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Boston Terrier: Training Insights & Behavior Traits

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Boston Terrier Traits, Temperament & Training Challenges

According to the American Kennel Club, here are some breed characteristic you can find in Boston Terriers. 

 

  • Height

    15-17 inches

  • Weight

    12-25 pounds

  • Life Expectancy

    11-13 years

  • Coat Type/Length

    Smooth/Short

  •  100 Affectionate with Family
  • 100 Good with Young Children
  • 80 Good with Other Dogs
  • 80 Trainability Level
  • 80 Energy Level
  • 40 Barking Level
  • 40 Shedding Level
  • 20 Drooling Level

Understanding the Boston Terrier Breed & Natural Instincts

The Boston Terrier is named after the breed’s Boston, Massachusetts origins. Developed from a mix of English Bulldogs and white English Terriers, the breed descends from a dog named Judge, brought to America from England by William O’Brien and purchased by fellow Bostonian Robert C. Hooper in 1870. Known as Hooper’s Judge in breed histories, he is recognized as the “patriarch of the Boston Terrier breed” by the American Kennel Club.

Original Boston Terriers (colloquially nicknamed “roundheads”) weighed up to 44 pounds and became so popular around the city that the American Bull Terrier Club was formed in 1889. Soon after the club’s formation, local writer of note James Watson suggested the club change its name to the Boston Terrier Club, which it did in 1891. Continued breeding with French Bulldogs laid the foundation for the truly American breed we know today, and its distinctive colors and markings were written into its standard by the 20th century. Its good looks and popularity persist to this day – Boston University and Wofford College in South Carolina each boast Boston Terriers as their mascots, and it is the state dog of Massachusetts.

Boston Terrier Breed lying down

Training A Boston Terrier

While Boston Terriers learn quickly, their energetic and spirited personalities can sometimes lead to stubbornness, reactivity, and training challenges.

Bark Busters specializes in in-home dog training that addresses real-life challenges where they happen—right in your home.

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Boston Terrier Dog Training: Understanding Common Breed Behaviors

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The Boston Terrier is a compact, sturdy, people-oriented dog with a lively disposition. The first native American breed to be recognized by the American Kennel Club is immediately recognizable for its “tuxedo” coats (earning it the nickname “The American Gentleman”) and expressive eyes. These well-dressed dogs haven’t just earned their popularity with their fashion sense: they are intelligence-filled, always-alert natural comedians that tend to bring smiles to their owners’ faces.

Personality and Temperament

Boston Terriers possess loving, friendly personalities that easily wins hearts. Their very stable temperaments are excellent for first-time dog owners and seasoned veterans alike, as well as families with children. Highly sociable, intelligent, and entertaining, Boston Terriers are very trainable – especially early in life.

Boston Terrier Physical Characteristics

Boston Terriers are compact, well-balanced dogs with smooth, “tuxedo” coats, and short heads and tails. Their trademark eyes are expressive and prominent, and their head tilt when investigating something new is as well-loved as their happy, sure-footed gait.

While Boston Terriers shed infrequently, they do benefit from weekly brushings to remove hair from their sleek, fine coats. The American Kennel Club recommends occasional baths, as well as regular nail trimmings to prevent movement issues and pain.

Class & Color

Class

  • Non-Sporting Group

Color

  • Brindle, Black & White, Black Brindle & White, Brindle & White, Seal & White, Seal Brindle & White

Size and Life Expectancy

Size

  • Medium to Large
  • Height: 15-17 inches
  • Weight: 12-25 pounds

Life Expectancy

  • Boston Terriers typically live between 13-15 years.

Other Traits

  • Sporty, compact body
  • Sleek, fine-haired “tuxedo” jacket coat
  • Square head, with big, round eyes
  • Short tail

Boston Terrier Temperament: How it Impacts Training and Obedience

Boston Terriers typically have a stable temperament that enables them to get along well with both animals and humans. While they are not a breed that Bark Busters receive a lot of calls for help with, one common issue seems to present itself: separation anxiety.

To understand separation anxiety, we must first understand how dogs think. Dogs are hardwired with a pack mentality. The corresponding hierarchy is determined using subtle, passive methods. We sometimes forget or are unaware of it, but we humans are included in the pack! The pack member who has greatest influence on the behavior of others is the leader, and Boston Terriers can become leaders of their human pack quite easily – their likeability and silly antics mean they are often given leeway by their owners that they interpret as an acknowledgement of their leadership.

