Healthy.
Happy.
Whole.

Welcome to Central Bark Gurnee

The unique bond we share with our furry friends is irreplaceable. We cherish our dogs and aspire to provide them with the best life. Yet, fulfilling all their needs can be challenging. That’s where Central Bark comes in. Families trust us to provide the love and care that ensures their dogs are healthy, happy, and well-rounded. When you choose Central Bark Gurnee for your dog, you can relax knowing they are enjoying a fantastic day with their friends in a secure and affectionate environment.

Our Whole Dog Care approach is dedicated to enhancing your dog’s overall health and well-being throughout their lifetime. At its core is our Enrichment Dog Day Care program. Additionally, we offer services such as dog boarding, grooming, training, and more, all with the mission of enhancing your and your dog’s quality of life. As fellow dog parents, we take immense pride in treating each dog as if they were our own.

Central Bark
Gurnee

3880 Grove Ave,
Gurnee, IL 60031Get Directions

(847) 672-6188

Closed By Appointment Only

Enroll Now
Nancy M.
Best place ever.. Fireball loves going there..everyone is amazing there!! We highly recommend Central Bark Gurnee!!

Central Bark® Whole Dog Care

Our comprehensive Whole Dog Care approach encompasses a wide array of personalized products and services designed to enhance your dog’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being throughout their entire life.

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At our core, our mission revolves around enriching your dog’s life with tailored daily activities.

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Treat your cherished pet to grooming sessions and delightful experiences, thoughtfully designed to ignite their happiness.

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Offer your dog a tranquil and snug haven through our Dog Boarding service, ensuring a restful stay.

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Discover our range of dog essentials, encompassing food, treats, toys, and more, all dedicated to your dog’s well-being.

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Strengthen your connection with your dog through constructive training and engaging activities that impart essential skills.

How to get started

  1. Click Request Appointment
  2. Register Online
  3. We’ll contact you to help
    schedule your first visit

Why do dogs LOVE
Central Bark?

  • It’s all about them – Every dog is unique, and we tailor each day to suit their individual needs and preferences.
  • Whole well-being and happiness – They receive personalized attention, physical activity, and the rest they require to ensure their health, happiness, and good behavior at home and in the community.
  • We understand dogs – Our staff are experts in all things dog, trained in our science-based positive reinforcement approach.
  • Safety and cleanliness – Your dog’s safety and well-being are our top priorities. Our rigorous safety measures and cleaning protocols ensure your dog’s health and security every day they spend with us.
  • Trusted, loving care – For over 20 years, families have relied on Central Bark to enrich their dogs’ lives with a perfect blend of personalized attention, play, exercise, socialization, training, relaxation, and affection.
  • A lifelong bond – It’s incredible how a day apart can strengthen your bond! Your dog will return home happy and healthy, and you won’t need to worry about them being alone at home.

Dog Day Care. Reimagined.

Central Bark’s Enrichment Dog Day Care elevates the standard of dog day care. It merges our top-tier experience with the most recent insights in dog behavior science and positive dog training methods. Your dog can relish a day that’s customized for their enjoyment and well-being, providing the right balance of play, mental and physical stimulation, social interaction, training, relaxation, and affection to keep them healthy, content, and all-around balanced.

a dog playgroup during a sunny day at Central Bark Gurnee doggy day care center

Flexible Playgroups

Small and large playgroup options allow us to match better your dog’s personality, needs, and preferences with the social atmosphere and amount of play they can enjoy and benefit from most.

Central Bark Gurnee trainer pointing her finger at four large dogs that are sitting down

Group Play Skills

Group Play Skills are a fun and rewarding way for dogs to practice important skills like name recall, and behaviors like group sit and calmly going in and out of doors and gates.

a white-brown dog eating out of a treat toy at Central Bark Gurnee doggy day care center

Rest Period Enrichment

Rest Period Enrichment sessions help dogs achieve a healthy balance. They can relax and recharge in their own private space with calming enrichment toys and healthy foods tailored to their preferences and diet.

Central Bark Gurnee trainer with a corgi beside her

Enrichment Sessions

Personalized 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is boarding stressful for dogs?

Sleeping in a new or unfamiliar environment can be stressful for some dogs. That’s why we offer sleepovers to dogs already enrolled in our Enrichment Day Care. 

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 complimentary with your sleepover, so your dog can play with their friends after a good night’s rest.

Learn more about Sleepovers at Central Bark.

How does Central Bark proactively address safety?

At Central Bark a proactive approach to safety is woven right into the fabric of our program. That is why we require that all dogs enrolled in our Day Care program pass our behavior assessment and attend at least once per week. This helps us ensure that dogs are social with other dogs & people and remain comfortable with all aspects of our program.  It also allows us to proactively staff so we can keep a dog to staff ratios low which also helps increase safety. Plus, play is ALWAYS monitored. Whether it’s a group of 2 dogs or 12 dogs, we never leave dogs unattended during group play.

Is 5 months too old to train a puppy?

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
.

How do you crate train a dog?

For dogs, being comfortable in a crate is a life skill that is incredibly useful for them and their owners. If you have ever traveled with your dog or had the unfortunate experience of an overnight stay at the vet, knowing your dog is comfortable in a crate is immeasurably comforting. 

Crate training can take just days or a few months, based on your dog’s age, temperament, and past experiences with crates. The two keys to successful crate training are to keep the experience positive and go slowly.

When your puppy is not in their crate, keep the door open and reward them every time they choose to enter, even if you didn’t ask them to enter it. When crating your puppy, give them a safe enrichment item (like a stuffed Kong) that will keep them busy and allow them to self-soothe while confined. Remember that crate training should take place in a series of small, slow steps that will help your puppy become more comfortable.

Central Bark® offers everything you need to help you care for your new puppy. Our Enrichment Day Care gives puppies all the socialization, exercise, mental stimulation, and rest they need for a lifetime of happiness with you and your family. We also offer 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
.

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