All The Best Pet Care

The Mercer Island All the Best pet store has amazing customer service. The staff is consistent, they know their stuff and are always helpful when you come into the store. From start to finish they do a good job helping you find what you need and sending you home with a little treat for your pet to sample. Diane does an excellent job leading this store and I wish her much continued success.

ATB’s Mercer Island location is nothing short of outstanding – outstanding products, outstanding quality and, most importantly, outstanding people!
I co-​own one of the Island’s largest – if not the largest – pet care services companies and I grew up on MI (MIHS ’82), so my reputation both personally and professionally is on the line when I refer my many Island friends/​clients to ATB, but refer them I do and without equivocation.
Islanders are often high achievers and as such they tend to set a high bar, especially when it comes to their beloved fur kids! Many pet caretakers are unaware of the absolutely critical role diet and nutrition play in terms of a dog or cats’ well being and even behavior. When one of our client’s animals is having issues, those can frequently be tied to poor quality grocery store foods. In such situations, I send my clients to ATB, where I always know that manager, Diana, or one of the other amazing members of her team, will take the time to help educate my client and work with them to determine the optimal diet for their dog or cat. This may take trying different foods over time, but the staff will work diligently with the client to match the pet to the best food, or combination thereof, for that animal – not the most expensive, necessarily, but the BEST for that pet. This also holds true for other products, harnesses, leashes, collars, beds, you name it – I send every new kitten or puppy client to ATB and I know they will be properly outfitted to get that little pup or kitty through the all those critical early stages successfully and in comfort.
Diana is doing a superb job there and I thank her publicly for that. Her staff, such as Sidney, a wonderfully professional young lady with amazing product knowledge and a genuinely sunny disposition who has helped many of my friends and clients, are upbeat, helpful and, best of all, are themselves passionate about pets. That combination of knowledge, love of pets and an unparallelled customer service ethic make MI’s ATB a consistently excellent experience. I cannot count the times that Diana, Sidney or other staff there have gone above and beyond to help me or someone I have referred to them.
If you demand the best for your pet and along with that a truly outstanding, professional customer service experience, as I do as a pet care professional, then go visit the MI ATB team.
See you at the Luther Burbank OLP!

I am huge fan of high quality products for my two cats. I live on the island so I used to come here until I realized there was another pet store called Mudbay which I prefer so much more than this place. This place doesn’t have as much products or variety than Mudbay and oh my goodness, could the workers smile and be more friendly. When you walk in, they do greet you and ask if you need anything but the attitude they give off just kills the atmosphere of the store, they just stare at you when you are looking around. The younger girls don’t smile at all and it just kind of kills the whole store vibe. If you live on the island, just go to Mudbay, they open till 9pm, have super friendly staff and way more variety of products.

All the best questionable business practices…
I had been shopping her for many years with only one real issue; the «points» they gave me never really seemed to match what I thought they should.
The problem began when I asked about the higher prices of cat food compared to dog food. The employee told me nobody had a good explanation for it and that the raw dog and cat foods were the same but the dog a lot less expensive. I bit. I purchased a different brand and brought it home. I thawed it out and it was apparent I had just purchased Pink Slime; no animal should be fed this stuff!
I went back and made a purchase of the same food I had been getting there for years (Natural Pet Pantry) and they told me the purchase did not qualify for points. It always had in the past??? They went on to blame Natural Pet Pantry for the demise of humanity and whatnot. I started asking focused questions about their «point system» and could not get a clear answer.
Perplexed by the fact that my «points» were never the loyalty reward I thought they should have been I contacted their corporate office via email. It quickly became obvious that corporate policy was to blame customers for not knowing what products «qualify» and what do not. Never mind the fact that All The Best has no signage about what qualifies for THEIR program and which purchases will not. Never mind that All The Best will change qualification on the fly… They have no loyalty to their customers.
All the best did offer a gift certificate to compensate me for all the points they bamboozled me out of but when I went to pick it up; not there.
I did some looking around for other places I could get Natural Pet Pantry products and surprise, surprise… They have their own stores! Apparently Natural Pet Pantry is now a competitor of All The Best and it’s more beneficial for All The Best to entwine unknowing customers into their corporate battles; or tree markings!
What triggered this post is that the owner of All The Best then used my email address — the address I questioned their practice with — in an attempt to expand her social network! SERIOUSLY???
All I know is that the nasty stuff All The Best recommended really looked like something from a horror movie and the Natural Pet Pantry product looked like something any non-​veg human could fry up and eat. I went into a Natural Pet Pantry and was pleasantly surprised with their selection and pricing! I have found a new home for purchasing pet products; Natural Pet Pantry.

