I have very mixed feelings about Petco Grooming because my experiences at different locations have been completely different.
First, I want to thank the Petco Grooming team in Hackensack, NJ. They did an amazing job grooming my wife’s Maltipoo. We showed them a reference photo, and they followed it perfectly. The haircut looked beautiful, the staff was professional, and the entire experience was excellent. They absolutely deserve 5 stars.
Unfortunately, my experience at the Petco Grooming location in Allen, Texas was the exact opposite.
The groomer ignored the reference photo we provided and shaved my dog’s tail almost completely bald before even completing the haircut. It looked nothing like what we requested. Thankfully, he stopped because he claimed my Maltipoo was being aggressive.
He then recommended giving my dog a sedative about an hour before the next appointment. We followed his advice exactly, purchased the medication, gave it to our dog, and returned for the rescheduled appointment.
When we arrived, we were shocked to be told that our dog had been permanently flagged as aggressive and would no longer be accepted for grooming at Petco locations.
This made absolutely no sense to us. We followed the groomer’s instructions, spent additional money on the recommended medication, and still ended up being refused service.
I understand that safety is important, but this situation felt extremely unprofessional. A Maltipoo is a small breed, and experienced groomers should know how to work with nervous or anxious dogs. Instead of finding a solution, the staff simply gave up and blacklisted our dog.
I hope Petco invests in better training and hires experienced groomers who can handle common grooming challenges professionally instead of refusing service after an unsuccessful first attempt.
Based on my experience, I cannot recommend the Allen, TX location at all.