My cat had the sniffles and I went to Mud Bay hoping to find an herbal remedy to try before resorting to a pricey vet visit. The clerk recommended the Animals Apawthecary brand immune booster, and it worked like a charm! The staff is always very helpful, without bugging you. The people who've whined that they're not helpful must be the ones who are afraid to ASK for help when they need it. Mud Bay has great products at reasonable prices, unlike All The Best, which only carries uber-fancy, super expensive crap for people who think their dog knows the difference between kibble and turducken (I am not kidding; they actually carry turducken dog food). read more

Both me and my dog love going to MudBay in Ballard! She always gets lots of love, pats, and treats there, while I am able to find exactly what I'm looking for and am able to trust that I'm giving her the best options available. Of course, I could probably find most of this stuff at the bigger chain pet stores, but the service I receive is unparalleled. The clerks clearly are animal lovers and are willing to spend as much time as necessary talking about your pet's needs and you can tell they've been trained well. Keep up the great work guys!! read more

I went in this store for the first time. An employee by the name of Erik or Eric helped me find everything I was looking for. I came in with my 4 year old Treeing Walker Coon Hound, Lou, everyone in the store treated him lovey . Love this store, excellent for any first time dog owner . read more

Mud Bay is amazing. After adopting my puppy the first stop was to Mud Bay. The employees there were super knowledgeable and helpful. They gave great tips and gave us a huge sample pack of food to figure out what my dog would like and didn't like. For the past 5 weeks that I've had my dog, I've been to Mud Bay about twice a week and every time we go the employees are so friendly and loving. The Mud Bay on Capitol Hill and U-Village are just as great, but we love the one in Ballard. The Sunday evening crew (a girl and a guy) are so amazing. They remember exactly who my dog is and help with his "sit" and "lay down" training. I'm bummed they no longer have training or a dog class since I missed out right before I got our dog, but it doesn't even matter. I love Mud Bay and Fred and I look forward to our trip every (twice) a week!!! read more

Big fan of this store! The prices are great, the staff is friendly and helpful, and I can bring my dog inside with me..he gets really stoked about it because the staff usually gives him a treat. This last time we went, he got a piece of Dogswell chicken strips and wow..he loved it. Those are his new favorites, so thank you very much! The prices are good, I like where the locations are (very convenient to my home and work), and the staff always seems friendly. read more

During the Coronavirus crisis these guys were the first local business I encountered that quickly adapted and altered their approach to enforce social distancing. They even set up a hand washing station outside. I've always loved this business (they're great with helping match appropriate food to your pets' needs) but their efforts to protect the public and their employees during this pandemic really sets them apart. read more

I'm so impressed with the service here and level of knowledge of the employees! I came in one morning shopping for cat food, I wasn't too sure what I wanted to try next since he's a very picky eater and often would reject his food even if he had liked it a few days before. I can't remember her name but while checking out with a bag of cat nip and a little toy, I asked her why my cat might be so finicky with food. She gave me some super helpful handouts and sent me off with lots of samples for my cat to try. Honestly the nicest pet store I've been to! read more

Mud Bay has amazing employees. I went to Mud Bay for the first time last year when I adopted my Cairn Terrier mix. I knew nothing. They held my hand through the food selection, leash, harness, and treat buying process. I'm a terrible shopper, because I want to know everything before I make a decision. The employees at Mud Bay were patient and knowledgeable. If you want assistance with finding great pet care products, I recommend Mud Bay. read more

Great selection, super-knowledgeable (but not pushy) staff, and a well-ordered selection of goods. We've gone here since they opened and have never been disappointed. They helped us work through finding better litter and better food for a cat with allergies. We now buy Weruva foods and Swheat Scoop litter here! Bonus: If our cat doesn't like a certain flavor of food, and we've purchased a few cans of it, they will take back the other unopened cans. They also gave us a bunch of coupons when we happened to mention we'd gotten a new cat. We have frequented the other Mud Bay stores sometimes too, when convenient, and find they are equally good. read more

What keeps me coming back to Mud Bay is the great customer service -- the people who work at the Ballard location /care/, and it shows. We brought our new pup straight here after we picked him up from the animal shelter, and one of the employees walked us through the entire store using a list they provide for what you need when you get a dog. She was incredibly helpful, providing us with a bunch of different information about the many products available; and it was clear she didn't have an agenda when it came to trying to sell us on something. read more

