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AHayesHorses · Aug 20, 2019 7:10 PM

(Sorry about caps in title, i felt the need to emphasize lol)

So! I just got home from my interview at PetSmart! I have officially been hired as a bather/groomer in training. If it works out, i will be sent to a "Groomers Academy" for 4 weeks at another store after being a bather for a certain amount of time. This is a great thing! But I am so incredibly super anxious. I am super excited that i will be making money but i am terrified of my anxiety getting the best of me (it's been better now that i am back on Aderall for my ADD but still...). If all goes well, when i go off to the 4 week training, i have to sign a 2-year contract with PetSmart as a groomer. I don't know when i start yet but once my background check clears, they will call me. I told myself i am going to try as best i can to do this. If i find as a bather/trainee that i can't keep up, then the manager said he will just put me out on the floor (fish and small animals)/register. So i am trusting myself to be honest, not only with them but with me and my own abilities. I am so excited but so scared! I have my fingers crossed that it works out. I have a puppy that i plan to get trained and certified as an emotional support animal for my anxiety but she is only 15 weeks old and can't be fully certified until she is a year old :'(

I honestly think one of my biggest concerns is time. Because my ADD and Anxiety are constantly egging each other on, I can't do long shifts. The grooming salon is open from 7am-9pm, and while as a bather, i won't be there that long every day, i am still so freaked out! I am hoping to be able to get only 5-6 hours a day Monday-Saturday with maybe one day off but the thought of an 8+ hour shift is whats freaking me out :'( Someone please tell me i'm not overreacting... I just feel like i am making a bigger deal out of it that i should. I just need to wait and see ughh...

If y'all could give me some encouragement, i need it! I am excited, really, but i just haven't felt yet if this is the direction to go. I can't wait to get started and to see how i do! If you have any experience as a dog groomer, PLEASE tell me some stories and your experiences!

Sincerely, The Biggest Bundle of Over-Exaggerated Anxiety The World Has Ever Seen, also known as, Ashley :))

HomeSweetHome · Aug 20, 2019 7:13 PM

Ok, I thought I was the only one ADD on this game!

I'm sure you'll be great!

AHayesHorses · Aug 20, 2019 8:03 PM

@IndianaRanch i was diagnosed in 1st grade :)) They tried putting me on the smallest dose but it turned me into a zombie so they took me off it (per my teachers request. Said she would rather have me bouncing off walls and off in lala land than have me like i was on the meds). I think i was put back on it in i think 3rd grade but with the skin patches, not the pills. Then in whatever grade i was switched to Concerta which did absolutely nothing for me so i stopped taking it. After college and working at Tractor Supply (getting up at 4am four days a week), my anxiety skyrocketed. So i just didn't have the will or drive to do anything. Getting up was a chore in itself and i was always tucked in my room doing nothing but play on my computer because i just couldn't find the energy or will power to move. I talked to my dad and we decided to try Aderall for me again and the difference has been astronomical! Which is why i am hoping that it will help me at a new job :) lol so now that you know my life story, how long have you been diagnosed? Kinda cool to see i'm not the only "crow" in the game! (I saw "crow" because crows are attracted to shiny objects and shiny objects are typically the sterotypical distraction :)) )

HomeSweetHome · Aug 20, 2019 8:18 PM

I'm distracted by Noise and Motions. I was diagnosed in 8th grade.

CeffylDwr · Aug 20, 2019 8:35 PM

First of all Congratulations!

As a former PetSmart Groomer with Anxiety talking to a future one, you've got this but don't be ashamed or afraid if the groomer life isn't the right fit for you. Let your Salon Manager know you have anxiety, mine never minded if I had to put a dog up for a minute and go sit in the break room for sec to breathe and come out of a panic attack but she was aware it was a possibility from pretty much the beginning.
You will get easy dogs, you will get tough dogs, and everything in between you will have grooms that break your heart (severe matting etc) and you will have grooms you start to look forward too. You can even develop regulars who ask for you specifically for their dog. Yes, even as a bather.
As a bather, if you have slow time, ask your groomers if they need help with getting a dog bathed or dried in time, a lot of the times they have two dogs at once on their schedule and they will appreciate you offering but only if you do not have your own dogs on the books for baths.
Grooming Academy can be a blast, listen to your trainer and if they have you pair up while training with one of there full time groomers also listen to them, they know their stuff!
If you can afford to expend the money to get your own grooming stuff not the company provided one (believe they still take the cost out of your paycheck). Oster clippers tend go to crap quickly, I heavily recommend Andis clippers, spend the extra on ceramic blades.
PetSmart will price match and then discount for their staff so shop local stores see what the best price you can get is!
Invest in your own cordless nail grinder/battery/charging station those things are like gold in the Salon.
This was mine and many of my fellow groomers preferred clippers before I had to quit do to health.

AHayesHorses · Aug 21, 2019 1:44 AM

@CeffylDwr thank you so much! This helped a lot. I will be sure to bring it up to the salon manager when i meet her properly :) I'm 22 and i have had anxiety for as long as i can remember but after college and after working at tractor supply un-medicated at 5am (getting up at 4am) 4-5 days a week, my anxiety went to a whole new level. It's actually the reason i quit. I just couldn't handle the attacks anymore. That's why i'm scared of the 2 year commitment. But I am hoping it's something that i will be able to get into and enjoy doing. I'm still trying to convince myself that it's ok if its not for me :) I tend to freeze up and try to hide emotions so i know i need to force myself to be honest. I have a huge guilty complex. I think if i don't stick with it, i will be fine on floor and register (even though i absolutely hate running register because i have to stand in one place for so long :P ).

