The No. 1 Franchise in Pet Services Is Actually One of the Fastest-Growing Brands in All of Franchising Say hello to Dogtopia, whose services go well beyond daycare and overnight stays.

Whether you own a dog or not, one thing is for certain: Most owners consider their puppy pals to be a loved member of the family. Because of this close connection, pet parents don't want to leave their pets with just any doggy daycare. The team behind Dogtopia realized this long ago, and that's why they're on a mission to offer more than just daycare, overnight stays, and even spa services.

"We're trusted dog wellness experts dedicated to enhancing the lives of dogs and their families," says Dogtopia CEO Neil Gill. "Our services and products are rooted in science, validated by data, and delivered with love in modern, convenient, and safe facilities."

It's this mission and passion that has propelled Dogtopia to the top of Entrepreneur's annual Franchise 500 Ranking in the Pet category, coming in No. 1 again this year – making it five consecutive years on top. And they rank #69 on our overall list (Dogtopia has ranked within the top 100 for the last five years.)

The 2024 Franchise 500 is Entrepreneur's most competitive ever with 1,389 franchisors submitting, which is a record number. Dogtopia's #69 2024 Franchise 500 ranking puts it within the top 5% of all brands that submitted, which is a well-deserved achievement. Since 2017, Dogtopia has opened more than 230 locations in North America while awarding over 500 licenses to new franchisees. There will be more than 265 open locations by the end of this year.

Ready for growth in 2024 and beyond.

As Dogtopia notes, the pet sector has become a fast-growing $137 billion industry, increasing from $48 billion in 2010 to $70 billion in 2017 and spiking to $110 billion during the pandemic (due to increased pet adoption). Globally, the pet market is projected to reach $350 billion by 2027.

Dogtopia has been around to take advantage of this rapid industry growth. Established in 2002 and franchising since 2005, Dogtopia says it drastically improved the model for pet care services by focusing on quality, transparency, and safety in its span of offerings, which include daycare, spa services, grooming, training, and boarding. Dog owners can check on their furry friends via web cameras at each location, and Dogtopia's highly trained staff help ensure that pets are well taken care of and always go home happy.

"We rely on our 'village of knowledge'—including an environmental biologist, veterinarian, and credentialed dog trainer—to innovate and optimize our services and products, so we can continue to be the trusted care partner for every dog family," Gill says.

Keeping holistic dog wellness at the forefront, Dogtopia this year plans to leverage the latest technology to launch a comprehensive, science-backed wellness tracking program, which will provide dog owners with a detailed report every time their pet visits a Dogtopia location. It will monitor dogs' physical activity, socialization, sleep, and more.

Dogtopia's growth is set to continue this year, and new franchisees are wanted. Dogtopia is "committed to opening a location in every major neighborhood, with 50 more slated to open in 2024 alone," Gill says.

Click here to learn more about Dogtopia and about how to become a franchisee.