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Dogtopia

Dogtopia Franchise
A Dog Lover's Dream Job

Playing. Barking. And plenty of tail wagging. It's just a typical day at Dogtopia Daycare and Spa. Here you'll find an upscale pet retreat where dogs enjoy being themselves while their owners are at work or away.

At Dogtopia, dogs enjoy supervised play in an "open" environment with no individual kennel runs. Instead they spend their day sniffing, frolicking and doing what dogs love best - having fun. Best of all, mom and dad can check in via webcam. So if you're looking for a proven franchise system that shares your passion for furry friends, you're barking up the right tree.

A Doggone Good Business

Imagine building your own business in a fast-growing industry, while working with adorable four-legged clientele. As a Dogtopia owner, you'll provide a much-appreciated service and act as the "pack leader" of an expanding family. Plus you'll have the added benefit of the strong bonds that you develop with employees and customers because of the passion you share.

A Fetching Opportunity

Dogtopia is a national, full service dog daycare franchise. Founded in 2002 by Amy Nichols, Dogtopia opened its first store location in Tysons Corner, VA. Amy's vision of the company had always been multiple locations. Because the success of the business is heavily focused on an Owner/Operator model, it made good sense to franchise. Dogtopia started franchising in 2005. As of Jan 1, 2011, there are 24 stores open in 13 states. 21 are franchise stores and 3 corporate stores.

Dogs are members of 45 million American households.
In 2008, pet-related spending is estimated to top $40.8 billion.
83% of dog owners refer to themselves as their pet's mom or dad.

Dogtopia Franchise Multiple Revenue Options

Day Care
Overnight Stays
Training Classes
Do-It-Yourself Dog Wash
Spa Services
Retail Sales from premium-quality toys, grooming supplies, food and treats

All You Need to Keep Tails Wagging

At Dogtopia, dogs get to enjoy playing with each other and staff in a supervised and safe environment; you get to enjoy a well-established and tested business model and unparalleled support. And to help your business get off on the right paw, Dogtopia offers the following:

Real estate and location assistance
Leveraged buying power
A comprehensive training course for day to day operations
Dog behavior and pack management training
A detailed step-by-step manual on our well-proven systems and processes
On-site assistance and ongoing management consulting
Professionally designed marketing materials and website

Dogtopia Franchise For more information…Sit, stay and inquire today!

"I just want to thank you for providing such a wonderful service. You have no idea how valuable you are to me when my husband is deployed overseas. You give me a chance to make plans with friends in the evenings, which helps make the time pass more quickly while my husband is gone. I can't even put a value on that."
- Paula, Dogtopia Customer

"We were just blown away by the concept. It was wonderful to see the dogs playing with other dogs all day long, instead of sitting in cages."
- Sue Dietrich, Dogtopia Franchisee

SUPPORT & TRAINING PROVIDED

Dogtopia

Financial Assistance Provided: Yes
Site Selection Assistance: Yes
Lease Negotiation Assistance: Yes
Recruiting Assistance: Yes
Co-Operative Advertising: Yes
Training: Comprehensive support and training program in 3 phases:

Phase 1 - Pre-opening support:

Real Estate support with broker representation, site searches, and lease negotiation, and zoning approvals
Site Support with site layout and design, architect selection, construction specifications, general contracting bidding process, and construction support
Pre-opening marketing activities include Press Releases announcing your “coming soon” to market and opening within the respective markets, and a unique web page. Building initial community relationships is essential. Organizations include the local Chamber of Commerce, dog boutiques, vet clinics, and shelter and rescue groups.

Phase 2 - Franchisee Training: Each Dogtopia franchisee is required to go through 10 days of training at the corporate Dogtopia facility prior to opening their respective stores. Franchisees may elect to include their Manager through the same training program. All aspects of operating the store are included in the training. Topics include:

Dog Safety and Playroom Management
Dog Evaluations and Temperament Testing
Interviewing and Hiring Employees
Staffing and Scheduling
Financial Reporting
Software Training
Marketing and Promotions
Customer Service
Front Desk Administration
Understanding and Implementing the Core Values of Dogtopia
Importance of building and maintaining the Dogtopia Brand

Phase 3 - Ongoing Support:

On site visitations - Dogtopia provides up to 5 days of initial opening assistance before the Grand Opening of each facility. They also perform periodic on-site visits and check-ins at each store annually on an as-needed basis.
Intranet - Dogtopia provides an online data base located on our company Intranet. Each Franchise can access the Operations Manual, site selection information, marketing materials and collateral, training and support updates, and all necessary documentation and templates needed at the Dogtopia stores. In addition, there are message boards, forums, and announcements that are updated on a daily basis. The Intranet is a great means of communication between the corporate office and franchisees alike.
Nationals Partnerships - Dogtopia has exclusive vendor relationships for growing stores and increasing brand awareness and customer relationships. Tools include Ad-builder portals, customer satisfaction software and reporting, easy-to-use royalty reporting system,
Monthly Paws - Each month CEO Amy Nichols sends out company-wide newsletter with advice, tips and strategies on running the business.
Bi-Weekly Coaching Call - As part of the ongoing support Dogtopia offers, each franchise is provided bi-weekly calls with a business coach. David Handler of Success Handler, LLC is well-respected throughout the industry and will begin calls upon open the store. The calls are used as a tool to discuss not only aspects of running the business but also how to balance personal life and reach goals.
Monthly Marketing Calls - Dogtopia holds a monthly marketing call on the first Tuesday of every month for all of open franchisees. Discussions include relevant and current topics about marketing and also provide a question and answer session so franchisees can get ideas and communicate with one another.
Monthly Operations Calls - Dogtopia holds a monthly operations call on the first Tuesday of every month for all open franchisees. Discussions include relevant and current topics on operating the store and also provide a question and answer session so Franchisees can get ideas and communicate with each other.
Conference - Dogtopia holds an annual conference each year with expert speakers on key elements of operating a Dogtopia. An example of some of the topics covered at the past Conferences: dog behavior, marketing and public relations, financial planning, real estate development, providing exceptional customer service, brand building.

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