Dogs display what they believe to be leadership behavior – often perceived as annoying or frustrating by humans – when they have determined they are in charge. This behavior can be situational and might include barking at people or dogs passing outside, rushing the door when someone comes to visit, and even becoming destructive when humans are away. Separation anxiety is an outgrowth of leadership – dogs get upset when the subordinates in their pack leave because, in their mind, they are responsible for “taking care” of them. Bostons become worried; that worry can be expressed by barking, destructive behavior, or toileting accidents.

Toby was one such Boston Terrier. He lives with his owner, Becky, in an apartment with thin walls. Toby would bark until exhausted as soon as Becky left for work each day – any noise he heard would set him off again, and the behavior would continue throughout the day. Constant barking meant plenty of neighbor complaints, so Becky called Bark Busters – after all, it’s our name!

Our trainer quickly observed the dynamics of the relationship and coached Becky on how to become a leader for Toby. Progress came quickly, and regular corrections meant it wasn’t very long before Toby was able to relax and nap until Becky got home.

If you have a Boston Terrier and need assistance resolving behavioral issues, call your local Bark Busters trainer. The sooner you get help, the sooner you and your dog can enjoy a happy, relaxed relationship built on loyalty, love, and respect – not worry or stress.

Tips for Potential Boston Terrier Owners

  • Boston Terriers have lovely, expressive eyes that require special attention. The American Kennel Club recommends checking them daily for signs of redness or irritation.
  • Responsible breeders regularly screen their stock for other common issues, including deafness and patellar luxation.
  • As a flat-faced breed, Boston Terriers may have breathing issues in extreme heat.
  • Boston Terriers do well in cities; while they love activities, their compact size means they do not need a lot of space.
  • If you are thinking of purchasing a Boston Terrier, be sure to source from a responsible breeder who is breeding for not only looks, but health and temperament as well. Rescues are also great options for prospective Boston Terrier owners. Contact your local Bark Busters trainer today to learn about great breeders and rescue organizations near you!

Like any breed, Boston Terriers benefit from early socialization and basic obedience training to establish patterns of good behavior.

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Boston Terrier Wellness & Grooming

While Boston Terriers shed infrequently, they do benefit from weekly brushings to remove hair from their sleek, fine coats. The American Kennel Club recommends occasional baths, as well as regular nail trimmings to prevent movement issues and pain.

Bark Busters Home Dog Training Services

Home Dog Training

We provide personalized, in-home training designed for your Boston Terriers’s unique personality. By working where behavior happens—at home—we improve communication, reduce unwanted behaviors, and build better obedience.

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Excessive Barking

Boston Terriers are known for their expressive personalities, but excessive barking can signal stress, boredom, or confusion. Bark Busters helps address the root cause using communication methods your Boston Terrier naturally understands.

Learn About Excessive Barking

Severe Dog Behavior Issues

We specialize in resolving common Boston Terrier behaviors like excessive barking, separation anxiety, digging, and leash pulling. Our in-home training helps you better communicate with your Boston Terrier for lasting results.

Learn About Dog Behavior Training

Puppy Training

Our Boston Terrier puppy training builds trust, good manners, and positive habits from the start. We help with potty training, crate training, leash walking, and common puppy behaviors like nipping, chewing, barking, and following their nose.

Learn About Puppy Training

Separation Anxiety Training

Boston Terriers can become vocal, destructive, or anxious when left alone. We address the root cause of separation anxiety by improving communication, building confidence, and creating calmer routines at home.

Learn About Separation Anxiety

Aggression Training

Boston Terrier aggression can stem from fear, overstimulation, resource guarding, or frustration. Understanding the root cause is the first step toward creating a calmer, safer, and more manageable home.

