Worst experience ever for dog grooming! I needed to get our Australian Shepherd Mix shaved down and groomed. I called about a week in advance. Soonest available was Christmas Eve. I said shots should be in computer. They said no problem we will look them up. We arrived to a packed room. They made us wait 45+ minutes while they tried to find shot records for our dog (if I knew this was not done already, I would have found them prior to the appt.). My dog was of course tired of sitting in a corner of a very small room while dogs and people kept coming in and out. The groomer seemed understanding about my dogs allergies. She talked about her dogs allergies too. I explained my dogs face is irritated and itchy and we even discussed different food options we had both tried. The dark- haired older girl (I'm guessing supervisor) was crabby and acted like we were bothering her. She had complete attitude the entire time. She seemed bothered that we were there and I felt uneasy with her. I would also like to point out that none of the groomers interacted with any of the dogs. Very weird. How many of you would not greet a dog before touching it or handling it? We stayed in the store for about 20 minutes and left. 35 minutes later my phone rings and the dark-haired attitude girl informs me they can not groom my dog today. I ask why? I was told she is too stressed out and barked at another dog. Oh and she was pushing up against the cage. I asked what does that mean? She couldn't explain. It had been almost 2 hours after my appointment time and they did not even touch her. When I picked her up (which messed up my whole day, because it was Xmas eve and we were busy) the groomer said we could try another time. So another customer gets checked in with her dog and when they go to take the dog it growls. Then the dark-haired girl tells someone else, oh go over there because... (she started to say a bad dog is coming out here right now) but she stopped when she caught herself. She was referring to MY dog!! When my dog came out she was happy to see us. When they went to take their lead off she urinated everywhere. I said, do you think maybe she needed to use the restroom and that is why she barked? I was told she was acting aggressive by rubbing her face on the cage. I said Aggressive? You just took a dog back there that was growling, I would think THAT is aggressive. She was probably just itching her face on the kennel. My dog then urinated 2 more times. She was scared. She was abused when she was younger and I had not seen her urinate out of fear since then. Now..I do not know what happened, but my dog was scared. Bottom line....I think they were overbooked and didn't want to be bothered with my dog. The fact that it took 2 hours and they had not even touched her yet is a big clue. I wish I could have seen how big the kennel was she was in. Every table had a dog on it when we were there, and you could here multiple dogs barking from in back when we were there. I have worked with many different animals when I managed a pet store. I did not feel confident with the lack of interaction between staff and animals at this location. Life is busy and I had better things to do other than waste my time. If my dog was at any other time aggressive...I could understand. The whole time she was in view she seemed submissive and scared. I had heard negative things about grooming at Petsmart before. I will not judge all locations, but Darien is not somewhere I would ever take my dog again. Beware!!! read more

I took my dog here to get his nails cut and they were fantastic! The staff was friendly and very patient with my dog. He usually freaks out with strangers but I saw him calm down very quickly with the staff here! I think he actually enjoyed getting his nails done and he looks so much better! read more

Very friendly and helpful staff. Manager went out of his way to help me! The dog trainer, Donna, gets 5+ stars in my book! We've taken 3 level classes with her and had great success! :) She is professional, friendly and a great teacher! Highly recommend her!! read more

