Annette and Eric Caporusso live every day like a dog: love unconditionally, have energy and enthusiasm for everything they do, and play best with other people. 

It’s one of the many reasons their Eau Claire-based dog daycare biz, Dogtopia, placed third in the 2021 Best of the Chippewa Valley Reader Poll for Best Pet Boarding/Sitting after a single year in business. 

“How bad could it be?” Annette Caporusso said with a laugh. “We’re working with dogs all day long. … We always say it’s like grandparenting. We get to spoil them and then send them home.”

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And dogs dropped off at Dogtopia are certainly spoiled. Pups enjoy spoils like spa treatments – complete with nail trims, teeth cleaning, puppy facials, and cucumber paw scrubs – four comfortable playrooms equipped with anti-bacterial rubberized floors, climate-control settings, and webcams so pet owners can watch their pups from home, supervised playtime with their BFFF (Best Furry Friends Forever), and abundant attention from trained canine coaches. 

Dogs are separated by temperament and play styles to ensure every puppy is matched with suitable playmates. And, they have scheduled nap times to ensure they get their beauty rest. 

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We get to know them on a personal level. Not just the pet parents but also the pets. We try to create a culture of treating every pet as if it’s our own.

ANNETTE CAPORUSSO

DOGTOPIA OF EAU CLAIRE

“We get to know them on a personal level,” Caporusso said. “Not just the pet parents but also the pets. We try to create a culture of treating every pet as if it’s our own.” 

After working in the medical industry for several decades, the Caporussos sought an opportunity to change gears and try something different. They felt particularly passionate about The Dogtopia Foundation, which fetches it forward by providing support for programs that connect service dogs to veterans, youth literacy programs, and employment initiatives for people with autism. “That foundation was really a home run for us,” Caporusso said. 

In addition to supporting The Dogtopia Foundation, the Caporussos aim to work with local humane associations and organizations to make the community the best place for dogs that it can be. “Every dog deserves a home,” she said. “And we want every dog to have a home and be loved like every dog here. And if we can help and be part of that, that’s always something we want to do every day.” 

Caporusso, a dog lover herself with three furry friends at home, says her success comes from her tight-knit team who know how to work together – and have a little bit of fun. 

“I remember the first weekend that we opened, my son wanted to sleep with the boarding dogs that were here,” she said. “And we try to make all of our employees feel that every role that they play – whether it’s small or large – every role is important. … We all have to function as a team.”

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Dogtopia of Eau Claire
2706 Golf Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715)861-6303
eauclaire@dogtopia.com
www.dogtopia.com/eau-claire/

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