About Central Bark Fort Lauderdale

Chris Gaba is Co-Founder of Central Bark and owner of Central Bark Fort Lauderdale.  Chris 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.  As pioneers in dog day care that passion for dogs has translated into a successful business model.  Our commitment to nurturing, enriching and inspiring the lives of both our 4 legged and 2 legged customers through our unique approach of Whole Dog Care continues to position us as a leader in the Pet Services space.

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, Sundance Rehabilitation Corp., as well as the $12 million Tenet Healthcare account.

In 1999, 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 Oakland Park, FL and in less than three years the business had grown into one of the most successful new business ventures in Broward County.

In 2003 Chris merged his Company with Jackie Jordan to form Central Bark Doggy Day Care.  Today, Central Bark is a nationally recognized Franchise System with 30 stores in 12 States.  Currently, we have 5 stores in development to open in 2020.

“Every dog that walks into our facility is instantly a part of our family.”

Chris Gaba, Central Bark Fort Lauderdale Franchise Owner

Awards & Achievements

Our Family Photo Album

Frequently Asked Questions

What is dog day care?

Dog day care gives dogs a fun place to play with their friends while their owners are busy at home and work.

At Central Bark®, doggy daycare is our specialty, and nobody does it quite like us. We don’t just give dogs a place to play. We create a personalized program of activities that optimize your dog’s whole health – their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. 

Central Bark goes beyond a traditional doggy day care with our unique Whole Dog Care philosophy. Our personalized approach helps enrich your dog’s whole health and well-being throughout their entire life so you can enjoy a healthy, happy, and loving life together.

The heart of our whole dog care approach is our Enrichment Doggy Day Care program. We combine Central Bark’s industry-leading doggy day care expertise with the latest dog behavior science. Our mission is to give dogs a balanced blend of exercise, social group play, learning, rest, and TLC. To help your dog be a healthy, happy, calm, and well-rounded member of your family.

Learn more about Enrichment Doggy Day Care.

What kinds of behaviors and commands can my dog learn with a Training Tutor?

Our trainers can help your dog learn a variety of essential life skills and behaviors during their one-on-one sessions. These include fundamental commands like sit, stay, down, wait, and leave-it, as well as more specific skills such as calm door and gate etiquette and relaxed loose-leash walking. The training is tailored to help your dog become a well-behaved and confident member of the family.

What are flexible playgroups?

Flexible playgroups allow us to match your dog with the social atmosphere and play schedule they can enjoy and benefit from most. This helps give them a healthy balance of play, rest, and learning and creates a safer social environment with a better quality of play. And our lower dog-to-staff ratios offer more individual attention, education, and love.

Learn more about Enrichment Doggy Day Care.

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 in Fort Lauderdale 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.