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Skipton Kennel & Pet Center
Rating Details »
Categories: Pet Stores, Pet Boarding/Pet Sitting
70 Southampton St(between Atkinson St & Bradston St)
Roxbury, MA 02118
(617) 541-0520
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36 reviews for Skipton Kennel & Pet Center
These guys are awesome- we go there for all of our pet needs (Tropical fish, dogs and cats). I would not suggest going anywhere else in the area for salt water fish. These guys know exactly what they are talking about, and would never sell you anything that was a) sick, b) not right for your tank. They also have saved my tank on a few occasions as well.
Highly recommend!
I have been going to Skipton's for 5 years. I don't particularly like the store or the staff but I work around the corner, it's very convenient and they stock the brand of cat food and cat litter that I like for my cats. Although I don't like the staff or the store I do like to support local businesses and that has always outweighed the negative experiences that I usually have at Skipton's.
I own a French Bulldog. One of the rudest of the employees' mother is a French Bulldog breeder. We have had some conversations about the breed and she has seen me with my dog.
Today I went to Skipton's to purchase cat food and cat liter. I walked in and said hello to the staff and in the front of the store was the cutest French Bulldog puppy in a box on a shopping cart. I asked if I could pet the puppy. The very rude salesperson who's mother is the French Bulldog breeder replied in a very nasty tone of voice that not everyone needs to pet the puppy and that the puppy was sleeping. I replied that the puppy was not sleeping because it was sitting up. She walked away from behind the counter. I wasn't terribly shocked by her tone of voice as this clerk is always pretty rude and abrupt. I went to get my things and returned with about 100 dollars worth of pet supplies. The puppy was gone but the cart it was sitting on was still there and I jokingly said that it must have been stolen because it was irresistibly cute. The same clerk replied in a snotty and now extremely condescending tone of voice that the puppy was not gone just behind the counter because it was tired of people trying to pet it. I walked up to the counter to pay. The clerk ignored me for several minutes and then came to ring up my purchases and said in a rude and sightly aggressive tone of voice that when people tell me not to pet their puppies I should respect them and not hassle them about it. I replied that I would not be purchasing my items from Skipton's and walked toward the door. The clerk shouted "good riddance" as I walked out of the store.
I have several concerns besides the extreme lack of customer service skills.
1. Who leaves a puppy at the front of a put store and expects people who shop at pet stores not to ask to pet the dog?
2. Is Skipton's doing so well during this economy that they don't need to make sales?
3. Is asking to pet a dog hassling or just polite?
I will obviously not be shopping at Skipton's anymore. There are many other locally owned small pet supply companies out there who's customer service skills are excellent.
Love their selection of food brands. Very knowledgable staff. Answered all of my questions. One stop shop- food, training, vet, boarding, grooming!
Also they have frozen marrow bones that my puppy goes nuts for!
If you want great service, knowledgeable staff, and a fun environment, you will find it at Skipton. I was in the store today and, having a question about cat food, I hung out for a while to chat with Alyson and get some advise. I got the advise, as well as a understanding why Skipton is successful. IT"S THE PEOPLE, STUPID! You can buy products anywhere; online, supermarkets, big box stores. The people at Skipton make buying stuff an experience that should be made into a reality TV show (in a good way) Great music, entertaining exchanges between Alyson and the customers (I swear she knows customer by their first name) and just a great vibe that can only come from a store built on repeat customers who primarily live in the neighborhood. Don't get me wrong. Along with the "vibe" comes top quality products and a staff that really know their stuff. ! Can't say enough good things about the place. I highly recommend it.
Could not love this place and the staff more.... My wife got into fish a bout 2 years ago. The staff at Petco let her get all kinds of fish etc. and a new tank, at the same time. Well, one week later, all the fish were dead. We happened upon Skiptons. They were amazing from day one. They would only sell her 2 fish, to cycle the tank, telling her to come back, with water, a few weeks later. Skiptons, Allison in particular, monitored the water quality and assisted in stocking the tank. My wife has called them about minor n\and major issues, including calling in tears after fibdibg our big pleco dead and fearing that everyone else in the tank would die too. They walked her through the lifesaving steps, NONE of whoch required her to buy anything, although they easily could have wrung some cash out of her.
Another time someone stayed 20 minutes late on a Saturday when our heater died....
