Our Story

Our story began in the mid-1990s when Jackie Jordan and I (Chris Gaba) sought to provide a healthy and happy life for our dogs while balancing family and work demands. We loved our dogs and wanted to enrich their lives as much as they enriched ours. We needed a safe environment for our dogs to play, exercise, and socialize. But at that time, these resources just weren’t available.

So together, we created Central Bark®. It was based on one simple idea: Our best friends deserve the best care. We created a place where dogs can get all the love, attention and activity they need to be healthy, happy, and well-rounded members of the family. Our dogs were happier and healthier, our families felt more peaceful and loving, and our communities had a hub for like-minded dog lovers.

Today, Central Bark is one of the nation’s largest networks of day care for dogs and provides one of the most holistic pet care options available. We go beyond a traditional doggy day care with our unique Whole Dog Care philosophy and enrichment focus that combines decades of dog experience with the latest dog behavior science. We offer everything from Enrichment Dog Day Care and boarding to grooming, market, training and more. All with the mission to help you and your best friend enjoy a whole, healthy, and happy life together.

After more than 20 years, many things have evolved, but our mission remains the same: To forever nurture, enrich, and inspire whole health, happiness, and unconditional love for each dog, family, and community we serve.

We welcome you and your dog to join our Central Bark family.

– Jackie Jordan and Chris Gaba

 

Jackie Jordan and Chris Gaba, Principals and Co-founders of Barkley Ventures Franchising, LLC. and the Central Bark franchise system

Awards & Achievements

Our Family Photo Album

Yellow paw Kristy M
Super friendly and professional. Highly recommended. Our pup had a fabulous first day!
Yellow paw Lynn. A
Ellie's recent stayover was the longest thus far, and I felt such a peace knowing that Ellie was in the best of hands!! I was comfortable mostly because I know how much she enjoys her daycare days. She loves it!! I'm so happy that Central Bark West Columbia is in [...]
Yellow paw Katie M.
Our sweet Leo absolutely loves his daycare days. The staff is always friendly and have been helpful with any questions I’ve had. We are so happy we found a place that’s safe for our pup when we can’t be with him.
Yellow paw Megan J.
Rosie had her first ever Spa Day! She smelled so good and she felt so soft after her bath! I can’t wait for her to go again. Elizabeth did a wonderful job!
Yellow paw Rachel I.
Central Bark is by far the best place to take your fur baby. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and love all the pets as their own. Thank you Central Bark!!!!
Yellow paw Alicia L
This is the only place we will leave our furbaby when traveling. It is very clean and our furbaby gets so excited when we pull up!
Sheila T.
The staff is amazing, and Otto has a good time...he's always smiling in the pictures!
Lynn R.
Central Bark staff work with your dog's personality to acclimate them to the environment. Our Maggie is very timid, and they worked with her so that now she plays with the other dogs. She is worn out for the evening and the next day. Thank you, Central Bark!
Jennifer F.
This is an amazing place to send your furry friends! Our pup Mahogany (Huggy) gets so excited every time we pull in to the parking lot. He always comes home happy & pooped out! The staff is friendly and just as excited to see Huggy as he is to see [...]

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I look for in a dog groomer?

An essential characteristic of a dog groomer is someone who makes you and your dog feel safe and comfortable.

Other things to look for:

  • Certifications – Groomers don’t need a license or certification to work. Still, these accreditations are often signs that the groomer has the necessary training and experience to care for your pup.
  • Experience with different breeds – Look for a groomer with experience with a variety of breeds and coats and the standard haircut for your dog’s breed.
  • Preparedness – A groomer should work with dogs of all ages and levels of experience with grooming. They should aim to help each dog feel as comfortable as possible with the grooming process. Suppose the dog or puppy becomes anxious or uncomfortable. In that case, the groomer should be able to suggest a plan for increasing their comfort over time with the use of a positive reward-based approach.

Make a reservation for your dog’s grooming session

How does Central Bark mentally stimulate a dog?

At Central Bark®, our goal is to provide a balanced day of play, learning, rest, and love. Learning and mental exercise can happen in various ways, including training activities, brain games, scent work, and more. Our playgroups offer several hours of active playtime paired with learning opportunities during Group Play Skills. This way, dogs have plenty of time to socialize and get their energy out, while also exercising their minds through learning.

During one of your dog’s rest periods throughout the day, they are offered a rest period enrichment activity to stimulate their mind while encouraging healthy rest. These licking and chewing activities involve food rewards, such as frozen peanut butter KONG®. These activities engage their minds while helping foster quality rest. 

Did you know? Scientific studies have shown that licking and chewing behaviors (especially those that involve food rewards!) are self-soothing, decrease heart and respiratory rates, and even release dopamine in a dog’s brain.

Training Tutor sessions stimulate the dog’s minds and bodies and help them learn important skills, behaviors, and tricks.

One-on-One Enrichment sessions give the extra attention dogs love and the freedom to use their senses and safely explore their instincts through interactive toys, puzzles, and games.

Did you know? 15 minutes of mental activity is equal to 30 minutes of physical exercise!

Learn more about Enrichment Doggy Day Care.

How do I Request a Reservation for a Day Care or Sleepover service in my online account?

Step 1: Login

  1. Click the “Client Login” option found at the bottom of all pages on our website. 
  2. Enter either your email address or phone number that you signed up with 
  3. Click “continue logging in”
  4. Then enter your password and click “Sign In”

Step 2: Request Services

You will now see the page below. From this page you can do a number of things along with requesting a reservation from the drop downs including editing your information, editing your pet’s info, adding/removing pets, checking your package credits, purchasing package credits, and adding/editing/changing photos.

  1. Click the blue “request services” button 
  2. In the popup window, click the “Book Day Care or Sleepover Now!” button 

Step 3:  Select a Service Type

  1. Scroll down past the notes (after you have read them) until you get to the “Details” section. 
  2. Click on the drop-down in the “Type” row and choose your reservation type. 
  3. Note: Grooming requests cannot be made through the customer portal. Please call to schedule an appointment.

Step 4: Make Your Reservation Request

  1. Choose the pet or pets you would like to add to this reservation 
  2. Choose the date you are looking for 
  3. You may edit the drop-off and pick-up time from within our open hours, if you know those approximations 
  • You can set up “recurring dates” for the same day/days each week for a timeframe 
  • You can add additional reservations for other days at the same time. 

Step 5: Add-on Services and Notes

  1. You may add any additional services (such as enrichment training, training tutor, special meals (outside of lunch), salon and spa services, etc, to their reservation. 
  2. You may add any notes that you would like us to see in the notes box 
  3. You may run an estimate for the total cost of your reservation request (please note that the charges for “additional services” such as salon and spa, may vary from the default that shows in the estimate) 
  4. Once you have added everything you want, click “Save” in the lower right corner 

Your Done!

You should see the page below if everything went through correctly. You will get an email confirmation when your reservation has been accepted and confirmed, if you are added to a waitlist, or if it is denied. 

Do you offer dog birthday parties?

Yes! We love to celebrate our dog friends’ birthdays. You can rent space in our facility to celebrate, then bring in your treats and decorations. Or you can have us plan and run your entire event. 

Contact us to schedule your dog’s party! 

Read all FAQs

Central Bark Whole Dog Care

Our Whole Dog Care approach offers a full range of fun and personalized products and services to promote your dog’s physical, mental, and emotional health and happiness throughout their entire life.