I currently work there unfortunately; but i'm here to beg you not to take your dog if you care for them! your pet will get cussed out, leash jerked on if not cooperating (scared), pinched, handled roughly while being bathed and dried, shampoo in eyes (they are "suppose" to use eye wash before and after), unsanitary kennels from previous dogs, no clean fresh water, nails trimmed super fast and short or too long, small dogs tossed in the kennels wet and shivering (because the groomer feels other things need to be done). the groomers don't care if the dog is nervous or unruly or that they will take their time on the service for good quality; because they are making 50% to 60% commission on every dog (the quicker the can get your pet in and out, the more money they bank! its all about the money... there is no heart in what they do! it breaks my heart and that's why I have to find another job quick! I cant be a part of that!

I believe none of you but a groomer would understand how hard it is to groom a dog. it takes 3-4 hours because we wash the dogs and dry them which can take up to an hour sometimes more depending on the breed and if they are scared of the dryer, we do in fact leave clean, cold, fresh water inside cages. then once the drying is done we start to groom which can take 2 hours sometimes again depending on breeds and the hair cut, if your dog is aggressive toward any part of the groom and if we get sto0pped by phone calls, in coming clients, walk in services (which include nail trimming, teeth brushing, 15 minutes of brushing, shaving pads and potty, and a touch up package which includes nail trim, ear cleaning and 15 minutes of brushing and face, feet and potty). so understand this most of us don't get breaks or lunch breaks most of us work through all of it.

and for you that complain your pet didn't look right, or wasn't washed or didnt get a nail trim etc. don't complain on here step up and let us know. if we dont know we wont be able to fix the problem next time. we get busy just like any other person in the world and sometimes we forget which your right shouldn't happen but we are human we will make mistakes. we wont be able to make every single one of you happy because some of you aren't happy yourselves.

For those of you that complain about getting your dog shaved, because he is matted we can sometimes spot shave your dog but I don't know how many times i've seen, maltese, poodles, schnauzers, etc that come in so matted you can't brush it out, and why should your dog suffer the brushing because your too lazy to do the required work for a groomed dog. so yes we do have to shave him. you also should be signing a paper that states we will have to shave your pet if not safely able to brush it.

About the nails, no matter how long i've been cutting dogs nails, you do sometimes cut the quick it is possible and happens do you do it on purpose no, but it happens, if your not able to cut your own dogs nails don't you think we will have trouble too? maybe you people should have got your dog use to the normal grooming process before blaming us. you should in fact be cutting your pets nails every 4-6 weeks to keep them healthy and short. you also should be bathing your dogs every 4-8 weeks as well depending on the coat and breed. and cleaning ears every 4-6 weeks depending on breed and type of ears. imagine going a year without getting a bath, brushing your hair, teeth and clipping your nails and cleaning your ears. a lot of dogs come in like this and we as a grooming have to fix your mess.

I see way to many dogs that come in that have nails growing into their pads and when I do my best and clip them it sometimes bleeds from the pad from the pressure. not my fault yet, I get blamed. I see way to may dogs with tangle all over their bodies, which is painful. dogs that come in with ear infections and leave and we get blamed that we caused it. which in all doesn't make since we can't cause an ear infection in 2-4 hours.

I use to work at a doggie day care and a dog stayed with us for 2 weeks he ended up having gum disease, which takes months to years to cause. she blamed us for it and said it was our cleaning products.

The only thing I wish is for pet owners to step up realize its not all our faults sometimes and most of the time it is yours and your trying to blame someone else, I take great pride in my work and I love grooming your animals and I will die grooming but maybe for once give your dogs groomers a break. do you complain like this to your hair dresser when she ends up taking an extra hour to make your hair look just a little better, or when you get your nails done [censor] and complain about how they should have stepped up their game and got you in and out sooner. no you don't so why do it to the person thats grooming you pets. you love your babies just as much as you do, in fact I wake up every morning for work happy. I just dread people like you that [censor] about little things in life.

Hair does grow back which is a fact.
Nails grow back which is a fact
90% of the time your dog will be stressed which is a fact

We do take your pets and his/her stress in consideration. so if it took longer than last time or longer than we said, remember we are working on live animals, that do not speak, they will get stressed and we will place them in a kennel to calm them down. again with fresh, cold, clean water.

I would like to thank all you hard working groomers
Also all you customers that do understand our job.