Just a great store, with great people, who really really care bout pets....
I took my cat here to be groomed and was pretty satisfied with the job that they did. In particular, I was really impressed with the "sanitary" trim they did to her butt/legs. When I asked Petco to do it, they just shaved a 1/2 inch off the back of her butt -- Skipton actually trimmed her butt and both the back/inside of her legs down fairly short. (When you've got a poofball like my baby, this detail can make the difference between happy litterbox time and "EW GROSS!!") They also did it such a way that it looked pretty good and it wasn't glaringly obvious that she'd had a trim back there.
I also REALLY liked that I could drop her off before work and pick her up after, with no charge for boarding. This is super convenient for me!!
The only thing that I didn't like was that she smelled all flowery after her bath. That was just weird.
We've been going to this place time and time again for our dog's needs.
The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and down to earth. Everytime I come here with questions, they are extremely helpful. They don't just tell you where something is located in the store, they talk to you about their recommendations on products, order products for you if they don't have any in stock at the moment, as well as tell you their opinions about certain products you are thinking about purchasing. I always learn more about dog products when I come here.
Everything I buy here for my dog is always exactly what we want. It may not be all fancy like "Polka Dog Bakery", the yuppie pet store, but don't let it's appearance fool you. Just because they don't have hardwood floors and pretty glass jars with treats in them doesn't mean they aren't awesome. ( see my review for polka dog bakery)
I love skiptons! my dog loves skiptons! and we will always give our business to this place.
So, here it is over a year later since I wrote my rave review on Skipton's and today my little bubble of glory has burst. Yeah, yeah, I know all good things don't last forever, but somehow Skipton's seemed immune to this cold hard fact.
Today I went over to pick up my usual stash of non-commercial dog and cat food along with assorted other goodies for the kids. My Shih Tzu, Beau, came along for the trip since it is Saturday and what doggie doesn't love to shop with Momma?
We get to the store and I acquire a shopping carriage and attach Beau's long runner to it so he can browse a bit himself. As we get near the front of the store, out of the end isle appears one of the ladies who has always seemed very sweet. Today she spits at me to reel my dog in. I apologize and shorten Beau's runner. No problem, I totally understood.
After picking out all the cat and dog food, I proceed to take Beau down the toy isle to buy him a treat. He chooses a fuzzy squeaky toy and plays with it for no more than three minutes as we head towards the cash register. Along the way, I also grab him a cool Kong squeaky. While waiting in line, I discover that the squeaker in his new fuzzy toy has gone mute. I tell the guy at the counter about this and he says "your dog punctured the squeaker and you have to pay for it". I reply "but my dog only played with it for about three minutes and obviously it is defective". Mind you, our defendants here are little Shih Tzu teeth. I instantaneously wonder "how sturdy can this toy be"? After I call my plea, the cashier calls over the same clerk who had barked at me earlier and she concurs with the cashier that I pay. I insist that no squeaky should die that quickly and it's defective. She rolls her eyes, throws her arms back, and sourly instructs the cashier to not charge me. It was the attitude that really threw me.
Y'know, if either one of them simply suggested replacing the punctured toy for a functioning squeaky, I would have bought it with the $7.99 price tag simply to reach a compromise. I would have bitten the bullet and paid for one that worked. Yep, I would have purchased it just to appease this awful uncomfortable moment at one of my once favorite places to shop. But, instead they loudly declare that my dog "broke" the toy and I am paying for it. At at this point, I am mortified that other folks are watching and listening to this embarrassing mountain from molehill moment. Needless to say, I felt horrible and uncomfortable in a store I have always loved and have probably dropped a few thousand dollars in through the years.
Cost of pet food, $87.00. Cost of Kong Squeaker, $11.00. Cost of cringing the whole ride home... priceless.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/8/2007
As the owner of two previous rescue dogs who lived long lives, and, presently a new rescue dog and… Read more »
One of the few pet shops left in the city and this is likely because it was one of the best.
Before my dog died last August my family and I would make frequent trips to buy my dog's favorite hippie food. Skipton's was one of the few places that carried a full variety of pet foods in the area. If your pet is of the non-mammalian variety this is the place to go for supplies, equipment, decor, and a fabulous selection of *healthy* marine critters.
If you're vehicularly challenged this place can be a bit tricky (and scary) to get to as you're crossing several roads that feed directly into the SE Expressway.