Love this pet store. They have the best selection of food, snacks and toys. My cat is in love with peacock feathers and its the closest place that has them. I love all the natural stuff they have. No bad ingredients in any of their stuff. I get all my treats and cat nip there also. Its a little bit of a drive and smidge expensive but very worth it. The staff is super nice and always knows a ton about the stuff they have in stock.

I used be a total supporter of of all the best on Mercer Island (I even wrote a review this past January) but lately something has happened. I am not sure what it is, but all of the people I used to like are no longer there. These were the people who made me feel welcome coming into the store, and I would have thought of going anywhere else. Over the last few months there seems to have been a change in all of the staff there, and they really aren’t as nice or welcoming. I actually sometimes feel anxious about going in. It also feels more like a sales pitch now. There was some food on special and it felt like the sales people were pushing this food. If I felt it actually was good for my dog that would have been ok, but it felt more like the store would get a kick back if they sold that particular food. It was totally not what I had asked for and didn’t know why she was showing it to me. I am not sure why I felt that way, just a gut feeling.
Anyway, to say the least, I am disappointed in the changes and have actually started visiting the other pet store on the island because of it. :(

This is a fun place to shop for your four legged buddies. They always have treats and free samples, and are very helpful. I like the location too, easy to park and the staff always carries my heavy dog and cat food out to the car for me. Go there! It’s the BEST…

Love love love this pet store!
Great atmosphere!
Love that your dog can «test out» the toys before you buy them!
Love the free samples of treats/​foods/​etc!
Everyone is so knowledgeable and friendly. Some pet stores just try to sell you whatever they can, but All the Best Pet Care staff really work to find out what will work best for you and your dog. No pushy salespeople here! Just lots of helpful information and people who remember you and your dog! Superb!
This store reminds me of little shops you might find in the more country-​side area in that everyone is friendly, knowledgeable, chatty, and so helpful. It’s definitely the first place I think of when I want to buy something for my dog!

For a long time, I kept going to the other pet store (Mud Bay) down the street whenever I needed food, toys, or other doggie essentials. I figured that one local pet store couldn’t be that much different from the other one a couple blocks away, right? NAY!
Both pet stores have knowledgeable, friendly staff that go Lady Gaga over my pug and both stock many of the same healthy foods and quality toys and treats for dogs and cats. But there’s just something different about All the Best Pet Care. Even my boyfriend (who initially didn’t care too much for our trips to the pet store) feels its different and my dog *definitely* knows there’s a difference, as evidenced by her strong leash-​pulling once we’re within half a block of the store. Maybe it’s because their store layout is more open and the store is more brightly lit. Maybe it’s because the ladies that work here always seem to have a yummy treat on hand for my dog and nearly always send us home with yummy free samples of treats. Maybe it’s the toy-​testing area, where dogs can lounge around on a fluffy carpet while playing with a huge assortment of toys from the toy box. Or maybe it’s the fact that All the Best usually has a dog or two (belonging to the employees) roaming the store and they let me take my dog off leash for an impromptu indoor playtime.
Free goodies? Fun playtime? Meeting new friends? Awesome service? If this is starting to sound more and more like one of those famed Unilocal Elite Events for dogs, it kinda is. 5 stars for All the Best Pet Care!

A great local pet store. Always welcome me and my dog with treats, water and even a little play area. Store is always clean and smells good. All the staff are super friendly and knowledgeable. They also work with non-​profit groups to help adopt unwanted felines.

Great pet store. All employees have always been kind, patient, helpful, and knowledgeable. They treat my dog with respect and care. I sometimes wonder about their product pushing… but I have educated myself enough to know what I want :)
I understand how upsetting it is to be told that your vet might not know about nutrition like you think they do, and so I sympathize with the reviewer who rated All the Best one star. What many people don’t know, though, is that the veterinary system in this country (offices, hospitals and schools) is not what we think it is.
The FDA is in charge of enforcing the pet food laws, but often, they do not. Maybe this seems benign, but what you might not know is that animal shelters, farmers, and others looking for a buck sell their diseased, dying, or DEAD animals to pet food companies. This means, obviously, that there could be leashes, cats, dogs, diseased cows, etc. in your own pet’s food. And this is just ONE reason why you should not buy any pet food from a grocery store. It’s garbage, sometimes literally. For fun, look at the process of how pet food is made (specifically kibble/​dry food)… NASTY.
Ever noticed that a huge number of Vet offices sell Hill’s? Hill’s actually has vet schools, and is heavily involved with other veterinary schools in the country. This is a blatant conflict of interest and unethical to say the least.
Sorry about the long review, but this is all to say that I applaud All the Best for hiring people who have the guts to tell the truth to people, even if these employees are humiliated or yelled at. It’s awkward and scary to tell people their conventional wisdom might be wrong, and maybe they don’t do it perfectly each time, but I am forever grateful that they told me things my vet never did.
Here are some resources:

