I honestly can't say enough about the work Tommy has done with our dog. We have a VERY high-energy Weimaraner that has a hard time respecting boundaries, amongst other things. Tommy has visited us a couple of times and had a bunch of different strategies and methods for us to try. The results were almost instantaneous with our dog. Not only was Tommy fantastic in our training sessions, but he routinely follows up and checks in to see how things are going. It's easy to see that he not only loves what he does for a living, but he genuinely cares to see dogs at their best. If you're considering training for your dog, I highly recommend Bark Busters, but make sure you ask for Tommy.
We elected to work with Tommy after researching several other trainers when our dog’s fear-based aggression got concerning. We saw results after the very first session, and Tommy takes great care to work with both you and the dog, teaching you things to learn and unlearn. We’ve brought him back for a couple of follow up matters after our initial session, only to find some of those issues were brought on by bad habits that were unknowingly being encouraged and accidentally rewarded by us. It’s been training for us at being effective owners as much, and probably more, than simply training the dog. He really gives you the tools and support you need to succeed as a dog owner and I can’t recommend him enough!
We adopted an American Pitbull puppy from a foster home a few weeks back to give our 8 year old American Pitbull a sister. American Pitbulls can be somewhat difficult with training due to their stubborn and highly intelligent nature. We enrolled both pups into Tommy's training program so that there was continuity between the two. We were worried about having our 8 year old essentially "re-trained" due to past training events. However, just ONE day training with Tommy with our 8 year old has been LIFE CHANGING. We love the support and guidance we receive with Tommy - We cannot wait for our puppy to start her training (she still has puppy brain).
Thank you Tommy, we look forward to seeing you soon!!!
We just adopted a one year old pup. While she is very sweet, she has huge separation anxiety issues and since we have to go back to work soon, I felt like we need to overcome these issues quickly. She hates the crate too. I spoke with June at Bark Busters, who made me feel assured Tommy would work well for Gertie's issues. Tommy is very knowledgeable, and to our surprise, we made great strides in the very first visit. Tommy isn't an "obedience" trainer, he is a dog behavior trainer! He knows how to make the dog feel secure and comfortable, which enables her to understand what you're communicating to her. We still have plenty to do and we must keep up with the "homework," but I highly recommend Tommy for your dog's behavior needs!
Tommy is great!! He helped us with our puppies when we first brought them home. Came over & helped resolve jumping, whimpering & nipping issues. He's always available to give us advice through email too. Would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for assistance with their fur babies.
We adopted our small dog from the local shelter and brought her home to her new family with my spouse, 2 children, 2 senior cats. She didn't have any obedience training and we immediately started it but it was tough, she wasn't responding in many instances. Her biggest issues were separation anxiety, nipping at the kids, pulling on the walk and chasing the cats. Then she began peeing around the house. I felt like I was losing the battle even though we felt successful with our previous chihuahua of 10 years and read all the training books. A friend recommended bark busters and Tommy came in and immediately set the record straight! We realized we had not been claiming objects, people and territories around the house. The techniques worked and she responded instantly. We kept up with the homework and all of the family worked with our new pack member. She never marked once more in the home in the past month! She did a complete 180. She now walks calmly on the leash 98% of the time, she doesn't bark in her crate when we leave for an hour to go to the store, she gives us space and she stopped chasing the cats and nipping at the kids. We have seen an immense improvement and can't wait to spend the next decade with our cute new family member! Thank you Tommy! I have told all of our friends about Bark Busters.
When we moved from another state I was worried how my dog would handle the transition and how her history of aggressive behavior would come out. I contacted Tommy about a month before my move and he scheduled to meet us soon after we arrived. I was skeptical but there was absolutely no need! Tommy was incredibly patient and took the time to explain to me not only what he was doing but why so that I could continue to do the same. He showed me a great way to introduce my dog to strangers (an area of significant difficulty for her previously), as well as how to alleviate her fears and desire to protect me around others. He even helped me with her walking and now walks are enjoyable for both of us! I never thought I’d be so confident introducing my dog to new people but Tommy really gave me the skills to do so and continued to check in along the way! I’m so glad I called Tommy and would highly recommend him!
My husband and I contacted Tommy after our dog had an unfortunate incident involving a neighbor's dog. My husband was wary, as another training program we had used for our older dog made him feel judged and looked down upon, in almost a "how could you let your dog get this way?" kind of vibe. Within the first ten minutes of meeting Tommy, I knew this was going to be a totally different experience. We felt absolutely no judgement from Tommy. He never made us feel irresponsible, dumb, or less than. in fact, he truly has the gift of quickly figuring out what types of examples you could personally relate to when explaining dog behavior or training techniques. We are both high school teachers and he quickly modified his examples to be things like, "so if a student gets out of his seat when he's not allowed to, what would you do?" It put the concepts into a psychological space that we could directly relate to and made it easier to understand, and then ultimately, remember.
