Your Local Central Bark

Central Bark®
Gurnee

3880 Grove Ave,
Gurnee, IL 60031Get Directions

(847) 672-6188

Open Today 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM


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Welcome to Central Bark Gurnee

<p><span style="color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold;">Welcome to <span style="color: #ebab1e; font-weight: bold;"> Central Bark Gurnee</span></p>

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.

Enrichment Dog Day Care

Enrichment Dog Day Care

Central Bark’s Enrichment Dog Day Care offers more than playtime — it nurtures your dog’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. With small playgroups based on size, temperament, and playstyle, we create a safe, structured environment where dogs build confidence, learn good manners, and enjoy healthy socialization. Our enrichment activities, routine schedules, and trained enrichment specialists provide positive interaction, exercise, and rest so your dog goes home happy, tired, and fulfilled.

Enrichment Dog Day Care

Grooming

Grooming

Central Bark’s dog grooming salon and spa keeps your pup looking and feeling their best with personalized care. Our experienced groomers use positive handling techniques and premium products tailored to your dog’s breed, size, and comfort needs. From baths and blowouts to nail trims, teeth brushing, deshedding, and specialty add-ons, we strive to create a stress-free, comfortable grooming experience. Add a spa day to your dog day care or boarding for a fresh, clean pup at pick up.

Grooming

Boarding

Boarding

Central Bark dog boarding provides a safe, cozy home-away-from-home where your pup can rest comfortably while you’re away. Our team offers attentive, individualized care with plenty of enrichment, affection, and routine to help your dog feel secure. Each guest enjoys a clean, comfortable sleeping space, regular potty breaks, and caring supervision from people who know dogs well. Relax knowing your dog is safe, comfortable, and cared for like one of our own.

Boarding

Training

Training

Central Bark’s dog training helps to build confidence, manners, and lifelong skills using force-free, positive reinforcement methods. Our dog trainers offer classes for puppies and adults, from basic obedience to more advanced skills. Training can also be integrated into our dog day care for active learning, socialization, and mental enrichment. With individualized sessions and options during day care, pups learn through play, enrichment, and structure. The result? A calmer, happier dog with better habits at home.

Training

FREE Puppy Hour

FREE Puppy Hour

Central Bark’s Free Puppy Hour starts your puppy’s socialization the right way. This safe, supervised play session helps puppies build confidence, social skills, and healthy play habits during their most important developmental stage (8-16 weeks). Guided by trained enrichment specialists, puppies explore new sights, sounds, and friends while burning energy and learning healthy habits. Pet parents also get expert training tips and support. It’s a fun, stress-free way to nurture a well-rounded, confident puppy — at no cost.

FREE Puppy Hour

Welcome to Central Bark Gurnee

<p><span style="color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold;">Welcome to <span style="color: #ebab1e; font-weight: bold;"> Central Bark Gurnee</span></p>

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.

Local News

Dog of the Month

Congratulations Kobe, March Dog of the Month!

Kobe is a 2-year-old Bernerdoodle who has been coming to CBG since Feb 2023. Kobe is a goofy guy with…

Read more >

Dog of the Month

Congratulations Dezzy, June Dog of the Month!

Dezzy is a 3-year-old Manchester Terrier who has been coming to CBG since June of last year. Dezzy is a…

Read more >

Dog of the Month

Congratulations Chewie, June Dog of the Month!

Chewie is a 1-year-old Yorkie who has been coming to Central Bark Gurnee since July of 2020. Chewie definitely wins…

Read more >

Dog of the Month

Congratulations Ziggy, April Dog of the Month!

Ziggy is a 14-month-old Golden Doodle who has been coming to Central Bark Gurnee for the last 12 of those…

Read more >

Dog of the Month

Congratulations Tucker, February Dog of the Month!

Tucker is a 3-year-old Lab who has been coming to Central Bark Gurnee since December, 2018. In some ways, Tucker…

Read more >

Dog of the Month

Congratulations Fireball, December Dog of the Month!

Fireball is a 2-year-old Black Lab who has been coming to Central Bark Gurnee since September, 2019. Fireball is a…

Read more >

Frequently Asked Questions

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. 

What is positive reward-based dog training?

Positive reward-based techniques help puppies and dogs develop essential life skills and behaviors that will enrich their lives at home and day care. These methods set dogs up to succeed and reward them for performing desired behaviors. Rewards are tailored to the dog’s preferences and can include food treats, time to play with a favorite toy, or verbal praise. 

After decades of experience using reward-based training, we know it’s the most humane and effective way of training dogs and addressing unwanted behaviors. It’s the best way to build a loving, trusting bond that enhances your relationship between you and your dog for a lifetime of happiness together.

At Central Bark®, our focus on positive reinforcement has never wavered. We continuously update our skills and policies to stay at the forefront of new advances in behavioral science and positive reinforcement techniques.

Learn more about our training classes.

Visit our Dog Blog for more helpful tips

How Does Central Bark Handle Feeding for My Dog During the Day?

We are happy to accommodate your dog’s feeding schedule as part of their “Rest Period Enrichments.” Simply bring their food in pre-portioned containers with clear instructions. Our trained staff will ensure your dog receives their meal in a private, quiet space. We are also experienced in handling a variety of specific needs, including day care for dogs with allergies and medication administration, though additional fees may apply.

What does a dog groomer do?

Our expert groomers always aim to help your dog feel as calm and relaxed as possible during bathing and grooming, making it an experience they can enjoy and look forward to. 

At Central Bark, we offer a wide array of services customized to your dog, including:

  • Dog baths
  • Dog grooming
  • Dog ear cleaning
  • Dog teeth brushing
  • Dog nail trims
  • Dog deshed treatments
  • Dog brush outs
  • Dog gland expressions
  • And more

Make a reservation for your dog’s grooming session

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