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Just finished our second session with Bark Busters! We did our homework over the last few weeks, most of the time, and it has paid off. I actually like my dogs again! The little tips Gerard gave us have made a huge difference. He noticed the change the minute he arrived today. He is so friendly and fun to chat with. More importantly, he really knows his stuff. When we told him the few things we were struggling with, he immediately showed us ways to "fix" them and they worked. In the hour and a half he was here we saw our dogs behave in ways I would have thought were impossible. Now we have to practice over the next two weeks before our last meeting with him. The bottom line is this...a month ago I was "this close" to finding a new home for at least one of my dogs. I watched every episode of The Dog Whisperer, tried every technique I could find, and did hours of research trying to make our situation better. Nothing worked. In 4 weeks the power has shifted. I have obedient, respectful, and fun-to-be-around dogs (almost all the time) now. |
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Jan 5, 2012: I want to thank Gerard and Bark Busters for the excellent training and program that has helped me and my dog, Honey. My (adorable shelter) dog had grown very possessive and fearful of other people and dogs causing both her and me stress anytime we ventured out into the public. After our first session and with diligent homework practices, I noticed results within a week. Gerard also worked with our leash walking techniques (walking my dog is a joy again, not a constant battle of wills) and helping us with our first dog park visit. Both my dog and myself are more relaxed in public and at home and I attribute that to the gentle yet authoritative "pack" leader training that Bark Busters is known for. Gerard was worth every penny and I look forward to my continuing training with my dog and to see how much we can learn and grow together. I am comforted in knowing that I can call, e-mail or meet with Gerard for any additional training or questions that may arise in the future. I highly recommend Gerard and Bark Busters! |
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Gerard was great! We were concerned that our rescue dog was not going to be a good choice as a family pet. With a few visits and some homework Gerard turned this dog around. I can't believe how adept Gerard was at identifying the root cause of the problem behavior and then instructing us how to motivate the dog to do the right thing. As a plus, he comes to your house and he is a great guy to work with. I will be calling him again the next time we get another dog. |
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Gerard has been a great trainer and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to dog and human interactions and emotions. We had barking and ankle nipping, as well as some potty training issues with our one old year adopted Chihuahua, Bandit. Bandit is just so fearful, and he thought he still had to be in charge. Now we are in charge and that leaves him more time to gain confidence instead of always being on guard. And almost no more accidents in the house! Gerard even trained pool-side with my son, and now we know how to handle Bandit's attempts at ankle nipping when my son jumps into the pool. You could try to train your dog alone, but I prefer having someone to demonstrate, share new ideas, bring me the tools, and be available for questions at any time. We will be practicing to keep up the great results. Thanks Gerard! P.S. Bandit and Midget say hi! |
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I adopted a 4 year old German Shepherd Lab back in 2007 and couldn't believe my luck as "Sadie" was turning out to be the perfect dog: Well behaved, very obedient and incredibly sweet and gentle. Then I took her to the dog park...Turns out she had a serious aggression problem toward other dogs and it became more evident why she was at the pound. As returning her to the pound was not an option for me, I called Bark Busters and Sadie and I began working with Gerard Raneri. Together, we were able to apply techniques to curb her behavior and creatively manage the loop holes as they became more evident. For example, to remove all risk and to calm my own developing anxieties about ending up on Judge Judy, we added an extra Halti leash to the heavy duty Bark Busters leash and then topped it off with a muzzle. That way, throughout the process, if something didn't go well, everyone remained safe. As I sit typing this, Sadie is politely sharing a rawhide bone with my boyfriend's black lab on the living room floor. The beauty of getting the lifetime package is that new behaviors and situations can emerge (such as starting a dating relationship and wondering if I get rid of the guy or the dog if the pooches can't get along...) Thanks to Gerard's help, we averted the crisis and so far, coexisting happily ever after. Many thanks to Gerard and the Bark Busters program! |