Learn About Aggression Training

What Boston Terrier Owners Say About Bark Busters Training

I am very impressed with what Marc has taught us today. My Boston Terrier was so changes after the first visit. I would highly recommend Bark Busters.
Nancy Wallen
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I didn’t have any confidence in myself as far as training Trooper goes. However, after the 2nd session I decided to buckle down and do our homework.
What a wonderful dog I have. It was money well spent not only for me but for Trooper! Nicholas Pagano was very patient and encouraging with us (mostly me)!
Trooper is my 5-year-old rescue Boston Terrier. My fourth! I love the breed. But since Trooper came to me from Texas I knew nothing about him, not even his birthday. Nicholas suggested that trooper may even been younger than 5.
Trooper’s issues were: PULLING, barking and rushing to the door, at people walking back & forth, squirrels, rabbits, birds, chipmunks, fear of the car, aggression towards the vacuum and grabbing tool.
Pulling was resolved with the proper harness (who knew?), now it is a pleasure to walk him. I have learned that terriers want to attack ALL little things so I just learn to be ready and offer a correction when I see a rodent presenting a problem. Of all my BTs, I never had one that actually treed squirrels!
Nicholas told me 'your dog is bored'!!! Who knew again! So puzzles were suggested. I love to watch him solve them. I really did learn a lot about having a dog! Even though I had 3 previous Bostons, this one is by far the most entertaining...he makes me laugh :)
We are still working on the fear of the car. I think the long ride from Texas to NJ may have traumatized him a bit. Also I have the tools to address the vacuum problem, so that’s a work in progress.
Trooper and I are buddies now…best friends and I am so grateful to Nicholas and Bark Busters for being there for us.
Robin Verhose
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Mason arrived on time and ready to help, with our 2 Boston terrier brothers. He spent 2 hours helping and observing and giving us feed back in the moment to help with behavioral issue. We have started using the commands and day one seeing progress! Thanks Mason and Bark Busters for a great experience.
Aishling D.
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We had used Bark Busters over 10 years ago for our previous dogs and had great success then. We just adopted a new dog, a 5 yo Boston terrier named Rocky who is amazing, but has had a rough history. We needed to get him more comfortable with children and other dogs and my first thought was Bark Busters! To my surprise Michelle was still there! I was even more pleasantly surprised that the program had evolved over the years. Better handouts and a color coded guide to how your dog is reacting at a given moment. I loved that. Michelle spent a ton of time with us and she was patient and supportive and we got an email the next day checking in on us. Great value, since it is for the life of your pup. Rocky is already doing better and we've only been working with him for 3 days! Thank you Michelle! You're the best!
Christine Dempsey
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Our family has had the opportunity to work with Kayla with our dogs, and I can’t say enough good things about her. She is incredibly knowledgeable about dog behavior, patient, kind, and very good at explaining not only what to do, but why it works.

What has always impressed me about Kayla is that she gives you the tools to work with your dog yourself. She demonstrates techniques, answers questions and helps you understand what your dog needs from you. She also makes it clear that consistency and practicing what you’ve learned are a big part of getting results.

Kayla genuinely cares about the dogs she works with and wants them and their families to succeed. She is honest, realistic and extremely knowledgeable. Our family has benefited so much from her advice and guidance over the years, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking for help with their dog.
Cailyn
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I’m so happy I found Sharon through Bark Busters! We were struggling with potty training, jumping, pulling on walks, and other puppy behaviors, and after our very first session we already noticed a huge difference. Sharon is incredibly knowledgeable and does a great job explaining not just what to do, but why your dog is behaving a certain way. She’s patient, amazing with the dogs, and always quick to respond when I have questions. She has taught me so much and made me feel way more confident with training my puppies. I genuinely can’t recommend her enough! 🦮🐾
Sam L.
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Scot was great, made good points to redirect us humans to think before an action, I liked Scot’s technique not using e-collar as other trainers do
Dagmar V.
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Scott was amazing with our 2-year-old rescue, who has been showing aggression toward other dogs and can be very protective of his territory. We would highly recommend him! He answered all of our questions and taught us what to do in an easy-to-understand way. We feel much more confident knowing how to help our dog, and we are so grateful for all of Scott’s help!
Emily C.
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Rob gave us so many useful tactics for our 4 month old puppy. He is super patient and listened to every concern. We have implemented them and have seen an improvement already. We were able to walk him around the block on his leash and manage his directions. We are able to get him in his crate now as well without a struggle. We highly recommend !!
Kate .
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We’ve had three training sessions with Omar so far, and the difference we’ve seen in our dogs has already been incredible. We also brought our newborn son home three weeks ago, so having better structure and communication with our dogs during such a huge transition has been especially important to us.

Since starting training, their barking has decreased significantly, they’ve adjusted really well to having our baby in the home, and they are noticeably less anxious when visitors come over—something we struggled with quite a bit before.

Omar has been great to work with. He explains what he’s doing and, more importantly, teaches us how to communicate with our dogs and continue working with them between sessions. We still have more we want to work on, but seeing this much improvement after only three sessions has been really encouraging.

