Dogtopia of South Lafayette gives dogs a structured place to exercise, socialize, learn, and receive thoughtful care while their families are away. Through daycare, overnight boarding, grooming, and training, the team helps local pet parents meet their dogs’ physical, social, and behavioral needs in one convenient location.

A backyard can give a dog room to exercise, but dogs also benefit from enrichment, socialization, training, and positive interaction.

At Dogtopia, dogs enjoy supervised play with compatible companions while trained Canine Coaches encourage healthy interactions and redirect undesirable behaviors. This structured experience can be especially helpful for puppies, high-energy dogs, dogs that become bored at home, and dogs that need additional socialization or confidence building.

Some pet parents initially believe their dog needs specialized obedience or behavioral training. However, the Dogtopia team has seen dogs begin behaving better at home after daycare helps meet their needs for exercise, enrichment, and socialization.

General Manager Kaitlyn Azemar understands how the right support can transform a dog’s life.

The 23-year-old Lafayette native developed a love for training while teaching her childhood dog, Ragin, more than 50 tricks. Her career path became clear after she rescued Oakley, a dog who struggled with aggression toward people.

Helping Oakley inspired Kaitlyn to work with dogs professionally. She gained experience in boarding and training facilities as well as veterinary clinics before joining Dogtopia nearly five years ago. She began as a Canine Coach, quickly joined the leadership team, and was promoted to General Manager on her 21st birthday.

Kaitlyn is now a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a member of the Dogtopia Canine Behavior Council. She provides behavioral support to Dogtopia locations across the country and helps guide company policies intended to improve behavior awareness. She also travels to newly opened locations to train new Canine Coaches.

Kaitlyn’s experience supports Dogtopia’s commitment to staff education. New Canine Coaches complete a rigorous training program covering canine body language, playgroup management, first aid, training principles, and relationships between dogs.

Before joining daycare, each dog completes an evaluation. Dogs are then placed in playgroups based on factors such as size, temperament, and play style. Live webcams allow pet parents to check in and watch their dogs during playtime.

The facility is also deep-cleaned twice each day using proprietary products developed for effective use around dogs. Its playrooms feature rubberized flooring designed with the joints of growing puppies and senior dogs in mind.

Kaitlyn encourages families to tour any facility they are considering. Pet parents should pay attention to what they see, hear, and smell and ask how employees are trained, how playgroups are managed, and what happens when a dog shows signs of illness or behavioral concerns.

Dogtopia’s commitment reaches beyond its regular daycare, boarding, grooming, and training services. Through its foster program with Acadiana Animal Aid, the South Lafayette team gives shelter dogs a break from the kennel environment along with socialization and obedience training.

Last year, more than 30 dogs who spent time at the facility found permanent homes. The location also supports the Dogtopia Foundation and recently sponsored Bear, a service dog assisting a veteran in Louisiana.

Outside of work, Kaitlyn builds custom bioactive reptile enclosures and terrariums and enjoys kayaking with her three rescue dogs, Oakley, Andi, and Duncan.

Whether a family needs dependable care while traveling, additional enrichment for an active dog, or help building a dog’s confidence, Dogtopia provides a place where dogs can learn, play, and feel at home.