About Us
Fusion Pet Retreat | Founded 2016
Our goal is to make Fusion Pet Retreat your pet’s favorite retreat when away from home! Fusion staff gets to know clients and animals on a personal level in order to provide the highest quality, individualized care possible. We believe in small play groups, frequent rest breaks, and enriching playtime. Each pet receives compassionate care according to our strict guidelines, allowing us to provide a safe and enriching environment for all pets in our facility, including any special needs pets you may have in your home.
Let Fusion Pet Retreat keep your dog happy and comfortable while you are away!
Our Philosophy
A Philosophy of Well-being focused Pet Care
The Fusion Pet Retreat philosophy is present in every service that we offer and is evident in every retreat stay. At Fusion Pet Retreat every single animal in our care receives the utmost attention and comfort. We strive for excellence in detail and providing specialized care for pets of all breeds, ages, sizes, and temperaments. Dogs, cats, and critters are welcome here at Fusion Pet Retreat. Our goal is to make Fusion your pet’s favorite retreat when away from home!
Fusion staff gets to know clients and animals on a personal level in order to provide the highest quality, individualized care possible. Every staff member is passionate about providing the highest quality of care. We train staff members to read dog, cat, and critter body language so that they can focus on animal well-being.
Each fusion pet is treated with compassionate care according to our strict guidelines. We believe in small play groups, frequent rest breaks, and enriching playtime. Each pet receives compassionate care according to our strict guidelines, allowing us to provide a safe and enriching environment for all pets in our facility including any special needs pets you may have in your home.
Our dedication to wellness carries through to our selection of retail products, available for sale when you pick up or drop off your pet — we offer leading brands, including FROMM®, Farmina®, and Treat Me Right® Dog Treats!
All Dogs, Cats, and Critters
Care designed with your pet in mind.
Wellness
Passionate about wellness and focused on the physical and emotional well-being of every pet.
Innovation
Innovation in animal care, with custom training for all of our staff and custom care programs for our guests.
Professional
Qualified Professionals with training from a certified behaviorist.
Transparency
We work with clients to create a specialized care plan for pets’ individual needs. We communicate with our clients through every part of this process.
Exceptional care
Exceptional Care provided by staff who care and are specially trained.
Education
Focused on education, working with the community to strive for progress in our care and to educate clients outside of the facility.
Take a Tour
Want to learn more about Fusion Pet Retreat?
Our staff would love a chance to show you around and answer all of your questions.
Due to Covid-19, we prefer not to do in-person tours right now. Please view our virtual tour and call us with questions.
Our Team
Fusion’s passionate team of professionals are trained by a certified behaviorist and take continuing education seriously.
Mike McKinley
Owner
Bio coming soon!
Elizabeth White
General Manager &
Agility Instructor
As an owner of “special needs” dogs, I believe strongly in providing a safe place for all dogs, while accommodating their individual needs. I try to bring my experience with a reactive dog to my work at Fusion by creating ideals of positivity, patience, and compassion. I also compete in agility with my two border collies.
Chelsey O’Connor
AssiStant Manager
I LOVE dogs and other animals. This job lets me play with other dogs without turning into an animal hoarder at home! I’m also fascinated by dog behavior so this job is a great place to learn.
Jean Mensinger
Office Manager
If I were a dog, I’d be a mutt. I’m the youngest of 10 children. I’m originally from Wisconsin, so I am a HUGE Packers and Badgers fan! I love everything at Fusion — great staff, great clients, and amazing furry friends!
Nicole Rubertus
Community and Events Manager
I don’t currently have any pets of my own, so I enjoy treating the Fusion clients just like my own. I like working at Fusion because I get to meet all the unique cats and dogs (and sometimes critters)!
Megan Janning – CPDT-KA
Training Director
Animal behavior and training has been both my passion and my career for over a decade. I’ve had the opportunity to work professionally with a variety of species and breeds on a significant range of complex behavior issues and training. With my own dogs- I enjoy competing in Conformation, LGRA (straight racing), ASFA (lure coursing) and NOTRA(oval racing) and taking Nosework and Agility classes.
Brittany Bookwalter
Assistant Training Director
& Agility Instructor
I love working with our “special needs” dogs that don’t know how to play, teaching them to open up and learn appropriate play so they can make friends. In my freetime, I compete in agility with my dogs.
Allie Holmdahl
Front Desk/Pet Care Supervisor
If I were a dog, I’d be a Springer Spaniel. My favorite thing about working at Fusion is cuddling with all the cute puppies! Fun fact — my birthday is on Valentine’s Day!
Erin Teter
Front Desk/Pet Care Supervisor
I have 2 Guinea Pigs named Dot and Oat, a Russian Tortoise named Harold and a goldfish named Frank. If I were a dog, I’d be a Great Dane. I love that here at Fusion I get to work with so many different types of dogs!
