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
Central Bark® Certified Enrichment Dog Day Care
Pet CPR Certified
Our Family Photo Album
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Frequently Asked Questions
As part of joining the Central Bark® family, our expert staff conducts a thorough behavior assessment at your local Central Bark store. These assessments help ensure that your dog is placed with a playgroup they’re comfortable with so they can play safely every day they’re with us.
This four-day evaluation, while your dog participates in our Enrichment Day Care, assesses your dog’s:
- Comfort and social skills with people
- Social skills and playstyle with other dogs to help determine the playgroup and play schedule they can benefit from the most
- Comfort in both indoor and outdoor play spaces
- Comfort in rest areas and a crate
- Ability to share resources like water and toys in social settings
- Level of comfort taking treats in social settings
This process gives us a chance to get to know you and your dog while your dog gets acquainted with their new favorite place away from home. Through the entire four days, your dog’s comfort and safety is our top priority.
Once your pup passes all the behavior assessment elements, you are welcome to sign up for any of our daycare services or a sleepover!
To schedule a Behavior Assessment for your dog, please contact your local store.
NOTE: Please bring all required signed forms, vaccination proof, and a collar and leash for your behavior assessment.
Not at all! It’s never too early or too late to begin building positive associations and using reward-based methods to teach your puppy new skills and behaviors.
Establish a training schedule now to help your puppy learn desired behaviors like walking nicely on a leash and basic cues like sit, stay, and loose-leash walking. Practicing these skills at home is critical, but it’s always a good idea to enlist the help of a professional to get a jump start teaching your puppy all the things you want them to know and set them up for success! Central Bark® offers everything you need to help you train your dog, including expert training and classes, so you and your puppy can learn and bond together.
Learn more about our training classes.
Visit our Dog Blog for more helpful tips.
You do not need to stay with your dog during their grooming appointment. Our expert groomers always aim to help your dog feel as calm and relaxed as possible during their bathing and grooming experience. If your pup is feeling a little unsure, ask our training team about ways to enrich their experience and help create positive associations by using positive reward-based training methods.
Make a reservation for your grooming session today.
Yes! When your dog spends the night with us, we do everything we can to ensure your dog has a safe place where they can feel well-rested.
Sleepovers at Central Bark® offer your dog a calm, relaxing sleepover in a place they can feel comfortable and loved. Because they’re in a familiar place, they can feel less stressed about being away from home (and so will you). A full day of Doggy Day Care is included with your sleepover stay.
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.