This is the only place that I go to to get food and toys for my Great Dane. It's a rather small and cramped place with kooky staff but that whatmakesthisa great place. The down is that there is a very very smallpoace to park. I also love that it is behind a prison.
I love Skipton's, and here's why: the first time we went there I asked for the brand of cat food we usually got, and the lady behind the counter said something along the lines of "No, we don't carry food that sucks." I suppose that could be taken the wrong way, but Skipton's only carries products they actually think are good, and I appreciate it because they know what they're talking about. If you live in the South End, here's what you do: you go to Stop & Shop and Target, and you stop by Skipton's on your way back. That's your weekly supply trip.
And their fish guys are awesome. Like everyone else there, they really know their stuff and they want your fish to be happy.
Need more convincing? The store cat is absolutely obese, and sometimes it wears a spiked collar.
Life is easier if you can find people you absolutely trust in the following areas: a car mechanic, a pet store, and a hairdresser. Skipton's will get you a third of the way there.
Big fan: they're helpful, funny, attentive and fast. I went looking for a high-end dog food to replace my by-product Beneful that I finally got tired of feeding my dogs. The salesman who helped me pointed out a bunch of different, comparable foods, and told me that I couldn't go wrong with any of them. He compared those top shelf brands to a Porsche, while what I was currently feeding my dogs was like driving a Pinto. It was hilarious. And I left feeling confident that my dogs will benefit from better dog food. Quality store, quality products. When you're in there, check out the big ass dog collars (and pay attention to the studs on those collars) behind the counter. Good times!
Skipton's is the best- especially if you are a fish tank freak. The fish guys there are outrageously hilarious- they'll geek out about fish for hours. They really know their stuff and are more than willing to help. There's also the crazy lady that helped me with my cat food. She's a riot, although I think unintentionally.
You won't find crap food like Iams here- so if you don't like spending money on your pets don't come here- go support those nasty people at PetCo.
And, make sure you find the store kitty! She's well worth petting.
caveat- last time we were at Skiptons there was a really rude dude working the register. I don't know where he came from, but I don't like him. Boo!
I'm not that impressed with this place. I went in the other day to find a new food for my dog (he has a sensitive stomach) and I didn't really get any help. One person threw a couple of bags of food and me and continually told me that my dog was eating too much and definitely overweight (which I think is interesting, because I didn't bring my dog with me and everyone who see's my dog thinks he is too thing). I wasn't really told how to intergrate the new food or what made it different. I sort-of felt like I was in a Petco or Pets'mart, but with more expensive brands.
If you really want good service and great help I would say go to Polka Dog in the South End. They are incredibly friendly and won't even think of insulting you or your dog.
Skipton's is my favorite pet store in Boston.
I get so excited every time I go there - because I seem to learn something new every time I go. IT's kind of dumpy looking from the outside, and in a kinda weird location - but the people who work there are incredibly passionate about animals and always entertain me with their stories and sound advice.
I started going to Skipton's for fish and they impressed me with both their selection, and the health of the fish I bought from them. Their salt water creatures are the Coolest! I really want to buy a new tank to stock full of corals, plants, and weird creepy-crawlies.
Now I go there for my new pup. We stock up on organic puppy food and all-natural treats. We also go there once a week to pick up frozen bone marrow, b/c it is her Favorite. I really can't say enough about them - I'm so glad we decided to give them a shot... they are truly one of a kind.
This place is wonderful. My dog has A LOT of skin allergy problems and the manager Allison has been incredibly helpful with finding the right food for him. They care about finding what your dog needs, and will gladly order something that they don't usually stock. I've even called them with follow up questions about certain ingredients. Can't really do that at a pet-co type store can you!
The staff here are very knowledgeable about animal nutrition, and they absolutely love my dog. Their selection of excellent dog food is second to none. The people who work there are always willing to help and can special order anything you want. Additionally, they deliver which is a huge plus, especially if you don't want your poor puppy to starve because you didn't go buy his special food on Sunday.
There are only two complaints I have about the place, the fact that it closes at 7:00 on weeknights, and that they don't carry my dogs medication (K-9 advantix and heart-guard). They can order it, but I usually don't take them up on the offer as I only need to go out there about once a month. I would go more, honestly, I only go out there once a month because they close at 7:00 on weeknights. If they were open later, they would get more of my business.
