Best First Job - Pet Bather PetSmart Employee Review

5.0
21 Oct 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Taught me a good work ethic in a very supportive environment. This was my first job and I had been in team settings from participating in sports growing up but this was slightly different. It was a good transition. Co-workers were very friendly, upbeat, and we always helped each other. Management was also great! I loved working here. Only reason I quit was because I wanted to be a veterinarian and had an opportunity to work at a pet hospital. I miss my PetSmart family! Also, if you're looking for a career, this is a really good place. They were offering me a chance to go to the academy to learn to groom and I hadn't even been there a year. They have excellent growth opportunities and great benefits for full-time employees. They also genuinely care about all the pets and pet parents!

Cons

The only cons I have were some of the dogs were disobedient and it was hard to groom/bathe them without them injuring themselves or me. If you take a job in the grooming department, you must be able to lift dogs into the tub and have A LOT of patience!!! Being an animal lover probably wouldn't hurt either :)

Explore other reviews about PetSmart

5.0
4 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fun, welcoming, easy, flexible, growth

Cons

Weekends, slow, customers, busy, fast pace

1.0
2 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The company pushes for more and more from the bottom level employees without better pay. I worked there before the restructuring and; not much can make me cry, but working here sure did, even back then. I can’t imagine how anxiety inducing it must be to work there now. Animal welfare is a complete non-concern. The only thing that’s pushed is sell, sell, sell. It’s borderline dystopian. Bad management seems to be a common issue, not only from my experience, but many others’ as well. I worked until I was an exhausted sweaty mess to make sure everything in pet care or, when I groomed, the salon, was cleaned to perfection as expected of me (and I reiterate: “me,” because these standards were not expected of my co-workers, just me) and overall felt very unseen. The only times I did feel “seen,” was when mistakes were made. Work was treated like boot camp. A co-worker that was subtley targeting/bullying me, and even started rumors accusing me of racist remarks(!!!), was promoted and anything I reported was downplayed because they were friends with the assistant manager. Working here was an overall traumatizing experience.

Cons

Employees are expected to be work-robots

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