A recent episode of Franchise Euphoria featured Neil Gill, the CEO and President of Dogtopia. Host Josh Brown sat down with Gill to discusses Dogtopia’s growth and how franchisees can better understand their target market. 

After diving into his business background and his experience with several different franchise systems, Gill discussed what led him to the Dogtopia concept. Upon returning to the US, he noticed that the pet care sector was growing immensely, with 74% of millennials becoming pet parents. “Our core target demographic is the female millennial. She spends more on dogs today than any other individual in the country, and there’s more of her than anyone other single demographic.” 

He helped cultivate the brand’s unique focus on socialization, education, and exercise.  65% of dogs in the US are obese, and pet parents are becoming increasingly concerned about the health and wellness of their pups. “We are a lead generation business that provides the highest level of care for people’s babies. That’s what we do. In this business, we have developed a role called the PPRM (Pet Parent Relationship Manager) role. And that role is very much about ensuring that the pet parents are very much looked after as part of their journey with Dogtopia.”

Gill explained that Dogtopia has become the fastest growing pet franchise in the United States by standing apart from other dog care facilities. Dogtopia’s certified Canine Coaches, who supervise the pups and teach basic commands, are unique because they are certified by the two largest dog training schools in America.

Gill also discussed the Dogtopia Foundation, which focuses on dogs giving back to humanity. The Foundation supports three causes:

  • Service Veterans: Provides support and help to returning service vets. Currently supporting 22 service dogs.
  • Sit, Stay, Read: Takes dogs into underprivileged schools and allows kids to read to the dogs, which helps improve their literacy immensely.
  • Employment Programs for Adults with Autism: Actively employs individuals with autism in our Dogtopia stores.

You can listen to the full podcast here. Interested in applying for a Dogtopia franchise? Get started here.