Is PetSmart grooming any good?

Question

Okay, well I'm taking my Pekingese-Poodle to get groomed. His hair is fairly curly and long, so I'm deciding if PetSmart would do a good job grooming my dog. Is there grooming service good? Have any feedback/stories about your experiences with PetSmart? Thanks (:

Answer 1

Groomers at Petsmart do NOT have to be licensed unless it is state law. There are many states in which no groomers have to be licensed, and the ones at Petsmart in my area typically are not.



There can be good groomers at Petsmart. However, keep in mind a few things.



1. Petsmart is a training company. More than half of the groomers at Petsmart (and Petco) start as bathers or cashiers or something else, and are sent to their corporate "grooming academy" for a couple of months before being allowed to groom. They are then required to work 2 years before they can leave Petsmart. Most of them leave after 2 years in search of a better place to work. So many of the groomers you will find there have been grooming dogs for less than 2 years. Many Petsmart groomers are also very young- they can legally start grooming at 18.



2. Petsmart is a corporate, money-driven business. They want your money. That doesn't necessarily mean they won't do a good job. It does mean that they will book every single kennel in their entire salon if they can, and your dog may be one of 20, 30, 40, or more dogs being groomed that day (The one I interviewed at wanted each groomer to do at least 8 dogs per day, and no less than 8 groomers worked in a day- that's 64 dogs every day.) That's a lot of noise, a lot of activity, a lot of risk of fleas, ticks, and contagious diseases compared to smaller private salons, which often groom less than 20 dogs per day.



3. Petsmart caters to pet owners, which means they do not typically teach a lot of "fancy" clipping. Most of the groomers I've met who worked at Petsmart are big fans of pretty much shaving every dog down and giving it a generic head shape. If that's all you want, you're in luck. If you want your dog to have longer hair, a more unique appearance, or a specific idea you've come up with, you may run into problems.



All that being said, I have known some fantastic groomers who worked at Petsmart for 20+ years. I've also known some idiotic teenagers who couldn't tell one end of a dog from another. I am a professional groomer myself, and having seen just about all sides of grooming (Petsmart and other corporate shops, private salons, mobile grooming companies, vet clinics, etc.) I would not take my dogs to Petsmart to be groomed. From what I've seen, if I needed a groomer, I would find a small private salon with no more than 3 groomers on staff. These types of places are typically quieter, cleaner, and their groomers are often much more experienced and knowledgeable.

Answer 2

The two locations where I live near are like this:

It costs more and they have "add-on"s that most other groomers just add to the service for free. They charge extra for conditioning and a bandana. A groom can cost $20 more than another groomer and the quality is the same as some where else. They have their own school so they are all taught the same, which can be a good thing although most of the hair cuts they do are just short shaves. The groomers are pressured to groom more than other places. quantity over quantity.



BUT, it's all about the groomers! You could get a really good one. Where ever you decide to go ask to meet the person grooming your dog. A good groomer likes to meet the customer and have a relationship with them. You will get a feeling about the place once you meet the groomer face to face. Also any place that wont let you see the back where your dog will be kenneled and worked on is not a good place. What are they hiding?





Also everything the above poster I agree with. I've worked with MANY ex-petsmart groomers. Most people groom there just to get trained because there aren't many grooming schools! They're all (mostly) beginers being rushed to finish dog after dog. After they are trained they leave where the pressure to pump out 10 dogs a day isnt.

Answer 3

I wouldn't go there again. It sounds to me like for some reason she is not at ease with them. If you can cut them at home and other groomers can cut them with no problem then I would say the problem isn't her. I personally have never used petsmart for grooming. But my friend Sue has. She used to take her Westies there. She would drop them off before work and we would pick them up after work. She did so one day and called my husband ASAP because when she got home she found that one of the dog had two ticks on him. She called petsmart to complain about the problem. Evidentally from what they said it has happened before. They thought the tick probably came from another dog who had been in the cage before he was. Nemo had never had any ticks previously. So it's absurd that a dog tick free come out of a groomer with ticks. I would stick with a groomer your dog is more comfortable with. I would also send a email to Petsmart headquarters. They should check into the problem. If they didn't reduce the fee for grooming I would complain about that too. If your puppy allows you to do it at home people touching her paws isn't a problem.

Answer 4

Petsmart Groomin

Answer 5

I have never had a dog groomed at Petsmart, but while shopping there I stopped to watch the dogs being groomed. It was horrible. I think owners should stay and watch their dogs being groomed and then they would think twice about having their dogs groomed there. The dogs I saw being groomed were obviously scared and nervous, the groomers were being forceful and mean. One old dog was so upset his eyes were bloodshot and he was panting so hard I thought he would have a heart attack. Before you decide to take your dog there, I suggest you watch the groomers. The Petsmart I was at is in Joliet, IL.

Answer 6

It depends on which Petsmart, and the groomers.

From my experience with my Petco and Petsmart, I completely adore Petsmart's grooming, and hate Petco's.

But that doesn't mean YOUR Petco grooming is bad.

Just go and take a few observations .

See how the groomers treat the animals.

Answer 7

I have worked in grooming at PetsMart, PetCo and with a private groomer. PetsMart was horrible! They do not train their groomers well and do not know how to handle the dogs.

Answer 8

My personal experience, they were excellent. They are all licensed groomers (obviously lol) and work very well with all breeds. Around here, they can be a bit pricey, but they were well worth the money in my opinion. They were much more compassionate with fearful and timid dogs than other groomers I have seen. They actually take the time to make the dog feel comfortable rather then tie him up and muzzle him.

Answer 9

I have had nothing but good luck with pet smart where I live. If you are wanting a basic cut i'm sure they would do a great job but if you are wanting something more detailed you might want to find someone who does specific cuts. I hope that makes sense.

Answer 10

I've heard good things and bad things.



The good: Good bath, nice cut, brushed out, nails trimmed, smelled nice.



The bad: Dogs cut unevenly, toe nails nicked.



The ugly: Dog looked like he literally was run over by a lawnmower. They even cut his anus, which led to constipation, colitis, and an expensive vet bill.

Answer 11

That depends wholly on the groomer themself. Some are good, and others are just okay.