Liz Lanari
Front Desk/Pet Care
Fusion is my self-care. It fills me up in a way nothing else does. When I say I love your pet, I mean it truly and wholly. I’m honored to get to care for them, play with them, and love on them for you while you are away! I have two Russian Blue cats, Fritz and Eve. Eve loves coming to Fusion for a weekend and getting to play Front Desk Cat.
Lucy Graham
Front Desk
I’m currently going to school for a degree in Advertising/Public Relations. I have two dogs named Beau and Clooney. I love working at Fusion because of the amazing clients – both human and canine!
Jake Berglove
Pet Care Supervisor
I have a Australian Shepherd named Hazelnut. I enjoy working at Fusion because I love meeting and making friends with so many incredible dogs! If I was a dog I’d be a Shiba Inu.
Annika Larson
Pet Care supervisor
I love to spend time outdoors. I have a Flat Coated Retriever mix named Hershey. My goal is to someday live in an off the grid home.
Madeline Weibel
Pet Care supervisor
I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology. I have a 7 year old Shiba/Chihuahua mix named Nya. I enjoy making jewelry as a hobby.
Lauren Madison
Pet Care
I’m currently attend college in Ohio. I have two dogs, Ryder and Kona, both labs… but if I were a dog, I’d be a pug! I love to travel — I’ve been to 18 countries! My favorite thing about working at Fusion is being able to see all the cute dogs when I’m working.
Becky Koeger
Conformation Instructor
Bio coming soon!
Beth Hostetter
Agility Instructor
As a Certified OneMind Dogs Instructor, I love using and teaching the OneMind Dogs method to help my students better understand their dogs. It is a joy to see these teams come together and grow. Clear communication, that is natural to the dog, increases both speed and confidence, while allowing the handler to work calmer and at greater distance. My classes focus on the handler understanding their dog, team building, and growing confidence in dogs and handlers alike.
Brooke Knotek Benjamin
Agility Instructor
I love seeing the “light-bulb” moment when teaching a new dog and handler team a new skill. Outside of dog training I work as a certified veterinary technician (CVT) and as a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner (CCRP).
Christina Wessels
Agility Instructor
Christina took her tentative first step into the sport of agility with her first Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Nikko, back in 2012. She was immediately hooked by the strong bond formed with the dog and the intellectual challenge of training skills and strategizing courses. Christina, now with two more Tollers (Sole and Presto), competes in both AKC and UKI and has earned her way into Finals at multiple national competitions. She has been an agility instructor since 2016 and particularly enjoys working with young dogs and new handlers just discovering the joy of agility for themselves.
Danielle Wagner
Agility Instructor
I have been training and showing dogs since I was three. Agility is my first passion, which has grown over the years. During this time, I have trained several breeds, providing me with a diverse skill set that enables me to train my dogs to the highest level possible. It is my passion to help people with their dogs, by helping them to build a connection, a working relationship, and skills to help them achieve their goals. Watching the partnership succeed is one of the best things about teaching.
Darci Wagner
Agility Instructor
I have been training and competing with my dogs my whole life. I grew up showing in conformation and obedience but my true love is Agility. I have also dabbled in dock diving and herding. Over the years I have owned many different breeds from small to tall which gives a great perspective for when it comes to teaching agility classes. I definitely think there is not a one size fits all approach to teaching agility.
Dawn Plekkenpol
Agility Instructor
Bio coming soon!
Gretchen Olson
Conformation Instructor
Bio coming soon!
Hannah Bahe
Puppy and Obedience Instructor
My career in animal behavior and training began with marine mammals and parrots in 2011. Luckily, the science is the same so switching to dogs was no problem! I love helping owners create positive relationships with their dogs. Enrichment is one of my absolute favorite things – you will definitely hear me sing its praises in my classes! Animal behavior is a big part of my life as I am currently working on my Master’s in Animal Behavior and Welfare; but when I’m not thinking about training I enjoy spending time outdoors with my daughter.
Kayla Salsberg
Puppy and Obedience Instructor
I love watching puppies and adult dogs grow into the well-mannered dogs we know they can be. I’m happy to work with each owner to accommodate their dog’s specific needs and abilities, as each dog learns differently. Let me get to know you and your dog and show you how fun and rewarding training can be!
Kelsey Germscheid
Agility Instructor
I’ve been around the agility world since being a junior handler, and have also trained in Obedience and Scentwork. I love using training to teach a better relationship between dogs and their people, and my favorite thing is seeing that relationship bloom while our dogs learn new skills. When not teaching or training my own Sheltie, Renly, I love to do anything outdoors whether that be hiking, camping, skiing; along with practicing photography on the side.
Leanne Wortman
Agility Instructor
I have been active in the sport of agility since 2007. Learning new things and striving to be a better trainer and handler for my dogs is a major part of what I love about the sport. I have been fortunate enough to train with some amazing instructors from near and far, as well as compete locally, regionally, and nationally. I enjoy helping teams add skills to their toolbox and learning from both my human and canine students.
Lisa Hennen
Agility Instructor
Bio coming soon!
Timera Cyr
Puppy and Obedience Instructor
Bio coming soon!
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