There really is a good reason this place is getting lots of high reviews. I am a big fan of this groomer. I moved to Monrovia about a year ago and needed to find a new groomer for my two maltese/shih tzu mixes. Every two months I would try a new groomer and compare their service and prices. One would do a good job but be way too expensive. Another would be cheap but couldn't handle cutting my dogs' nails (they are very defensive and sensitive about their paws). Another wouldn't take weekend appointments. Another just did a bad job and ugly cut. So on and so forth. After four or five tries I found this place and my search has ended. The lady there made me feel welcome from the start and still does to this day. Her price for my two dogs is about $20 dollars cheaper than anyone else! My dogs' cut are perfectly what I ask for and they each are given this bag of treats when we leave! I wish I read a review like this and gone straight there from the beginning! read more

First-Col groomed my Scottie competently, compassionately, and at a reasonable price until he passed two years ago. I brought in his replacement today for the first time for nail cutting. "Boss" is an adoptee with significant timid-aggressive tendencies and a phobia for nail trimming, so we had to muzzle and restrain him. (He's 80 lbs. and scary when he feels threatened). It went reasonably well, and they only charged me 15. Just one thing: They cut too close, and had to apply a coagulant power three times. No visible bleeding, but they ignored my objections, and I guess I wasn't clear. I should have been more assertive, but I deferred to their experience. All the while Boss was thrashing madly, and it took all my strength to keep him on the table. But he seemed fine when it was over, though I doubt he'll want to come back. These people are kind and obviously love dogs, and I'll be bringing my next Scottie to them with complete confidence. read more

Their price is very reasonable & they are very accommodating to their customers' needs. I have been going there for over 15 years. They really care about our babies. read more

if they ever "charge you double" with this bs of "your dog was hard to handle" know. this. they. abused. your. dog. if your dog is suddenly too hard to handle there randomly, isn't that obvious? read more

They are caring and accommodating. We have been going to them for all of our dogs. They have always shown professionalism and we greatly appreciate them read more

I have always taken my terrier mix dog to this place to get groomed, they don't specialize in fancy cuts but they always get my dog the way I like it - short and clean! It's nice that they can let me pick up my dog late at 5pm! The owner is a very courteous lady and it's always nice to talk to her! read more

My maltipoo first time hair cut is awesome. Price is very reasonable and service is excellent that the owner tried her best for last minute appointment. Supporting local small business read more

First-Col Pet Salon - Pet Stores Near Me - Arcadia, California

I've been taking my Pom to this place for years and I love this place. It's the only grooming salon that my dog has not come out tramatized from. I never have to worry about finding cuts all over my Pom. The staff and very friendly and on it! read more

I love this place! I'm the owner of a skittish, fluffy kitty and trying to find a cat groomer hasn't been easy. I've brought my cat here a few time and every time the two workers ( elder lady and younger gentleman) have been very sweet and always explained how they have groomed my fur baby. They always offer if I want any specific shampoo( oatmeal or flee) or any perfume at no extra charge. I used to worry because rescued my cat from off the streets and loud noises and people she's not familiar with make her bolt but she's never tried to run away or seem uncomfortable when they bring her out and show me how they groomed her. Every other place I've tried calling they only have one person who grooms a cat and they are never there. This is the one place that's consistent and my cat n I are always happy. read more

Not sure w hat Terry B is talking about but we have been taking our two dogs to First Col for years and they are fantastic! They have always treated our poodle mix and Maltese with great care and do a wonderful job of grooming them both. Kevin D read more

We've been going here for years and wouldn't trust our dog, Piper, anywhere. After a visit, they always give little dog treats and small trinkets for the owners (eg pot holders, baby blankets, etc). Just super nice people. I highly recommend them! read more

The first time is great! The 2nd time they refuse me as a customer saying they don't like my cat so they will not groom him. Seriously?! The reason why we have professional groom our pet is because is difficult for us. But you are professionals and they told me "NO". VERY DISAPPOINTED! read more