This is my neighborhood pet store. I am a freak about my dog. I wanted to make sure that the diet I was feeding him was good for his breed, size, breath, you name it. I went into Skipton's and the gal that helped me was chocked full of advice and information. She new where each brand of dog food was made, how it was made, it's benefits, whatever...she knew it. She made the raw diet recommendation and gave me the reasons why, but honestly, I can't stomach the idea of my dog eating raw fleshy anything.
Their prices are fair. The store is a bit dingy, but come on...it is a pet store, not a furniture store.
I love this place!!
The people who work there are always bickering playfully to eachother. It's like the pet-store where everybody knows your face. Haha. They have a lot of great food choices for dogs, cats, and fish. I LOVE their assortment of hard-to-find litter. I like being able to buy Worlds Best Cat Litter in bulk!
They deliver, but I prefer to just grab a zipcar once every few months to do a big time supplies pick up.
Prices are fair. Great selection of stuff that isn't crap. Good cat toys. Helpful, friendly service.
I sent my beau to get dog food a few days ago...
He came back with a giant bag of dog food labelled for young & active dogs... And the news that our beloved dog is of the working variety.
Maybe in a former lifetime he was a young, active, working dog, but in this one, he's a 7 year old english bulldog who has to be tugged down the street and would really prefer to be carried.
How fat will mr. tubba be once i feed him a 33 lb bag of food for the young & active, seriously man, can i bring it back?
two years later and honestly, skipton's couldn't be better, love my beau, but i suspect there was some miscommunication... but maybe i'm just biased because i recently found dog treats for my dog that he LOVES- chicken wrapped around banana!!!
Update: Skiptons will allow me to return it, but tubba is happy with the new food so why bother?
Hell, I gotta give Skipton 5 stars. It is an amazing pet store. They may not have the selection of a petco, but they make up for it in the service and attentiveness of the staff. They have the best food options, if you truly care about your dog.
It is true that most people feel fine feeding their dogs ALPO, but as for me, I feel the need to treat my puppy like a human. I wouldn't eat McDonald's everyday, and neither should my pup. So, that being said, I find the best foods there for my baby Bijou.
As for my fishtank, they are very honest about which fish are the healthiest and refuse to sell fish that might be sketchy.
Their salt water tank options are amazing. I have stood forever, staring at the salt water creatures they sell. I don't have a salt water tank, but they have the most amazing options.
I love Skiptons!
Uhm, can I rate this place 6 stars?
I want to mention that I have only gone here for fish and fish related products (I can't yet uhh afford a warm blooded animal) and so I don't know much about their other services (dog training and kennel) nor the selection of other products. BUT I can offer you this:
- An incredibly knowledgable, helpful staff, who will take time to explain to you, in full detail, any question you have. If they do not know it, they will track down someone who does or who could better assist you.
- Great quality fish that are well taken care of. One guy explained to me that their tanks have a drip? system which replenishes the tank with new water so the water is essentially changed daily. All of their fish look very healthy and very happy and they have great color. Perhaps the price tag may deter you, but it's worth it to know your fish will live a long life (provided that YOU take care of em).
- Awesome selection of fish, both saltwater and freshwater.
I agree with the other's, I love Skipton's. Yeah, at first I wasn't sure about the place but once I starting talking to them and asking questions, they were great. For me, it's all related to my brand new hobby with a freshwater fish tank, but they are honest and helpful. And they aren't pushing a ton of product for me to buy, they are asking me questions about what I want, what I'm looking for. And I watch them with other customers, too, and they are genuinely engaging with who they are dealing with.
I agree, they aren't rushing up to see if you need anything, but once you start asking some questions, they seem to take all the time you need. I was actually apologizing to one guy for taking a lot of his time and he was like, "Hey, it's cool, we all wanna be good fish parents." This is my third time back to the place and they are good, ethical people working there.
I went here just to check it out, even though I already have my favorite stores for shopping for my dog! They had a good selection of raw food (which surprised me), including Nature's Variety, Oma's, etc. and some raw bones, too.
I think it was the atmosphere (or lack there of), that put me off. It was dark, damp, and not very clean. It felt like a Petco gone wrong, and the staff were on the floor stocking etc. but not really helping you out.