Tommy has met with us multiple other times and has always let what work needs to be done dictate the amount of time he spends with me. I never feel rushed nor do I feel silly asking questions or having Tommy demonstrate things for me. He is constantly accessible when I need help, and has gone out of his way to help me with my pup.
He is absolutely invaluable and I couldn't recommend him more highly to anyone who is in need of help with their dog.
Tommy is AMAZING!! You definitely can see the difference after the first session! He definitely not only works with your dog but with you so that you understand EVERYTHING! It's been a month since our first session and Tommy has been checking up ever since! You can tell he really cares about the relationship between the owner and their dog. If you haven't done Bark Busters, then you don't know what you and your dog have been missing! It was a great learning experience for my dog and me, and I am so thankful to Tommy!
Penny had basic commands, but my husband and I were struggling with getting to that next level of good behavior. She would pull on the leash, jump up on people, dig at our couches, and had no personal boundaries when guests sat down - things we didn't know how to approach training. That's when we found Tommy. It was amazing watching him interact with Penny as he got a feel for the type of dog she is and figuring out her quirks. He also talked through everything he was doing with us, so we could understand and learn ourselves.
Within one lesson, Tommy taught us how to better communicate with Penny, and helped us with every issue we addressed. We could finally take covers off of our couches, I can easily walk my 60 pound dog, and she doesn't jump or get on people. Tommy is very professional and friendly, and is an incredible trainer. He was just the same when I emailed him following the in-home training with a couple of questions, and I know I can reach out to him anytime we need to. I'm going to get Tommy to help us with every dog we have. I can't recommend him enough.
Joshua T.
4 years ago
— Warrenton, VA
I honestly can't say enough about the work Tommy has done with our dog. We have a VERY high-energy Weimaraner that has a hard time respecting boundaries, amongst other things. Tommy has visited us a couple of times and had a bunch of different strategies and methods for us to try. The results were almost instantaneous with our dog. Not only was Tommy fantastic in our training sessions, but he routinely follows up and checks in to see how things are going. It's easy to see that he not only loves what he does for a living, but he genuinely cares to see dogs at their best. If you're considering training for your dog, I highly recommend Bark Busters, but make sure you ask for Tommy.
PermalinkVanessa W.
4 years ago
— Fairfax, VA
We elected to work with Tommy after researching several other trainers when our dog’s fear-based aggression got concerning. We saw results after the very first session, and Tommy takes great care to work with both you and the dog, teaching you things to learn and unlearn. We’ve brought him back for a couple of follow up matters after our initial session, only to find some of those issues were brought on by bad habits that were unknowingly being encouraged and accidentally rewarded by us. It’s been training for us at being effective owners as much, and probably more, than simply training the dog. He really gives you the tools and support you need to succeed as a dog owner and I can’t recommend him enough!
PermalinkLauren G.
4 years ago
— Manassas, VA
We adopted an American Pitbull puppy from a foster home a few weeks back to give our 8 year old American Pitbull a sister. American Pitbulls can be somewhat difficult with training due to their stubborn and highly intelligent nature. We enrolled both pups into Tommy's training program so that there was continuity between the two. We were worried about having our 8 year old essentially "re-trained" due to past training events. However, just ONE day training with Tommy with our 8 year old has been LIFE CHANGING. We love the support and guidance we receive with Tommy - We cannot wait for our puppy to start her training (she still has puppy brain).
PermalinkThank you Tommy, we look forward to seeing you soon!!!
Sonya H.
4 years ago
— Haymarket, VA
We just adopted a one year old pup. While she is very sweet, she has huge separation anxiety issues and since we have to go back to work soon, I felt like we need to overcome these issues quickly. She hates the crate too. I spoke with June at Bark Busters, who made me feel assured Tommy would work well for Gertie's issues. Tommy is very knowledgeable, and to our surprise, we made great strides in the very first visit. Tommy isn't an "obedience" trainer, he is a dog behavior trainer! He knows how to make the dog feel secure and comfortable, which enables her to understand what you're communicating to her. We still have plenty to do and we must keep up with the "homework," but I highly recommend Tommy for your dog's behavior needs!
PermalinkLinh B.