My mother just took our dog here and she charged her $15 more than the last time because our dog's hair was an inch longer and she also made my mother wait for a man who came in AFTER her just because they knew each other. The owner of this business is RUDE and completely UNPROFESSIONAL. You don't charge someone more than what you quote without letting them know. Our dog is a SMALL dog, not a huge one and to be charged as if he was one is ridiculous. LASTLY and then I am done with this, but the OWNER slammed the glass door to shut my mom up is beyond rude and disrespectful. I will never allow my pets to come here and I will let everyone I know of this aside from this review! read more

Came here the third time yesterday (2/15/2013) and I just found a razor burn on my dog's armpit! You guys need to be more careful! My dog was depressed the rest of the day when he got home! He didn't wanna leave his bed nor greet family members coming home! I'm not coming here again!!!!! read more

Am writing this on behalf of a friend, who is simply too nice to dish out scathing criticism where it's overdue and well-deserved... My friend brought their puppy, a maltese poodle mix with medium, wavy hair, to said salon for a trim and wash. The pup was originally a very happy, energetic, and friendly dog. After First-Col Pet salon butchered the job, it came back completely traumatized, shy, fearful, and sad. If you look at the before and after pictures, it looks as if the poor puppy had been straight shaved with a buzz cutter. Is that "grooming?" In addition to the very distinctive personality change, my friend also noticed razor cuts on the pups chest and paw, which the pup has been licking non-stop after the salon visit. My friend said that First-Col complained that the puppy's hair was getting slightly tangled. But, if you look at the before pictures, that is completely not true. Even if it was slightly tangled, they could've at least trimmed it or done something to address this. But, these people are either completely unqualified, or simply too lazy to care to give each dog its proper attention and care. Their so-called grooming is just to shave the puppy to the skin and bathe it. That's completely not acceptable- especially when a medium-puffy, wavy-length hair puppy should retain that youthful, happy look. My friend says now their puppy looks anorexic and curls up in a ball in the corner of the room and is ashamed to come out to play. And, it clearly is traumatized and feels self-conscious of what happened to its appearance. DO NOT go to this place unless you want your dog injured both mentally and physically. read more

My dogs left EYELID was shaved down and was bleeding when I picked him up from here. The owner tried to tell me it was a wart, or something like that? I really didn't understand what she was saying. But I knew she had just cut him or whoever groomed him did. Other than that, his coat was super soft, but I hated his hair cut. Anyways, I will not be coming back here ever again because she shaved his poor eyelid! read more

Have taken my shih tzu here the third time this weekend and I am not coming back. Why? 1. My pooch got a razor burn right above her nose that is now red and irritated and a little bloody. If they took the time to groom her patiently, this wouldnt have happened. 2. The lady charged me a different amount from my first and second visits even though I had the exact same services done. When I asked her about it, she wasnt very nice in her reply saying, we've done this for many, many years and would always charge the same even though I have records that she charged me less. I will try another gentler, more consistent groomer in the future. read more

Dogs can't lie. You can tell if they treat your pets nicely but the way they act when you bring them back again. All my pets love coming to this place to get grooming and is always wagging their tails as they go in. And in my corgi's case, wiggling his little nub :) You can tell the mother and son that runs this place truly loves animals and put their heart into their work. It's reasonable at $25 a bath and they give you a free treat after each visit! During Chris holiday, they often give your pet a present too! Love this place!! read more

You can't beat the price at this place. It's a real deal. The lady that works here is very nice too. I took my Cocker Spaniels to get groomed here on several occasions and got the same results. My dogs were nice and clean, but the haircut was very poor. Cockers have a smooth coat. So I was able to see all of the uneven passes she did with the clippers. My dogs coat looked checkered, like the grass on a baseball field. But my dogs aren't for show. So it doesn't really matter to me. So I didn't complain. My family did notice and wanted me to complain. But for the price I paid, there was no reason to. I suspect that curly coat dogs probably wouldn't have this problem. read more

Family owned and operated, they are very flexible with appointments and are committed to me leaving happy with my dog. Very friendly and reasonably priced. read more