We’re very happy with our experience so far and would absolutely recommend Omar to anyone looking for help with their dogs, especially families going through a major transition like bringing home a new baby.
Tyler E.
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I was unsure if Bark Busters could help my six year-old dog who is stubborn and not food-motivated. We’ve had lots of training over the years but some behaviors stuck around. I was so surprised at how much Deb helped us in just one afternoon, and without treats, clickers, or any of the usual tools. My dog Betty is learning some new rules very quickly, and I’m looking forward to our follow up visit with Deb!
April W.
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Deb at Bark Busters did a great job training us how to handle our two dogs. She was great with follow up, and we always felt supported in our training goals. I like that she gave us homework to do and ensured that we were held accountable as it’s easy to neglect dog training with our busy lives.
Patricia K.
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Omar was amazing at helping us train our shar pei puppy. He gave lots of good advice on socializing and basic training. With this training, I now have a dog that is calm and confident even when strangers come into house. Omar also helped us train recall, and Im amazed to see that our under 1 year old dog has near perfect recall and I can trust him to listen in any situation.
Colleen K.
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Roman is a very nice guy, but his exuberance is sometimes a problem. Michelle taught me some methods to keep him from “running” the house, keeping him away from the door when we have visitors, staying out of the kitchen during dinner time, not jumping on people. She helped with several things immediately. Of course Roman is a work in progress and his reactivity to other dogs is problematic, bit I am very happy with being able to make some immediate improvements.
Susan
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The best dog behaviorist in Pinellas County. I highly recommend her for she is amazing. You will see a huge difference with her first meeting. I have recommended her to three of our neighbors. We all agree it was the best investment for us and our little fur babies. 5 star.
Will S.
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Jeri Wagner was a pleasure to meet, work with and we thoroughly enjoyed our training experience with her. She was clear, concise and she made sure that we understood all her teaching concepts. Lincoln was afraid of Jeri when she first came to our house (normal behavior for him…..that is going to change now:)) She didn’t push herself on him and showed US exactly how and what to do in situations that were problematic for us and Lincoln. It was such a beneficial time and Lincoln responded well to what we put into practice after Jeri left. He even stayed out of the kitchen area! I think Jeri would be proud!!! We look forward to working with Jeri again and couldn’t imagine a better trainer….she’s terrific!
Tanya N.
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I would highly recommend Kevin as a dog trainer!

My partner and i rescued a 18 monthish old Australian shepherd named Dune who had some bad habits that we needed help nipping in the bud. Dune would try to herd guests around the house by nipping at their butts (lol), had pretty bad separation anxiety (would panic and bark constantly after more than a few minutes alone), and had some leash reactivity and liked to pull constantly on walks

pretty much all of that is solved now after a few sessions with Kevin! Kevin was able to move his schedule around and get us our first session like 2 days after we reached out and after the first 2 sessions his separation anxiety and nipping at people around the house were basically gone and after the first dedicated session to leash manners we got that mostly taken care of as well. The way Kevin taught us how to communicate with Dune was so valuable and he really set us up well to know how to work with him going forward on new stuff!

And the lifetime support if new situations arise is such a big stress reliever for us! Could not recommend Kevin more!!
Johnathan D.
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Kevin has really done an amazing job training us and our dog, Plissken. We had tried several positive reinforcement styles of training before meeting Kevin. Now we see that treating our dog like a dog, works wonders. Plissken is calmer, seems happier and responds much better to directions. We are still working with Kevin and look forward to seeing even more progress. We definitely recommend Bark Busters.
Kimberly S.
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Kevin has been great! My dog was biting strangers and now she's so sweet. very grateful to this company.
Kayli F.
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We are late on this review not because Kevin wasn't professional every time we met or because the results were terrible. When Kevin entered our lives we had a puppy that was dangerously food protective and generally unruly. We have had other dogs in the past that we traditionally trained. They were the neighborhood standard of well behaved dogs. August through us for a loop. Kevin came in and over a year thought us how to communicate with August. He has Great Pyrenees breed traits. Kevin gave us boundaries, communication tools, patience, and most importantly real honest expectations. We just celebrated August's 2nd birthday and today his reactiveness is minor, his food and toy aggression is non existent. He is starting to respond to commands without treats. He has always been the most affectionate dog we have owned, but today Im happily to report he is now a well behaved socialized dog. Thank you Kevin for everything you did for us and our beautiful boy. Also knowing that they are there if we need follow-up training, is an unmeasurable comfort. If you are willing to realize that it's not your dogs fault but how you interact with your dog. Then you are ready to be a caregiver to your pup and you are ready for Bark Busters! Find the love language between you and your furry love and get a Bark Busters trainer! Xxo
Will N.
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We lost our sweet, chill Lab of 10 years March 2024. And we went for awhile without a dog... but missed having that companionship. So we adopted Crispin (Irish Terrier mix?) from the shelter August 2024. He is a lovable, goofy dog... but 100% different from our previous dog and we found ourselves completely stymied by his reactivity and behavior.

We reached out to Bark busters, and from the first conversation we were met with really excellent information about who they are, what they do, how the process works, etc. We're really lucky to have Kevin come work with us. He has absolutely changed the trajectory of our relationship with Crispin!