4 years ago
— Fairfax, VA
Tommy is great!! He helped us with our puppies when we first brought them home. Came over & helped resolve jumping, whimpering & nipping issues. He's always available to give us advice through email too. Would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for assistance with their fur babies.
PermalinkSarah M.
4 years ago
— Manassas, VA
We adopted our small dog from the local shelter and brought her home to her new family with my spouse, 2 children, 2 senior cats. She didn't have any obedience training and we immediately started it but it was tough, she wasn't responding in many instances. Her biggest issues were separation anxiety, nipping at the kids, pulling on the walk and chasing the cats. Then she began peeing around the house. I felt like I was losing the battle even though we felt successful with our previous chihuahua of 10 years and read all the training books. A friend recommended bark busters and Tommy came in and immediately set the record straight! We realized we had not been claiming objects, people and territories around the house. The techniques worked and she responded instantly. We kept up with the homework and all of the family worked with our new pack member. She never marked once more in the home in the past month! She did a complete 180. She now walks calmly on the leash 98% of the time, she doesn't bark in her crate when we leave for an hour to go to the store, she gives us space and she stopped chasing the cats and nipping at the kids. We have seen an immense improvement and can't wait to spend the next decade with our cute new family member! Thank you Tommy! I have told all of our friends about Bark Busters.
PermalinkJade M.
4 years ago
— Manassas, VA
When we moved from another state I was worried how my dog would handle the transition and how her history of aggressive behavior would come out. I contacted Tommy about a month before my move and he scheduled to meet us soon after we arrived. I was skeptical but there was absolutely no need! Tommy was incredibly patient and took the time to explain to me not only what he was doing but why so that I could continue to do the same. He showed me a great way to introduce my dog to strangers (an area of significant difficulty for her previously), as well as how to alleviate her fears and desire to protect me around others. He even helped me with her walking and now walks are enjoyable for both of us! I never thought I’d be so confident introducing my dog to new people but Tommy really gave me the skills to do so and continued to check in along the way! I’m so glad I called Tommy and would highly recommend him!
PermalinkWhitney H.
4 years ago
— Burke, VA
My husband and I contacted Tommy after our dog had an unfortunate incident involving a neighbor's dog. My husband was wary, as another training program we had used for our older dog made him feel judged and looked down upon, in almost a "how could you let your dog get this way?" kind of vibe. Within the first ten minutes of meeting Tommy, I knew this was going to be a totally different experience. We felt absolutely no judgement from Tommy. He never made us feel irresponsible, dumb, or less than. in fact, he truly has the gift of quickly figuring out what types of examples you could personally relate to when explaining dog behavior or training techniques. We are both high school teachers and he quickly modified his examples to be things like, "so if a student gets out of his seat when he's not allowed to, what would you do?" It put the concepts into a psychological space that we could directly relate to and made it easier to understand, and then ultimately, remember.
PermalinkTommy has met with us multiple other times and has always let what work needs to be done dictate the amount of time he spends with me. I never feel rushed nor do I feel silly asking questions or having Tommy demonstrate things for me. He is constantly accessible when I need help, and has gone out of his way to help me with my pup.
He is absolutely invaluable and I couldn't recommend him more highly to anyone who is in need of help with their dog.
DeeDee C.
4 years ago
— Dumfries, VA
Tommy is AMAZING!! You definitely can see the difference after the first session! He definitely not only works with your dog but with you so that you understand EVERYTHING! It's been a month since our first session and Tommy has been checking up ever since! You can tell he really cares about the relationship between the owner and their dog. If you haven't done Bark Busters, then you don't know what you and your dog have been missing! It was a great learning experience for my dog and me, and I am so thankful to Tommy!
PermalinkLindsay B.
5 years ago
— Fairfax, VA
Penny had basic commands, but my husband and I were struggling with getting to that next level of good behavior. She would pull on the leash, jump up on people, dig at our couches, and had no personal boundaries when guests sat down - things we didn't know how to approach training. That's when we found Tommy. It was amazing watching him interact with Penny as he got a feel for the type of dog she is and figuring out her quirks. He also talked through everything he was doing with us, so we could understand and learn ourselves.
PermalinkWithin one lesson, Tommy taught us how to better communicate with Penny, and helped us with every issue we addressed. We could finally take covers off of our couches, I can easily walk my 60 pound dog, and she doesn't jump or get on people. Tommy is very professional and friendly, and is an incredible trainer. He was just the same when I emailed him following the in-home training with a couple of questions, and I know I can reach out to him anytime we need to. I'm going to get Tommy to help us with every dog we have. I can't recommend him enough.
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