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I used Bark Busters for my dog Emma last year. We participated in the one-year program. She and I had some issues and needed help. I called a few dog trainers in Tucson and was not given any hope. Emma has aggression issues and had, in the past, bit someone. Her aggression came out of her need to protect me. I was told by 2 different trainers that it would cost a lot of money for the help and she would have to stay in a place for 1 month with no visits from me, OR she was a hopeless case and could not be helped. This is all from a 3-minute conversation over the phone. I spoke with Gerard at Bark Busters and explained what I needed. He was professional and willing to help and we talked for about 30 minutes. He did not rush me off the phone. He did not make me feel like Emma was a hopeless case. Instead he told me he could help us. He came by the house several times in the first 2 months for about an hour each session. Again, he did not rush anything. And each time he taught me how to teach Emma. After that it was about once a month. More time if I felt we needed it. I know her issues are my fault. So I needed to let her know that I was in charge and ok and she did not need to protect me all the time. With his help, I have learned how to make her less stressed and worried about me. She still has a bark and lets people know she is there but the difference is in how I react. Thanks to Gerard, I have less fear about taking her into new situations around people. I would recommend his training to anyone who needs help for a “hopeless case”. |
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A few years ago, I rescued a little Boston Terrier who was found by a couple of young women who found him wandering around downtown and thought he was a Boxer. A friend from a Boxer Rescue group brought him to my home. He has been an experience! Charlie had many, many issues, he was distrustful, frightened of everything, aggressive and always moving, never quiet...always on alert. I went the route of obedience and pet training, but nothing was effective, and he was not a very lovable little guy. Then my vet gave me Gerard's card, this was after an aggressive incident occurred at her office. Calling Gerard's number was the best move I'd made to that point. From the very first visit, I was encouraged that there was hope for Charlie and me! I learned at the first visit that I had to become more calm and assertive in my actions....growling back at him was certainly a new tool...It's been a long road, but Charlie has finally become a pleasant roommate, and tries very hard to please me. He is a little fireball, still very intense, is on medication to calm and relax him. I can't credit Gerard enough, he has been our rock through this whole process. He has gone the extra mile, going to the vet and groomer with us. Always available when we had problems or questions to be dealt with. I feel so good that I know I can be in touch with him at any time and he will always get back to me right away.We would recommend Gerard to anyone who has a dog with issues they don't know how to deal with. He will be the answer to your prayers! We love you Gerard, thanks. |
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The Miracle Worker—April 25, 2010: I called Gerard when it was apparent that our 11-month-old Chihuahua, Zaius, firmly believed he was the leader of the pack. Zaius heard what he wanted to hear and obeyed no commands. He was afraid of anyone who came into the house and any noise from outdoors. So he barked—and barked—and barked—and ran in figure-8s all around the house, daring us to catch him. We had our first lesson, and the change was apparent the very next morning. Zaius is 13 months old now and is obedient, loving, lovable, and the greatest dog we ever had. He does what we expect him to do and discarded all of his bad habits. What we thought would take months took three home visits. And lots of practice! Gerard worked wonders by teaching us how to relate to Zaius. We call Gerard "the miracle worker," and now we also call him friend. |
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My dog, Ms. Dolittle, was afraid to come up the stairs to my apartment. I had to carry her up the stairs every time we went outside. She is overweight and my back and knees hurt badly. I almost moved to a downstairs apartment and then I found Gerard and Bark Busters. It took Gerard two visits before she was going up the stairs and does it every time now. He was the best thing that ever happened in our lives. Thank you for your patients and the love you show in your training. |
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Gerard, we can't thank you enough for taking the time to teach us how to properly train Lucy. You answered all of my questions and made yourself always available if we had any problems. We were very lucky that Lucy, by nature, is a very smart, loving and easy going Goldendoodle pup. After just a few 5 minute sessions a day, she is already responding to all of the commands (and several cool tricks, which have impressed all of our friends, since she is only 6 months old). She still has selective hearing when she is given the command to come, especially while at the park with all of her friends. We will keep working on that one. Thanks again Gerard for getting us off to a great start. |
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