Went in here a few years ago and got annoyed but a jumped up little man, who I presume owns the store, and on driving past today thought I would try again. I really shouldn't have ! He hasn't changed his sales approach one bit. I have had dogs for years and years, read countless books on my breads and also do plenty research on the net. My dogs always lead happy and long lives. As we have a new puppy I popped into ask if he supplies my usual dog food. At this point he pulls out a picture card with what can only be described as a mashed up chicken on it and goes into his usual bulls!!t sales pitch saying you don't want to feed your dog that it contains all these banned ingredients. We would recommend such and such if you don't want to kill your dog. As a store for pet lovers we only recommend these foods. Now it's quite obvious that his intent is as follows. If he doesn't stock the food you ask for then he will produce his little picture card, slag your food off and try to supply you with one he does stock just too achieve a sale and gain another customer. Well I'm sorry but I am not as gullible as he must take everyone for in thinking this will wash and after reading the other comments people have wrote on here I am not the only one who didn't fall for his pre-1980's sale pitch which he must have learnt and perfected by watching open all hours, one would presume. If you are after a good and honest pet store who's owners have an open mind then this is not the store for you. Maybe it should be re-named The big, Small Minded Pet Store. I will NEVER return again. Just one last point. He says it's a store for pet lovers, well as they sell push chairs for dogs how can this be the store for happy pets. I am sure a dog is far more happy to walk, as I've seen many with only three legs happily hobbling about, rather than being pushed in a push chair and made to look like fools !! read more

My wife and I like many others are keen to do the best by our pets. Having had a loving dog for fourteen years, horses and now two puppies we are always looking for new improvments in ensuring our pets have a long,healthly and full loved life. So thats us !! After spending a small fortune in this shop we fell short by being nailed to the cross by a very small middle aged man with limited social skills. His own personal knowledge is probably very broad, about pets, in his own small minded way. The customer care and his approach to comunucating his knowledge is nothing but rude. His voice alone which carries well around the shop not only makes the individual feel alkward but browsing customers as well. Having lectured for a good 20 mins he went on to say dogs should not have treats. news to us. We have always used treats as well as affection to get our pets to a comfotable behaviour for us and our house guests. The little man then let out an outbust of abuse that these treats contain all sorts of toxins and our pets lives will be greatly reduced with years of vet bills. WE BOUGHT THE BLOODY TREATS FROM HIM!!!! When challenged he had a two minded approach when at times the pets come first and in the same conversation he is still running a commercial business. The food is great, the rest of the staff are polite and helpful. But beware the grey haired little man. Entre at your own risk. WE WONT BE VISITING AGAIN !!!!! read more

The owner of this store will have no problem telling you that you are feeding your pet the worst food. After a lengthy conversation I found that he hasn't got a clue what he's talking about,he lacks professional knowledge, he contradicts himself and gives his opinion rather than validated research with factual information. He recommended a dog food that is worse than the one my pet is on after telling me that the food I am feeding is rubbish and contradicted himself about protein. If you are a novice pet owner I will have no doubt that you will feel intimidated by his speech and probably end up feeding your pet the wrong food. If you want advice that is biased, opinionated, not factual and want to be spoken to in an obnoxious manner then this is the place for you. However, if you want helpful advise with factual information about various dog foods then I would recommend dog food analysis website where you can chose the best dog food to suit your pet . There are plenty of good pet food stores and this is not one of then. I would not recommend this store to anyone and I have no doubt that the good reviews on here are connected to the owner. This store deserves no stars! read more

I went to The Big Pet Store today and wow what a lovely place to go. The staff were really informative and friendly and they are very passionate about the welfare of animals. It was refreshing to hear honest advice being given. A lady was asking what she could do as her dog kept chewing, the lovely owner asked if the dog had a walk in the morning, to which she replied "no I don't have time, its left on its own for 8 hours in a kitchen" We all know if we are reponsible dog owners that a dog needs stimulation and a walk or two in the day. The lady was simply given advice that maybe if you walked the dog it would help stop with the chewing and she promptly walked out. What is going on!! Why get a dog if you are not going to walk it. Dogs need excercise, why get a dog if you haven't got time for it. If you have children old enough to go out for an hour then get the child or children to walk the dog it will give them fresh air and time to bond with the dog. Its refreshing to hear a pet shop owner giving honest advice, if you don't want advice don't ask for it. Overall five stars to this pet shop a wide variety of toys beds and food and lovely staff read more

I visited this store today for the last time! I went in for advise about my four month old cocker spaniel as she is pulling on the lead, and my breeder had advised me to purchase a Halti. I picked one up & took it to the counter & asked how it fixed to the collar. I was told straight away I would be better off purchasing an item they had there which cost £17.99 and would stop her from pulling. The man behind the counter, who has annoyed me before on the subject of dog food, asked me if I loosed her off at the park. No I said, she is only 4 months old. He said it was like taking a child to Alton Towers and not letting her on the rides! My 8 year old daughter was with me. He pointed at her and said " she could get run over tomorrow, does that mean you are going to keep her in just in case!". He basically accused me of not loving my dog because I keep her on a lead and she is only pulling because she is frustrated! I felt so small and undermined in a shop full of customers. I am surprised they have any customers left! That man is so rude and opinionated! I will not be returning again! read more

