Groomer at Animal Care Hospital

Practice Animal Care Hospital serves Oakland, TN and the surrounding areas, providing pets and their owners with a positive veterinary experience. Our team is selected for kindness, compassion, patience, professionalism, integrity, and agility, ensuring both you and your pet feel at ease.

About the role

Reporting to the Practice Manager, the Groomer maintains the condition of patients’ coats by providing services to keep them clean and well-cared for. This role involves working with a variety of breeds and sizes, engaging with clients to understand expectations, and ensuring grooming spaces are clean, sanitized, safe, and secure. Compensation is commission-based at 55%.

Competencies

• Patience & Compassion: Remain professional while making clients, teammates, and patients comfortable, even in challenging situations. Respond calmly to crises while maintaining high standards of care.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Coordinate with veterinarians and team members, provide timely feedback, and incorporate feedback to achieve positive results. Share and consider ideas openly.
• Communicating: Clearly convey instructions to clients and teammates to ensure successful pet care and services.
• Active Listening: Listen to clients to understand their expectations, repeat back requests to confirm understanding, and communicate effectively with veterinarians for patients receiving multiple services.
• Organization Skills: Follow client instructions, maintain workflow consistency, and manage multiple pets and clients to meet commitments.
• Client Satisfaction: Ensure all interactions and activities prioritize client satisfaction and a client-centric approach.

Responsibilities

• Admit patients, noting client instructions, contact information, and pickup times to ensure quality outcomes.
• Determine any additional veterinary services required during the visit, tailoring care to the patient’s individual needs.
• Observe patient appearance and activity for signs of illness, disease, or discomfort, including checking for ticks, fleas, redness, soreness, or lumps. Report concerns to veterinary technicians or veterinarians.
• Handle and restrain patients appropriately, including hard-to-control animals.
• Perform bathing services, including shampooing and drying.
• Provide grooming services, such as brushing, clipping, hand scissoring, trimming, and shaping the patient’s coat based on breed characteristics, grooming techniques, and client instructions.
• Stay current on new grooming techniques and trends clients may request.
• Administer medications (when instructed) and provide parasite control baths, pedicures, medicated dips (when instructed), and ear cleansing as needed.
• Educate clients on products and medications, including dietary products, and answer questions about their use.
• Follow established methods in the practice procedure manual or special instructions.
• Maintain grooming room and yard by cleaning and disinfecting cages, tubs, tables, and yard daily. Vacuum and mop floors, empty trash, clean tools, and perform monthly equipment maintenance.
• Deliver groomed patients to clients, address concerns, and ensure satisfaction.
• Train, supervise, and assist Grooming Assistants, set performance standards, and conduct evaluations.
• Perform other assigned duties.

Requirements

• Ability to work weekends as required.
• Experience grooming or caring for animals.
• Previous veterinary experience preferred.
• Client satisfaction references preferred.
• Ability to lift patients up to 25 pounds; assistance required for patients over 25 pounds.
• Follow OSHA safety techniques, including proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Benefits

• Paid time off.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Retirement benefits or accounts.
• Bonus incentives.
• Flexible work schedules.
• Career and professional development opportunities.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Employee Referral Program.

Benefits may vary based on full-time or part-time employment status according to company policy.