I've been taking my dogs to a friend of mine who is a groomer [at a different petsmart] since I adoped them. She moved away so now I'm trying to find another regular groomer that my dogs will feel comfortable with. I took one of my dogs (13lb chi mix) in here last week to get just her nails clipped, and I left seriously offended. We walked in, and my dog had her tail between her legs and was pulling for the door because she knew what was up. Shes a very sweet girl, but is sensitive and fearful of humans that she doesnt know. Checking in was okay- I warned the groomer that my dog has a little fear aggression, and that she is very sensitive when being picked up or touched on her sides, and she was okay with this. I handed the leash over, and left the room quickly because my dog is a drama queen when I am there. Outside the salon, I heard a yelp, so I went back in to see if everything was okay. the groomer was putting a muzzle on my dog that didnt even have a clip to fasten it shut...what a waste of time. I offered to muzzle my dog for them, easy peasy. After having the muzzle on, my dog was just fine and I handed her over. When I came back 10 minutes later to get my dog, a different groomer walked up and told me that I wouldnt be able to bring my dog back there again. I questioned them as to why, and she mentioned something about the yelp my dog gave out a little bit earlier, but I really didnt understand her reasoning. I asked how she was when she was muzzled, and they said she was just fine...no problems at all.....wtf? It looked unprofessional that my groomer didnt have the balls to just talk to me herself, and they both looked ignorant regarding their knowledge of dog behavior. What really grinds my gears is that the whole time I was in there, I never ONCE heard my groomer or any other groomer in that place talk to my dog to try to comfort her. I dont know about you, but when I first interact with a dog I dont know, I talk to it softly and nicely in a high toned voice to let it know that I'm OK. This is how my old groomer was and even the other groomers in her salon. they all knew my dog's names, and my groomer always happily greet my dogs as soon as we walked in the door. none of this at petsmart, darien. It made me a little angry because my dog was cowering with her tail between her legs from the moment we walked in [shes not a big fan of getting her nails cut, strange, huh?] I'm in the market for a groomer, not just getting my dogs nails cut. Maybe I should have made this clear to the girl, but I just wanted to sit back and see how they run things. I am looking for a groomer that cares enough to create a rapport with my dogs so that they feel comfortable for future nail clippings with them. My dogs are very weary of strangers, but once they get to know you, they love you forever. If you know of a good groomer like this, please contact me! i was rudely asked not to come back, and I'll do just that. I'm more than happy to drive an extra 5 minutes to go to pet supplies plus to get dog food now =] read more

Never buy fish from these guys! I have a newer tank that I added to my house. The tank was fully cycled and ready for fish. I went to this PetSmart and obtained 12 fish of different species to get my tank stocked. The fish appeared to be in great condition for a week and one became ill. I took the fish back to the store where a store employee (black girl with shaved hair on the sides whom knew nothing about fish) took the fish that I said was ill and dropped it right into the same tank as all the other fish for sale. Needless to say this was a massive turn off to the place. Well, another week went by and all the sudden I see ICK growing on all the fish that I obtained from this petsmart store. Keep in mind this is a brand new tank, brand new filters, brand new gravel, and all the fish came from this PetSmart. The tank had never been used and it was brand spanking new! Needless to say I needed up with a ton of sick fish, tons of fish dead from the treatment of ICK, and when I went back into the store I looked at the tank which the employee tossed the sick fish into and discovered that the Plattys and Neons were infested with ICK! NEVER, EVER, BUY fiSH FROM ThESE PEOPLE! read more

The over all store is great to shop at, I love it. But the groomer. I brought my puppy for his first hair cut and they were to not cut his face at all. He is a pure bred soft coated wheaten terrier, naturally these are furry dogs and that's how you let the fur be. My puppy looks disgusting. He looks awful. I am so dissappointed that the specific groomer cut his face. I will certainly be bringing my dog elsewhere for future haircuts as this groomer cannot follow instructions. There is a photo attached to this post for before and after. read more

PetSmart - Pet Stores Near Me - Darien, Illinois

I've been coming to this PetSmart for 6 years now. Their store is very clean and organized. Employees very friendly and eager to meet your pet (if you bring them with you). Their groomers are usually very good and enjoy hearing your feedback on the cut. They seem to be the only ones who can cut our dogs nails without him turning to Kujo.... because of that, they will always get our business. read more

I really like this location. It's been in Darien for 20+ years (we used to take my childhood dog here!) I now have my own furball and he goes here for grooming. They do a great job, have a lot of availability and are prompt to call you when your pooch is done. The people in the salon genuinely seem to care about your pet which is nice. Also, the store employees are very nice and helpful. One sales woman in particular spent 5-10 minutes with me in the harness section helping me out. Sign up for emails and you will get a $10 off your next visit every time you go to the grooming salon. Nice deal! read more