The selection of foods and toys, etc. was good. As was the selection of fish, which is hard to find in Boston. When I was visting, there was some sort of specialist there helping them out fixing some sort of problem with the tanks and fish, though.
I have been a patron of Skipton's off & on for 15 years. Nice, knowledgeable staff who are not afraid to give you an informed opinion, good or bad, of the products they carry. For a store that's not exactly huge, they have a crazy big array of foods. The have the best catnip toys, too!
BEST OF ALL, they deliver! I have never owned a car in Boston, and I have occasionally dragged back-breaking bags of litter or food home. Skipton's is a lifesaver. A growing number of people have insisted that they must have cars in this city over the years, contributing to traffic & pollution problems. They are not totally wrong, as so many smaller, neighborhood businesses that provided the basic necessities have been priced out of the city or driven under by the big chains (There are fewer than half the hardware stores in Boston than there were in 1990). Skipton's is one of the reasons I can still be car-free in Boston. They're the best!
Skipton's is the best. The employees are down to earth and funny. They tell you like it is. They really KNOW fish so they can give you recommendations based on actual experience. Everyone who works there is extremely knowledgeable, and full of information. I asked a hundred annoying questions, and they were still helpful and friendly!
This place is great and has been in business at this location for ages. If you're in to aquariums as I am, this is the place for you in or near the SE. I've never had a problem with any of their fish. In fact I've had them Not sell me fish because they haven't been properly quarentined which is a plus in my book. They only get 4 stars because getting someone to help you is always a challenge here. Not bad once you get them, it may just take awhile for help with fish.
This is my favorite pet store. They don't have as much stuff as the bigger guys, but the stuff they do have is quality. They have all natural brands that don't sell in chains like California Natural, Innova, Wysong, etc. lots of gorgeous fish and fish tanks. Unfortunately they don't have much for small animals or ferrets, but this is a small negative. Plus, your conscious is put at ease since they only sell fish.
**on the T**
Great quality fish and pet foods. The Siamese fighting fish purchased here have lived to ripe old ages. The staff can be kind of crabby but I imagine its hard to have a pet shop steps away from a methodone clinic
They have a decent selection of saltwater fish, but they tend to be on the expensive side. The guy who works in the saltwater section is super knowledgeable and very friendly.
Skipton's is my favorite place to purchase dog food and supplies. They have the widest selection of high-end, natural dog foods in the Boston area, so although you might pay a bit more, you'll know you're not getting mystery meat contaminated in China. They also have a good selection of food if you subscribe to the raw diet philosophy.
The staff is extremely knowledgeable, though you may have to ask them for help.
I won't go here again. The staff were very rude.
If I'd written this review any earlier, I probably would have given Skipton's only three stars because they didn't carry Orijen and I'd have to go to Pet World in Natick or Polka Dog to get it. I was just there tonight and joy of joys, they now carry Orijen! Now I only have to to one pet store to buy food and it's close to home! Yea! They have a great selection of all the premium dog foods that I like to buy---Innova, Merrick, Evanger's, etc. They also sell these great all-natural wheat-free treats that are only like $6 a pound, which is much cheaper than the ones we get at the dog bakery. I only wish their selection of bones was a bit bigger. The staff here are extremely knowledgable about pets and the products they sell.
This is the best Pet supplie store in New England. If you are looking for any type of pet supply go to Skippton's. The have a huge range of fresh and tropical fish, dog and cat supplies and a vast range of knowledge to share.
i am not that impressed with this place. i was surprised i was so unimpressed considering the rave reviews on here.
i have a cat and we buy him the wellness and merrick wet food. at the other places where i usually shop (pet shop girls or the pet food outlet in alewife) there's a price per can, then a "case price" and it ends up being around 79 cents a can or less...at this place, the guy told me "the case price is the same as the per-can price" so i got all excited EXCEPT that the price is almost $1 a can! that is NOT a good deal! factor in the fact that i rented a zipcar to get there and i ended up spending more money to go here - lame.
plus it's unearthly humid in there because of all of the fish tanks. and the staff chat with each other so much you can barely get a word in edgewise to ask a question!
honestly, the prices here are not so great that i'll go out of my way to come back. i'll give them an extra star due to the wide variety of food for all different types of pets - if i had some fish i would be pretty stoked about this place.
best place for reef lover .the staff (steve) is so nice and also everyone there are so friendly too.
