It’s safe to say Colorodoans love their dogs, given that this year Colorado animal shelters reported a combined intake of 94,361 dogs, with an adoption or return rate of over 90% according to statista.com. To cater to these needs in Fort Collins, national dog daycare and boarding service provider Dogtopia has opened a location on College Avenue, headed by owner and general manager Ashley Todd.

“Dogtopia really focuses on transparency and safety,” Ashley Todd said. “When a dog comes in, we want them to learn social cues, and how to play properly with other dogs. We really want to create what we call, ‘better canine citizens.’”

Dogtopia offers 24/7 remote camera access for dog owners, as well as the ability to accommodate any special diets, feeding times or medications a dog may require.

“Here in our food room, you can see all the different baggies we have with each dog’s food, labeled with their names,” said Gary Todd, a staff member at Dogtopia. “We’ve got the fridge, so if anyone wants their food chilled we can do that, and we’ve got the microwave, so if anyone wants their food heated up we can do that as well. We stock our own food too — Blue Buffalo — so if someone’s food gets left at home or if there’s a spill, no one is going hungry.”

Dogtopia is designed to group dogs of similar size together, with three rooms designed for small, medium and large dogs. Each room has several features for the dogs to climb on and play around, with handlers present to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Dogtopia really focuses on transparency and safety. … We really want to create what we call ‘better canine citizens.’”-Ashley Todd, general manager of Dogtopia.

“Here you can see how we separate the dogs during our rest times,” Gary Todd said, gesturing to a group of napping dogs in a row of crates. “At other places, daycare places maybe, you’ll see dogs separated from one another, where they have a wall behind them, two walls next to them and chain link in front of them. Here, when everyone is napping, all the dogs can see one another, no one feels like they’re singled out or being punished.”

Dogtopia also offers spa and grooming services, such as ear and teeth cleaning, bathing and nail clipping. Facilities are available for self-service as well, and Dogtopia is able to accommodate up to two dogs at a time.

“I really like the mission of Dogtopia, which is to make every dog a better canine citizen,” said Sam Gordon, a groomer at Dogtopia. “Here we’re able to provide every grooming service a dog would need, like trimming, bathing, and teeth and ear cleaning. I think that people may think about washing their dog, but wouldn’t necessarily consider something like cleaning their dog’s teeth. But their teeth work just like ours, so it’s certainly something I would recommend pet owners have done when they bring their dogs in.”

With rates beginning at $35 per day for daycare, Dogtopia provides a safe and stimulating atmosphere for dogs to both play and relax in. Staffed by dedicated dog lovers, Dogtopia hopes to become a hub for the Fort Collins canine community.

Walker Discoe can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @wdiscoe.