Bentley is our cocker spaniel, and he just turned one, on June 17th. We have had him since he was 12 weeks old. Bentley was the runt of the litter, and no one else wanted him but us. He was such a sweet soul and took to the family with ease. I had a groomer that I’d been using since we got our first dog, a Shih-Tzu named Gizmo. Sadly, Gizmo disappeared from our front yard over a year ago (he’s microchipped, and we’re still searching for him). But this story is about Bentley and his experience at our local Petco using their grooming services. We received a gift card from Petco to facilitate our experience, and all opinions listed herein are mine and mine alone. My experience may differ from yours.
Madison hasn’t been feeling well lately so, between antibiotics, a Tylenol/Motrin regimen, and me getting between 2-3 hours sleep at night, it was difficult finding a time to bring in Bentley. However, setting up the appointment was simple and easy once I found some free time to take him in. We even got a follow-up call the day before reminding us that we were scheduled. Since this was Bentley’s very first grooming at Petco, we were required to have his rabies shot up to date.
The day of Bentley’s visit, I leashed him up and got into the car with him and Madison. We made our way to the local Petco, about 10 minutes away, which also happens to be in the same shopping center as my local Target. At Petco, I met with Virgil, Bentley’s Pet Stylist for the day. I just LOVED how calm Virgil was with Bentley, and I knew that Bentley was going to be in safe hands. If I had felt uncomfortable, I would have asked to reschedule with someone else or quit the appointment altogether. Bentley is family and one of my fur babies, and just like my kids, if I’m uncomfortable with someone (doctor, nurse, etc.), I’m not afraid to voice my concern and ask for someone else!
Virgil started off by inspecting Bentley with Petco’s 7-Point Pet Care Check, which includes a visual and physical screening that checks for abnormalities on his eyes, ears, teeth, nose, underside, skin, coat, nails, and pads. We found out that he had a few mats under his armpits and a few burrs in his pads from running around in the yard. I was getting the full-service grooming package, which included nail trimming, ear cleaning, and teeth brushing, so Bentley was going to get the full works! I was told that he’d be ready in about 3–4 hours, which meant I had some time to play around with and could go shopping and take care of some last-minute things.
I got a shot of Bentley and Virgil together while Bentley got his nails trimmed, and then left to do some chores at home. I was really anxious while waiting for that phone call to pick up Bentley, and as soon as I got it, I raced back to Petco. I couldn’t wait to see Bentley, and what a surprise it was! Bentley looked like an almost entirely different dog. My parting instructions were to “make him look pretty,” and Virgil did an amazing job! He shaved him down and took the mats out. He shaped the hair on his head and ears and even took the burrs out of his feet, which I’m sure had been making Bentley uncomfortable. I could tell that his teeth had been brushed because his breath now smelled better. He had been so stinky all over before his appointment, but now he smelled amazing!
The Petco Grooming team was fabulous! I’m going to now take Ella in as well so that she can get the same treatment that Bentley received. While it was a tad more expensive than my regular groomer, I was ecstatic with the results. Petco adheres to rigorous safety standards and operates in state-of-the-art facilities, and I know that Bentley was safe while there. Their stylists have also completed many layers of training, so I knew that I was leaving him in good hands. Petco truly believes that healthiness is happiness and their pet grooming service was easy and stress-free for both me and Bentley!
So if you’re looking for a pet groomer, stop by your local Petco. With Petco Certified Stylists at more than 1,200 locations and a variety of bathing, hair-cutting, and spa service packages, you will get convenience while your pet gets the pampering of their lives. You can read all about their offerings here.
Bentley, Ella, and I will definitely be back!