WOW. I remember neighborhood family-​owned stores from when I was growing up in Wisconsin, but it’s been a long time since I’ve felt that warm, fuzzy feeling when walking into a business.
I had it the other day at ATBPC. I had just adopted a kitten and was having new parent jitters. After taking her to the vet at Island Cats, I dropped in ATBPC to look for some good food. I didn’t intend to buy anything — I’d just spent the last of my paycheck on her vet bills and had enough food to tide us over until I got paid again.
I was welcomed warmly, soothed of my new-​pet-​owner jitters, given a helpful introduction to good cat food and how it’s different from grocery store cat food, and provided with a generous helping of samples (as in, «Go pick out two or three cans of food»). They ordered a toy to help entertain my little girl while I’m at work, and then threw in a free toy with the free food.
After I got paid, I went back and bought a bunch of different food, aided by a lovely lady who also explained about raw food and how often to incorporate it into my cat’s diet. She was refreshingly practical — not a raw food fanatic. She gave me a bunch of raw food samples, helped me pick out good canned food for my picky little kitten, and gave me a lot of great advice on training my kitty.
My tiny little kitten, after tasting raw buffalo, believed she was a lion and swanned around the apartment before fiercely ensuring that my shoes would never threaten us again. I’ve never seen her so happy.
I love this place.

ATBPC is a small company with a ginormous heart! The staff are friendly, helpful, not pushy at all, and extremely knowledge. If they don’t know something, they’ll find it out for you. Their prices are *very* reasonable, and less than the bigger stores. They sell only quality products, and many items that previously were hard to find! They guarantee their products and sincerely want your pet to be as happy and healthy as possible. All the Best Pet Care really is The Best!
And, here’s a letter I wrote them that I wanted to share with my fellow ‘Yelpers’:
Dear ATBPC,
I wanted to write (I’ve actually been meaning to do this for some time!) and compliment your staff. They are *ALL* so friendly, helpful and informed. They always take a few minutes to greet us, share samples, give advice and suggest new products to try. They always have a smile on their face, a pet (or three) for the furry friends that drop in, and an excellent attitude! This is *such* a rarity in retail, and so refreshing — we make dropping in to say ‘hi!’ a part of our regular walks! There have been several times when we’ve come by at off-​hours, seen someone inside, and had them come out to greet us. Most employees would just act like they don’t see you, or try to look too busy to even wave at you, rather than greet a customer during their closed hours!
But the main reason I’m writing is to compliment one particular employee. Her name is Alicia. I met Alicia the first time I came into your store (I’d always shopped at other places, because I assumed being a smaller chain with higher quality items, that I couldn’t afford to shop there — boy was I wrong! The same food we bought elsewhere was much less expensive at ATBPC, and we get to save on gas and be more eco-​friendly, since you are within walking distance. I was a little apprehensive coming into your store — afraid your employees would push products on me, or that I’d feel like I *had* to buy something, but that was not the case at all! Alicia spent a good deal of time explaining the different products, petting my dog (even helping with a small training issue!), and just chatting about her love of animals.
Every time I have a question or concern, Alicia has the answer — and if she doesn’t have the answer, she isn’t afraid to admit it, and go look something up for me, or ask a co-​worker her thoughts on the matter. That is SO refreshing! She is so helpful and friendly. Her love of animals shines through in everything she does. I find myself looking forward to talking to her — I always learn something new, and walk away with a smile on my face, feeling like I’ve just spent time with a friend.
I really wanted to share some of our experiences and thoughts with you, and to thank you for providing such a wonderful source of supplies, camaraderie, and information to our little island. As for Alicia — she’s a keeper! (And I hope she’s due for a raise, soon — because she truly deserves it!)
–k–
PS: Since writing this letter, I’ve actually had the pleasure of getting to know all the employees there, and I am so impressed! I stop in the store a few times a week, so I have seen the staff interacting with a number of different people, and they always treat each customer the way they’ve treated me: they are friendly and helpful, never pushy, and extremely knowledgeable. They *all* seem to genuinely care about your pet’s well-​being. No one walks in the store without hearing a friendly, ‘hello!’, or leaves without hearing, ‘have a great day!’ They offer samples of so many different products, so you can ‘try before you buy’, and even guarantee their products! Their main concern always seems to be with finding the best product for your pet.
In regards to the reviewer who insists her vet knows more about nutrition than the staff at ATBPC — please: do your homework before you bash a company! Vets receive ‘nutrition education’ *only* from the big business pet food manufacturers, who go to the vet schools to pump their products to the students. (Google it if you don’t believe me!) So, unless your vet is the exception (and yes, there are *some* vets who make the effort to educate themselves beyond what they learn from those companies), they’re coming from a less than knowledgeable position when it comes to the feeding of your pet (s).
The words…“veterinarian recommended” are not necessarily indicative of high quality. Contrary to what is often believed, many, if not all, of the so-​called prescription diets sold in veterinary hospitals are not formulated for optimal health of a carnivore (
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Veterinarians are invariably linked to the commercial pet food industry. They advocate and even market commercial foods, receiving substantial revenue and kickbacks. The pet food companies make sure of this by promoting programs in the universities and by giving FREE FOOD to the up-​and-​coming vets to sell at their practices. (
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There’s never harm in verifying data before making a determination! :)

