Introducing Barkley Ventures!

Barkley Ventures, Inc. is the parent company of the Central Bark Doggy Day Care franchise system. It was created as a partnership between two like-minded doggy day care professionals with more than 20 years of combined business experience.

Jackie Jordan and Chris Gaba joined forces in 2003 to create the most comprehensive doggy day care program available. By closely evaluating their own individual operations, the collaboratively developed an unparalled system of best practices and criteria for doggy day care. Simply no other day care operation compares with the systems, operations, philosophy and support offered through Barkley Ventures, Inc.

For those who are interested in joining the fast-growing field of doggy day care, Barkley Ventures has the experience and expertise to turn those dreams into action. Are you dreaming of a career in canine care? Find out how to make it happen!

About the Principals

Jackie Jordan

Jackie Jordan has been active with dogs all her life. Her training experience began when training her family dog at age nine. She began volunteering at the local humane society at ten and has been active in shelters throughout the Midwest since. She was given a Life Time Membership to the Tri-County Humane Society in recognition of her volunteer work when she was twelve.

She earned her B.S. degree in Sociology, minoring in Business Administration and an A.S. degree in Veterinary Technology from North Dakota State University. After 11 years in corporate America, working for companies such as Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and Marshal Fields, she decided it was time to do her lifelong dream, and was thrilled to be able to combine her degrees and her passion to create Doggy Day Care, Inc. in 1997.

Jackie is currently a volunteer with the Wisconsin Humane Society, Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) and ElmBrook Humane Society, facilitating dog behavior seminars and is involved with many other community events in which she spreads the word about good dog ownership and spaying and neutering household pets. She shares her home with her shelter adopted pets: Chili, an Aussie mix, Beans, a Shih Tzu/Pomeranian mix, Frank, a Rottweiler/Shepherd mix and her cat Bun.
In 2006 Jackie was honored to be invited as a member of the Cambridge Who’s Who in Business.

Chris Gaba

Chris Gaba has owned and trained dogs since age nine, starting with the family dog Ringo, a liver-spotted Dalmatian. He is a true dog lover and has developed a deep affinity with dogs of every breed.

Chris earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Georgia where he owned and trained an English Springer Spaniel named Tess. Professionally, he worked in Advertising and Marketing for over 12 years for international communications companies such as Aydlotte & Cartwright, Austin Knight and J. Walter Thompson Specialized Communications. In that time, he opened and operated many successful branch offices and was responsible for managing national brands, including Humana Healthcare and Sundance Rehabilitation Corporation. Most recently, Chris oversaw the $12 million national Tenet Healthcare account.

In 2000, Chris decided it was time to hang up the suit and follow his passion. He opened Central Bark Dog Day Care and Training Center, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, and in less than three years the business has grown into one of the most successful new ventures in Broward County. He has three four-legged children, Sophie and Taz, both Weimaraners, and Boo Radley, a Brussels Griffon.