They need to give the guy with the brown hair and buzz cut a promotion. He always gives the dogs that are 'being nasty' a timeout so the rest of the pups can play without constantly fighting off the other dogs advances and I appreciate that! More employees should be like him and give timeouts to dogs who just won't quit! It always makes them stop when they come back out. read more

Original Bark - Pet Sitting Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I had to board my dog super last minute after fracturing my ankle and not being able to walk him or take him out. They were super accommodating and got him scheduled with a temperament test right away. I felt good about them being really thorough with their temperament test and he passed which wasn't surprising since he's super dog social. It was nice to be able to check in on him during the day and the energy in the playroom seemed pretty chill & calm which i really liked. I never want my dog to be super adrenalized or excited for 8 hours straight so it was nice to see him chilling and getting pets from the handlers. When I picked him up, I noticed they had dremmeled his nails free of charge which I also appreciated. He did seem to have some small scrapes on his body which I assume he got from playing/ rough housing with other dogs. Not really worried about that. Overall a good first experience and thankful that they were able to accommodate him so last minute. read more

Original Bark is the best boarding facility we've ever used. We've taken our dogs now for multiple years, and this last time our dog had some health complications and they went above and beyond taking her to normal vet multiples and making sure she felt loved and was well taken care of. We could not ask for more and are so thankful to have the Original Bark team to take care of our dogs while we travel. We are especially thankful to Gabi who kept us in the loop. read more

Witnessed one of the dogs escape when they opened the front door to greet a customer. "Peaches", a slim, cream-colored, long haired medium to large retriever squeezed her way through and bounded right into the street. She was almost hit by a car before taking off down the block, employees racing after her. They did manage to catch her, thankfully. But I couldn't help but think about what could have happened. Seeing this raises significant concerns about the safety practices. If I were Peaches' human parent. I wouldn't take her there again. read more

I never write reviews let alone a negative one and always want to support small and local businesses, but I am extremely upset with the way my dog was treated here. This review is specifically for daycare, as I have not used the grooming or boarding services. Our dog is social and loves to play with other dogs, we frequent the dog park and she has lots of friends she plays well with in our neighborhood. With the cold and rainy weather we want our dog to get some extra socialization and be around other dogs. This was not what we observed at original bark. I checked in on the cameras and saw that my dog was in a "timeout" and in a cage alone. I figured maybe she was playing too hard with some of the dogs and needed to sit out (which I totally understand) I checked back a half hour later and she was still in there, I checked in an hour later and she was still caged. I then checked back two hours later and she was still in the cage. I also observed staff members sitting on their phones which is extremely unprofessional. When my partner came to pick her up he asked why she was in the cage for so long and they said she was playing too rough with a dog. I feel frustrated with the complete lack of transparency that my partner even had to ask the staff at checkout. They would have neglected to tell him if he didn't ask. If my dog sat in a cage for multiple hours I would figure that a staff member would say something. I completely understand having a dog sit out temporarily for playing too rough.. but two hours is extreme to me and defeats the purpose of having her socialize with other dogs. Needless to say we will not be returning to original bark. read more

This place is so amazing! They totally made my day! I was so thankful for them!!!! I've been dog sitting some pretty large dogs and we've been tearing it up on our morning runs/ walks! I'm a neat freak and dogs like to push my boundaries! Sadly they don't shower on their own! Living in Oregon doesn't help my anti dirt/fur mania! It's been especially muddy this week too! My poor dog buddies were a fright! My car also looked and smelled awful! I was going crazy for a minute! I called my local pet store to see if they could refer me to a doggie bath place! They were not helpful! Grrrr So, I yelped the closest place and got Central Bark! Yelp was quite helpful today! The ladies that work here are so incredibly friendly, helpful, and amazing! They helped me get my buddies in the tub and secure them too! They had lots of soap options and brushes and loads of towels! My buddies are pittie mixes. So I was expecting some hesitation from the employees! There was none of that! So, if your pooch is smelling poopy, bring him here! You'll be glad you did! read more

Original Bark - Bath buddies! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

I have been taking my doggie, Frankie, here ever since I moved to Portland nearly a year ago. Although, I don't live in close vicinity to this place, it is worth the extra 5 minutes it takes to get here. My dog loves this place and is always happy, washed, and trimmed upon leaving. They have a webcam so you can spy on your pups day to day from the comfort of your vacation spot. The staff here is lovely and caring. They have always been very good with my furry friend and I wouldn't take him anywhere else. Just wish they did house calls. read more

