[shop] Local Pet Store Picks
Some of us prefer children that don’t talk back or come with the looming college education price tag. While my life may never be a suitable environment for a child, I can’t help but smile every time I think of my “baby.” My Dalmatian, named after my favorite designer, Betsey Johnson, is one of the few people in the world who I feel really “gets” me. She’s the best listener and tug of war partner I know. Of course, if you’re a pet owner, you know what I mean. (OK, or if you have real kids too, I’m not judging.) Either way, I’m sure you love to spoil that special furry (or scaly) friend in your life. Check out these locally owned Wichita pet supply stores for your pet’s next treat.
Uptown Paws is a personal favorite of mine. It’s located on East 21st street and is a sweet boutique for the fashionista dog in your life. Many of their items are cute and clever (I bought Betsey Johnson a “Nordbarks” credit card and “Grrr-ona” beer plush chew toys there). They have clothes, collars, beds, treats, and toys. I did stop buying toys here for Betsey Johnson, because she immediately destroys them. I didn’t feel she deserved an $8 toy when she can’t take care of it. She is the reason we can’t have nice things.
All Paws Pet Center is just a short walk from Uptown Paws and is dog and cat friendly. They offer the same type of products for a little different taste. They also have grooming, training, and adoption services available. They have a west side location as well and do not sell pets, which I definitely appreciate. The store offers only natural, holistic pet foods and nothing containing corn or wheat. It is easily the largest selection of holistic pet food in Wichita and the owners and employees are extremely knowledgeable and helpful.
Gupton’s Pet and Supplies expands its services to other critters that you may have as your pet. They also have training and grooming options and have boarding for most pets. They do sell pets and have a good reputation for taking care of their animals, including amphibians and reptiles, which freak me out. I avoid that section at all costs.
Where do you shop for your favorite four legged friend? Do you buy your pet birthday gifts? Or am I the only weirdo who does that?
Related posts:
Thanks for a list of pet store options! I’m actually about to go buy my first bag of dog food – lol – and needed some references. My vet rattled through them so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to write them down!
And no, you’re not the only one who buys their dogs birthday presents! I figured out Tabasco’s the other day just so I could celebrate later! :)
I really, really recommend All Paws. They are so incredibly knowledgeable and they carry the best quality food on the market. Plus it’s locally owned & operated.
I also like Bed & Biscuit at Central between Oliver and Edgemoor. They also only carry holistic brands of food and offer grooming services.
I wish I could make a giant PSA warning people about the nastiness that is commercial pet food (even Science Diet is bad), but people like buying the cheap stuff… You get what you pay for.
A great site to learn more about pet nutrition: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/
Guptons has expanded it’s fashion ware for dogs. Lots of clothing and accessories. They have lots of small sized dog puppies, yorkies to the size of beagles. Their puppies are not puppy mill puppies.
Go to http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/ for really good reviews of dog foods and given up to a six star rating. Find a food that handles well with your dog. Any corn product in dog food can give your dog some bad gas. If you want quality food, but you are on a budget. Taste of the Wild is a great brand. Got six star rating. Only downfall is with the fruits in it their waste can smell pretty strong. Another great brand is Solid Gold that you can get at Mitchel Vet Supply on 21st st and Mosley I believe. Both brands priced around $42 for a 30-33lb bag.
All Paws has a very good bathing center for your pets. It has been updated even better a month or two ago. I haven’t been there myself since it’s so far away from where I live.
No judging here…my husband and I have opted for a furry baby in place of the diapered kind. :-)
Mitchell’s was our go-to place when we lived at TwinLakes for Solid Gold. They’re pretty knowledgeable about holistic food/therapies for pets. Now that we’re on the west side, we love All Paws. It’s like Whole Foods for dogs. My Schnitzel likes to shop there frequently and pick up some homemade local wheat-free cookies from the cookie case by the register. The accessories are awesome and I never fail to learn something from the owners when I go. I agree with Shea about the quality of food being soooo important. It took us a good year or so to gain our little guy’s health back after being fed crappy food. Now he’s got energy and never gets sick.
Now that we’re in our awesome new shelter, the Kansas Humane Society has a great retail store too!!
May I put a personal plug in here? Bungalow 26 carries an all natural line of doggie stuff too! All natural paw salve & homemade biscuits–carpet fresh coming soon!
I heard a diff’t story about Gupton’s from a long time Wichita Vet. Did you learn of where their puppies come from that rules out they don’t sell puppy mill pups? Just curious to know the facts.
I’ve recently put my dog on a grain-free food purchased at All Paws. Since then, my Westie has ceased her 3-5am vomit spells. Hooray! Detecting food allergens is rough going.
I also have heard that Gupton’s has a history of selling puppy mill pups. Hopefully they learned their lesson and stopped, or it was just one supplier and they got a bad rep because of it. This WAS over ten years ago. Businesses do change their buying practices if they make mistakes.
We have shopped at Fins and Feathers for fish stuff. The fish are always healthy, and the sales staff knowledgeable and very helpful. The day I caught a parakeet in my back yard, they helped me check him over for injuries, find the right size cage, get food, a cuttle bone, toys, etc. They even gave me a discount since I hadn’t planned on getting a bird, I just rescued one and gave it a home. They don’t have general pet stuff, but for birds and fish and some small animals, they are pretty great.
Leave your response!
Verbs
Recent Comments
Archives
Authors
Follow Us
Recent Posts
Most Commented
Most Viewed
eat | drink | do | go | help | listen | inform | meet | move | nest | rate | read | save | shop | snap | try | watch | wear | work
verb [ICT] is the premier online source for discovering Wichita, Kansas. From the hottest local restaurants and bars to the best shopping, music, arts, events and travel, verb [ICT] has Wichita covered.