Best First Job - Pet Bather PetSmart Employee Review

5.0
Oct 21, 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
May 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fun, welcoming, easy, flexible, growth

Cons

Weekends, slow, customers, busy, fast pace

1.0
Jun 2, 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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