It is also nice to tip. thanks

I have read over a lot of these comments and being a past petsmart employee, I can pick the current or past employees out of these comments with ease... we all seem to have the same constant complaints, petsmart is all about the ol mighty dollar... push those add on's or else, (because the economy is just that good) take more dogs, don't turn away anything deal with it! we do have to answer the phones, check in check out dogs, all while grooming with half working equipment that never seems that important to management, but boy let a groomer forget to meet quotas or not fill out a report and the world ends, all done im guessing while your on a lunch that you haven't really taken in a year because your boss encourages you to work off the clock... yeah petsmart is a real treat right down to the wonderful academy they send you too where you learn absolutely nothing for a month... bottom line is we as groomers I believe have a better chance with the customer than what we do dealing with the other co-workers and management.. I always treated everyone's dog as I would want mine treated and yes there were and are still groomers in that very salon who reminded us daily how they hate dogs and are less than gentle wit most, but... I did what it took to always do the best possible groom I could and make the customer as happy as possible, well behaved dog or not, I treated them well and enjoyed my job... I personally believe the corporate crap, the crappy never pleasant bosses we deal with all while trying to ensure their bonuses and pats on the back while the groomer gets [censor]ed at for every hair outta place without even a thought of a tip... it isn't easy and some days are really bad but im gonna miss it all the same and I had a lot of really great customers I built a professional and sometimes personal relationship with... but again its all about the ol mighty dollar and making those quotas its not about the customer or the dog, no matter what they tell you they could give a [censor] less... its all about how much you'll pay and there's groomers who see you coming... they will take you for all they can because your dogs need this that and the other thing... well you know what your dog needs.. don't be a sucker people, half the time they aren't doing all your paying for anyway... corporations... they suck and they sure don't make the world a better place for the little guy...

well i think petsmart in rockford illinois should get better managment or more mature managment. they want to follow p and p but only use it against those who they want to quit or get fired. your animal is just a paycheck to them and they could careless about their safty. there is mold growing in the back and evem a large kennel on a brick because it is missing a wheel. im sure if osha went in there there woud be problems. there has been accidents done with the pets and the owners were not notified until the last minute or until after they have paid im sure its so the groomers dont lose their commission. it is very sad that some pets go into that place when they are suposed to care about the pets and dont at all. and the grooming that comes out of that place my 4 year old cousin could do a better job blind folded and hyped up on sugar! but it wont change ever you dont have to be a good groomer just a good butt kisser thats all...but you should ask to see the back room or ask if they have mold or cages on bricks. can you imagine if that cage fell over? what damage it would do to a small dog?

Wow, doesn't surprise me to see both sides of the argument here. I've been with Petsmart for 11years now, I am a groomer. Retail customers are among some of the worst customers you will ever have to deal with. Not all of them are, but I've worked in many industries and fields, and I have to say, some people that come through our salon...well they are just freakin pathetic. Majority of the customers that complain always generally want something for free, it always money, the root of all evil. Customers even get pissed off at us when we tell them to bring in their rabies paper work, and then send them home because they couldnt follow a simple rule. For your information its usually the county that mandates that law, so f**kin take care of your responsibilities as a pet owner. I don't understand people that think its ok to yell at the groomer for something they supposedly didnt ask for. This only encourages the groomer to become more stressed out, most of you wouldnt sit there and yell at your barber. Dogs act entirely different in different surroundings. Your precious little angel, can sometimes become the salons little demon. Its a fact that dogs became overly stressed when removed from there natural domesticated enviroment. Yes petsmart does provide a viewing glass, but what makes you think its ok to excite your dog when it is on a table a few feet off the groung, being groomed. Did you ever stop to think if you were sitting in a barber chair and some of your friends were exciting you all up, that the stylist might have a hard time doing a straight cut. You'd possibly even loose a ear. Come on people gain some common sense. And another thing there a bigger problems in the world than majority of stupid customer complaints on "how they went to short" on my dogs cut. My favorite is when the customer states that there dog was not eating and walking around whining. I didn't know humans could actually speak and understand dogs so efficently, must of missed that revelation. Honestly like you know what your dog is saying or thinking. The point is that you customers don't know squat, except how to master the art of complaining, and recieving things for free doing so. I hope God will have mercy on your souls, I know I wouldn't.

I must say it disappoints me to see all these negative comments about Petsmart grooming. I have worked with Petsmart for 5 years now and I am just now moving into our grooming salon. I thought that my training (1 & 1/2 hour video + workbook + safety manual + safety test + training test + the salon manager personally oversaw me doing my first 12 dogs) was very good. All that was just to be a BATHER! There are many policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the pets and the workers. I'm definitely not saying that there are not horrible groomers/people working at Petsmart stores but to classify everyone as a horrible, dog hating, dog mutilating person really insults me. I take great care with all of the pets I groom and treat them as if they were my own. You have to understand that even though your dog may be a perfect angel at home does not mean that they are going to act that way at a grooming salon. Buzzing clippers, nail grinders, loud velocity dryers, dogs barking, new smells, new people it's all very stressful and some dogs will act up. This means that scissors will slip, clippers will clip more than they were supposed to, and nails will get quicked. Its not something that should happen in an ideal world but it does. I quicked a dog today. I did not do it on purpose and I felt horrible because I knew it was painful for the dog I made sure that I used quick stop to stop the bleeding and deaden the nerves. Everyone in the salon I know would never hurt a dog on purpose. Matting is also an issue. A lot of people think that it should just be a simple brush out but it's not. Matting is painful to a dog (imagine someone grabbing a handful of your hair and twisting it tight) and trying to brush out a large mat or a severly matted dog for hours causes more unnecessary pain and stress than is called for so yes, your dog will end up shaved to the skin for the comfort of the pet and their safety you can only use the shortest blade for shaving mats. Keeping all that in mind there are absolutely unacceptable happenings at stores with your pets but the best way to get yourself heard and the situation taken care of is to be as calm as possible. I know it is hard because they are your babies but screaming frantic pet parents are more likely to just get their money back to get them out of the door to diffuse the situation but what really needs to happen is that the groomer in the wrong needs to be addressed and that should be the most important thing. Thanks for listening. Nichole

Really people, if you think you can do a better damn job than maybe, just maybe, you should do it yourself! There are certain things in the grooming process that just can't happen with certain dogs OR cats. It's not because the groomer was just being "lazy.." Regardless of what you think, your pets ARE NOT perfect angels on our grooming tables.. Get the hell over it! & quit complaining.

