Dogtopia, Cortlandt
Photo credit: Neal Rentz
Putnam Valley resident Susan Misuraca said last week she is “an avid dog advocate and avid dog lover.”
“My love is dogs. My life is dogs,” Misuraca said.
Her job fits in with Misuraca’s passion for canines. She is general manager of Dogtopia in Cortlandt. “I’m a people person and I’m a dog person. So, I’m getting the best of both worlds,” she said. “I’ve had dogs all my life. I love dogs. I would to do anything I can for them.”
The Cortlandt Dogtopia franchise opened in July in the Crompond Road building that formerly housed Canine Kindergarten.
Misuraca said Dogtopia is a day care center for dogs which also serves as a spa and overnight boarding facility for canines. “It’s kind of like a regular day care that you would send your children to,” she said. “We have open play all day for dogs and they come and just learn how to be a dog, they learn how to socialize with other dogs.”
Dogs are separated by size and temperament, Misuraca said. Prior to accepting dogs for their day care services, they do “a meet and greet,” when they are evaluated, she said. Prospective dog clients “meet the pack and see how they like it” during the free play day, she said.
“Nap time” is held from noon to 2 p.m. and dogs eat food in a crate, which is called a house, Misuraca said.
“We do all positive reinforcements,” Misuraca said. “We do group sits. We teach dogs what is good behavior and what is bad behavior. All of our canine coaches have well over 100 hours of training.”
Dogtopia is staffed day and night, seven days a week, Misuraca said. “Our main priorities are the safety of our pets and employees and the cleanliness,” she said. “We’re the most exciting day every for dogs.”
Dogtopia’s playrooms are regularly fully cleaned and the facility is regularly sanitized, Misuraca said.
The play areas have several cameras and customers can download an app to watch their pooches at Dogtopia, Misuraca said.
The spa services include baths, nail trimming and teeth brushing, Misuraca noted. Overnight boarding is also offered, including on weekends.
Dogtopia, which began in 2002, has more than 100 franchises throughout the United States and some in Canada and is “growing every day,” Misuraca said.
Dogtopia is located at 3655 Crompond Rd. (Route 202) in Cortlandt. For more information, call 914-930-8131 or send an e-mail to susanmisuraca@dogtopia.com.
