Dogtopia, a unique dog day care business, overnight and spa franchise, on Tuesday announced the signing of a franchise agreement, which will bring four new dog day cares to the tri-state area. Behind the agreement are Orangetheory Fitness franchisees Eric and Tara Hudson, who will develop their day cares in Passaic County and Rockland County, New York. In New Jersey, Dogtopia currently has six day cares open, with two in development, and in New York, the company has 10 existing day cares, with one in development.
“The Hudsons are a perfect addition to the Dogtopia family,” Alex Samios, chief growth officer of Virginia-based Dogtopia, said. “Franchisees from the fitness sector have performed extremely well in our leading pet franchise, so partnering with the Hudsons to develop four new locations throughout New Jersey and New York was a natural fit.”
Eric and Tara Hudson have been Orangetheory Fitness franchisees since 2016, with three gyms open and one in development. Their interest in Dogtopia was sparked after they adopted a puppy named Roxy last year and saw firsthand how much value Dogtopia can bring to pet parents.
“We are strong, driven, passionate leaders with a proven track record of success as multiunit franchise owners, having led the development, growth and operations of some of the most successful locations within the Orangetheory network,” Tara Hudson said. “With three children and a 10-month-old puppy, we thought Dogtopia was the perfect brand to diversify our portfolio and continue showing our family what can be achieved with hard work, drive and compassion.”
This deal with the Hudsons continues a hot streak of new franchise agreements for Dogtopia in 2023. Last month, the company announced it surpassed 500 signed agreements, propelled by a historic 33-unit deal with a Los Angeles-based family office.
Dogtopia has attracted entrepreneurs from a variety of notable backgrounds and franchise brands, such as Orangetheory Fitness, Primrose Schools, Dunkin, Jimmy John’s, Jersey Mike’s Subs and Sports Clips. It is the fastest-growing pet franchise in the U.S. With more than 230 locations currently operating throughout the U.S. and Canada, Dogtopia plans to open franchise locations across a variety of North American markets and grow to reach the 400-unit milestone by 2025.