Petsmart... took my spaniel (who has social fear issues) and they did an acceptable job last time but as I found out today, they marked on his file "a bit dificult to work with", so I took him again today (in matthews - independence, charlotte nc), and it was a big mistake.

The groomers were complaining about their dog assignments as we entered for our appointment taken since yesterday. "I can't believe I have to do a... some breed, then a large another breed...".
They were very upset about their task assignments. then our groomer came to pick the dog, she was hit by a freezing look from the other groomer and I was thinking "poor dog, I hope he's not gonna be a scape goat"

2 hours later, we got a call "we're sorry but we're gonna have to cut your dog all the way, his skin is tired and he needs a full shave" so I told her to do what she believes is best

Another 2 hours later, we got a call "please come and pick up your dog, I cannot finish his hair cut, he is almost done but he keeps on biting" (my dog does not bite but as per above posts, I cannot garantee he doesn't bite under certain conditions) "I am pregnant and I cannot continue your dog, tomorrow, another groomer who did his hair before will continue, there is no charge for today"

I went to the store and the groomer got my dog who has half shaved to the skin and half untouched. I don't mind that the groomer is pregnant and cannot continue, her safety is my first concern.

But what I do mind is that petsmart has pregnant people working regular risky (remember the post of the person who got her nose broken) jobs dealing with scissors and jumpy animals, actually overworking this poor pregnant woman (as per the "schedule complaints" we heard when we stepped in the grooming salon's area).

If they treat their employees like this, no wonder they don't have any consideration for the wellfare of the pets, its the poor groomers who have the consideration, as much as a human can have consideration within the heavy schedule.

I will attach a photo in a couple of minutes, the dog is not with me now... remember I don't blame the groomer, I blame the management for their lack of... management (the groomer 's pregnancy is should be a blessing to petsmart and they should not give her a dog that is marked as "a bit difficult")

A spaniel has a powerful kick, a powerful set of neck muscles and should not be near a pregnant groomer when he is "a bit difficult"

Because of petsmart, I feel horrible that I had a pregnant lady groom my dog (honestly, I thought she was fat, not pregnant!). my dog weighs 23 pounds but he has a higher percentage of muscle mass than his pals.

The problem is not petsmart alone, it is all this "you are pregnant! congratulations, your maternity begins after the baby is born, now get back to cutting trees, fighting bulls, being a bouncer, standing all day and taking stress and customer insults or whatever risky or stressful job you have, by the way, your schedule should always have overlaps, you have two hands, two eyes and two brain sides, you can groom two dogs at ones" policy.

I took my carin terrier into pestsmart today for grooming. first of all the groomer was very nasty to me before she even took my dog (probably should have walked out right then). after snapping at me and getting my information in the system she took my dog, who understandably didn't want to leave me, instead of picking him up or even trying to comfort him she dragged him kicking & screaming to the back (again probably should have walked away right there). I left to run some errands and returned 2 hours later... I could hear my dog barking & crying from inside the store, so I peeked my head in, to see if he was almost ready, they said he was drying & would be ready soon, so I walked around the store for another 35 min, still nothing, I decided to sit outside the grooming salon and wait. as I was waiting another woman with 2 dogs entered the salon & they immediately began doing her dogs' nails... I waited another 10 min still nothing & my dog started barking & crying again (he was in the back & I was outside the grooming salon, so he didn't even know I was around). I had finally had it after 2 hours and 45 mins so I walked in and told them I don't care what is done & what isn't I want my dog now. the groomer told me it can take up to 3 hours & he is still drying. I told them that was ridiculous it takes me 5 min to dry him at home, and I told them I can hear him crying from the store, obviously he isn't happy & I am not going to stand by & listen to him being tortured any longer... the salon manager just rolled his eyes at me & told me I should have requested the express package, I again told them just give me my dog back. they had to adjust the bill since they never got to his nails, and I asked were is annual glands done... the groomer wouldn't respond to me and a fellow groomer had to act as the mediator asking the question again to get answer meanwhile the manager is right there, acting as if nothing were wrong (and I still don't know if his glands were actually done or not).

Finally they gave me the bill, which I paid at the register, when I came back it still took them a while to bring my dog out, when they did he flew not just to me but out the door and did not calm down or even acknowledge me until he was safety inside the jeep, at which point he inhaled 16oz of water, which also upset me... why would they let him get so thirsty?! when he got home it took him another couple of hours before he started acting like himself. he has been groomed before, and while he has never enjoined it, he has never barked while waiting in the back, or been dehydrated afterward & he has been his normally happy self upon seeing me again.

I will never take my dog to another petsmart, for anything! I trusted them to groom him and take care of him... I even paid them to do so, instead they locked him in a back room for 3 hours in god only knows in what conditions. that corporation will never see another dime of my money again.

