Master Your Craft. Build Your Book. Be the Heart of the Experience.
DepartmentGrooming Operations
Reports ToShop Manager / Managing Partner
Updated2026-08-23
About Bark & Purr
Bark and Purr Pet Grooming & Boarding is Allen, Texas's premier pet wellness destination. Located at 803 W. Main Street, we are a certified Fear-Free grooming salon. Our proprietary Tranquil Tail Grooming® method creates individualized, stress-free experiences for every pet and every PAWrent. We do not just groom pets — we care for them holistically and become trusted members of their extended family. Our team is our brand. We hire only individuals who combine technical excellence with genuine, natural empathy for animals. If you are reading this document, you have already demonstrated qualities that set you apart.
Role At A Glance
Level / Tier
Experienced Hire · Commission-Based
Location
803 W. Main Street, Allen, TX 75013
Experience Required
Minimum 5 years of professional, full-service grooming experience across a wide range of breeds and coat types
Certifications
Active Fear-Free certification required within 90 days of hire (company-sponsored if needed); NDGAA, IPG, or equivalent strongly preferred
Document Date
June 11, 2026
Position Summary
The Groomer is a seasoned, fully independent grooming professional who brings at least five years of hands-on, full-service experience to the Bark and Purr table. You arrive already proficient across a wide range of breeds and coat types — our job is not to teach you to groom, but to align your craft with our Tranquil Tail Grooming® standard, our Fear-Free protocols, and our client-experience expectations. You hold a personal client book, serve as a trusted wellness advisor to every PAWrent, and elevate the culture and reputation of the shop through both your expertise and your relationships. This is a master-level craft role and a client-relationship role in equal measure — built on trust, transparency, and consistent excellence.
Core Responsibilities
Full-Range Grooming
Perform complete, independent grooms across a wide and growing breed range to Bark and Purr's quality standard.
Demonstrate command of scissor work, clipper technique, hand-finishing, and creative styling.
Execute breed-standard cuts and owner-preference styles with confidence and precision.
Maintain speed and quality simultaneously — complete grooms within schedule without sacrificing standard.
Wellness Assessment & Reporting
Perform and fully document the three-point physical assessment on every pet, every visit.
Identify and proactively communicate health observations to PAWrents — never wait to be asked.
Build longitudinal pet profiles: note coat trends, behavioral changes, and health progression visit over visit.
Flag any health concerns that warrant veterinary attention — clearly and compassionately.
Client Relationship Management
Know every regular client and pet by name, preference, and personal history.
Deliver a structured, warm pre-groom consultation and post-groom update at every appointment.
Build a personal client book with a ≥ 80% rebooking rate.
Proactively request Google reviews from satisfied clients at checkout — personally and sincerely.
Mentorship & Team Contribution
Serve as an informal mentor to Junior Groomers and Apprentices on the floor.
Share technique tips, breed knowledge, and client communication strategies with developing team members.
Participate in team training sessions and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.
Groomer Quality Control (Ops Manual)
If you determine a dog that arrives from the bathing area smells, is still dirty, or is not brushed out, you have the right to return the dog to the bather for correction. If the bather has already used their allotted bathing time for that dog, it may need to be rebathed on the bather's own time. Repeated failure to meet bathing standards on a dog handed to you is tracked and may result in disciplinary action for the bather — flag the pattern to your Shop Manager, don't just absorb it.
Qualifications & Requirements
Experience
Minimum 5 years of professional, full-service grooming experience across a wide range of breeds and coat types
Breed Range
Independently proficient across the full standard breed range; confident with hand-scissoring, stripping, and breed-standard finishes
Certifications
Active Fear-Free certification required within 90 days of hire (company-sponsored if needed); NDGAA, IPG, or equivalent strongly preferred
Commission
Commission on completed grooms per rate schedule; upsell bonus eligible — see your offer letter for rates
Client Book
Expected to build and maintain a personal client book
Non-Negotiables
Consistent master-level quality; client-first mindset; active wellness advocate; calm Fear-Free temperament; positive team presence
What You're Measured On
Key Performance Indicator
Target / Standard
Client rebooking rate
≥ 80% within 6 weeks
Google review generation
≥ 2 new reviews per month
Add-on / upsell attachment rate
≥ 25% of services
Quality complaints / redos
< 2% of monthly grooms
Three-point assessment docs
100% of all grooms, every visit
FAS-related service stops
Handled correctly, documented 100% of incidents
Client retention (personal book)
Year-over-year growth tracked quarterly
Career Pathway
Groomer → Stylist → Senior Stylist → Management Track. Groomers who demonstrate exceptional client relationships, technical breadth, and cultural leadership are considered first for Stylist advancement and any leadership opportunities that emerge.
Training Agenda
Even seasoned groomers complete a structured calibration program — this is not remedial training, it is brand and standards alignment: the Tranquil Tail® method, our Fear-Free protocols, our three-point wellness assessment, and the client-experience and rebooking rhythm that grows your book. The track depends on how you joined the role.
External Hire — 60 Days
Duration
60 days
Mentor
Assigned Senior Groomer or Stylist
Format
Supervised integration + quality reviews + client communication coaching
Assessment
Day 30 quality review; Day 60 full performance review
Weeks 1–2 · Integration & Standards Calibration
Complete Bark and Purr onboarding, handbook review, and policy acknowledgments.
Fear-Free certification: confirmed current; if lapsed, enroll immediately.
