About Central Bark Aurora Fox Valley
Hi, we’re Mike and Beth Carter, proud owners of Central Bark Aurora-Fox Valley, the best dog day care and boarding facility in the Aurora-Naperville area! We’ve lived in Naperville since 2000, raising our three kids (who are now grown) and filling our home with dogs every step of the way. Today, our family includes Lily, a lab-hound mix with a nose that gets her into trouble, and Ellie, our sweet but goofy white boxer.
Dogs have always been at the heart of our lives, and Central Bark is a dream come true for us. After decades in careers that kept us busy but left us longing for something more meaningful, we decided it was time to build a new chapter together. We wanted to do something joyful, community-focused, and—most importantly—dog-centered. Central Bark is the perfect fit, with its Midwest roots, holistic Whole Dog Care philosophy, and genuine “family” feel.
Mike brings strong business skills to our operations, and he’s a lifelong “dog whisperer”—the guy the neighborhood pups can’t resist. Meanwhile, Beth’s marketing experience is helping us spread the word about Central Bark throughout Aurora and Naperville. Together, we’re excited to create a safe, happy place for amazing day care for dogs, overnight boarding, pet grooming, and professional, positive training services. As long-time Naperville residents, we couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this trusted local dog care option to the western suburbs.
At Central Bark Aurora-Fox Valley, dogs get a unique opportunity to play, learn, and thrive, and pet parents can feel confident their fur babies are getting the very best care. We can’t wait to meet you and your pups! Stop by, say hello, and join our Central Bark dog day care membership program—because around here, dogs aren’t just pets; they’re family.
Awards & Achievements
Central Bark® Certified
Enrichment Dog Day Care
The Dog Gurus training
Our Family Photo Album
We normally board our dog at a vet clinic, but we planned a trip last minute during our daughter’s spring break and our boarding facility was booked. Fortunately, Mike had an opening for our almost 4 yr old pittie mix. I brought her in for an assessment and Mike and his staff member left a great impression – they were both so calm and warm. To our surprise, we received daily photos of our dog smiling as she played with the other dogs. We will definitely board our dog at Central Bark again as they were so accommodating with her boarding anxieties, meds and special diet. Thank you guys again for getting us in last minute and for the wonderful care.
Frequently Asked Questions
ABSOLUTELY
Step 1: Login
- Click the “Client Login” option found at the bottom of all pages on our website.
- Enter either your email address or phone number that you signed up with
- Click “continue logging in”
- 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.
- Click the blue “request services” button
- In the popup window, click the “Book Day Care or Sleepover Now!” button
Step 3: Select a Service Type
- Scroll down past the notes (after you have read them) until you get to the “Details” section.
- Click on the drop-down in the “Type” row and choose your reservation type.
- Note: Grooming requests cannot be made through the customer portal. Please call to schedule an appointment.
Step 4: Make Your Reservation Request
- Choose the pet or pets you would like to add to this reservation
- Choose the date you are looking for
- 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
- 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.
- You may add any notes that you would like us to see in the notes box
- 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)
- 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.
Yes. Our day is broken up into areas of play, rest, feeding and more. And we always keep a watchful eye on canine good manners.
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!
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.