I took my cat to petsmart and they sold her to the Chinese Restaurant next door. My cat was the special that night.

I work at petsmart as a groomer. I have been a groomer for 4 years now. I must say, it's really not the groomers fault, but petsmart's. from what I noticed, they are desperate for groomers and will send anyone to their academy. and once you are a groomer at petsmart you are pretty much untouchable no matter how bad of a groomer you are. i've seen some pretty horrible groomers come through, and our salon manager would want to get rid of them, and it's all decided by our district manager who kept telling her (my salon manager) to "give them another change. help him/her out more." when, these groomers, are actually losing us business and they just don't have a knack for it or they just don't care.

And there are so many other factors involved when you work for a corporation like this. for example, at the end of the week we are diciplined if we haven't sold enough "add-on packages" to customers. as though customers aren't allowed just to pay for the base price, they have to get a toothbrushing add-on or a nail grinding add-on. and your percentages come in at the end of each week, and whoever has the lowest is diciplined by the store manager. I remember my store manager once told me "you'll never be a salon manager with add-on percentages this low." this would make anyone moody. and our district manager would be more concerned about gum on the sidewalk outside of the store than any faulty machinery, broken dryers, broken cage doors, broken grooming tables and we had a really bad mold issue that didn't get resolved for a whole two years! because our district manager didn't deem it necessary because the customers didn't see it.

And if that isn't enough to have the groomers all upset, you are expected to answer all phone calls, check-in every customer and we are required to spend atleast 5 minutes accessing the animals, and then you'll have to get every dog you have for the day out in 4 hours which seems like a lot of time, which it is, but the reason they quote that time is not only for the animal, but to answer phone calls, take in walk-ins and check-in customers. most petsmart don't have the "budget" to have a receptionist do this sort of stuff when most private shops do. and most private shops have bathers that wash all the dogs. so, the work is beingbroken up. when we are expected to be the bather, the recpetionist and the hair stylist, it really can wear someone thin.

I really love working with dogs and I truly appreciate the artistic side of grooming, but I do not agree with a lot of things that petsmart does or allows. I will hopefully branch out on my own one day, that would be ideal. because I cannot see myself being at petsmart for the rest of my life. I will say, that not all petsmart groomers are horrible. I would like to think of myself as the exception to this complaint thread :)

I've worked as a bather at petsmart for a year now (since it opened), and I can't say we've had any horror stories as of yet. if anyone in our salon nicks a dog, we contact the manager immediately, contact the owner immediately, and explain to them exactly what happened. generally, a small injury has only occurred if the dog is particularly matted. there has been a couple instances of dogs having very loose skin and getting a small cut under their... doggy armpits? we always ask the owner if they want us to take their pet to an animal hospital, however, most have opted out. I assume that's because the nicks are small (compare to a nick when you're shaving).
Luckily, pet parents have generally been very understanding about these things as well. no matter how much a groomer love dogs, and believe me all of the associates in our salon completely love pets (one of our girls was even crying when she told the pet parents about a nick she made on their dog, she felt so horrible for it), some dogs are just rowdy or misbehaved for grooming. we can sweet talk them and pet them and give them treats, but it just doesn't help. today, I had my very first bath dog that I could not finish. I put her in the bath-tub, started washing her, and she immediately began trying to bite both me and the hose. she became very aggressive. I had been nothing but kind to her. I eventually had to put her on the floor to rinse her off, towel dry her, and place her in a kennel to finish drying (she bit at the velocity dryer as well). I felt horrible having to call her mom and explain that I was unable to work on her dog. I can't speak for others, but I hate having to tell someone how their beloved pet was so ill-tempered. when they parent came to pick her up, we suggested possibly bringing her in another time. another thought was to get her more used to the grooming process at home.
And yes, we have a window to let people watch the grooming. we like to say that it's a zoo. no one in the salon likes it much. the people watching tend to distract the dogs, sometimes rile them up. pet parents can make us so mad sometimes when they sit and watch right outside the window. your dog can see you! they will get excited, and they will get fidgety, and this will cause your groomer stress. a dog that will have only taken another 10 minutes to finish make take another 30 instead simply because you let your dog see you. and then, owners have the nerve to be unhappy with us for "lying" about how much more time it would take.
Another problem is miscommunication. some people will make an appointment for their dog, then send a family member or friend to bring the dog to petsmart. they do not leave grooming instructions with whoever they send, and this will obviously cause a problem. some of these people will not tell us that they are simply the "messenger" and will tell us to do the same trim the dog had the last time they came in. then, when the pet parent comes in later, they become upset with us for having done the wrong trim.
We also had a man come in with his golden retriever for a trim. the groomer asked if he wanted light trimming around the feathers and belly or if he wanted all-over body work. he chose the latter. we explained that this would be using the clippers all over the dog's body and that the hair would be the same length everywhere. the man oked it. when he came back, he was horrified that his dog had been shaved down, saying that golden retrievers didn't look like that, and asking why our groomer would actually shave a golden (some people like to have their dogs shaved down during the summer, that's why). he complained a whole lot, despite us telling him beforehand that his dog was going to have short hair all over his body.
Anyway, the point here is, please understand that just because you had a bad experience at one store, it doesn't mean all petsmart stores are like that. we all take our job quite seriously at my store. we love our pets, and we do our utmost to make the pet parents and pets happy. yes, sometimes there are screw-ups, but guess what? that's a part of being human. how many people can honestly say they haven't made a mistake at their workplace? there has never been any serious injuries or incidents at our store, and i'm proud for it.
Last thoughts: sorry if my train of thought seems choppy. I jumped back and forth, adding sentences here and there when I remembered things. >.

you're all stupid. grooming sucks. customers suck. so shut up already.