Shadow assigned mentor groomer for 2 full days — observe consultation, groom, and checkout.
Complete 5 supervised grooms — mentor evaluates quality against Bark and Purr standard.
Learn and practice the three-point assessment documentation format.
Study client profile system: how to read, update, and leverage existing client notes.
Weeks 3–4 · Quality Alignment & Client Communication
Perform independent grooms with daily mentor quality reviews.
Practice the Bark and Purr checkout script: wellness update, health find, rebooking ask, review request.
Identify breed-specific gaps vs. current clientele — create a personal development list.
Submit 5 client profiles for mentor completeness review.
Participate in team communication training: difficult conversation role-play.
Begin building personal client relationships: use names, personal details at every interaction.
Weeks 5–8 · Full Independence & Book Building
Operate fully independently — mentor reviews weekly rather than daily.
Focus on rebooking: track rate weekly, identify and address gaps.
Generate minimum 2 Google reviews through personal checkout requests.
Complete a peer learning session: observe the Stylist on a breed outside your current range.
Submit 3 breeds for advancement to Stylist-level complexity (mentor approval required).
Day 60 formal review: KPI assessment, quality score, client feedback, and 90-day growth plan.
Internal Promotion (from Junior Groomer) — 30 Days
Duration
30 days focused development
Focus
Breed range expansion, speed optimization, mentorship skills, client book growth
Assessment
Day 30 formal review with Shop Manager
Weeks 1–2 · Breed Range Expansion
Identify the 5 most common breeds in the shop's clientele outside the Junior Groomer list.
Complete 2 supervised grooms on each new breed with mentor observation.
Study advanced coat types: stripped, carded, full scissored, and heavily textured coats.
Participate in one advanced technique workshop or video study session with the Stylist.
Weeks 3–4 · Client Book Growth & Mentorship Role
Develop a personal rebooking improvement plan if rate is below 80%.
Begin informal mentoring of 1 Junior Groomer: provide post-groom feedback twice weekly.
Lead one team learning moment: share a technique tip or breed insight at a team briefing.
Day 30 formal review: full KPI assessment and Groomer Competency Checklist sign-off.
Watch & Learn
External professional references until Bark & Purr films its own — techniques shown may differ in small ways from our Tranquil Tail method; your mentor's instruction always wins.
Shih Tzu Pet Trim (alt view) — Go Groomer. A second look at full-coat pet-trim structure on a common breed; useful for cross-checking your own scissor lines against another professional's approach.
Poodle Feet — Transgroom TV. Detail work on poodle-foot finishing, a high-visibility area clients notice immediately at checkout.
Your client book is your business within the business. These habits are what build the loyal, rebooked, review-generating client relationships that make your commission grow.
Daily: add-on recommendation made and result logged; rebooking ask at every checkout; Google review requested personally.
Weekly: rebooking rate calculated (target ≥ 80%); add-on rate calculated (target ≥ 25%); review count this week vs. target; one new breed outside current range practiced; one Junior Groomer mentoring session; 3 client profiles reviewed for quality; identify one client at risk of lapsing.
Monthly: KPI report reviewed with Manager; rebooking rate trend checked; redo/complaint rate checked against the < 2% target; client book growth (net new clients) reviewed; breed range expansion reviewed; Fear-Free certification confirmed current; mentorship contribution reviewed; 90-day growth plan progress checked.
Compass Taps — Your Taps ARE the Record
Tap it, and it's the record. If it's not tapped, it didn't happen — as far as the board can see.
Opening (Start of Shift)
Clock in on compass.html (punctuality is scored against your scheduled shift start).
Open staff.html (the Day Board) and confirm your login works.
Check your 5-second screen: which dog is ready now + the note you need before touching them.
Glance at the Goals for the Day strip (Compass header) — today's targets and bonus-marked goals.
Help Front Desk pick today's 1–2 before/after photo dogs at intake.
[CONFIRM: any table/tool setup duties — not covered in the role card or Wednesday agenda]
Per Dog (The Taps, In Order)
Check the card BEFORE you touch the dog: pre-shave gate cleared? Bather note read? Front Desk note (blade + style ask) read?
Shave-down dog with pre-shave not done? Flag it — don't guess.
Handoff check on receipt from the bather — tap the dings if the dog is Not fully dried / Not brushed / Still matted (this protects you from finishing a dog that wasn't properly prepped).
Start Groom.
Do the groom.
Groom Done.
Enter your groomer note — what you ACTUALLY did, not just what was booked (booked a #5, did #5 + #2 blade on the head? Say so). The next groomer reads this on the pet's history.
Enter any price adjust + check off any add-ons.
Photo dog? Shoot the after shot just before pickup — Smile Test (happy eyes; cats: relaxed sprawl), interior only. Upload via the pet card's social slot + add the "what made this special" note (that's the caption + your contest entry).
Glam — required; Confirm Done is locked until Glam is tapped.
Confirm Done.
Missing an earlier tap but the dog is ready? Proceed — the dog never waits. The exception goes to whoever was assigned that step, never to you. Forgot your own tap? Backfill it with a quick "why late" note — timestamps stay locked.
Closing (End of Shift)
Confirm every dog you groomed is tapped through Glam → Confirm Done with your note, price adjusts, and add-ons complete — an incomplete card drags your own score.
Clock out on compass.html.
[CONFIRM: any tool cleaning / station close-down duties — not covered in the role card or Wednesday agenda]