Heather Mishefske
Heather opened emBARK and began serving dogs and their owners in 2005, but the journey that led to this labor of love began long before that. In 1983, Heather stepped into a simple 4H project and began sharing life with an English Springer Spaniel. That special relationship became the the driving force behind emBARK many years later. While Heather has a degree in Dietetics from UW-Madison, her love for all things dog conquered her career goals, and in December of 2005, she left the healthcare field to pursue her vision of working with dogs.
emBark first opened in Banbury Place and operated there until 2009. When the opportunity to expand presented itself, emBARK landed at its current location on Fairfax Street. emBARK has grown from the humble beginnings of a single owner with a dream to a thriving business employing 26 of the region’s highest qualified dog professionals, with the area’s only facility with five Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA) Certified Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA),Fear Free Certified Trainers, a Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer, and Certified Family Paws Educator.
Training Philosophy
We believe that “training” is most effective when approached as a night out – just you and the pooch – creating a relationship. Training your dog is not something that you do TO your dog, but it should be something that you do together.
Services
- Dog Daycare
- “Date Night with Your Dog” Group Classes
- Grooming
- Canine Massage
- Behavior Consulting
- Separation Anxiety
Certifications
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
- Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA)
- Fear Free Certified Trainer
- Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer
- Certified Family Paws Educator
- Certified Level II Canine Sports Massage Provider
Specializations
- Separation Anxiety
- Behavior Consulting
- Canine Massage
Training Methods
Science-based approaches, evidence-based methods, positive reinforcement, applied behavior analysis, applied ethology, canine body language, neurobiology of aggression, implementation of conditioning procedures, how trauma affects the brain, changes in new research, and the science of behavior and learning.
Media Appearances
Heather recently did an interview for Dog Bite Prevention Week on WEAU News.