You know if you groomers are so stressed maybe your in the wrong industry. I agree getting peed on, pooped on and bitten is stressful but why would you want to come to work every day if it's so awful? There are a lot of other jobs you could do. Stop whining about how awful and stressful the job is. Instead try raising the bar on your standards industry wide, do something to help make groomers who are the bad ones either step up to a higher standard or get out. There are lots of excellent groomers everywhere (PetSmart too), and you are the ones who need to fix the problem, you must demand that the company you work for and the people who work with you have the same integrity.

The beauty industry faced the same stigma for years and it has taken a lot of hard work industry wide to change the way peoples perception of hairstylists. ie...she couldn't go to college for whatever reason so she went to Beauty School. Take a look at how that industry has changed, maybe take some cues from them.

You must be in a career like grooming because you want to be there and you must also weed out the ones who don't if you ever want to have any respect.

After reading some of these comments, some of the good and some of the bad, I can say this; 97% of you who wrote something need to learn how to spell! it does ask you to "please check text spelling before submitting a comment," so do it for everyone's sake!
Now, as great as it is that you are taking care of your animal companions and 'treating' them, try to understand this simple concept, it happened! there is absolutely nothing you can do about it now! if you are so dissatisfied with your experience; why rant and rave about it? petsmart is quite a large corporation, so a few sites that 'dis' the company, will do nothing to stop it! more than likely, it won't even put any sort of a 'ding/dent' in the income the company will inevitably bring forth.
For those of you who decided to, generalize your experience, and say that all groomer's are bad... you should really re-think your words. not every person is the same, or does even remotely the same thing! dog's can behave badly! especially if they have had no training, have been denied a spay/neuter by the owner, or more so; when the owner stands right at the window for 'observational' purposes! some of the things customers do; do not help! I am with those groomers, that commented, on that subject!
Do not get me wrong, I would never condone behavior or acts that could possibly endanger an animals life... like cutting too deep, leaving huge gashes on an ear or loose skin, or shaving dogs completely that should not ever be shaved to the skin. and then the company not even offering to help financially should the animals need arise for a 'vet check' from their mistake... but y'all need to take a 'chill pill'! please! and maybe you should truly think about what your animal needs. if they need a groom; do some research, ask yourself questions... "formal or informal"? (i.e. actual grooming facility, or generic facility), cost? (if you are a money conscious human), what all do they need with the groom? (if they only need a nail trim or an ear cleaning, why not take the animal to your veterinarian? it's considered a 'safe' place to your animal, because they should have already met the people that will be handling them! something important to remember: an animal is much more relaxed if it "knows" its surroundings [people and/or place])... etc.
Most of the time it falls onto the owner as 'their responsibility' when something goes wrong. it depends on situation and circumstance, of course! I am a va, working on my vt degree... so I know what I am talking about, grooming or not! I know some of the things that happen 'behind closed doors, ' and it is not as bad, most of the time, as y'all are making it out to be. as a future reference/thought, to those who have had something happen or even those who have not had anything happen, I would like to take this chance to remind everyone of an old adage you have probably heard before... "if you want something done 'right, ' you have to do it yourself!" take an initiative! and do everything you can for your companions, either yourself or maybe letting someone else do it as a 'treat' for your animals! in the end it is up to you, the owner!

Only comment I found.
I get survey forms and when I try to get the verification code, never will open to right page.
What's the deal with that?

I had a cocker groomed at petsmart cedar park, texas the grommer "the manager" burned him on his scrotum. the dog was being boarded at petsmartt so she placed him back in the boarding and did not take him over to the vet. I eas not informed after him being there for three more days. I can't understand how she could just let him suffer. if I was the store manager she would not have a job. she woman should not be allowed to work as a groomer!

I guess maybe the groomers in tx. are different. I have used them for a number of years. my pom and my teacup yorkie are both done regularly at petsmart. my pom gets the standard pom cut and the yokie gets the teddy bear and they have always done excellent work. I pay the express fee so that they are done straight through and not kennelled due to their age. (worth the extra for an animal that may get stressed also)

I groom for petsmart. it is not a good place to work or have your pets groomed unless a. you know your groomer and they have alot of experience (3years+) b. you wish to age early and die young. it does not matter if your groomer is from haircuttery petco or some beverly hills shop cutting celebrity dogs. if you don't know your groomer you are playing russian roulette with your pet. every time you make an appointment I urge people to ask how long your groomer has been working for petsmart as a groomer. petsmart don't care about your pets they are just sales. they send us figures we have to meet a quota and those manager are more then egar to bend the policies and procedures if they can make that quota. groomers care about your pets thats why we stay at this incompitent place. we have no receptionist or support so you will walk into many stressed out salons. the training is like listed in the previous post. your sent to another store to learn nothing then expected to keep up with the pros in comissions. yes we work on comissions so when you get your money back petsmart don't care they just take it from our pay checks. we do get 'crazy customers' like any business (ex one lady used to come in the store yelling masterbation and watch the fish - she is literally crazy) it happens. any complaints reflect on poor management of the entire company. they just don't care who works for them as long as they produce sales or fill a spot.