I was very disappointed, and frankly horrified, by the advice that I got from sales personnel. I was told many things that are counter to what my vet has told me about the care and nutrition of my dog and 3 cats. When I told the sales clerks this they said that my vet doesn’t know anything about nutrition. Only they do. But they also told me to take my dog off of his prescription food because it is not good for him. I have also heard that on 4 different occasions that they have done the same thing to owners of diabetic cats and kidney failure cats. They also told a women, who has a kitten, to not feed it for the 12 hours that she was away at work because then you don’t know how much it has eaten. What garbage.The kitten would starve and seriously drop it’s blood sugar if the owner did that.
This is unconscionable. My dog needs his diet or he gets stones in his bladder that would cause pain and emergency surgery.
These people have no right to give this kind of recommendations. They think that because they have taken one class on nutrition that they know more than a vet who has had 4 years of graduate work in taking care of well and sick patients.
When I challenged the sales person on this she said that I just didn’t ‘understand’ anything about nutrition. I then pointed out to her that I was a physician so I think that I know who to believe. She then became rude and refused to talk to me anymore. I believe my vet, not some person who has only a little knowledge plus who is trying to make money off me.
My vet has already spoken to the owner but has gotten nowhere with him.
I think that these people with do and say anything to make money off you including giving harmful and dangerous ‘advice’.
Stay away and go to Mud Bay in Bellevue. They are much saner and don’t pressure you to buy their products by intimidation and scare tactics.

We’ve been shopping here for a couple of years now and overall the service is fine and the people there are helpful. However, I’d like them to be knowledgeable about the products they sell and take initiative in resolving product related issues. I recently purchased Liquid Health for my dog and noticed that the color of the solution was different from what it had been for a few years previously. I called the store and spoke to Travis only to be told that I could contact Liquid Health directly. He could care less about my concern and made no initiative to want to look into this further or contact the company. I called Liquid Health directly and was promptly informed by them that they had recently changed suppliers for a couple of ingredients and thats why the colour of the solution was different. The entire process took less than 1 minute. Given the recent incidents in pet food contamination, I was sorely disappointed at the laissez-​faire attitude of the store. On the trust factor, they have lost significant credibility with me. Yes, it was only one employee but enough to make me pause and consider other options/​alternatives. Unfortunately, for me they have gone from being a favorite to being ‘just another pet food store’.

This place is awesome. They care only the best, natural human-​grade and raw foods for pets. They also have the coolest collars and leashes plus great toys and yummy doggy treats too. The staff is super-​friendly and knowledgable too they always feed my pug with lots of goodies. PLus they carry an awesome selction of cat foods for our 3 cats. I would never shop anywhere else for any of my pet’s needs. They carry Evo, Innova, Nature’s Variety, Evanger’s, Weruva, Wellness, Merrick and more!