Booked two appointments for my mixed breed and border collie. The mixed breed was only getting a bath and top dog package while my border collie was getting a bath and furminator and top dog package. Hers said it would take 3-4 hours while my other dog's would only be 1-2. We get there 5 mins before our appointment and we were told to wait. 35 mins later, we finally get to go in the grooming area. Our groomer, Rachel, showed up after we got into the room. We discussed what I wanted done and she was snappy from the start about her "not being able to do that". We leave and about an hour and a half in, I begin wondering when they will call me about my dog who would only take 1-2 hours. I restrain myself from calling and just waited until my border collie would be done. Now 4 hours in, I call them since they have given me no update and both dogs should've been done by now, one of them being long done. Rachel says that they are not done yet because my border collie had a lot of undercoat (understood, but I should've been alerted that my mixed breed was done hours ago) and that I can come in 30 mins to get them. I go to pick them up and before bringing them out to me, she tells me I need to go pay. I would've liked to first see my dogs to see if what I was paying for was done. Upon getting them back, my border collie had mostly all of her undercoat still there and my mixed breed needed to stay there for double the time he needed to. Also, both of their nails were not trimmed and they did not receive bandanas (not that I was very upset about this part) when they shouldve came with the package I paid extra for. It seemed as though they sat in the kennel until I called, since they were both still wet. The mixed breed should NOT have been wet as he was supposed to be done hours before I came to pick them up. I told them my dogs were already anxious, as is, going to the groomers and she put them under more stress than they ever had to be put under. First time going here and I will never be returning here to get my dogs groomed and am very disappointed with how they treated my dogs and the entire experience. read more

I have been taking my two dogs to the Pets Hotel Day Care every other Thursday for a couple of years now. Last Monday we had to put our Lucy to sleep. It was devistating. I stopped in Tuesday to let them know about Lucy and to please take extra care with Abbey the next time I brought her. They were wonderful. Truly caring and concerned employees. I came home from work on Wednesday and had flowers delivered with a beautiful note thanking me for sharing Lucy with them and that they would take care of our Abbey. I can't tell you how much that means to me. Thank you so much. read more

Adopted my dog from there while Tails Humane Society was having an event there. I have to say its good of Petsmart to host these things. The employees seemed to genuinely care about animals, and were generally helpful. Good experience, as far as being smelly goes, its a pet store, and pets stink. Get over it. read more

Just picked up my difficult dog from a grooming. I am always so amazed at the Petsmart employees. They can handle anything and smile doing it. We use their groomers, pet hotel, and recently even the hospital and are thoroughly impressed with everything! read more

Love this Petsmart. Just got renovated so it is much newer and cleaner looking now. Pricing is fair to expensive. Employees are wonderful. Groomers are decent. read more

Donna is a wonderful trainer! She is patient and kind and ensures all dogs are well trained! Plus all the dogs love her! We have learned so much and my dog is well trained now! We highly recommend Donna at Petsmart in Darien, IL. :) read more

I've been to this store multiple times and each time it takes forever to get through the checkout line. Yesterday I stood in line 20 minutes behind 1 person returning 3 things. The cashier didn't have any urgency to finish the order at all. I just want to get in and out of stores, not watch stupid people wasting my time. read more

I have been taking my dog here to get groomed for the past couple of years. The girls that have worked on him always do a great job(Christina & Amber). My dog also loves coming with to pick up food or toys. The only downfall is that he usually gets super excited and has an accident. That wouldn't be a problem if they would keep their cleaning stations filled. Numerous times I had to hunt down an associate to ask them for paper towels or spray. Other than that, most of the time it is a pleasant experience. I would highly recommend their grooming salon, everyone is super nice and really great with my dog, who is sometimes reluctant of people. read more

Yay, my first Yelp review and for a doggie store! I always go here to get my dog and cat food. I love PetSmart for what they give back to homeless pets. I could never support a Petland. I do wish they would not sell birds or reptiles. I feel terrible, I believe birds and reptiles never belong in cages. Of course, the cats in the cages I feel terrible for but I always hope they are adopted, I have my own kitties already! Today, I want to give a shout out to a young cashier who had to deal with an extremely rude customer. OMG, she didn't have receipt, didn't want cashier to look up receipt but yet did not want store credit. Duh, what do you want lady, cash on your word? I just felt so bad for that girl because this woman was unreasonable. Why is it because you're having a bad day you feel need to take it out on innocent workers and bystanders? So for that cashier stay strong unhappy people like her are everywhere, they are called bullies and they live to harass because their own lives are miserable, it's called Psychological Projection. read more

I take my dog to doggy daycare here and the staff is so kind and let me drop my pup off before hours in order to get to work on time. This is a major plus because it's hard to find places that open before 7am. My pup came back exhausted and in great shape. Great price as well! read more

The groomers in this store are not very good. I took my dog there, she does have seperation anxiety, and was told she could not come back there. I was told that she she nipped at her groomer. I can only imagine why. I took her to another Petsmart in Broadview. There was no problems. She looked and smelled wonderful. I took her there for a while, but it was just too far. read more

Great selection of toys and treats! Store is very clean! The employees are not only helpful, but knowledgeable!

