I recently took my two dogs to Petco at 1419 Towne Square Blvd NW in Roanoke, VA, and I do not…read morerecommend this grooming location at all for any dog.
We recently relocated to Roanoke and had the same groomer for over five years before this, and never once had any issues. My blind senior dog was always handled with patience and care, and my service dog actually loved going. He would come back out happy with big pitty smiles every time. So for things to go this bad this fast says a lot.
Before the appointment, we explained in detail that my blind senior dog needs time, breaks, and gentle, patient handling or it is not going to go well. None of that was followed.
Instead, it was obvious they were rushing her. She started getting distressed and crying, not because she is aggressive or hard to handle, but because she did not feel safe with how she was being treated.
We got a call from the district manager Jay, who is their head groomer and trainer, saying she had to "abort her groom." She said as soon as she tried to dry her, she started "wheezing and screaming," and claimed she was trying to throw herself off the table because she could not see it. They then said she was "just not safe for grooming in this kind of situation" and recommended taking her to a vet instead.
We were called back in less than 30 minutes and told they were not going to continue. The grooming was never completed.
At the same time, my service dog, who normally enjoys going to the groomers, came out scared, shaky, and clearly stressed. Neither of my dogs had a good experience here.
What really proves the point is we took our senior dog to a locally owned groomer right after, and they had zero issues. They said she was calm, sweet, and easy to work with, and they actually took their time with her. It was a night and day difference. That tells me it was not the dog, it was how she was handled.
This whole experience felt rushed, careless, and just flat out lacking proper handling. Instead of adjusting to a blind senior dog and giving her the care she needs, they gave up and put her right back in a kennel.
At the end of the day, it felt like they care more about getting dogs in and out as fast as possible than actually taking care of them. No patience, no adaptability, no real care.
I would not trust this location with any dog, especially not a senior or one that needs extra attention.