This post is congrats to Mud Bay overall as a top notch organization. Love every store we've ever visited. Ballard store specifically went above and beyond for me recently when my car broke down and they let my dog and I wait there for an hour and use their phone, even though my car was in the Walgreens parking lot across the street (where I just purchased $90 of merchandise, but Walgreens wouldn't let me use the phone to call the tow truck), so I walked over to Mud Bay, who recognized my long-time customer service and saved the day, guaranteeing I will go back to this store every time. Thank you! read more

I was a freshman at TESC (The Evergreen State College) in Olympia when I got my first cat in January 1989. I believe we went to the first Mud Bay for our pet supplies! Anywhoo, this was my first visit to this particular store today. Honestly, not a terribly huge inventory but what they do have is quite nice. My cat eats EVO so it's good to have an option to pick that up close to home. What I went for today was a fabulous dog coat my friend clued me into. It is a great reversible coat (warm!) but I am sorry to say the adorable skull logo came off about an hour after getting it home. :-( And I've never been able to find anything for my other dog who is bigger (60 pound G. shepherd mix). The staff was friendly but not quite as helpful as at the Greenwood store. I do like this place as an alternative to the national chain stores, but we'll see how it goes. read more

We adopted a dog a few days ago and she came with some Mud Bay coupons. So off to Mud Bay Ballard we went! We are worried baby girl has either food or seasonal allergies and these employees were so damn helpful and knowledgeable. They gave us samples of a few different foods, showed us probiotics and antihistamines. Everyone was very friendly and I felt they really went the extra mile by opening different samples to see what baby girl would gravitate toward. This will definitely be our go to pet store! read more

This was such a great shop! They had a great selection of meaty treats (like beef esophagus) at a reasonable cost. Sandy was the sales associate that was working when I went in. She was amazing! I didn't even have to ask for help, she was genuinely interested in helping me. She told me about the stores 100% guarantee for all food and treats, which is amazing when you have a picky eater like my dog. There are a lot of treats he won't touch. Now I can expand my treat selection without fear that he won't eat the treats. I would definitely recommend this store. read more

Moved to Seattle recently and planned to continue ordering my dog's food online. I walked into a Mud Bay to grab a can of wet food for my pup during the stressful in-transition period of my move where I didn't have a solid address to receive mail/shipments. They sent me out with three giant cans of wet food to try as samples, didn't charge me a dime! They don't stock my dog's specialty food, but assured me they could order it for me on a regular cadence - and the price they quoted me was even cheaper than ordering it online! The staff are incredibly friendly, knowledgable, and clearly care a lot about animals. They 100% won me over as a customer for life, I'm excited to have one close to me in my new neighborhood. read more

My Pomeranian (Riley) and I love this pet store. She literally drags me in there every time she sees we are in the parking lot. Every employee that works there provides excellent customer service, and they always have a treat ready for Riley. I recently switched her food, and they recommended "Stella and Chewy's" for small breed dogs. She has some digestive issues sometimes and they said this would be best along with the "Grizzly Super Treats". She absolutely loves both of them, and both have completely helped her digestive issues. Overall, the staff are extremely knowledgeable, and they really do care about animals. Couldn't recommend this place enough. read more

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The Greenwood Mud Bay used to be my go to for pet supplies before I moved to Ballard. Hercules and I tend to shop at All the Best now that we've moved, but Ballard's Mud Bay is our runner up. Mud Bay has a bigger inventory of dog food, treats and toys than All the Best does, but their staff tends to stick behind the counter and isn't as helpful or approachable as the staff at All the Best. Hercules *loves* being social and I appreciate it when a store's employees seem to enjoy the animals that they encounter. Herc went through a spell of having an upset, nervous stomach, so I was hyper aware of what I was feeding him and what sort of food would be suitable. Thankfully, Mud Bay carries Active Care, which I haven't always been able to find at other pet stores. read more

This place is so great! Staff has been nothing but wonderful the two times I've come in. First of all, the place is pretty big! One open floor with well defined sections. The staff have been so helpful and knowledgable; I recently adopted a dog and have been having some difficulty figuring out what she likes in terms of food, treats and toys. They have provided great suggestions and have even given me samples of kibble, canned food and treats! They genuinely care about their customers/animals and it really shows. The woman who helped me this evening gave me a bunch of recommendations and tips, send me home with samples and told me to make note of the ones that my dog liked so she can help me next time I come in. This place is great- I have had such a positive experience with them. They even gave me a thank you card for coming in including a $5 coupon! THANKS Mud Bay! read more