Our dog Finn goes to Original Bark on Oleson about twice a week and boards there when we are out of town. They text us with reports every day with names and breeds of his friends, demeanor, and general comments about his day. I get the sense that they know him well, and he definitely knows them. He's always happy to be dropped off there, and we are so happy that he has a home away from home. read more

After two years I am still adjusting to this "Doggy Day Care" concept but it truly is a life saver. Central Bark has a lot of mixed reviews so I am going to do my best to give as honest of a review as possible. Our dog goes at least a few times a month for day care and has been boarded several times ranging from just a night to up to seven nights. The fees seem to be inline with the going rate around town, although it still shocks me at how much it costs. Some people have complained about the "temperament assessment" for new dogs and the nominal fee that is charged. Yes the assessment is nothing more then you bringing your dog and the staff simply interacting with it in the lobby. In our case they brought out another dog to see how the introduction would go. That is all the assessment is and I am just fine with that. I am not sure what others are looking for, but I for one was happy to pay for their time to make sure our dog was friendly and am happy to know that other dogs go through the same process. Our dog is always excited to go to "day care", even when we say the word's day care he lights up as if someone just put a steak in front of him. The facility seems to be just fine, nothing to special but nothing bad. Every time we go I always see staff out with the dogs monitoring the play and interacting with the dogs. Central Bark takes dogs of all sizes ours is over 100lbs and does well with the small dogs and the larger dogs. I do know that they don't take a couple breeds but don't recall exactly which ones. Over all the staff has been very friendly and very accommodating even coming in a bit early and stay a bit late when our schedules are really messed up. So now on to the areas that could use some improvement. People have stated in previous reviews that the place can smell like urine at times. This is true, I wish they had the space for an out door area where the dogs could go in and out and potty out side but they simply don't. Most places that I have looked at around town don't have this either so the dogs simply potty inside. The staff then quickly pops up the mess. I do think that they could use some better products or process to reduce the smell. Again I want to be honest here, it is NOT every time but from time to time our dog does have an odor after day care. Ya it sucks, but I have yet to find another place where that wont happen either. When we board our dog for an extended period we go a head and ask them to wash him prior to our return so he comes home smelling nice and fresh. Some may say that you may not have to do that at other places but lets be honest, setting the urine issue aside do you really want your dog to come home and lounge around after he has just interacted and been slobbered on with who knows how many different dogs. I don't thus we pay the extra to have him washed. Over all our experience has been positive, our dog loves it and always comes home tired. We feel safe and secure leaving our only child at Central Bark. read more

They do a great job taking care of our 4-legged family member when we are out of town. Our dog is always more relaxed and calm after his play dates. I just wish they had some outdoor space for the dogs as well. read more

Gracie and Carly love Central Bark and as silly as I though Doggy Day Care was before I owned two labs, it is wonderful. Especially if you have ever had your pups stir crazy from sitting at home alone all day. Great staff very caring and able to handle the chaos of so many different dogs. They groom and board and I can recommend both highly. You can even call and get an after hours pickup (until 9 I think) if you get stuck in traffic on I-5 (like I seem to coming back from Seattle) which certainly beats the fee for another night at the kennel. The webcam is awesome even if you don't have a dog staying there! read more

My 12 year old dog has been going to both locations for daycare and grooming since he was a puppy. Love Central Bark.

Good lord these guys love dogs! But don't take my word for it, check out their webcams available on-line. You will see employees that take the time to hold the dogs, pet the dogs and play with them. We take our dog to the new Terwilliger location and love it! A lot of daycares/boarding facilities just "supervise" and clean up messes; hard work by itself....but Central Bark employees make the extra effort to show love to your pet. Awesome owners, staff and facility. read more

I took my foster dog to the Terwilliger location. They gave my girl a great new fur do. She was a hit when posted for adoption. Thank you for giving her new life. read more

My dog, Bristow, has been attending Central Bark for two and a half years now and loves going more than hanging out with me. We tried Central Bark and from the first day, Bristow is ALWAYS thrilled when we turn in the driveway and is pulling me along trying to get in. I love chatting to the friendly employees and they all make a point of telling me about what Bristow's been up to and his newest friends. I do check in on the webcam occasionally during the workday or will look through the window and catch Bristow playing. When I occasionally worked from home, I would get a lot of attention from Bristow as he would keep poking me to ask "When are we going to daycare?!". Any trips to the dog park would be met with a "Oh okay, but when are going to daycare??". He attends daycare daily and is always eager to head in. If I need to stay late without notice, they have been there for me with no questions asked. When I had a client meeting starting in Hillsboro at 7am when they usually open, the owner Ben arranged for the opening staff to be there 30 minutes early so I could make my meeting. Employees have taken photos of Bristow being particularly adorable and have given him free baths when they noticed I was particularly overwhelmed. I'll never forget the day that I arrived to find Burt (aka the dog whisperer or the staff member most likely to secretly be your dog's favorite person) sitting in the upside-down play structure with a very fearful big dog in his lap just petting him to get him comfortable with daycare. Or the regular occurrence of Burt sitting on a chair and the dogs lining up to take turns getting petted. Karen is also amazing and takes special care of a grumpy older terrier not fond of other dogs bugging him who is regularly left for more than a week and gives him lots of love during those visits. When I pop in unexpectedly early occasionally, I regularly catch other employees with Bristow in their arms getting a lot of love and attention. read more