Best groomer I've come across in the Arcadia/Monrovia area. I've tried a few and this one gets my highest rating (and a review on yelp!). I have a maltese/shih-tzu mix. SHe is my everything.. I treat her like my child! I only want the best for her. I only trust Marsh with my pup. You can tell she truly has a lot of love for animals, she is so sweet and kind and accommodating. I feel totally comfortable putting my pup in her hands for a few hours to get groomed. I was reading some of the other reviews, and some of the negative ones seem very unreasonable. Yes this place is not fancy. Yes it is small. yes you can see some of the dogs getting groomed from the front counter. WHO CARES!!!! It's a dog groomer, not a spa/sauna. I've tried a few other groomers around town.. my dog was always super scared when I would bring her in and then act very quiet and depressed for the rest of day after picking her up. Obviously, something wasn't right... finally, i found Marsh at First-Col. My dog is not scared at all when i bring her here. SHe is happy and her normal self when I pick her up. Also, Marsh is a lot faster than the other groomers. No more than 2-3 hours. She also charges less... need I say more? read more

i switched from petsmart to this place because several friends recommended. petsmart in pasadena totally ruined my dog's fur.... so i came to first-col first time customer. the workers are friendly. the place did not look glamorous or anything, at first i was worried. when i got my 8 month pomeranian back, i was pretty pleased with the work. I asked for as shower and some tidy up around the body. although after the shave from petsmart, there wasnt much to change, but the hair cut was nicely done. i oversaw the lady working on another dog and she was very gentle, always trying to sooth the dog in japanese. the price is super low. i paid 25 here for the same service that costs 45 in petsmart read more

First-Col Pet Salon - Pet Stores Near Me - Arcadia, California

This is a ma-n-pop shop in a quiet street, the store front is really unrevealing...I took my baby Maltese here for his first hair cut! But I really don't like the results...asked for a teddy bear cut, but his face turned out nothing like that and also the back was cut too short that she took all the curls out (which is what I like about Maltese, their curly hairs) :( I will try other grooming places. read more

Took my corgi here and they did a great job and took care of her. She came out looking nice and fresh. Very nice people and they even hooked it up with dog treats! Definitely will come back here. read more

First of all the owners are so nice and welcoming. They can always take my dogs which is really nice. They consistently do a great job on both my shitzu's. Just an update. I do love the owners of this place but each time I take my pups here they charge me more and more... Time to find a new groomer. read more

I've taken my dogs to quite a few groomers, and this is the one I like the most. On weekdays, I'll give them a call in the morning to see if they can give my dogs baths, and they usually are able to take them. The lady is really nice to me and always gives my dogs treats. They try their best to cater to my little requests such as having my dogs sprayed with perfume right before I pick them up and coming home with a cute little handkerchief tied around their necks. The prices are very reasonable as well and haven't changed throughout time, unlike some other places. Like Barry L. said, they do try to work around your schedule. There are countless times I told them I needed to pick up my dogs by a certain time, and they make it happen. Really, you can't go wrong with this place. read more

First-Col Pet Salon is the best! Owner Marsh is personable and compassionate. My dog is fifteen years old and weak. She would take her time to groom him, gently, carefully, and she did all within very short time so it reduced stress to a minimum. I appreciate her professionalism and kindness for taking my dog and did such a wonderful job! Thank you Marsh and Ben. Sylvia read more

We bring our tortie mix kitty here for regular Lion's Cut haircuts. Very easy to get appointment, even at the last minute. I drop her off in the morning, and she's usually ready right around 3p. Both the staff I interact with are very nice and they seem to love taking care of the animals. The only thing I wish is that they knew how to do Nail Caps -- because it would save me a separate trip over to Petco on Rosemead -- but other than that, this place is great and we will continue to bring our little princess here for as long as we live in the area! read more

I've been taking my dog here for quite some time now and I couldn't be happier with the service and styling. Although, my dog's grooming is basic, I feel the love of the Japanese culture. I instantly fell in love with their respect and kindness. Recommend this place! Price is super reasonable. read more

This place is freakin' awesome. they are the sweetest people ever. Starting rate is $35. That's for cut wash and toe nails. Definitely go here. Believe me, I've called others hahaha they are always in a rush to hang up on ya. read more

I take my two cats here to get groomed and they always come home smelling so good! Prices are great too. The staff are very friendly.

