The store I get most of my dog food/supplies at what is kind of a local chain. They have stores all throughout California, but they do have much more knowledgeable staff than Petsmart or Petco, and are also selective about which foods they carry. All of the staff that I’ve interacted with there are extremely friendly, and they usually give good, honest, advice too. There are only two pieces of advice that they give that drive my crazy: “Stick with one food” and, for some of them, “choke chains are good.” The second one isn’t all the staff, just some of them, and I think an associate did once mention to me that she did rotational feeding, but those are the two things I’ve heard that I really have any problem with. They always seem to recommend meat-based, high-protien, foods and don’t carry most low-quality brands. So, the store is kind of a mix between a big box store and a boutique store.
One thing that I always like to see in pet store staff is inquiring about the person’s specific case, instead of giving the same advice in all situations. Not only will the advice be better, but the customer will feel more valued.
