About Bark Busters Home Dog Training

Bark Busters is the worldwide leader of in-home dog training. We’ve trained more than 1 million dogs and their pet parents using natural communication techniques. Our expert dog trainers and therapists resolve the most challenging dog behavior issues – aggression, destruction, separation anxiety, sibling rivalry – as well as barking, jumping, and more. We also teach dog and puppy obedience, all in your home. Any breed, age, or issue, we help clients live happier lives together with their dogs.

Our History

Founders Danny and Sylvia Wilson with their dog

Danny and Sylvia Wilson

Our story begins in an RSPCA shelter in Australia, where Sylvia Wilson spent 10 years as manager. Saddened that so many dogs were abandoned or even euthanized for behavioral issues, Sylvia was motivated to help. She observed the behavior and communication methods of hundreds of dogs, learning that many behavioral issues stemmed from what dogs perceived as a lack of the leadership they naturally crave to feel safe and secure.

Thus, the Bark Busters method was born. Sylvia founded Bark Busters in 1989 along with her husband, Danny Wilson, to help pet parents live happier lives together with their dogs. They have honed and developed the highly effective, natural, and dog-friendly Bark Busters training techniques ever since, then spread them throughout the world, with over 1 million dogs trained to date. Operating in the US since June 2000, Bark Busters is the world’s largest dog training business, with offices in 40 states and more than 350 franchise locations in 6 countries worldwide.

No matter what country they live in, all Bark Busters therapists share the same passion and mission: to help families enjoy their pet dogs by providing dog behavioral therapy and training in the family’s home using natural, holistic, and humane techniques.

Our Mission

Our mission is to promote clear communications between owners and their dogs using simple, effective, and natural training methods that appeal to the canine psyche. Through the professionalism and commitment of our network of dog behavioral therapists, we work to enhance the human-canine bond, thereby reducing the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment, and euthanasia of companion dogs.

Our Philosophy

Developed through decades of practical field experience with hundreds of trainers and over one million dogs, the Bark Busters training methodology is based upon five core principles:

Dog behavior can best be explained in dog terms. Dogs are complex creatures that have evolved with and alongside humans for some 15,000 years. Dog owners, however, tend to relate to dogs by humanizing them, and researchers find it difficult to study dogs without comparisons to wolves or other species. This creates conflict over which theories and training methodologies are most effective. Bark Busters believes that our vast set of practical knowledge has produced a working model for dog behavior that is more functionally complete than narrow academic findings, with more predictive validity than common folk theories. As students of dog behavior, we respect and apply relevant findings in the latest research to bridge the gap between academia and household application.

Undesirable behavior is a symptom of some underlying cause, not a problem in and of itself. Training solutions must account for the precipitating factors of a dog's choice, not simply the behavior itself or the consequences. Often, undesirable behaviors can be changed by simple conditioning. In many circumstances, however, if the impetus for the behavior has not changed, the problem will not resolve and symptoms will reoccur, or new ones will develop.

Dogs are social animals and interpret most behavior according to the social context. Inclusion within a pack or familial unit is a very strong driver because the pack is the means through which all other needs are met. Therefore, many behavioral issues can be traced to pack dysfunctions, and many solutions are created through pack reorganization. How the overall training regimen affects the dog's assessment of the pack is of primary importance in creating sustainable results.

Dogs' perceptive and communicative abilities govern how and what they learn. Dogs and humans have much in common, but our differences are pronounced: the way we look and act, and the way we perceive the world. In order for a trainer to be understood, they need to communicate in a way that dogs understand. Bark Busters structures its communications – body language, voice tones, timing, and sequence – to replicate the canine communication model. Doing so fosters better human-dog understanding, and therefore, more complete learning.

The training tactics we employ emulate the same tactics dogs use to train each other… and humans. There is no better standard for canine education than using methods dogs are predisposed to use and understand. Contrary to common assumptions, dogs do not typically use pain or fear to communicate with each other, so the Bark Busters training approach doesn't either. We use measured and responsible techniques, including operant conditioning, classical conditioning, inference, and imitation, to teach in a way that takes advantage of dogs’ full intellectual capabilities.

Learn More About Our Dog Training & Puppy Training Services

Dog on Home Welcome Mat

Home Dog Training

Looking for basic obedience training for your dog? Bark Busters offers in-home training to help build a foundation of trust and respect between you and your furry friend.
Dog Pulling on Pants

Dog Behavior Issues

Dealing with severe dog behavior issues like aggression, separation anxiety, or sibling rivalry? Bark Busters in-home dog trainers are experts in behavioral therapy.
Puppies

Puppy Training

Looking for a reliable puppy training program? The Bark Busters in-home dog training covers everything from crate and potty training to other common problems that occur in the first six months.
Stand Rite No Bite Dog Safety Program

Stand Rite No Bite® Dog Safety Program

Developed by Bark Busters specifically for service and delivery organizations, this unique employee training program helps employers keep their people safe and reduces the costs associated with dog-related injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions of Bark Busters

FAQs Answered

Do you have questions about canine behavior, dog training, or how we like to work here at Bark Busters? Here are some answers to our most frequently asked questions!

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