Kevin is easily reached and very flexible about meeting times. He has a great, calm demeanor around dogs and never skips a beat in answering our many questions. The way he explains the training process and then demonstrates how to do things with Crispin has been great. I really enjoy the Bark busters psychology and speaking to dogs in a way they understand. It's really evident to me every time Kevin is explaining something and shows us with Crispin. And as he said, you get used to "bahhing!" your dog in public. I was slightly embarrassed at first, but have no problems with it now.

Crispin is still a work in progress, but the difference between when we started several months ago and now is distinct. I'm very glad we found Bark busters!
Alex L.
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We've been working with Kevin from Bark Busters for a few months, and I can't say enough good things about the experience. He is incredibly patient and understanding, which was so refreshing after trying multiple other trainers (including board-and-train programs) with little to no progress.

Kevin's approach was completely different, and much more forgiving, allowing us complete flexibility on how often to have training sessions & check-ins. He never made us feel pressured to be "done" by a certain point and accommodates our pace and schedule.

He focused on helping us understand how our dogs are communicating and how to respond in a way that makes sense to them. It felt like he wasn't just "training the dogs," but actually empowering us as owners with the tools and knowledge we needed. For the first time, I feel like we're truly making progress and building a better relationship with our dogs! We feel a lot more in control, and while we know they aren't perfect - we can finally feel confident we are working together in the right direction.

I highly recommend working with Kevin and the Bark Busters method!
Jessica L.
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I've only been working with Kevin for two months and already see a huge difference in my dogs behaviors and confidence levels! I have two middle-aged chihuahuas who love to bark, are reactive to strangers, and are very anxious. I had low hopes that I would ever be able to control their behavior, but decided to give this a try.
The first time Kevin came over we spent a long time talking about their behaviors and going in depth about how to best communicate with them. Since then we've worked on decreasing their reactivity when people enter the house, exercises to help improve their listening, and their behavior on walks.
After only two months and three training sessions, they're significantly less reactive to new people and most importantly seem more comfortable and confident in themselves.
I'm so happy that I found Kevin! I can't wait to see how my kiddos continue to progress.
Lauren M.
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highly recommend Kevin. after only two sessions there is a big difference in our dog's behavior. granted the humans must practice the skills but it seems to work ! worth the $ when you consider less damage and less frustration .
Claudia B.
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Kevin is an amazing trainer that understands dogs. Kevin educated me and my husband on how to better communicate with our puppy and why it's so important to think from our puppy's perspective to build a relationship based on trust and respect. Even after just one session, our puppy's bad behavior was drastically reduced and we acknowledged that we should change our routines and communication methods as well. We're hopeful that we will be able to develop and maintain a healthy, loving relationship with our puppy.
Kristie K.
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I couldn't be more thankful for Kevin!! He took the time to explain the purpose, approach, and benefit to Bark Busters training methods. It taught me a great deal as it relates to communicating with my pup in terms she can understand and respond to, as I was lost in that department. I've seen a positive impact to her readiness to listen and obey (although we are still working on outside distractions - but I'm confident we can get there). She respects the front door area now when guests are entering, and no longer pulls on her leash while taking walks. Kevin has been extremely communicative in checking-in and flexible with my busy schedule. Also very calm with my pup - she feeds off energy quickly and loves him! Thanks for everything you do!
Erica P.
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Wow. So grateful for the tools Kevin gave our family with our new pup Frank. The time and attention on us and how we help support him learn good habits was amazing.
Expect a long first session with the building blocks that really help set the tone and confidence in the process. The training was simple but it is our job to stay consistent with it. We saw quick results in the first session and were amazed at how our wild puppy did.
Highly recommend the lifetime membership with continuous support. Be prepared to put in consistent effort but it's so worth it to have balance in your life and your pups life!
Monika C.
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We're so incredibly lucky we found Bark Busters, and specifically, Kevin. We have two rescue dogs, both 3.5 years old, who were exhibiting behaviours we needed to fix. After learning more about the uniqueness of the BB program itself (nationwide trainers, full-life trainer commitment) we booked our first visit. Kevin is great and has been incredibly helpful. He has a down-to-earth and casual approach to the sessions making it easy to understand and follow. We identified the issues and have begun tackling them one at a time. But most importantly, the dogs have responded in the best way. It almost feels like we've unlocked a new form of communication with them. Once you get over the funny sounds and barks you have to do, it's pretty powerful how responsive the dogs have become. Within days we saw noticeable improvement with some of our issues. We look forward to continuing the journey with Kevin and Bark Busters and definitely recommend it to others!
Josh R.
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