I disagree with that no one showed me my dogs mats solid mass of hair, the girl who did my dog just shaved her has she was untrained and a butcher of animals has her nails where bleeding has well. I take my dog now to a private groom shop has I did in england before I came to canada and she was all ways cut right and treated right never shaved till I came to canada and petsmart, to say you have always been told that private groom shops are worse you dont really know who informed you of this the worse groomers ever petsmart. you should know want your talking about before you write comments about anything why dont you do yourself justice if you want to be good at your job and really like animals leave petsmart and go to a good groomers and someone that knows what their doing, not a company thats in it for the money while poeple are silly enough to still go.

It really bothers me that everytime I read a petsmart review it is mainly negative. I know the salon that I work at has many experienced groomers. They have been doing it for years. I've also been told that private groom shops tend to be worse as they will do "whatever" it takes to get the job done, such as two people laying across a dog and holding it down to do nails. Now that would be traumatic. Petsmart has a lot of policies and procedures in place that are meant to protect dog and groomer. But really it is up to the people who work there to uphold them. I went through the "school" but apparently I got lucky as the manager at my training store had been grooming 20 plus years and had her own shop. A lot of groomers go to petsmart just so they don't have to deal with all the bs of owning there own store. I know everyone talks about how groomers don't know what they are doing, but everyone starts out somewhere. There are many complaints about shave downs, but what we do is keep the mats to show the owner when they pick up. You can't argue when there is a solid mass of hair. It honestly makes me sad that so many people have bad experiences. I guess I just work at a better store.

I have come to hate petsmart! my first bad encounter was with dog training. my second was with dog grooming and the last was handing a coupon to the cashier for money off on a product that they never took off!

But let me tell you about my dog grooming experience. first of all, when I called to set up an appointment, I was quoted a price. I told them this was her first cut and they told me to bring in her records, etc. I did. when we got to her appointment, I told them I had a coupon for $10 off. when I picked her up, the price was jacked up $10 so I ended up paying the full price regardless of the coupon.

Now for the terrible job they did. I have a miniture schnauser that I rescued. they cut both her ears (a good 1/2 inch into the skin) and after a week since the grooming, they continue to bleed. we are using a spray anticeptic from the vet to help her. furthermore, her hair was all choppy and she looks like a cartoon dog. I could have done a better job! I will never go back to petsmart.

I have read some of everyone comments and let me tell everyone i used to work for petsmart. All the people in there know how to wash the animals. And if they have a problem and they cant wash your animal for whatever reason they are suppose to call you and have you pick them up. And my boyfriend brought his dog and the dog was there for 6hours. He never took him back again. If u want you want your animal treated right go to a little grooming place don't go to the pet stores. Or even do it your self that's what we do. We even trim our dog its cheaper and that way the dog doesn't get stressed out. The most important thing is to know the place and the people that are grooming your animals. Because there are a lot of people out there who don't care about your animal or anyone else's.

While I do agree with some of you, not every groomer in every petsmart sucks and is "an idiot" I just completed their "school" at the end of august, and like the person before me stated, it is a joke, 4 weeks and I did about 8 shaves, and half a face and now they throw me into the salon and pressure me to do more dogs then I can manage, the most I have done is 4 in an 8 hour day, while that may not seem like a lot, when you have untrained, un-neutered aggressive dogs it becomes very difficult to get done. petsmart as a company is money hungry and if the salon doesn't meet their quota everybody has to hear it, so we are forced to ask you to add our top dog package and our furminator because it makes the company more money. I try to be calm with the dogs and speak nicely to them, but sometimes nothing helps and you get fursterated, and as much as you love your puppy and want them to look perfect (and we would love if every dog we did looked perfect too), it's not always possible, when you are shaving a dog that is hopping around it is very very hard not to make it look choppy, all it takes is one little jump and the clipper goes too deep and cuts the hair too short and there is unfortunately very little we can do to fix it, sometimes at the end of the day you are physically and mentally exhausted, there are days (like today) when the dog just looks horrible and you can't calm the dog to fix it, when I had finally given up and called (1:00) the owner (who had apparently left her phone home and didn't come back until 3 which is when I was supposed to leave) she was understandingly disappointed with the groom and offered to try to hold her shih-tzu so I could attempt to do the face (I wasn't even able to touch his face without him trying to bite me) I agreed and was able to get a good amount shaved off, it was no where near an even decent job, but her dog started trying to bite her, so she decided that it was good enough (thankfully because I was really tired from being up at 5am lol) I strongly suggested that she get her boy neutered, and she said she wasn't aware that not having it dog could cause excess aggression and she seemed like she was really open to getting it done... I know i'm rambling on a bit (I do that when i'm tired) but please don't state that we are all idiots at petsmart, because I really do care about all the dogs I groom and treat them as I would my own, but even the bests groomers have bad days, and some dogs are just beyond the groomers training, petsmart really should spend more money, time and effort in proper training for bathers and groomers (don't get me started on our new bather, total air head) it would really be a good investment on their part

