Dogtopia - Dog Daycare & Boarding

About Us

Friends of
K-9 Support

Lin-Ley

Dogtopia's in Woodbridge, VA and Manassas, VA held a dog wash fundraiser in July 2009 to raise money for the Prince William County K-9 Unit. They purchased much needed items for the unit totaling $2,400!! Shortly after presenting the donations, they received the email below. It's so wonderful to know the positive impact donations from the community can have!

From: Pass, Gregory A.
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 6:32 PM
Subject: New IR beacons / K9 Unit
Amber / Brian,
One of our K9 teams (Officer Yost / K9 Dante) performed a track last night in Manassas regarding a bailout of a stolen vehicle. Fairfax Police helicopter provided air support and the new IR beacon was used to assist in the operation. The track led to the discovery of the suspect, who was hiding from police.
Just wanted to let you know that your purchase is being put to use and is working fantastic. Thanks again for everything.
- Greg

Dogtopia Raises $15,000 to Benefit Working K-9s Across U.S.

More than 700 Dogs Bathed in Simultaneous Dog Washes from Coast to Coast

July 22, 2009 // Franchising.com // Bethesda, MD - Hundreds of dogs across the country were bathed, towel-dried and spritzed this past weekend all in the name of charity. Dogtopia, a chain of upscale dog day care and spa facilities, held its 5th Annual Charity Dog Wash to benefit working dogs, raising a record amount of money for their four-legged friends.

From California to Maryland, 14 Dogtopia locations held simultaneous dog washes Ð most to benefit local law enforcement K-9 Units - and raised $15,000 across the board. In all, about 750 dogs were washed throughout the weekend.

"Given the state of the economy, we are thrilled to surpass the $7,000 we raised last year," said Amy Nichols, CEO and Founder of Dogtopia. "Dogs are such a meaningful part of our families. We felt that assisting police and military working dogs would really resonate with our customers, and it certainly did!"

Working police dogs play an important role in detecting narcotics and explosives, search and rescue operations, evidence recovery and criminal apprehension in their communities. In addition, the dog is responsible for protecting their police handlers. Proceeds from the Dogtopia dog washes will help defer costs for equipment such as ballistic vests, safety harnesses and the outfitting of cars.

Nichols began her campaign to raise awareness for military dogs, as well as working dogs of all kinds in July 2005. To accommodate the success of the campaign, she established a permanent charitable wing of her company called K-9 Support. To date, K-9 Support has raised more than $45,000 for the cause.

This year, locations in Manassas, VA; Chantilly, VA; Alexandria, VA; Woodbridge, VA; North Bethesda, MD; Danvers, MA; Waco, TX; Austin, TX; Wilmington, DE; Clarksville, MD; Omaha, NE; North Raleigh, NC; Temecula, CA and San Marcos, CA participated in the dog wash.

"The Dogtopia annual dog wash is our biggest event of the year for K-9 Support. I'm thrilled that so many of our locations participated and that together we raised much needed funds and awareness for working dogs," Nichols said. "Most dogs we're in contact with lead pampered lives. We want to take care of the dogs that watch over us."

K-9 Support's 4^th Annual Charity Dog Wash

On July 13^th, 2008 seven Dogtopia locations held simultaneous dog washes in support of our brave K9 Handlers and their dog's working tirelessly overseas. We were once again amazed at the community response and were quite tired after washing nearly 500 dogs! The events raised over $6,500... that's a lot of care packages!

Undoubtedly this success was bolstered by the great media attention our efforts received! Check out the media section to view our articles in The Washington Post, USA Today, Howard County Times, Waco Tribune-Herald and others! We were also visited by the local Washington, D.C. WUSA affiliate. Click here to see the piece.

You can view great pictures in the Waco and Manassas photo galleries.

CBS News in Washington, D.C. featured our charity dog wash! Click here to watch!

A very special donor

All the donations we receive are much appreciated, but for two years the contribution of a little girl named Lin-Ley has been particularly touching. In recent years, she's chosen to collect donations for the "soldier dogs" in lieu of presents at her birthday party. For everyone who remembers being 6, this is a major sacrifice and one that will undoubtedly bring a smile to the face of the troops as we pass it along to them. She's a shining example of the spirit of why Dogtopia started this effort. You rock Lin-Ley!

K-9 Support was featured on the CBS Early Show!

The Early Show recently visited our White Flint, MD location to learn more about K9 Support. They sat down to speak with our Founder, Amy Nichols, filmed our "Spring Fling" fundraiser and were even able to capture footage of the packages being opened overseas! Click here to view the video.

On July 4, 2005, Dogtopia® in Vienna, Va. began a campaign to create awareness and generate support for military dogs and their handlers stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere overseas.

