Dogtopia Expanding National Growth with New Riverside County, California Regional Developer Agreement

Tysons Corner, VA (PRWEB) August 29, 2014

Dogtopia, an award winning national dog daycare and recipient of Inc. 500/5000 List of America’s Fastest Growing Companies and Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500, announced today it has signed a regional developer agreement with Gary Whitaker to expand further into Riverside County, California. This agreement is part of Dogtopia’s aggressive growth strategy to open more than 400 locations across the U.S. and Canada over the next several years.

Whitaker, a successful business owner/operator in Southern California, is currently seeking qualified franchisee candidates and commercial space to open about nine Dogtopia locations throughout the region. The company is targeting Riverside County cities like Corona, Ontario, Norco, Fontana and others. The region’s flagship location, which will be owned by Whitaker, is slated to open Q4 of 2014, most likely in Ontario. This will be the second Dogtopia location in Riverside County; Dogtopia of Temecula, located at 27629 Commerce Center Dr., opened in 2008.

“With the strong year over year growth in the pet care industry and vast opportunities in this category, there were many compelling reason for me to become part of the Dogtopia franchise system,” said Gary Whitaker, Dogtopia Riverside County regional developer. “After meeting the team at corporate headquarters, I immediately saw the immense opportunity for other Riverside entrepreneurs, like myself, in this award-winning concept.”

Gary has a long history of success. In 1996, he and his partners purchased Fred Smith, Ltd., and created Desert European Motorcars, Ltd. He became not only the owner and GM, but the number one Rolls-Royce and Bentley salesperson in the world. Gary has become a master of service, sales and business management. A true entrepreneur at heart, he has also had great success with other business ventures in the service industry, fashion industry, entertainment industry, and now the pet care industry.

In 2002, Amy Nichols founded Dogtopia in part due to her own challenges finding suitable care for her Boston Terrier, Griffin, while she maintained a busy career. She was confident there were many other working professionals and busy families just like her looking for an alternative to leaving their beloved dog at home alone all day.

“We are dedicated to being best-in-class in our industry and look for other best-in-class partners to help Dogtopia realize its enterprising goals over the next several years. Gary has an impressive track record and a diverse business background. His experience combined with his enthusiasm for Dogtopia make it the perfect time for us to expand into Riverside County,” said Amy Nichols, CEO of Dogtopia. "As we continue to grow across North America with our regional developer model, it is critical to identify entrepreneurs like Gary who serve as local representatives for the brand and are focused on owning and managing a rapidly growing business. We also continue to seek out commercial lease space to accommodate this growth and provide the best locations for the communities we plan to operate in."

As pet spending continues to increase, now is the ideal time for the Dogtopia franchise system. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), pet spending is estimated to reach an all-time high of more than $58.5 billion in the United States in 2014. Additionally, 68 percent of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 82.5 million homes, demonstrating there is a significant population that could benefit from dog daycare and boarding services.

Since Dogtopia launched in 2002, it has grown to 30 locations with 18 additional currently under development across the U.S. and Canada. There are currently eight regional developers representing 95 future Dogtopia locations. Dogtopia’s design and color scheme mirrors that of an upscale spa, yet it is laid out in a similar manner to a children’s daycare facility; there are multiple playrooms to suit every dog’s personality and size. In addition to daycare and boarding, Dogtopia also offers a spa, self-service dog wash and a boutique to pamper dogs of all shapes and sizes.

For more information regarding Dogtopia franchise opportunities in Riverside County, contact Gary Whitaker at gwhitaker(at)dogdaycare(dot)com.

About Dogtopia
Dogtopia is a national dog daycare, boarding and spa franchise committed to providing exceptional care to canines and their families at its 30 U.S. locations. Dogtopia prides itself on being a place where pets are valued as family, and dogs enjoy playtime, spa treatments and overnight stays in a positive environment. The company was founded by Amy Nichols in 2002 based on the belief that combining a strong vision, a passion for dogs and a second-to-none executive team would lead to success. With that success, Dogtopia began franchising in 2005. Currently, there are 30 locations with 18 additional currently under development nationwide. The Dogtopia system includes both franchise and company-owned stores. Dogtopia is poised to grow to more than 400 stores in the U.S. and Canada over the next several years. Dogtopia is the proud recipient of Inc. 500/5000 List of America’s Fastest Growing Companies (2008 – 2014), Entrepreneur Franchise 500 (2014), Smart CEO Future 50 (2014) and Franchise Times Next 300 (2013). Visit http://www.dogdaycare.com for more information.

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