Reading these complaints i'd like to say be afraid be very afraid. dont take your pets to petsmart!
They are poorly trained, no nothing of handling animals properly and are butchers when it comes to cutting hair. how do I know, I started at petsmart with the promise of specialized training to teach me to groom, what did I get? I bathed for them for 8 months, then they sent me to "school". I use the term loosely because their idea of school is sending their trainee's to another petsmart to be trained by a "salon manager" who knows little to nothing because she went through the same stupid program. the women who was supposed to "make me a groomer" stated she would show us how to use a dematting tool but didn't recommend it she was nervous herself to use it. she had no grooming background other than the completely useless program she had gone through and now she dared teach? I quit after the month long "school" and was classically trained by a master groomer, hand in hand for a year. I now fix petsmarts mistakes. just 2 days ago I had a little yorkie in my shop that had half... thats right half... its ear cut off by a petsmart accredited stylist. when you walk through petsmarts stores you hear over the speakers..." accredited stylist, accredited dog trainers (the trainers are no better then the groomers btw)... accredited by who you ask... by petsmart thats who. be afraid be very afraid.

Well I went wednesday August 26th to the petsmart in WinderBethlehem GA. The groomer was to do a Furminatior on my 6-8 month old lab mix rescue. They state that they started the process and she was startled by the "dryer" and jumped back. they thought that she had a small cut that needed stitches. They did take her to Banfield to get the stitches done. While she was at banfield the vet there found out that the tendons were cut on her back leg. My dog has now had to endure one night in a temp cast and then thursday she had to go for Nuro surgery in a town about 50 miles from my house. I had to ask my friends to take her for this trama as I could not take time off from work. My friends took her and the surgery went well as we can tell but will not know for 10-20 weeks. I am being told that there will be several trips back and forth at 50 miles each way just to see if the three tendons in the dogs legs will heal.
For the time being we have to keep a very young lab puppy away from all water (labs are water dogs) NO running ... ahhh puppy ... NO jumping... again puppy... no stairs I live in a two story house and all the other NO's just becaus of a crate that I have seen and could be a torture device for anyone. The crates have a 3/16 inch piece of sharp cut stainless that the groomers must lift to open the door. This is what cut the tendons on my dog and even the banfield vet said as much.
I went today Saturday to take a photo of this stainless piece and was told that I could not go back in the Kennel station any more untill Corp contacted me. This all happend Wednesday it is now Saturday and not a WORD from Corp. I will keep posting on thias PetSmart is a huge company the says they care for your pet but I think not right now.

I took my 3 yorkies to get groomed at the petsmart in uniontown, pa on july 29th. that was the worse mistake I ever made with my pets! the groom did a half # job on all 3, then called in the manager because I was asking her to go back over my dogs and make them even. then, this is the worse part, 2 weeks later, to be exact on august 15th, I noticed my oldest yorkie walking a bit odd. so I picked her up, and it turns out she had an anal gland abscess. on petsmart's website, it clearly states that anal gland cleaning is included in the packages, and they clearly didn't clean her anal glands. I now have a $300 vet bill, have already gone round and round with the manager of the store, and he has supposedly sent an email to his corporate office in phoenix. what is up with an email, should this be a personal matter, or at the least over the phone. not by freakin email. so it looks like i'll be going to see a consumer lawyer tomorrow. i'm sure i'm not the only one this has happened to, but hopefully I can get something done to change this in the future. this is pure crap. I used to bathe pets, and it takes about 15 seconds to "clean" the anal glands... why wasn't it done?

3 hours is not unreasonable for a haircut for a dog. a person, yes. people don't get their full bodies washed and their anal glands expressed when they go for a haircut. drying every square inch of a dog takes time. I personally dislike petsmart because I used to work there and they are all gossips. the other groomers I worked with did cut dogs wayy too much yes because they were in a hurry (perhaps they had been getting "is my dog ready yet" "how bout now?" "it's been five minutes why isn't my dog ready?!" phone calls from the owner every ten minutes). I would have not cut your dog because I take my time and am careful. sorry about your dog's experience. I am not defending the cuts, just the amount of time it takes to fully groom and bathe a hairy dog, as a groomer. I am taking time to educate pet owners about the expectations of a grooming experience. hope I helped. god bless you.

Well, the "dogs are matted" isn't an excuse, it's a reason. it's not fair to the dog nor the groomer to try and go through a painful dematting process when the owners aren't taking the time and effort to make sure the dog stays knot free in between groomings. when the coat gets knotted and matted together, then the only remedy is to shave it and start over, with the hopes that the owner will take the "do over" seriously, and start combing from day one. washing a matted dog and drying it will only make existing mats tighter. and if a dog is biting and fighting the whole process, which some dogs do regardless of how great the groomer is, then they aren't going to get a pretty nicely scissored trim. they're going to get what they can get, which is hopefully something functional at least. well behaved dogs get better haircuts. it's that simple.