Original Bark - Napping on the playstructure and snuggling with friends - Pet Sitting Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I haven't taken my dogs here in MONTHS, and as soon as I call and ask if I can bring Rumble and Olive in, the staff not only remembered them, but stated how much she missed them and how Rumble is the best pitbull ever! Not just that, but they accommodate and look out for the best interest of all dogs. Once they kenneled Rumble upon seeing some sores in his gums and told us about what it could be, and didn't charge us for the boarding at all. Great staff. Great owner. Happy dogs. read more

I have been bringing my golden-doodle to central bark for a year now (I had to wait until he was "fixed" or I would have started him even sooner) From day one they have been amazing! They checked to make sure he was up to date on his shots and had a clean vet record. This made me feel good because I knew he'd be safe too, because they check all of the doggies out before they can join in the fun! They also do a prescreening test to make sure the dogs are friendly, and are socialized! So no aggressive pups are in there. The dogs are free the entire day to roam, stretch and play! I had (unfortunately)taken my pup to a different doggy care prior to bringing him to Central Bark and I found out when I left, they would cram my puppy into a small kennel with a blanket over the top & it was an awful experience that they called "nap time". He would bark and cry like crazy the entire time :( I never took him back after I found out and I was happy to know at Central Bark the dogs were uncaged and they have a puppy cam where I can watch him on my phone anytime! The staff at central bark is amazing! My pup is in love with Gabi!! She is the sweetest girl and always so happy to see my golden-doodle. She makes me feel very secure when I leave him there, especially for extended hours. They have the option to go on hikes, get groomed and have special treats for a little more $ or stay the night. I highly recommend Central Bark they are safe, friendly, conscientious, fun, affordable and have great hours! They are open EVERYDAY!!! The staff seems to really love the pups and they are present with them playing with them and watching to make sure they are safe! Huge relief to have Central Bark so close to home and know they are trustworthy! read more

We brought our English Bulldog here because we were going out of town for the weekend and didn't have anyone to watch our dog. We brought her in and left her for a few hours initially and she did great. She had her nails cut and she was bathed upon pick up, so we were ok with leaving her here the following weekend. The facility has cameras to watch your dog during the day, which is pretty great, or so I thought. I watched periodically through the weekend and noticed that there was one employee on the phone texting constantly and the dogs were rarely petted or given any attention. There was always someone in the room with the animals but the employees were so disengaged and uninterested in the animals that it became really frustrating. I found myself yelling at my phone telling them to pet my dog who was at their feet staring up at them. I was relieved when I saw one individual petting the dogs but she only came in a couple of times. When I came to pick up my dog, the smell of urine walking in was horrific! In thinking back of the images on the camera I realized that the mops they used to mop up the dog pee in the communal room were never put in water to be washed. Basically the urine was squeezed off and then the mop was ready to soak up the next puddle. It was dirty and totally unsanitary. I called on my way in to town, totally last minute, and I asked to have my dog bathed and was told that they didn't have time - ok no problem, but when we came to pick her up she had been bathed and they didn't even charge me - terrific, except she had been put back in the communal room soaking wet. We put her in the car and were dry heaving all the way home because she smelled so bad! I immediately stuck her in the bathtub and proceeded to bathe her again. Then I had to wipe the inside of my car down with soapy water to get the smell of urine off of the leather seats. We will not be bringing her back here. I have no idea what condition the room, that they put her in at night, was and the communal room with the urine soaked floors was just too much for me to handle. I'm still sick! read more

For daycare this place is probably ok, but for boarding I would suggest somewhere else. Your pet isn't going to receive any sort of individualized care they will just be thrown into a room with alot of other dogs. We left our dog here for a couple of weeks and we received a phone call that our dog had bit a worker and that he needed to be picked up and that he was not welcome back. We had called every day for two weeks with no hint of a problem then we got the call two days before we were to return. We ended up losing two nights at the resort we were at only to receive a message from the owner that some sort of mistake had been made. In any event there are other kennels in the area that offer better accomodations for your pet. read more

