SouthPaws Grooming - Employment Application

Empathy and compassion for animals lead everything we do.

At SouthPaws, we meet each pet where it is—considering its coat condition, age, behavior, and mental state. We believe beautiful grooming and compassionate animal care belong together.

We are looking for people who share that philosophy, value teamwork and professional growth, and want to contribute to a calm, caring grooming environment.

Please complete the application thoughtfully. Your responses help us determine whether SouthPaws may be the right fit for you—and whether we may be the right fit for each other.

ABOUT YOU

Name

First NameLast Name

Phone Number

Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.

Email

example@example.com

City / Town

When would you be available to begin?

Date

Which position are you applying for?

Do you have dependable transportation to our rural location between Edmond and Guthrie?

Full-time employees normally work Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, or until scheduled appointments and required side work are completed. Can you reliably work this schedule?

If applying for part-time, what days and hours are you consistently available?

GROOMING EXPERIENCE

If applying as an Experienced Groomer, how many years have you worked professionally with dogs?

If applying as an Experienced Groomer, how many years have you independently performed complete dog grooms?

If applying as an Experienced Groomer, how did you learn professional grooming?

If applying as an Experienced Groomer, briefly describe your professional grooming experience.

If applying as an Experienced Groomer, which of the following can you currently perform independently?

If applying as an Experienced Groomer, what types of dogs, coats, or grooming services are you most confident working with?

If applying as an Experienced Groomer, are there any breeds, sizes, coat types, or grooming procedures you are not currently comfortable performing independently? Please explain.

HOW YOU APPROACH THE PET

A dog becomes increasingly anxious and resistant while you're performing part of a groom the owner specifically requested. How would you handle the situation?

A pet arrives needing considerably more coat work than expected. How would you approach the pet, the service, and the situation?

While working on your own appointment, you notice another pet in the salon becoming increasingly uncomfortable or distressed. What would you do?

A normally cooperative dog mouths your hand while you're working on an area it doesn't want handled. What would you do next?

TEAMWORK & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Your scheduled dogs are finished, but another Groomer is still working and cleaning or other side work remains. What would you normally do?

Tell us about a time you helped a coworker or the salon even though the task wasn't specifically assigned to you.

If you disagreed with the way another employee was handling a pet, how would you approach the situation?

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

What is something you've learned or deliberately improved about your grooming during the past year?

Do you participate in continuing education, grooming seminars, trade shows, online education, or other professional development?

Tell us about any grooming education, certifications, professional organizations, seminars, or other continuing education that has been important to your development.

INTEGRITY & PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

SouthPaws employees are entrusted with animals, client information, business information, equipment, and longstanding client relationships. We expect honesty, professional conduct, respect for client privacy, and appropriate use of company information and property.

Can you work within and respect these expectations?

SouthPaws employees must report to work and remain throughout the workday able to safely perform their duties without impairment from alcohol, illegal drugs, or other substances that prevent safe performance.

Can you comply with this requirement?

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

What are you hoping to find in your next grooming salon?

What do you enjoy most about professional grooming?

Is there anything you'd particularly like to continue learning or become better at?

SHOW US YOUR WORK

If available, please upload 3–6 photos of dogs you personally groomed.

Résumé — optional

MAKE SURE SOUTHPAWS FITS YOU

Experienced Groomers start at $15/hour plus tips.

Bathers start at $11/hour plus tips where applicable.

Grooming Apprentices start at $11-$15/hour depending on experience and training, plus tips where applicable.

SouthPaws uses hourly compensation rather than individual grooming commissions. Full-time is normally Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, or until scheduled appointments and required side work are completed.

SouthPaws provides the professional grooming facility, products, and operating supplies. Groomers provide and maintain their personal grooming tools.

Teamwork, cleaning, helping coworkers, continuing professional development, and shared responsibility for our salon environment are part of working at SouthPaws.

A retirement plan is available. Employer health insurance, PTO, and holiday pay are not currently provided.

After reading about SouthPaws, does this position and employment structure fit what you're looking for?

Is there anything else you'd like us to know about you?