Dogtopia of Tysons Corner, VA Blog

We received dozens of entries to our “King or Queen for a Day Contest” – an awesome response! We were so thrilled to read how much you loved your dogs and what made them special to you!

After careful consideration, a seven month old Beagle Mix named Layla was chosen as our Queen for the Day! She will be treated to a day of play with her loyal furry subjects and a trip to the royal spa for pampering, followed by a str0ll around the boutique to select the best doggie amusements. Read Layla’s tale below.

Layla’s royal canine court includes Wendy the Puggle as Court Jester, who always keeps us smiling and Skylar the Boston Terrier as our Duchess of Ashburn! Doesn’t she just look regal??

Wendy’s Entry
Skylar’s Resume for Queen

Thank you again for the wonderful entries. It’s clear that every Dogtopia dog is lucky to have such loving parents and they are all royal in their own rights!

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Queen Layla’s “Tail” as told by her Mom Christine

Layla should be queen of Dogtopia for a day. She is a seven month old beagle mix, she has a sparkle in her eyes and a smile on her face. She wasnt always such a happy girl. Layla had a rough start to life. Her first owner gave Layla and her brother to a kill shelter in rural Virginia. Her brother had parvo but Layla luckily was able to avert any sickness from her first home. From her shelter she moved to a foster home with a rescue group in rural Virginia. After they had had Layla for three months, they could no longer care for her and moved her up to a rescue group in Northern Virginia, into yet another foster home.

When I went to meet the dogs at the adoption day, Layla and her brother caught my eye. After spending time with Layla and her brother, I knew there was something special. I found out that her brother was adopted that day and Layla was going to be all alone. That’s when I decided she was the one for me. I took her home two weeks later and it was a hard adjustment. She was shy with me, scared of dogs and scared of any strangers. It took weeks of socialization and getting her into a routine for her to come out of her shell. Now she LOVES playing with dogs at the dog park and saying hello to people on her walks. I think she has finally realized that she has a home for good and all she has to do is be one good puppy! I couldn’t imagine having any other dog. She is smart, playful and has the best little freckles on her snout Her story of being rehomed and rehomed has a happy ending and Layla isn’t going anywhere. She may have had been in 5 new places with new people in the first 6 months of her life but she now has one true forever home.

Layla deserves to be queen as she is the rags to riches story.

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And we couldn’t agree more. All Hail Queen Layla!

This adorable terrier actually visits Dogtopia of Dulles regularly, but something tells me many of our clients can identify.

We’re undergoing an extreme makeover!

Ok – not exactly extreme, but we are having some renovations.

In the next few weeks our outdoor space will become 50% larger and our Toy Box (where the little dogs rule) will almost double in size! The same sealed, rubber flooring we use in other playrooms will also be added for the little guys.

At times this renovation may affect our webcam availability. We thank you for your patience in advance – Dogtopia will be bigger and even better!

During our busiest holidays it is always a thrill to see so many familiar pups coming through the door.

Georgia sittin' pretty

Georgia is a sweet Corgi with the most beautiful coat! She has more a glorious mane than fur. She is the princess of the Lounge and has no problem sitting on that throne! We’re so happy she’ll stay with us over the next few days.

If your dog will not join us this weekend for some Independence Day romping, please take note of these helpful tips from The Humane Society of the US on keeping your pet happy and safe:

*  Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.
*  Do not leave your pet in the car. Even partially opened windows cannot provide sufficient air.
*  Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you’ve removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you’re attending Fourth of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations.
*  If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
*  Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn’t leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
*  Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners.

Ranger - Dog of the Week 3/1/09

We could have team meetings and sit around all day debating how we can improve, make customers happier and even attract new ones… but why not just ask?

Visit the link below to fill out our survey and your answers will provide invaluable information on how we can better serve you and your wonderful dogs!

Enter your email address at the end and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a $100 Dogtopia gift certificate.

Dogtopia Survey

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Now wasn’t that easy?

… but this will be the 7th Thanksgiving at Dogtopia of Tyson’s Corner!

One of things we have always been thankful for is the unflappable loyalty of our clients. This is especially true this year when we’ve seen such unpredictability in the economy. We’re still going strong and will have a full house of four-legged players for Thanksgiving!

Earlier this year we established an honor we dubbed “Founding Fidos“. As we approached our 6th birthday we wanted to give some special recognition to those clients who had been with us from the beginning and were absolutely vital in the success of the business.

Pouring through our evaluation logs from several years ago was an awesome stroll down memory lane. We smiled and shared “Remember when?” stories about dogs we still see bounding into our lobby each week – like Remy, Bree and Rocky. We couldn’t help, but cry at the memories of wonderful dogs we’d lost over the years like our sweetheart Maggie and our loveable Lab Taz.

The relationships we’ve built in 6 1/2 years with the dogs and their parents are simply priceless. We love seeing the enthusiastic wagging tails in the morning as they pull Mom or Dad through the door. Having a particularly cute story about your dog’s new girlfriend or how they took a swim in the water bowls is always a treat.

The fact that our top source of new clients is referral from current ones is a compliment we do not overlook. Talk about having something to be thankful for.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

It’s mid-November, and Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Have you booked your dog’s holiday stay with Dogtopia yet? Call us at 703-821-0700 or stop by soon before all spots are filled.

We can’t wait to spend the holidays with all of our favorite 4-legged friends!