I have standard poodles and I have had all groomed at the petsmart in danvers, mass. the groomers are moody and inexperienced. on more than one occasion I have explained to the groomer in very delicate words - do not shave my dogs! and many times I have picked up and guess what, they are shaved - almost to skin. yes, I get the excuse "the dogs are matted and really needed it" or "it is summer". not to mention the cuts and bleeding nails when they are done with them.in my opinion the groomers are lazy and not gentle with the animals they groom. so guess, what the price my be cheap but not worth my dogs shaking before they get in the door and the rat look they come out with. and my reply to the groomer who claims she has been pooped on and bite on several occasions, go into a different profession.

You sound so angry and upset that grooming may not be the job for you. you are wrong to try to defend an entire corporation such as petsmart as they would fire you and never defend you. my bad experiance with petsmart grooming was not my fault or my dogs fault but 100% their bad! they admitted that the groomer was very carless in cutting my dog not once but twice which needed a vet that they sent my dog too and paid the bill reflecting pain medication, stitches, and the follow-up care. my dog is very well trained and taken care of with never being matted in his life. the manager took full responsibility and disiplined the groomer admitting several mistakes that were made with my dog as well as petsmart management called me. I am sure petsmart groomers are given dogs to groom that are not trained and maybe matted as well but that is where a well trained and good groomer steps in. your bad language in your rant note tends to show everyone that you are immature and not petsmart management as you do not know how to carry yourself in buisness tone and they would not want you speaking on the their behalf of them or their company. my 11 year old daughter expresses herself better than can you can write. if I were a groomer I would read the complaints and take them for what they are and learn what I can from the customers and the experiances they have had. remember these people you are calling idiots are your customers and provide you with a job. the last thing is that this website has been created for customers to write about their bad experiances and document their complaints so if you are going to fight with everyone on this site you will be always lose "because this is a complaint board" if you want to make a positive comment that anyone will respect lose the "name calling" and swearing - try to act like a professional groomer and you will receive respect. relax!

If youve been to petsmart... well us petsmart dog groomers have complaints about you customers as well. first off do not freakin rush us. peiod. and when your dog sucks # for everything then maybe you should invest in some training. do not stand in the window. of course your dog is going to get excited & act worse. you are an idiot for that! and if you want to complain about us quicking a nail then do it your damn self. its very hard to tell where that quick starts. and most importantly... if you are the one who wants a specific hair cut, do not send someone else to drop the dog off & to give us hair cutting directions. then you have the nerve to complain? once again your the idiot. last but not least. if your dog comes in pelted & matted then you should not own a dog. your a horrible owner. of course were going to shave the matts out. someones got to take care of your dog if its not you. so dont expect us to work miricles. and last but not least, accidents happen. we do not cut your pet on purpose! 98% of the time its from their horrible behavor. every minute is important to us, and you are not special, so dont come in late & think its okay

We took our two newfies to petsmart to get bathed and brushed out, making it very clear that we did not want them shaved. we were more than willing to pay whatever they charged as we know newfies are a lot of extra work. petsmart called saying that the fur behind the ears and by the butt were very matted and would need to be shaved. we gave the ok and again made it very clear those were the only places to be shaved. words can not describe the horror I felt when they brought our dogs out (mind you they made us pay up front before they brought the dogs out.) both of my newfies were shaved to their skin! not a buzz cut, but shaved. they both have patches bigger than a softball where there wasn't even any fur at all. all I could do was cry and cry and cry. I am not exaggerating when I say my dogs looked as though a 5 year old had shaved them. what part of do not shave my dogs=shave them to the skin? I have had newfies for years and know they are a lot of work, hence I pay a lot of money so they get the proper care and grooming. if I wanted them shaved I could have done that at home. I assume when I pay someone to groom them they are in fact going to groom them, not take the lazy way out and shave them. after speaking to the vet I learned that now I have to keep my dogs out of the sun as they have no way to protect themselves from the sun. additionally I have to buy some sort of coats for them to wear to avoid sunburns, another one to insulate them when it gets cold, special blankets to sleep on, new collars as theis just fall off when they put their heads down, and the list goes on. not to mention that any experienced groomer knows not to shave a dog with an undercoat! a newfies hair regulates their body temp and now they have no way to cool off. they itch and scratch like crazy, have nick marks all over and are very sore. the 19 year old grooming supervisor offered to refund my money ($180.00) but could give me no suggestions as to how to go about making the proper accomidations for the vet reccomendations. do not take your animals to petsmart!

Dont ever take your dog to petsmart grooming! I had my foster dogs nails trimmed at my vets and he was very good about it. then I let petsmart trim them. what a huge mistake! ever since then no one can touch his nails! I dont know what those people did to him but he actually tried to snap at the tech and this is the sweetest dog. he must have felt very threatened and we never had trouble with him before. now I am going to have to have him anestheized just to trim his nails becasue of the idiots at petsmart.in between the time I had his nails trimmed and found out no one can touch his nails anymore, I had taken my gsd to petsmart for a nail trim. this time I got to see and I was appalled at how they manhandled her! from that alone I knew I would never bring another dog to petsmartt again, I see now why my poor foster will not let anyone near his nails now. these were a bunch of inexperienced kids who are clueless about handling a dog. I am furious about what has happened and will never shop at petmsart again for anything. please do not take your dogs there, who knows what can happen to them with the idiots that work there.