We have been taking our dog here for about a year and its fantastic. At first our dog was timid while there, but the people are very warm and interact with all the dogs, and now she is always on the move socializing with the people and other dogs. If you feel the place is too small for your dog, don't be. Our 60 lb dog leaves exhausted after every visit. read more

We love Central Bark Doggy Day care. While we were traveling in New York, we had a friend house sit, but when we ended up staying an extra day, we suddenly had to find boarding for our Shih Tzu. Central Bark was very helpful, and they took very good care of our puppy. We take her to the other location for grooming now, and we plan on using Central Bark for all our day care and boarding needs. read more

Great staff. Solid facilities. All around quality business. My wife and I took our Rhodesian Ridgeback here for about a year, and he loved every minute of it. We would even sneak a peek on him every once in a while. Usually he was asserting his role as King of the Mountain... errr... kiddie play structure. read more

Clean, friendly, super, super, service-oriented staff. My dogs were overnighted for 3 nights there & very happy...Phenomenal people working here. When it comes to pets, we can personalize anything even slightly negative, so bear in mind that, yes, doggy day care is expensive, and, yes, if you were doing it yourself you could maybe do a better job. However, I have had my dogs at three different area boarding facilities over the last decade, & would wholeheatedly recommend these guys. Woof! read more

My daughter took her 7 lb dog there and had a frustrating experience. We watch on the webcam when she's there and all she does is follow the staff around and they ignore her. I've yet to see her picked up or petted once. They let the dogs relieve themselves wherever, then just clean up after them, so this potty trained dog feels the need to hold it in the entire time she's there. What's more, when my daughter has called to inquire about late pick up times, etc. the staff is SHOCKINGLY rude to her and really dish out the attitude. This place is NOT customer service oriented at all. We bought a package and now, no refund. Too bad the Terwilliger location is inconvenient as they apparently cater to small dogs. Proceed with caution! read more

I've been taking my [hyper?] active boxer-mix Rosie to doggy day care once a week for almost a year. She loves it there! I get dragged in every time I drop her off. Rosie sometimes needs help to calm down because she has difficulty resting when there are other dogs around. They've been great about giving her breaks during the day and have been very upfront with me when she's had a rough day. I hate hearing that she's been difficult or grumpy-- but it's also how I know that they're being responsible about the dogs that are brought to daycare. Safety for the dogs in their care is clearly a priority. I've also boarded her there 3 times-- and her favorite part is the nature walks! Rosie gets to go on walks in the great outdoors with a small group of dogs. And while I must admit I thought the webcams were a bit much, I definitely ate my words when I was 1500 miles away from home and wanted to check in on Rosie. Overall I've been very happy with the staff and my dog has always returned home happy, tired, and excited to drag me back for more! read more

We are fairly new to the Portland area and brought our Golden here based on all of the positive reviews that we've read. This is hands down the best thing we've ever done for our dog. He loves going to daycare so much, and the staff are top notch. They know him by name, and when he had a cancer scare, we got an e-mail from the owner expressing his concern. Also, when we went out of town for the first time we boarded him here, and when we called to check up on him they gave us the full update, had his food schedule memorized, and let us talk to him on the phone! This is amazing! Your dog will be treated like family here, which is why we love them so much. Also, you can watch your dog via their webcam, which is such a perk! They are truly the best around, we highly recommend them. read more

Our dog is always so happy to go here (Terwilliger location). The staff is extremely competent, helpful and flexible.

Our little guy gets the best treatment here. From grooming to boarding this place is by far the best. We love Central Bark and would never go anywhere else! read more

I have been sending my dog, Maggie, to Central Bark whenever we leave town for well over 2 years now and I can't think of enough nice things to say about it here. My dog loves it, my kids love that they can watch her on the doggy cam online no matter where we are and I love that she comes back worn out and having had a great time. The staff at Central Bark are great and very accommodating. We have called with last minute reservation requests, early or late pick up requests and every time they have been more than helpful. It is nice to know that we can leave our pet in a place that we know is safe for her and that she enjoys. It really gives us a piece of mind. I highly recommend this place! read more

We have been taking our dogs to Central Bark since they opened. Ben and the staff are FIRST RATE. I highly recommend to all dog-lovers. And if there are any pooches reading this, grab the leash and your owner and head on over to Central Bark. read more

horrible nail trimming service!!! don't waste your money going there to have your dogs nails done, they are misleading about their services..its pathetic when PETCO gives better service read more