after taking on my step sons dog which to be honest was hyper, sorry super duper hyper he was pinching food,eating anything and everything and just over 5 stone in weight he was taking me tarmac skiing and that was after he had ripped all my cloths just trying to get the lead on.i visited the pet store in halesowen looking for a cage for night time use,however a lady there asked me why and what was the dog doing to need this cage. after i'd explained the first question she asked was what was i feeding the dog on, which was canned dog food and dog biscuits. so to cut a long story short she recommended berrimans puppy up till he is 14 months old which is high in protein, she told me that i would see a change in my dog after a week but it would be a big change to the dogs behaviour in about 12 weeks. well 2 days later a completely different dog, 10 days later amazing transformation and im so glad i didn't buy a cage. the moral is good trainning,good exersise,and most of all good diet. oh and of course good advise even if its not what you want to here!!!!!!!!! read more

I've been to the big pet store a few times now, going in for bits a bobs for my dog, everytime i have been into the shop i find i have been hassled by the staff in telling me what is right and wrong to give my dogmy dog has an intollerance to certain foods in which has been quantified by a very experienced TRAINED vet and clarified by a large number of tests, when talking to the owner of the store he said that this trained vet was wrong and there is no such thing and that i should get a second opinionbit of a joke i think Also another shocking thing i find is that the owner actually tells you that if you dont give your dog the food he insists upon giving which is Berrimans that you are actually killing your dog. I wouldnt bother going into this shop if you dont want to be hassled in just buying something for your pet! Its new name should be the big ego store! as he cant get his big head out of the door as his ego is to bigi'll only ever take advice from him when hes got the actual certificate to say he's a professional! read more

I used this store for a while even though i had to tolerate the small man and his trustee workers. The girls were always nice to me but that little man is a pain when shopping. Similar to the other reviews on here, he came across on the hard sell of the food that is good for your dog. I am sure it is good for your dog. If he is so passionate about it, surely stop selling the bad stuff? Anyway, he gave me some story about over feeding my dog? Basically he explained i had to keep feeding them until they turned their noses up at the food?! I did some research and could not find a thing on this. Sounded crazy at the time and even more crazy now! I didnt take his advice and now shop at a cheaper establishment. I did venture in one day and saw the price of said food had increased, when I asked if they price matched as other places were cheaper I was told they didnt need my business and to not bother coming back. I dont normally write these reviews but that day just sticks out in my memory as how to not do Customer Service. read more

The Big Pet Store is brilliant! I am an experienced dog owner and have had many dogs before. I have always fed them on cheap dog food and wondered why they kept chewing my furniture. I went into the store and found who I believe to be the owner (short white hair, sarcastic sense of humour). I asked him about my dog chewing and if there was anything I could do. He asked me what food my dog was on. He recommended some other foods (berry mans, bobs choice and royal cannon I think). I went with bob choice. The change in my dog I'd AMAZING!! He has gone from a wild, chewing, barking nightmare to a wonderful, happy, healthy dog. I agree that sometimes the owner can be a bit 'blunt' but I think that's his sense of humour. He is truly a pet lover and I certainly will be going back!! His selling pitch does come over a bit hard bit everything he says is true and he is a pet nutritionist (I asked him). read more

i went in this weekend for advic on my puppy chewing everthing i thought it would be that he needed toys or something like that but then i went in and asked the staff about it and first thing they said are you feeding your puppy this, this or this (food wise) i did feed my dog bakers the staff showed me a picture of what is actually in the food and then showed me an alternative food berrimans they explained what is in it and the nutirents they said after a week i will see a difference i must say i already am the staff are amazing as they help everyone with their pets and can always give advice i would advise anyone to go their if they want the truth and how they can help the pet i will now go back again and again overall i give the store 5 star ratings their loyalty and passion for animals is amazing read more

We have been using this pet shop for around 3 years. Our dog has a dry skin condition to which we need to use Wheat & gluten free dog foods.. Pets at home we found only stocked the more expensive brands at around £40.00 a bag, this pet shop have at least 2 other varieties at around £25 per bag which we have been using now for a few years & his skin has been much better. They are always polite & offer to carry the bag to the car when I go on my own. I have seen the picture in the shop that people are referring to but have never been given a 'hard sales pitch', however if people ask for advice on the type of food to feed their dogs then you can only expect that he will recommend what he thinks is the best. But overall they stock a good range of products to suit all products. read more

I visited this store to browse avalibility/prices of dog food/treats i would of made a purchase,then came along the owner!!! if this man has the qualifications and knowledge of a vet he should have a surgery instead of a pet store. I have more respect for my animals than to ask or listen to advice from any- one other than a vet. I was also underminded as a pet owner and very offended. Telling me BERRIMANS is the best food ever blah blah blah. Plenty of 5* food in this store that but none of them are getting promoted ?. Never again. read more

Having spent many months shopping regularly in this store and spending alot of money on products, enough is enough. The owner being a prize prat has done enough for me never to shop there again, he talks up all products he wants to sell and tells you what you use for your own animals is rubbish. Since deciding to stop going to see the big head and his staff my advice to anyone reading this is to do as i have done and go to pet-supermarket on the internet and see how much you save with out captain egos rubbish advice. read more