This is strictly reguarding the daycare and boarding. First off, you cant go back with your dog, seems very unreasonable that I cant see the conditions I will be leaving my dog in. Second, they don't get to go outside...ever. The doggy daycare looks tiny, cramped, and not well kept. If they don't go outside to the bathroom where do they walk them...I assume they then just walk them in the doggy daycare rooms. I have a tiny dog, if they have an open room plan where there is a huge fluffy dog boarding below my dog, will my dog freeze or will that dog overheat... color me not impressed... read more

I think the store itself is decent...a little slow on the registers but the staff usually approaches customers asking if you need help. Also, Banfield here is alright too. I take my dog here since we moved out to Woodridge from Bloomingdale (They're excellent at Bloomingdale Banfield). This review is for the Pet Smart Pet HOTEL. DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET HERE. They are horrible..and stupid....YES, I threw that card in there because they ARE STUPID!!!! Normally, I take my dog to Paradise for PAWS located by O'Hare or Midway and they are pricey but FANTASTIC!!! They were all booked several months in advance so I looked into Pet Hotel for my 16 year old dog to stay here over new years (December 31-Jan 2). My husband and I were going out of town for a cruise Dec 29-Jan 4. Our friend had agreed on watching him Dec 29-31 and Jan 2-4th. It was my first time with them so I made several visits in person to check it out, asked information, and then booked his stay in a private suite via telephone. The staff asked me all the usual registration questions...name, phone number, dog's name, breed, feeding info, vet/vaccination info, etc. I asked if that was all they needed. They said yes. I called several times to notify them that I would be out of the country and a friend would be dropping him off and picking him up and I followed up and make sure everything was in order, how to pay since I was going on a cruise and would be out of the country. They would not take a pre-payment, I would have to give my friend my credit card or buy a PetSmart Gift card, which I did for $200. I asked about what items to bring, etc. They told me to bring something washable for his bedding, his food if I don't want to use theirs. I mentioned that he has his own prescription dog food. Our situation changed and our friend couldn't watch him the days we needed so I called a couple nights before to change his booking to Dec 29-Jan 2 and asked if they had everything they need from my end. They said everything was great and they would see my dog on the 29th. So, on the day of the 29th, ON OUR WAY TO THE AIRPORT, we went to go drop off our dog. With him, we had a portable bag that contained 2 bowls built in, his prescription dog food, toys, treats, and a blanket. The reason I had all these things packed was so my friend who would be picking him up and watching him the rest of the time would have the things she needed. The lady working said they couldn't take the bag because "there's no space". I booked my dog for a SUITE, so there was actually space! I asked her to use mine instead of their feeding bowls and the lady said no, then changed her mind and said she would keep the bag in her office. Then, she finds out that my dog is 16 years old and about his prescription dog food (prescribed by Banfield also located in the SAME store, for "Renal issues") suddenly tells me she needs to look into it and see if they can take him. She makes some calls and turns out they cannot take my dog in for boarding due to his old age and medical "issues". Excuse me, WHAT??!! We have a flight to catch in a few hours and you are telling me you can't take him?!?? She proceeds to give us a few phone numbers of Vets with boarding...some an hour away! At this point I am crying my eyes out and so pissed off because what VET is going to take him in last minute before NEW YEARS and we should already be on our way to the airport! Surely we are going to miss our flight and our cruise and we are stuck here scrambling to find a dog sitter within 10 minutes. I asked the lady why I was not told these things BEFORE during all the times I visited and called. She said I never mentioned it! Well, I was never asked these questions so how the hell am I supposed to know it would be an issue? I've never had problems at Paradise for PAWS. If these things were KNOWN issues as to WHY they can't take a pet, wouldn't you think you would take more care screening the pets DURING booking and registration???? We called all our family and friends and our poor 16 year old dog ended up being stuck at home by himself for Dec 31-Jan 2 but we were fortunate enough to have our family, friends and neighbor all come by and take him out for walks and take care of him until my friend could watch him again. Basically, all those visits and phone calls, the staff at Pet Hotel could not find out these bits of information and tell me their restrictions before hand? The staff really don't care to do a bit of extra work when it comes to screening and registering pets. If they can't handle registering a pet properly, how well are they actually taking care of your pets? This place is run by a bunch of people just working mindlessly. Never again. Take your pets to other boarding places. read more

