About Central Bark Sussex
Central Bark Sussex – Your dog’s inspiring second home
Central Bark Sussex is a local family-owned whole-dog care business serving families and their furry loved ones for nearly two decades in the Greater Menomonee Falls, Sussex and Lake Country communities – with a cute doggy van that picks up dogs throughout the community for all-day fun!
It was owners Matt and Ashley Sander’s passion for animals and volunteer work at dog rescues and shelters – combined with their backgrounds in business, financial services, and the automotive industry – that shaped their path to ownership.
“We were first introduced to Central Bark when we needed care for our two beloved rescue pitties, Zeus and Tank, during our wedding weekend,” says Ashley. “When we decided to open our own business, we reflected on our exceptional experience with Central Bark.”
Matt and Ashley purchased Central Bark Sussex six years ago. “We chose the Sussex location after meeting the original owners who were preparing to retire,” Matt shares. “We became quick friends and still appreciate their support.”
A year later, Matt and Ashley became multi-unit store owners when they took over the Central Bark Oak Creek business. Then in the summer of 2021, they decided to sell the business to focus on developing the new Central Bark Sussex location just two blocks away in a special building on Main Street.
“We had to work to retrofit the site’s functionality and aesthetics to expand and enhance our service offerings,” says Ashley. “The project was managed within the community – with specialized work completed by several local businesses.”
A trusted place for your dog
Central Bark Sussex specializes in personalized canine care to meet an individual dog’s developmental, social and personality needs – through enrichment daycare, overnight boarding, grooming, training, canine transport, a specialty retail dog boutique, among other products and services. “It’s our mission to offer a clean, safe and healthy place to nurture and inspire each dog we meet,” states Matt.
As business professionals, Matt and Ashley appreciate the value of continued education and professional standards. The management team, as well as their grooming department, are Fear Free certified professionals. Additionally, Ashley is a Certified Professional Animal Care Operator (CPACO) through The Professional Animal Care Certification Council.
Raising their young family in the area
The couple lives nearby in the Village of Hartland, raising their three young children, two boys and a new-born baby girl – and a rescue dog named Athena! Ashley says their inspiration has always been rooted in their family and friends’ support of their entrepreneurial spirit and passion for dogs. Matt, Ashley and their friendly team of dog lovers would love the opportunity to help you fulfill your dog’s everyday needs.
“We love what we do and we especially enjoy creating unique relationships with each family that visits us,” says Matt. “We’ve been fortunate to celebrate many milestones with our customers throughout the years.”
Matt and Ashley, Central Bark Sussex Franchise Owners
Awards & Achievements
Central Bark® Certified
Enrichment Dog Day Care
Dog Day Care/Boarding
Dog Day Care
Dog Day Care
Dog Day Care
Dog Day Care
Dog Day Care
COVID-19 Training Certificate
WVRC First Aid Seminar
MU Alumni
Our Family Photo Album
Frequently Asked Questions
Dog day care gives dogs a fun place to play with their friends while their owners are busy at home and work.
At Central Bark®, doggy daycare is our specialty, and nobody does it quite like us. We don’t just give dogs a place to play. We create a personalized program of activities that optimize your dog’s whole health – their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Central Bark goes beyond a traditional doggy day care with our unique Whole Dog Care philosophy. Our personalized approach helps enrich your dog’s whole health and well-being throughout their entire life so you can enjoy a healthy, happy, and loving life together.
The heart of our whole dog care approach is our Enrichment Doggy Day Care program. We combine Central Bark’s industry-leading doggy day care expertise with the latest dog behavior science. Our mission is to give dogs a balanced blend of exercise, social group play, learning, rest, and TLC. To help your dog be a healthy, happy, calm, and well-rounded member of your family.
For dogs, being comfortable in a crate is a life skill that is incredibly useful for them and their owners. If you have ever traveled with your dog or had the unfortunate experience of an overnight stay at the vet, knowing your dog is comfortable in a crate is immeasurably comforting.
Crate training can take just days or a few months, based on your dog’s age, temperament, and past experiences with crates. The two keys to successful crate training are to keep the experience positive and go slowly.
When your puppy is not in their crate, keep the door open and reward them every time they choose to enter, even if you didn’t ask them to enter it. When crating your puppy, give them a safe enrichment item (like a stuffed Kong) that will keep them busy and allow them to self-soothe while confined. Remember that crate training should take place in a series of small, slow steps that will help your puppy become more comfortable.
Central Bark® offers everything you need to help you care for your new puppy. Our Enrichment Day Care gives puppies all the socialization, exercise, mental stimulation, and rest they need for a lifetime of happiness with you and your family. We also offer expert training and classes so you and your puppy can learn and bond together.
Learn more about our training classes.
Visit our Dog Blog for more helpful tips.
Yes. We offer sleepovers to puppies and dogs enrolled in our Enrichment Day Care. Sleepovers at Central Bark® provide your dog a calm, relaxing sleepover in a place they can feel comfortable and loved. Because they’re in a familiar place, they can feel less stressed about being away from home (and so will you). A full day of Doggy Day Care is complimentary with your sleepover stay.
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.
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