Also the other thing i need to do is talk to both the salon manager and the hiring manager about my puppy. My anxiety skyrockets when i have to leave her for long periods of time but when I'm around her it fades. Since she is going to be trained as an emotional support/service dog for my anxiety i want to discuss bringing her to work with me with both managers. Since its a pet store i am assuming it shouldn't be a problem but i still want to bring it up. I plan on self training her for 2-3 months while i save money and then get her professionally trained through a group called Helping Paws for Veterans (they train service dogs for PTSD veterans for free but also train other people's service dogs for $100/month). I feel like the environment would be good practice for her as well. I am hoping that bringing Olive (the pup) won't be a problem and thinking about it gives me even more anxiety :( But i am gonna give it my best shot and try it. Hopefully once i get in the flow it will start to feel right!

(Sorry for the long winded, repetitive response. My family doesn't really understand my anxiety and don't take it entirely seriously so this is my best place to vent.)

OH! Also, since you have the experience, because i forgot to ask about specifics, for being a bather, do you get paid on commission base or hourly? I forgot to clarify X_X

CeffylDwr · Aug 21, 2019 1:59 AM

I'm headed out to the door but I didn't want to leave you hanging on that last question. Bathers are hourly, Groomers are commission; though if groomers don't make enough for whatever reason to meet at least minimum wage with their commissions they get hourly so that they do meet those requirements. Least thats how it was when I worked there.

AHayesHorses · Aug 21, 2019 2:02 AM

Thanks! That makes sense :)

Alohomora · Aug 24, 2019 6:28 AM

Congratulations on your new job! It is definitely okay if you try it out and then decide it’s not a good environment for you, but I know you will be awesome : ) I second the vote for Andis clippers and ceramic blades—over time I have been grateful for the quality investment.

Does your store have a hotel? When I was an independent contractor working in (but not for) a Petsmart, the store employees were allowed to bring their friendly dogs, and check them into the hotel during their shifts. They would take their pups out during breaks, and sometimes the trainers used their dogs as models or distractions for certain classes. I often learned the dog’s name before I memorized who their human was. “Oh, there’s Riley and... his mom, whose name tag is covered up by her adorable dog. Hi, Riley!”

If you want to chat more about service dogs, feel free to PM me! I have a medical alert SD who was trained privately, and I am happy to talk about the process we went through. Remember that while trained tasks to help their handler with a disability is a requirement for service dogs, no training is needed for ESAs, since they don’t have public access. In the USA, absolutely zero certification is needed for either an ESA or a SD, so make sure nobody sells you scam paperwork that has no legal meaning. You may need a doctor’s note for getting rental housing or flying with an ESA, but the dog itself does not need any paperwork.

I have not worked with them personally, but I have heard good things from a fellow SD handler about Helping Paws for Veterans. Their focus on training for mental health tasks sounds like a great fit for your medical needs. I hope they are very helpful to you and your pup ♥️

AHayesHorses · Aug 26, 2019 4:02 PM

@Alohomora thank you so much :) That's great information! I am going in today to fill out all the paperwork for the hiring process and i plan on talking with him about my dog. I came up with a list of follow up questions that i didn't think of in the initial interview :)

Haltanny · Aug 26, 2019 8:07 PM

I have a service dog for PTSD and GAD that i trained myself. I don't know what state you are in, but each one has different laws regarding if SD in training is covered or if owners can train their own dogs. It's always good to have a LOT of socialization and basic obedience, so if you're allowed to take your pup to work, that would likely be a bonus to his future training. Also, there is no state or federal registry or certificate for service dogs. Those trained by an organization may have a certificate of completion, but any other registry is likely a scam. My advice is make sure you know the laws so you don't get scammed. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. I'd be happy to help a fellow/future SD handler.

(Now i see Alohamora covered much of what i said, but I'm posting it as is anyway because I don't feel like editing it.)

AHayesHorses · Aug 26, 2019 10:03 PM

@Haltanny thanks so much! :) I appreciate it

Update:
I went in today. I was supposed to do the paperwork today that makes me officially an employee but i brought up my concerns and questions to the hiring manager. We have determined that i am not the best fit for the salon. I had so much anxiety and reservations about it and he said he could tell it wouldn't be a good fit for me. As for working on the floor, he is giving me the week to think. Ever since the first interview i have had so much anxiety that it has literally made me physically sick. My mom had to cover my shift at my other job (that we both work at) yesterday because i just could hardly move and open my eyes. I basically slept the entire day, i felt horrible. I just don't want to accept the job if its gonna do this to me just thinking about it but i am gonna take til Friday to just think it over. My mom drove me to Michigan Works today (a place that sits down with you and helps direct you to certain jobs that may be a good fit for you). I just have to set up an appointment to meet with someone and they will help me find jobs that will suit my needs. I still plan on talking to my dad about it but i have a strong feeling that PetSmart isn't for me. I was super excited when it first happened but know that the adrenaline has worn off and i really thought about it, I just don't think i can accept it. :( I basically apologized every other word when talking to the hiring manager today and he just told me that he was glad i told him about it now versus after i get hired and go through all the training.

So in the meantime, while i am thinking, i plan to talk with my Aunt and Grandma and do some work for them while also working at home for my dad. I am pretty sure i know what my decision is gonna be but i'm gonna take the time to think and pray over this :)

So now that i have word-vomitted all over this comment, lol, thank you everyone who has commented and given me advice. I appreciate all of it :x Wish me luck with Michigan Works and hope they can point me in a better direction! I might also look at barns in the area about being a stable hand again or maybe a groom. I love grooming horses so that may be good for me :)

CeffylDwr · Aug 26, 2019 11:06 PM

I think it takes a lot of courage to admit that something will be too much for you and to walk away. Good for you for doing so!

Good luck with Michigan Works, I hope they are able to find you at the very least a good fit if not a near perfect fit.

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