About Central Bark Philadelphia
Portia joined the Central Bark Doggy Day Care franchise in 2006, and opened Central Bark Philadelphia in 2007. She left behind her Project Management career in the world of digital marketing to spend more time with her feet on the ground instead of in the “cloud.”
Portia chose “the dog life” due to an inherent, lifelong love of animals, and her desire to help those who choose dogs as companions and family members succeed in those relationships.
Portia’s dedication to elevating the canine-human bond and enriching our pet dogs’ lives through engagement and communication is the “Why” behind Central Bark Philadelphia.
“In a healthy relationship, everyone needs to have a life of their own, so why not our companion dogs? To me, dog day care can be a safe, healthy way to maintain a loving, caring, and respectful relationship with your dog. Central Bark Philadelphia provides the best environment for every dog that comes through our door. Being able to tailor each dogs’ day to their needs is key to delivering on our promise to our customers.”
Portia, Central Bark Philadelphia Franchise Owner
Awards & Achievements
Central Bark® Certified
Enrichment Dog Day Care
Pet Boarding & Daycare COVID-19 Training
The Dog Gurus training
Our Family Photo Album
Mogs confidence has bloomed a thousand fold since she’s started going weekly. She always gets excited when I say “day care” & always comes home exhausted, which we love!
I adopted a second dog who was with me for a few months. Unfortunately their personalities didn’t mix in the home & it became a safety issue & he was rehomed. During the time I had him, Central Bark stepped up with advice, fitting me in for extra days & doing their best to tire him out & help him get a bit more socialization. I tried so hard & one day I walked in & just cried. Gaby gave me a great pep talk, let me cry some more & helped me recenter.
That brings me to my next point, the staff. I don’t know everyones names, but everyone there is always friendly, supportive, honest & most importantly, just love the dogs they work with. They are very flexible with requests from parents (if they’re doable) & have fun seasonal events for the pups. I know I’m missing some people, so blame it on my head, not my heart. Thank you Gaby, Kristie, Jaime, Bassam, Kensley, Marcus, Julia, Sara and the whole team! You all work so hard & so well together, handling the parents & the dogs (the dogs are the easy part)! 😊
Thanks for being such an important part of Mogwais life!
Frequently Asked Questions
Your dog deserves to be pampered. Our full-service dog grooming salon is fully equipped to include anything from a simple brush-out or bath to a full spa day, a grooming session.
All dogs are unique. Just like humans, your dog deserves personalized grooming for their size, breed, coat type, and condition. Please ask an associate for details.
Make a reservation for your dog’s grooming session
Our Stay-n-Play program offers boarding for dogs that have not enrolled in our day care program. Each overnight guest gets a restful night’s sleep, followed by a day of play, exercise, and plenty of TLC from our staff. Stay-n-Play guests sleep and play in their own designated areas.
Rest periods can be paired with fun and interactive food toys (like a frozen peanut butter Kong) to create a rest period enrichment activity for your dog.
Not only are rest period enrichments fun and mentally stimulating for your dog, but they also help build positive associations and crating skills. Hence, dogs are calmer, quieter, and more relaxed. For dogs, being comfortable in a crate is a life skill that is incredibly useful for them and their owners.
Did you know? Scientific studies have shown that licking and chewing behaviors (especially those that involve food rewards!) are self-soothing, decrease heart and respiratory rates, and even release dopamine in a dog’s brain.
We have a team of very qualified individuals here at Central Bark®, including managers who are certified in Canine First Aid and CPR.
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.
Let’s get started
- Click Request Appointment
- Register Online
- We will contact you and schedule your first visit