Friend took his dog here to be groomed. When he went to pick her up she looked terrified. Groomer has a terrible attitude. She doubled the price because she was matted and entergetic. Groomer started to yell at my friend. She saved the fur she cut off the dog, brought it to my friend and then continued yelling. She demanded that he pay. Groomers son came over to talk to my friend, but groomer interrupted. She continues yelling. There were two customers behind him. Friend agreed to pay. But, at the very least this person should have contacted him! He told her this and she once again started yelling. My friends dog was shaved nearly bald, even though my friend asked just for him yo be clipped. His testicles, anus and penis were 100% hairless. read more

I love this pet salon! The lady here charges reasonable prices and my dog came out with the cutest cut! Plus, on my way out she gave me a little bag of treats for my baby. I've gone to several different groomers and none have ever given their customers doggie treat bags. I also liked that the salon was clean and didn't smell like dirty, wet dogs. I'm glad I found a groomer that is not only great, but also charges reasonable prices. As I was leaving, she told me she wanted me to come back often and that the "price will stay the same." Love it! read more

I've taken my dogs here for a couple of years and have always had great service. She does a great job for a good price. I'm now down to only 1 dog that requires grooming and she will most certainly be the one he goes to. =) read more

Took my dog here and got him groomed. They took care of him and he looks soo cute!! They'll do exactly what you want if you mention it. This is a mom and pop shop worth going to. They gift a little bag of good for my dog after he came out. SO AWESOME =) TY read more

I have two rescued dogs, one I groom myself, cause she's got course hair and the other is a schnauzer mix that should be groomed by experts only! LOL So I had been taking my little girl mix to another groomer and they got sloppy therefore I was on the hunt for somewhere else. To shorten the story, when I first went in there to inquire about prices and services I was a little skeptical, but after reading all the wonderful yelp reviews I decided to give them a try. Boy am I glad I did! The woman that does the hair cutting is SO SWEET and she remembered me and my dog, from when we came to inquire. They answered all my questions (and I ask a lot) without rushing or attitude, they also knew exactly what kind of cut I wanted for my dog and asked details of how I wanted her done. When I picked her up she smelled great, looked awesome and was happy. Her being happy when I pick her up is a big deal for me, cause I don't care how she looks if she terrified to be there I won't take her back. They are very professional and personable and they perform an excellent service, for a reasonable price. I will definitely be back! read more

I have taken my 2 dogs here for years now. These people are good at what they do and I am always satisfied with their hair cuts (just get them shaved usually). The past few times I haven't made appointments, I call in the morning around 10 and they take them the next 30 minutes. I'm not sure if that's me being lucky or they are just that dedicated to take last minute appointments. Either way, this keeps me around. Excellent prices and a little goody bag of treats for the dogs when we pick them up. Five stars for these wonderful people! read more

my dog always comes back happy!! they are very gentle with my dog and I am happy with the way they groom her.

my boyfriend has been going here for five years, and there's a reason why - theyre awesome! for $35, first-col will cut my dog's nails, shampoo, and clean his ears. first-col will take reservations or walk-ins (but they may get busy) and when i go, i drop him off, write down my cell number and they call me when he's ready (about an hour or two). i usually give first-col a well-deservied tip and they give me a little goody-bag full of treats, and its good treats, not cheapy ones. the faculty are very caring and sweet - every time i pick up my dog, they tell me he is such a good dog. and the best part - my puppy is always so so SOO super soft! he stays soft for almost a month! i dont know what kind of paul-mitchell-hot-wax-whatever they put on my dog's fur but its incredible. five freaking stars, well deserved! read more

First-Col Pet Salon - smiles for first-col - Pet Stores Near Me - Arcadia, California

I never thought I would find a groomer like this in the la area. After moving away from a groomer I took family pets to for my entire childhood, I had quite a time finding first col. I took our maltese, Cosette, to no fewer than 5 groomers who either butchered the cut or made me uncomfortable leaving my dog in their care. From the very first grooming, I was completely at ease. The woman who runs this business is the SWEETEST lady who genuinely loves dogs and showers them with affection unlike anyone I've seen in a shop. The storefront is nothing fancy but the haircuts were reliably well executed and she always looked beautiful when I picked her up. Their prices are also extremely reasonable. Our dog passed away a year ago and I actually miss coming here. Trust me, you can trust first col! read more