Dog Groomer

About Downtown Dog Lounge

Downtown Dog Lounge is Seattle’s premier dog boarding and daycare center with two locations in South Lake Union, and Ballard. We pride ourselves on delivering peace of mind in a safe environment by caring for every dog as our own.

Position Overview & Purpose

The Groomer is responsible for providing direct care for our dogs, as well as their health and safety while on-site, resulting in exceptional customer service and high-quality pet care. 

LOCATION:  Ballard  
Days available:  Wednesday,  Friday and Saturday.

Pay Range

$21 hourly or 50% Commission

A Week in the Life of a Groomer

The following is a list of general job responsibilities for the Groomer position. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive and may be amended to meet changing business needs. 

Daily Operations:

• Live out and be a positive advocate for Downtown Dog Lounge’s safety culture
• Understand and uphold the Purpose and Core Values of the business in actions and words
• Develop thorough knowledge and understanding of dog breeds and dog behavior  
• Follow all safety guidelines and protocols   
• Attend daily recap meetings, as well as read and understand recap daily

• Perform dog grooming services including but not limited to brushing, bathing, conditioning, ear cleaning, anal gland expression, sanitary trims, nail trims, feet trims, face trims, de-matting services, hair cutting, hair coloring, drying, etc.    

Support with Needed Tasks:

• Entering all grooming blade and cut notes and ensuring profile photo is uploaded into Gingr pet profile for team communication and consistency.  
• Complete all required grooming logs, paperwork, and commission reports   
• Maintain clean, organized, and sanitary work environment according to health and safety code  
• Clean up hair and disinfect table and tools between clients   
• Provide and maintain personal clippers, blades, and other hand tools required for grooming  services (DDL will finance a portion of tool sharpening)   
• Assist with cleaning, inventory, and laundry in the grooming department
• Regularly attend educational training to strengthen expertise and develop new skills  
• Participate in community marketing events quarterly with an opportunity to increase the clientele  base  
• Notify management of all maintenance and/or equipment repairs needed
• Arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled shift start time to set up the station with the necessary supplies and equipment. If there are no scheduled grooms at shift start time, station yourself in the lobby to sell services and assist the team with running dogs. Also, stay 15 minutes after your scheduled shift time to clean your work area and tools

Delight Dogs & Our Clients:

• Follow pet parent’s instructions or breed standards when servicing animals
• Communicating and educating the client for optimal customer service and frequency
• Greet clients at check-in and pick-up   
• Maintain exceptional relationships with human and dog clients, retaining clients over time   
• Perform brief consultation at check-in, making expert recommendations on services for the day  
• Discuss the estimated cost of service at check-in   
• Confirm customer appointments and vaccinations are up to date 24 hours in advance of appointment times   
• Notify the customer when the dog is ready for pick up with groom details 
• Take photos of dogs being groomed for the pet parents and social media purposes   
• Prebook future appointments at the time of checkout  
• Follow up with new customers two (2) days after the first appointment, to ensure satisfaction   
• Follow up with customers who have not been in for 6-8 weeks  
• Address any client complaints immediately, assuring client satisfaction  
• Display the highest standard of client service, including bows, bandanas, or ties for each dog
• Make retail recommendations and discuss other services offered at Downtown Dog Lounge   

Support the Team:

• Uphold DDL Purpose and Values, communicating clearly, openly, honestly, and kindly  
• Communicate and participate as part of the team 
• Attend periodic required trainings and All Team Meetings  
• Mentor new team members as assigned

Must Haves

The ideal Groomer is an enthusiastic animal lover who must be able to provide an excellent experience for dogs and parents alike.

Experience and Education:

• A minimum of two years of grooming experience 
• A minimum of two years of customer service experience   
• Minimum of High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent
• Must be 18 years of age to work independently 

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Ideally, a successful candidate should have experience working with dogs
• Comfortable working within close proximity to dogs
• Able to lift 50 pounds 
• Be healthy, and not be afflicted with allergies, asthma, or other health issues/medications that may interfere with your ability to perform the job
• Desire to develop a thorough understanding of dog behavior 
• Quick reaction time to unpredictable situations 
• Comfortable working in a loud environment 
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills 
• Demonstrate outstanding attention to detail, ownership, and follow-through   
• Good communication skills, written and verbal   
• A goal-oriented attention to detail   
• Proficiency in Gingr operations   
• Comfortable standing for 8 hours at a time 
• Must be flexible and will be expected to be available to work weekends, evenings, and during holidays 

Downtown Dog Lounge is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We look forward to your application.

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