Do not leave your pets here! We saw the big dogs in daycare jumping on a Boston terrier much too roughly and the person barely stopped it! Several dogs were jumping around and knocking into each other. Also 8 or so filthy dirty male guniea pigs all in the same tank no food or hay all covered in pig feces! One was biting and attacking all the others and the staff refused to do anything about it!!! These little guys are not being cared for properly and they will get diseased and die! The bites will get infected and they will have to be put down! Deplorable lack of ethics or care here for animals!! Do not buy your pets here!!!!! read more

this letter was interesting. I tried to get my dog groomed at Pet Smart. They would not take her. I agree that they do not seem to be very knowledgable or informed or even caring about dogs. My dogs are very shy and frightened of some one new, but they are friendly and can be won over very easily. However, the groomers I incountered wouldn't even come near her, in fact one seemed to be hiding behing another. My dog is a mix border collie. I adopted her as a stray. She is wonderful with children and very gentle. However, some one or something new she does try to hide or pull away. A few kind words and a little petting and she loves you forever. They wouldn't even try, after I explained. read more

Highly recommend their dog trainer, donna, she was wonderful. Our puppy went through puppy training , intermediate through advanced ( included agility training) and ultimately became certified as a Canine Good Citizen. All our training was through Donna , who is an excellent trainer. The facility was adequate, the price was fair and all the clients were nice. Chris is an experienced trainer and her classes are above par. If your dog is not ready or is aggressive towards others, you will be advised private sessions and not with the group, for respect and safety for all. read more

I brought my cat to the Pet Hotel on a last minute overnight stay, and they were very accommodating. I even extended the stay for another night while he was there, and no problems! They gave him specific food I requested (which they let me bring in and/or bought from the Petsmart), and they kept me updated on how he was doing whenever I called. The woman working with the cats showed a genuine interest in my cat's well being, and she even let him out of the crib to wander around for a bit so he didn't feel cramped. Overall great service, and not too expensive. The cost for an overnight stay was $20 - the same amount I pay for the cat sitter to stop by for all of 10 minutes to feed my cat while I'm away!!! read more

I have taken both of my dogs to this grooming salon. We always have great experiences with the groomers especially Raul and Paul. Our dogs looked exceptional and you guys did a great job I recommend anyone take their dogs there if they are looking for a great value and exceptional look. read more

Training is really good at this location. Ashley was great and so is Donna.

We constantly go here for bird good and at times cat food. The staff is not knowledgable in the fish section and one time I asked how much a fish was since they're no tags and he said about 9.99 and I go okay sounds good can you get me the right price please and he goes 9.99.... Hmm fish selection lacks healthy fish but typical chain store lol read more

go here often with our poodle , Raul is always so great to Frankie , always looks amazing and happy and smel s great, booked on line first time , and it was super easy !! read more

Very upset regarding my puppy's stay at the petshotel. I first made my reservations online. When I did not receive a confirmation after 3 days, I called and made the same reservation over the phone. When I arrived to drop off my puppy, the employee was extremely rude. She did not welcome me or my pet. She thought that she knew best of how much and when to feed my pet ignoring my instructions. She was short with me and condescending the entire conversation. I am not sure what she was going thru or if this is her personality everyday but she should not be interacting with pets or their owners on this particular day. I had reserved a two night suite stay and 3 full days of doggie day care. I also mentioned my reservation details to this employee but apparently she was not listening to me either. When I picked him up early I was surprised to find my 4lbs Chihuahua with very large dogs who were aggressively wrestling with each other. I was told he would only be with small breeds that were also friendly. The employee in the room made no attempt to stop the dogs aggression. I then payed for the stay and was surprised that the cost was much less than I had expected. I noticed on the invoice that it did not list the first two days of the full day daycare. As it turns out, they kept him locked in his suit his entire 2 night stay and then just put him in daycare that morning of pick up. This is very upsetting to say the least. 3 times to get my reservation correct and they failed. This is ridiculous. I would never take my pet here again. read more