Had a really bad experience today. Wandered around the store needing helping selecting a new food for my 2 dogs. 3 college-age employees were sitting around the cash register talking - did not even bother to help me. I ended up carrying the huge bag of food, case of cans and all my purchases to the register myself. Totally worthless experience - will never go to this store again. Please hire people who actually want to work. read more

I love Mudbay. My first one was in Burien. It was an eye opening experience to say the least. I had no idea about all the things I was doing wrong for my cats! They helped me in the right direction with free samples of multiple different types. When I did come back for a full size bag they said it was guaranteed! If my cats don't like it I can return it for store credit. It's the Nordstrom of Petstores in my book. I return for their spectacular customer service, excellent selection, and peace of mind for my ever growing house full of pets. Thanks Mudbay!! read more

I'm always able to find the type of food we feed our dog, which you normally can't find in a large box pet store. The staff is always friendly and super helpful. Anecdote - the last time I was there, they forgot to put my bulk treats in the shopping bag. Mistakes happen. I called an hour later, they were super apologetic, and gave me a coupon for a free pound of treats. I didn't need it but that was really nice of them. read more

I've never ventured too far from Petco, but as of today, I am a Mud Bay convert. I would be proud to serve my cats any of the food they offer. Everything is top notch and wholesome with recognizable ingredients. Also, they readily offered free samples of any of their canned food! Very nice and very knowledgeable staff. read more

I've given this place another shot, and have to say that over the past couple of years they have really stepped up their game. I've not encountered any of the problems I pointed out in my previous review, and now this is my preferred place to go to buy food for my cats. They give a case discount, and also offer free treats when I check out. And each time I've come in for the past few months they offer to help when I buy large quantities. I'm happy to report that this place now rocks. read more

I love this store! I come here for the specialty cat food for my allergy prone kitty, the fun dog treats, and great service. These folks are knowledgeable too. Ask em anything! read more

I was really excited when I found out that Mud Bay carries supplies for small mammals and not just cats and dogs. I am against the selling of animals in pet stores so it's nice that I can go here now instead of giving money to places like Petco and Petsmart that do that. The inside of the store is very cute and welcoming. They carry Oxbow food and bulk hay, which I can usually only find online. The employees are also very friendly and knowledgeable about the products. read more

Just got back from stopping by this Mud Bay. Went in and was right away greeted. I was looking for a good kibble for my dog who seems to have a sensitive stomach. The guy working educated me for a good few minutes on everything I needed to know and he was super confident in what information I was looking for. I left with 6 free samples of a couple different brands to try out. This was what I really appreciated. Instead of saying "oh yeah you should buy this one" he gave me options to try out first and even said if I did need a bag of food right away, I could buy one and bring it back if my dog didn't like it. Overall, I got great help during my visit for what I needed and I wasn't pressured to buy anything. Rather, I'm able to try out all of these free samples so that I know what to get later on... no going back and forth wasting bags of food :) Thanks! read more

We are relatively new dog owners and come to Mud Bay for pretty much everything for our dog. The employees are extremely knowledgeable about what's best for our breed and size dog. Not only are they detailed and very helpful, they're some of the friendliest people you'll meet. read more

Mud Bay is my happy place! The customer service is excellent and the staff are more than willing to help me find reasonable solutions for my cat's dietary needs. They also have a great return policy. I always look forwarding to my next trip to the store! read more

What a great place! I read some of the reviews saying the customer service here was not as good as All The Best so I wasn't sure what to expect, but wow, my husband and I had such a good experience when we came here with our newly adopted dog. Actually better than our last experience at All The Best, when we had a pushy employee trying to tell us we should switch directly from kibble to a raw diet (bad idea!). A Mud Bay employee approached us right as we came in, and spent a good half hour talking to us about options for our dog, who is having skin irritation possibly due to a protein allergy. He explained how switching to wet food that uses a novel protein along with adding a probiotic/enzyme supplement, and then gradually switching to a novel protein raw food diet could really help our dog. He even gave us 3 free cans of wet foods to try! Our dog's itching seems to have gone down a bit since trying these new protein sources, and adding a probiotic and enzyme supplement has helped too. Her digestion has also been better. The best thing was that the employee was not pushy at all! He wasn't pushing any particular brand, but he was really knowledgeable about all the brands and he gave us the pros and cons of all the options he talked to us about. He also gave our pooch some samples of a dehydrated raw food that she loved! She usually doesn't like taking treats from men (rescue dog with possible abuse in her past - doesn't trust most men quite yet), but she really liked these, so it was a good experience for her. As much as I love All The Best, and I will definitely still go there for some things, I think Mud Bay is going to be our main doggie HQ! read more

