We have actually done both, the little private shop and Pet-Co...I can not honestly say one was better than the other. I liked the private shop because she would have me come in early before the dogs all arrived for their grooming. At the same time, she smoked the whole time she was grooming, and she basically caused our neighbors dog to pass on quite a bit before his time. (that is a whole other story...) Pet-co was good except for the fact that they didn't tell me on the phone to bring his vaccination papers nor did they tell me I would need to drop him off and come back 7-8 hours later...not an option as we live an hour away and I wasn;t to use most of a tank of gas to go back and forth (this was when gas hit close to $3 a gallon out here.)

If I had to take another animal to be groomed I think I would stick Pet-Co now that I know the routine....

I know that probably didn;t help anything but....