Coco "enjoys" his bathing experience at Top Dog Pet Wash in Fresno. Photo by Ben Hensley

Locals familiar with the River View Shopping Center at Friant and Fort Washington roads in Fresno are likely no strangers to some of the area’s pet-friendly options.

With the Woodward Park dog park located just across Friant Road, several pet-friendly restaurants are located nearby. With plenty of walking space on local sidewalks and inside neighborhoods, it’s no shock to see a flurry of four-legged friends frolicking through the crosswalks on their way to their trigger words: walk, play and outside.

But many in the area may be unfamiliar with two other pet-focused businesses — one coming soon and one a mainstay in the shopping center — here to accommodate your fur baby’s needs.

 

Top Dog Pet Wash

Opened in 2015, Top Dog Pet Wash offers a one-stop shop for do-it-yourself dog washing.

Owner Chris Topjian always wanted to own his own business and was inspired by the idea after seeing it while on vacation.

“I’d never heard of a do-it-yourself dog wash before,” he said. “Being that I’ve always wanted to have a business I thought maybe it was something I could get into.”

For eight years now, Topjian has seen the business grow, evolve and acquire a word-of-mouth reputation among the pet-owning community.

Topjian, who worked in the grocery business prior to opening Top Dog, carries over his customer-centric focus that he learned from his years in the grocery business, catering to the customer first.

With adjustable bathing tubs, shampoo, aprons and towels on hand and comfortable 82-degree water, Topjian places the comfort of the pet and the accessibility of the customer as his priority.

“I have everything you need to wash and dry your dog,” he said. “We always have somebody here to show you how to use the stuff that we have.”

Customers with more than one dog are also welcome, as each tub includes a hitching post for the “next-in-line” pet. Topjian said that while occasionally some dogs will “talk” to one another, there has never been a physical incident between two pets.

Top Dog offers pricing based on size of dog, but customers say the cost is worth it for the ability to do it yourself.

“For one, I like the price,” said Sierra Camino, who washes her dog, Henry, at Top Dog monthly. “For two, I like that I get to be with my dog and check his paws and I know he’s most comfortable with me.”

Camino, who lives in the foothills, said that the availability of dog-washing stations is also something that she enjoys, rarely having to wait more than a few minutes for Henry’s monthly bath.

Topjian said that over his eight years owning the business, he’s enjoyed the social aspect of the pet-oriented business as well, observing that pet-ownership (and thus, pet bathing) crosses all bounds of life.

“It crosses all the lines; politics, religion, race, whether you’re gay or straight — none of that matters here,” Topjian said. “People come here because they want to.”

Top Dog Pet Wash is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It is located at 9415 N. Fort Washington Rd. Suite 106 in Fresno

 

Riverpark Pet Hospital

Just up the road from the River Park Shopping Center sits its future namesake pet hospital, the Riverpark Pet Hospital.

Opening this July, the Riverpark Pet Hospital, owned by Doctor Guriqbal Nayyar, will serve as a one-stop medical center for all pets, adding an option for an often overlooked, necessary service for pet owners.

Nayyar said his choice to open off Fort Washington Road was inspired by the visibility and accessibility of the shopping center, as well as the community’s need to introduce more veterinary services to the area.

“There’s only one big practice [nearby], which is a very good one, but at the same time, we need more veterinarians,” he said. “Where we work, we see people all the way from Sanger to Oakhurst, to all different parts of the city.”

Nayyar said that the addition of the new hospital will ease access and help save both travel and wait times.

“The No. 1 reason for disappointment in pet owners is commuting,” he said. “With this plaza, we’re very reachable.”

The clinic, located at 9433 N. Fort Washington Rd., Suite 101, formerly home to Martial Art Fresno, was renovated by Legacy Construction, who is the primary contractor for local health care provider United Health Care.

Riverpark Pet Hospital will sport a similar look to the United Health Care centers in the Valley, with a modern feel featuring easy-to-access amenities for doctors as well as spacious, inviting interiors for clients.

After graduating in India in 2005, Nayyar practiced veterinary medicine with large animals including horses and cattle prior to moving to Canada to work with dairy farmers in the sales department.

After a while, however, Nayyar was drawn back to veterinary medicine, relocating to the Fresno area in 2017, and working for Banfield and Armstrong Pet Hospital prior to opening his practice.

“It’s been such a blessed experience, especially during COVID when we thought we couldn’t handle all of the clientele — but we did somehow,” he said. “Even now, we have a strong need for veterinarians.”

Clients can reserve their furry friends’ appointments by visiting riverparkvet.com. Nayyar said that phone services for the clinic are expected to be in place soon in preparation for an early July grand opening.