Their first fundraiser, a dog wash, attracted national attention to their cause and brought-in over $9,000. To date Dogtopia® has raised over $20,000 and shipped over 5,000 lbs of supplies. Packages include goodies for both humans and canine alike, but also essential equipment, such as cooling pads, protective eye wear and heat resistant clothing.

Following up on the campaigns success, Dogtopia® created a permanent non-profit arm to the company, known as K-9 Support, Inc., to support working dogs of all kinds. From military dogs to rescue dogs to Seeing Eye dogs, Dogtopia® is committed to aiding these wonderful animals in any way we can.

For more information about the organization or how you can help, please call 1-888-DOGTOPIA.

K-9 Support in the News

Tokens From the Home Front - The Washington Post, Decmber 24, 2006
Dog Wash Raises $8,500 to Support Military Dogs - Press Release, July 26, 2005
For Fundraiser, Dogs become bathing Beauties - The Washington Times, July 25, 2005
Northern Virginia dog-lovers support Military dogs in Iraq - Marine Corps News, July 25, 2005
Tysons Pet Spa Works to Equip the Dogs of War - The Washington Post, July 24, 2005
War Dogs Lap Up Support - The Washington Times, July 05, 2005
Support Sought to Aid Military Dogs in Iraq - Press Release, June 30, 2005

Background on Working Dogs

Military Dogs
Throughout the history of warfare, brave canines have served in battle as sentries, warriors and even mascots. During World War I, the French used Alaskan sled dogs to haul ammunition through mountains and rough terrain. Today, U.S. military working dogs, also known as "War Dogs," are used overseas to detect mines and to secure the perimeters of military installations. They have also been used to track enemies, patrol tunnels and to send long distance messages.

Service Dogs
Service dogs serve persons with sight or hearing impairments and pull wheelchairs for those with physical disabilities. They are not pets and by federal accessibility law must be allowed into stores and restaurants with their owners. At eight weeks of age, service dogs are placed in the loving home of a volunteer who teaches basic obedience and socialization. At about 18 months of age, these dogs are professionally trained by an instructor and are eventually trained along with their handler.

Police Dogs
The international use of dogs for law enforcement was established in the early 1900s. Police dogs have generally been used as police partners as well as guards and deterrents. They also sniff out criminals and detect illegal substances, explosives and accelerants for arson investigations.

Explorer Dogs
Explorer dogs were used to protect voyagers as they traveled. From sentry duty to guarding prisoners, explorer dogs proved essential to any team of sojourners. One of the best-known explorer dogs was a Newfoundland Scannon, who protected Lewis and Clark on their famed expedition through the Pacific Northwest coast during the 18th century. Because they saved so many lives, explorer dogs were eventually drafted and trained for military duty.

Search and Rescue Dogs
Search and Rescue dogs are used for emergency situations as well as disaster relief during earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, etc. Even before the dust has settled on an emergency, these dogs and their handlers are out risking their own lives to search for victims. With a sense of smell more powerful than a humanÕs, they are also used to find missing persons and uncover evidence. Search and Rescue dogs save lives and bring comfort to families and friends around the world.

Spring Fling: a Benefit for K-9 Support

Summer was on the horizon, which meant the working K9 teams overseas would soon be in need of cooling equipment. Past dog wash fundraisers had been very successful, but organizers sought a fresh idea to bring this very important cause back to the forefront. Thus the idea of holding a spring social was born!

On February 25^th, 2007 K-9 Support held one of its largest fundraisers to date: Spring Fling. Local doggie enthusiasts gathered at Dogtopia® in North Bethesda, MD to enjoy an afternoon of wine, hor d'ourves and mingling with their favorite four-legged friend for a wonderful cause. Images by local photographer Lee Anderson adorned the walls and a decadent doggie treat bar was generously provided by Barkley Square Bakery. The event attracted a crowd of over 200 and raised approximately $2,000, allowing packages to go out to 3 brand new units in Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar.

K-9 Support 1^st Annual Charity Dog Wash

In its ongoing efforts to support military dogs stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Dogtopia® raised more than $8,500 and washed nearly 160 dogs at a fundraiser on July 25, 2005 at its headquarters on Tyco Road.

"We're simply overwhelmed by the enormous local and international support that has been generated through this campaign," said Amy Nichols, President & CEO of Happy to be Here, Inc., the franchise company of Dogtopia®. "When we began this campaign, we had modest hopes of raising about $1,000 and maybe washing 50 dogs. But our customers and the entire community have rallied behind this campaign and our initial expectations have been blown away."

The dog wash included a steady stream of customers, as four wash stations worked non-stop throughout the afternoon.

"There was a 45-minute wait at times, but area dog lovers were undeterred from supporting their troops overseas," Nichols said. "Many members of the community visited the event only to donate money and watch the dog wash. It was a spectacular turnout."