Our dog Teddi stayed at the pet hotel while we were on vacation. The staff was very helpful and caring and so friendly when I called to check on her. Terry was especially helpful and accommodating. I highly recommend the Petsmart Hotel and will definitely be bringing Teddi back to day camp and the hotel if we go away again. Thank you Petsmart folks for taking such good care of Teddi! read more

Wouldn't take my dog anywhere else for grooming. Charlene is the absolute BEST! You cannot ask for better than Charlene. She makes my maltese look beautiful every time. She is patient and loving. read more

I am new to the area and i must say i love this store. My dogs love going there and they get hello's from the staff. Feels like home right away and they are never out of stock unlike other stored i have been to. read more

Fortunately I have always had a good experience here. I always take my pup out here for grooming and she comes out looking neat and clean and beautiful. I can tell my neighbor's dogs are jealous, which is what I am going for ;). The workers are really great and I have never had any complaints. Good place. read more

My husband and I have multiple pets and over the past ten years have spent an average of $100 per week in this store. For a few years, I even worked as a volunteer adoption coordinator there. For our loyalty, I was told that "No new cats are being accepted because we only have one cat groomer". This is after I asked if they could groom one of my cats as a one time occurance. Thanks a lot, Petsmart! We'll remember that when we are in need of cat food, treats, litter, toys and furniture. We'll go to Broadview or Joliet as you suggested. read more

Gave pet hotel a trial run prior to leaving my dogs for a week stay. Initially, the staff member I spoke with seemed very professional and knowledge able about our breeds. Tried day care and received a call after 45 minutes of leaving them. Employee advised there was an incident of agression. When interviewing the employee she said my dog was aggressive towards a puppy. I was initially told they do not mix smaller dogs with larger dogs. When confronting the employee she back tracked and claimed size doesn't matter it is the breed. Complete contradiction to what I was initially told. I then had to question why the employee was charging me for a full day of day care, which I received. When I discussed the incident a management team member she had no knowledge of the event. If you are leaving your pets leave them with friends, family or a higher an in house sitter. I wish I could give a 0, but that is not a Yelp option. read more

The PetsMart (Darien) groomers are WONDERFUL and they have been on quite a journey with me and my rescue dog, Nellie. My husband and I rescued Nellie from a high kill shelter in Kentucky and picked her up from her transport on a Saturday. (Originally we were just going to foster). She smelled horrible and had a few little cuts on her. We immediately took her to one of the local vets sponsored by the foster program and we were told "No problem, you can give her a bath right away." We walked into PetsMart Darien grooming salon hoping to get this baby smelling better. Nellie's (now regular) groomer, Paul spent a great deal of time listening to Nellie's story and thoroughly looking over her. Thanks to his experience and knowledge he refused to bathe her that day because he noticed that her incision from being spayed was way too fresh which could cause infection if she was bathed before healing properly. (We only take Nellie to our family vet that we love and trust since then). He did however, trim her nails for her right away. We were so thankful for his experience, his input and his concern. Nellie is our baby and we did adopt her. We love her so very much. Since then, she goes to PetsMart Darien regularly for her bath and nail trim. She gets sooo excited. The part that really makes us feel good is that every time we come in, they remember her and how she looked on that first day. They really care about her and they notice if she hasn't come in for a while. Example: two visits ago she had a cracked toe nail that required extra caution to trim, Paul took care of her of course. The next time we came in, Paul immediately looked over her nails upon our arrival and noticed one was a little shorter (same foot) than the rest. He remembered the cracked one and asked if it was growing in funny or if it broke again. Her nail was fine but he said that he would take a better look at it when he did her trim to make sure it wasn't cracked. I was so impressed and thankful that he remembered that detail and cared enough to look her over and notice the short one that just wore differently than the rest. I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to know that your baby is being taken care of by someone who truly cares. So thankful for this staff because they are ALL so wonderful! Very thankful that they have been on this awesome rescue journey with us from the start. Thank you so much to EVERYONE in the grooming salon of PetsMart Darien (and every other awesome staff member that has made each PetsMart visit special for Nellie - even if it's just a quick pet on the head and a kind word). A special thank you to Paul who knows Nellie's past, has seen her at worst, and delights in making her look and feel her best. Truly, thank you to all! With love from the mommy of a great dog/best friend. read more