Hiring Your First Team Member: A Pet Business Owner's Guide

When You Know It's Time

Every solo pet business owner has a version of the same moment. The phone rings with a new client while you're mid-groom. You're booked solid for three weeks. You haven't had a full weekend off in months.

The thought arrives: "I need help."

But hiring your first team member is terrifying. What if they're not good? What if they hurt a dog? What if they drive away your clients? What if it costs more than it's worth?

These fears are normal. Here's how to work through them practically.

Signs You're Ready to Hire

You don't hire because you think you should. You hire because the business demands it.

Clear signals:

• You're turning away bookings regularly (this is lost revenue, not a badge of honour)
• Your service quality is slipping because you're rushed
• You're consistently working 50+ hours a week with no end in sight
• You're too tired to give pets the care they deserve
• Your personal health or relationships are suffering

Not yet ready if:

• You have empty slots in your schedule most weeks
• You could fill more time with better marketing
• You're not consistently profitable yet

What to Look For (Hint: It's Not What You Think)

The natural instinct is to hire for technical skill. You want a qualified groomer, or an experienced daycare attendant, or a certified trainer.

But here's what experienced pet business owners will tell you: you can teach technique. You can't teach character.

Hire for:

The PIAA Pet Grooming Survey 2025 found that 79% of pet businesses report finding skilled staff is extremely difficult. With approximately 5,700 employed groomers and ~500 boarding operators nationally (Jobs and Skills Australia), the talent pool is small. This means you may need to hire someone with great character and train them, rather than waiting for the perfect candidate.

Where to Find Candidates

Industry-specific channels work best:

• Pet industry Facebook groups (local ones are gold)
• TAFE and training college connections (contact your local Certificate III in Animal Studies program)
• Word of mouth through your network: vets, pet stores, other pet businesses
• Your own clients (seriously: pet-loving clients sometimes want to work in the industry)
• PIAA job boards and industry association networks

General platforms:

• Seek and Indeed work, but you'll filter through many unqualified applicants
• Instagram: post that you're hiring; your followers are already fans

The Trial Day: Get It Right

A trial day is the single best hiring tool in the pet industry. Resumes tell you almost nothing about how someone handles a nervous Staffie or a matted Shih Tzu.

How to structure a trial day:

1. Morning briefing (15 min): Explain your processes, introduce them to the space, set expectations for the day
2. Observe them with dogs (2-3 hours): Watch how they interact. Are they gentle? Calm? Confident?
3. Supervised tasks: Let them assist with routine tasks under your guidance
4. Client interaction: Do they greet clients warmly? Handle questions well?
5. Debrief (15 min): Ask what they enjoyed, what they found challenging, what they'd do differently

What to watch for:

• How they react when a dog is difficult (patience or frustration?)
• Whether they notice things without being told (a water bowl needs refilling, a dog seems anxious)
• How they talk about animals (with respect and genuine affection, or just as "the job"?)

Important: Pay trial day candidates for their time. It's the right thing to do and it's the law under the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award.

Onboarding: The First Week Matters

The first week determines whether your new hire stays for years or leaves in months.

Day 1: Orientation

• Tour the facility, show where everything is
• Introduce your systems: how bookings work, where pet information lives, how you communicate
• Explain safety protocols and emergency procedures
• Set clear expectations: what does a great day look like?

Days 2-5: Supervised work

• Start with routine tasks, gradually increase complexity
• Check in at the end of each day: what went well? What questions do they have?
• Introduce them to regular clients (a warm introduction from you builds their credibility)

Week 2 onwards: Gradual independence

• Let them handle routine appointments with decreasing supervision
• Review their work regularly (check groom quality, watch handling technique)
• Provide constructive feedback early and often

Common First-Hire Mistakes

1. Hiring out of desperation. A bad hire is worse than no hire. If someone doesn't feel right during the trial, trust your instinct.
2. Not checking references. Always call at least two references. Ask specific questions: "Would you hire them again?"
3. Skipping the trial day. Interviews are poor predictors of performance in pet care. You need to see them with animals.
4. Expecting a clone of yourself. Nobody will do things exactly the way you do. That's OK. Define the outcomes you need, then give them room to find their own approach.
5. Not investing in proper onboarding. Throwing someone in on day one with "you'll figure it out" is a recipe for failure.

Key Takeaways

1. Hire when the business demands it: you're turning away bookings, quality is slipping, or you're burning out
2. Hire for character, train for skill. Animal instinct, reliability, and warmth matter more than certifications
3. Use industry-specific channels to find candidates: pet Facebook groups, TAFE connections, your own network
4. Always run a paid trial day and watch how they interact with dogs, not just how they interview
5. Invest in proper onboarding. The first week sets the tone for the entire employment relationship
6. Check references and trust your instinct. A bad hire costs more than waiting for the right person

Hiring well is hard. Hiring well in an industry where 79% of businesses struggle to find staff is even harder. But when you find the right person, it transforms your business.