What It’s Really Like to Work at Petco

If you ask Petco employees what their day-to-day looks like, you’ll often hear two things at once: “It’s not always easy but I wouldn’t trade it.”

Because the truth is, working at Petco sits at the intersection of something deeply meaningful and something undeniably demanding. And that’s exactly what makes it different.

The Reality: It’s Not Always Easy

Let’s start with what people often feel but don’t always say out loud.

Working at Petco, whether in a store, grooming salon, or veterinary hospital, can be fast paced. There are busy days, emotional moments, and the kind of responsibility that comes with caring for pets and people, not just products on a shelf.

You’re balancing:

- Pet care and safety
- Customer needs and expectations
- Team collaboration
- Business goals

That’s real work. And it requires focus, resilience, and heart.

Why That Challenge Actually Matters

The work here has true purpose. Because every task connects back to something bigger:

- Helping a new pet parent feel confident and knowledgeable – equipping them with the right information, products and services to care for their pets
- Supporting a pet’s health and wellbeing at all stages of life
- Watching a dog leave the grooming salon happier than when they arrived
- Helping a pup connect to their family with positive dog training that will help keep them safe and happy
- Being part of a team that genuinely cares for pets and pet parents

This isn’t “just retail.” It’s care work, people work, and purpose-driven work, rolled into one. At Petco, our purpose is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: helping pets live their best lives.

Our People Make the Difference

One of the most consistent things you’ll hear from Petco employees? “My team is why I stay.”

You’re surrounded by people who:

- Love animals as much as you do
- Step in to help during busy moments
- Celebrate the wins, big and small
- Put the needs of pets and pet parents at the center of everything they do

These shared values create a kind of camaraderie that’s hard to replicate elsewhere. It turns challenges into wins and good days into great ones.

Smiling women, looking off to the side, holding a snake.

Growth Happens Here - Sometimes Unexpectedly

Many Petco careers don’t start with a long-term plan.

They start with:

- A part-time job
- A love for pets
- A curiosity about something new

And then something shifts. With the right support, people find themselves:

- Learning new skills and building confidence
- Making a real impact in the lives of pets and people
- Growing into leadership roles
- Discovering unexpected career paths

It’s not always linear, but it is real.

The Honest Balance

Yes, there are challenges:

- Busy shifts
- High expectations
- The emotions that come with caring for pets

But those challenges come with something equally powerful:

- Purpose in your work
- Connection with your team
- The ability to make a positive difference, every day

two male employees look and smiling at the camera

So, What’s It Really Like?

Working at Petco means showing up for pets, pet parents, and each other.

It means doing work that can be challenging, but also deeply rewarding.

It means being part of something where what you do actually matters.

And at the end of the day, that’s what keeps people coming back - not because it’s always easy, but because it’s meaningful.

Ready to help pets live their best lives?

Let's GO!

Featured Jobs at Petco

Sales Associate
- Los Angeles, California
- In Store Jobs
- R355274
- Part time
Junior Groomer
- Fredericksburg, Virginia
- In Store Jobs
- R355272
- Part time
Animal Care Specialist
- Fredericksburg, Virginia
- In Store Jobs
- R355270
- Part time
Assistant Manager
- Fresno, California
- In Store Jobs
- R354931
- Full time
Sales Associate
- Livonia, Michigan
- In Store Jobs
- R355268
- Part time
Sales Associate
- Jeffersonville, Indiana
- In Store Jobs
- R355263
- Part time