Begrudginly giving them five stars because the pooch's allergies are gone now that we get her food here. More expensive than I'd like, but less expensive than medication. read more

This Mud Bay is so friendly and helpful! I received the best customer service from Sabrina. She was incredibly knowledge...she went above and beyond to get all of my questions answered. I did not feel pressured to buy a harness that was too big for my new pup, despite the time she took to size him. Once he grows a little more, I plan to return and buy the harness from them because I know they put my pup's needs above a sale. It's hard to find great service like that these days and I think it says a lot about the company. Highly recommend!!! read more

I have an older kitty with a lucky stomach and taste buds :( not cool, but this store is cool! Add kitty us aging now (he's 17) he's got health issues and needs particular food. Every person that works here has been knowledgeable and helpful. They answer all my questions and always have helpful suggestions. I elk always recommend this place over any other place I've been! read more

Over-the-top customer service at both the Ballard & Queen Anne stores. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Well done! read more

I have two dogs, and one of them seems to have food allergies. I went to Mud Bay tonight and asked the staff working what they would recommend, and was really pleased with the level of service I got. The woman helping me offered me a few different samples of food to have them try and find out what they liked best, all of them grain-free. My regular pet supply store just closed at the end of the year which was really sad, but I'm happy to now become a regular customer of the Ballard Mud Bay. read more

Customer service for their cashiers is not present at all. When you visit this place you get the feeling everyone working HATES their jobs and no one could care less if you came to their store. I visited a few times and bought some dog food for emergency back ups, and checked out their chew toy selection. But really, nothing here is too impressive, or would make me want to get too excited about. I was interested in their selection of all natural collars though is particularly the only reason they are getting any starts at all, not to mention the free parking in ballard, which these days is few and far between. read more

A friend recommended me to MudBay to prepare for my first dog, an English Bulldog puppy. Honestly, I had idea what to buy to prepare... The staff were incredibly kind and smart! There was no judgement and they gave me the best advice I didn't feel pressured to buy anything and they gave me options in each category, offered samples and told me about their awesome return policy. Customer service like this is rare to find - great customer experience. This MudBay location is now my favorite place to shop. read more

Ballard Mudbay has always been on our route home from work. My dog comes to work with me so the route home always held the promise of lamb lung treats and genuine love from the magnificent people who work there. Gupper has slowed down a bit with old age silliness, so a car needed to be purchased and fun walks turned into fun walks and the eminent promise comes quicker in a car!! This is a HUGE shout out to, as I said, the MAGNIFICENT people who are of that store that we all keep coming back to. Thanks Evan Herring, for having the hugest heart for Gups and all of the other dogs and cats and birds and people who come in, and taking care and filling it full of people to work with you, with the same genuine care and love of animals. And thank you Catie, Ben, and all of the other stellarly fantastic people there. Gups and I say a huge fantastic thanks to you guys for everything you've done for him. If you are in the Ballard area or driving through or walking home from mom work with your dog ( or cat or bird or fish) stop in and say hey ! Your pet will thank you for it!! read more

This is my Mud Bay away from my home Mud Bay! I have brought all 3 of 'my' pups to this shop. I am a puppy raiser for a service dog agency and I love their shops for the socialization experience AND the opportunities for training for impulse control, too! Yeah, prices are "higher"but the toys and treats do not wear out as fast, so its worth it. read more

I wandered in to Mud Bay a few days ago with no intention of buying much more than a toy for my brother's cat. John noticed I was checking out the supplements section and offered to help if I had any questions. I almost didn't take him up on the offer- so glad I did! My beagle has been suffering from itchy skin and more recently from hives and I was getting desperate. John walked me through each supplement he thought might help, and then suggested my dog might be suffering from food allergies. I ended up leaving with tons of free food samples, brochures on food allergies, and fish oil for my dog. He was incredibly helpful and most importantly, honest. I had picked up a $30 pet toy and he guided me to several better and more cost-effective options. Overall, awesome experience at the Ballard Mud Bay. Definitely ask for John if you go in. I was blown away by the knowledgable staff and decent prices of this place. read more

We started going to Mud Bay when we needed to get large breed puppy food without any corn products in the ingredients. This was the only local store that carried such a great selection of healthy dog food. The employees were very knowledgeable and helped me with questions I didn't even know I had. I left there confident and have been a loyal customer since then for all our doggie needs. read more