Pug: Training Insights & Behavior Traits

I have two crazy dogs named Lucy and Leo that LOVE to bark their faces off. :) We have a big family with people in and out of the house a lot, so it can get loud quickly. The Bark Busters method is almost instantaneous. Stephanie was an amazing trainer. She was extremely kind and very knowledgeable. They do not use treats since it can affect your dog's respect level, which was news to me. Everything was communication based. My pug Leo has had issues with potty training in the past, and tearing up the furniture. We worked on managing the situation even when I'm gone. And my pit Lucy responded immediately to the leadership exercises with her barking. They also both used to pull on the leash, but now they walk behind me calmly. Bark Busters is like magic! The change we saw in just one training gave me hope for these little guys. I would 100% recommend Stephanie to anyone with dog behavior issues!

I thought my crazy pug was hopeless and thankfully John showed me how easy this relationship can be with my dog! Super grateful!

I have a very unruly pug! I was at my whits end with his marking, barking and not being able to enjoy any walks with him.

Rachel was so kind and responsive. Even on the phone I knew she cared and would be able to help us! I’m a tough customer for sure, but rachel came in and knew just what to say to explain the method and the reasons behind it. I felt at ease before we even started. Which is very rare for me. I cannot say enough great things about rachel and bark busters. Y’all work miracles!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

Recently rescued a pug puppy with leash aggression issues. Paula was great. By the end of the 2nd session we were able to walk by other dogs without lunging and barking. Completely exceeded our expectations. We are able to use several commands to take back control of the house and completely satisfied. Sam is much more at ease and is more relaxed.

Google Review: "They have been so helpful! We have a dog that has a number of quirks and has been fearful of everything since a puppy. They came and helped us navigate that and gave us tools on how to manage it. Years later, he developed another quirk (a HUGE fear of ceiling fans), and they came back out to give us training tips once again. We love having the option to call the anytime we need some extra support with our fur baby! ◡̈"

We had our first session with Jeri Wagner and it was a pleasure to meet her. It was evident that she is an experienced dog trainer. Her instructions are clear and training strategy well defined. She provides rationales for the training plan which helps in understanding why the methods will work. In fact, at our very first session, our dog responded well and we were able to take him outside for a short walk without the usual leash reactivity. We look forward to continuing working with Jeri. She is excellent!

We got a rescue puppy that turned out to be half Saint Bernard. We knew we would need some professional training, and Jared delivered. He provided tools and tips so that walking our dog is a breeze. He helped identify ways to calm him down, cut his nails, and even get along with our chickens. Jared was great with our dog and the whole family. I'm thankful that he'll be there for us as our dog grows and if we encounter new issues to address.

I am currently working with Connie Dubois with BarkBusters. She is fantastic and soon I was looking at other training techniques to address both of my dog's shortcomings. We have weekly 1:1s, and I have seen dramatic improvement in both of my pup's behavior. One was out of control re: dog reactivity, the other could not control her love of people which means jumping all over them and counter surfing. After a hell of a lot of 'work', we can now take long walks without fear of what will happen next (just not together - YET)! She will leave you with a ton of homework, so you must be committed. She will work with you until all your goals have been achieved (if realistic). It is a one-time cost, unlimited follow up even if you move. It is 1:1 in your home environment - which is not comparable to any board/train or 1 hour/week at the trainer's location. Last note - I have trained ALL of my dogs, many of them and all rescues and/or special needs pups over the years. However, my efforts with these two 11-month-old pups were not very fruitful. I have never had two puppies from different litters that have such vast differences with bad, or unwelcome, behavior. One was from a rescue in Idaho, one was a foster fail with the Everett Animal Shelter. If you are in need of training - please consider Connie. My dogs will never be 'perfect' but I do not need perfection, I need my pups to be as comfortable as I am feeling when we head out for our adventures.

Omar has been absolutely amazing with our dog, Tank, and we couldn’t recommend him enough! Before working with him, Tank was reactive toward other dogs on leash, had very little recall, and had even bitten other dogs. We were feeling overwhelmed and weren’t sure how to help him, but Omar completely changed our perspective.

He helped us understand Tank better and realize that a big part of the problem was our own lack of consistency and communication. He showed us how to work with Tank using positive reinforcement, and it’s been incredible to see how quickly he learns when we’re consistent and use the right techniques. Tank’s recall has improved so much, and we feel much more confident handling him.

Omar is knowledgeable, patient, encouraging, and genuinely cares about helping both the dog and the owner succeed. He doesn’t just train your dog for you; he teaches YOU how to be a better owner and continue making progress long after the sessions are over.

We’re so grateful we found Omar. If you’re struggling with your dog’s behavior or just want to build a better relationship with your pup, we can’t recommend him enough! He has made such a huge difference for us and Tank!

I am so happy that I found Diane and John!!! I was almost ready to send my little pup back to the breeder because he was a bit much, but Diane and John have come to the rescue and there is NO WAY he is going anywhere. In just a few short months of training my lil pup is a different little dude. He is following commands, doing well at learning to walk on a leash, and no longer nipping and is much more settled. We have learned so much about how to become great pack leaders and what we need to do to ensure a safe and happy home for our pup. So much improvement in just a short time and I can't wait to see how much more he will improve over the next few weeks. Highly recommend to anyone who is looking for caring people who love your pup and wants to see them happy just as much as you do!

James was better than we even thought possible. He explained everything on the phone clearly, set realistic expectations, and was flexible on scheduling around our best days and times. He was punctual and communicated clearly. Once he arrived he was so great with our puppy George! George loves him and responded really well to training. We were trying to learn techniques on our own online before James and he made things so simple but effective! Well worth the money! Hire James!

James from Bark Busters is awesome. He is quiet and knowledgeable and a great listener.
I really like the fact that bark busters focuses on a dog‘s natural behavior and uses that understanding to help discipline them.
Our biggest complaint with the dogs was barking a lot and being overprotective of our home when the Gardener or Delivery people or guests would come. By following James.’s guidance they are doing much better.
I feel confident that James could help Dog owners with pretty much any issue they might have.

Here's the biggest takeaway from our experience: while our dogs benefit from training, it's really us who need to learn how to better understand them.
After just the first visit, we saw a dramatic change in our 5-year-old Maltipoo, Louie. He had always been highly reactive--pulling on the leash with surprising strength for a 14-pound dog, barking at every dog we passed, reacting to every outside noise, and going into a frenzy whenever someone came to the front door.

Having guests over was stressful and uncomfortable because he would bark nonstop at anyone unfamiliar. It honestly caused me a lot of anxiety.

Then in March, we brought home Norman, our 5-month-old puppy, and I quickly realized I didn't want him picking up Louie's bad habits. The thought of managing two reactive dogs--and double the stress--was overwhelming.

I found Bark Busters through a stranger I struck up a conversation with about my new puppy. She had dealt with similar challenges and shared how much it helped--not just her dog, but her own anxiety as well.

I reached out to James right away, and his response time was incredibly fast. We've now had three sessions with him. The first is a thorough three-hour session, packed with eye-opening and incredibly useful information. Follow-up sessions are about an hour.

What stands out most is how much this process focuses on retraining us. It's about changing our instincts and reactions, and learning how to communicate more effectively with our dogs.
James is patient, supportive, and excellent at explaining not just what to do, but why it matters.
This isn't a quick fix. It takes time, consistency, and commitment.

If you don't practice daily, progress can stall--l've seen that firsthand when we've gotten a bit inconsistent. But when you stay committed, the results are absolutely worth it.

We're already seeing such positive changes. Walking Louie is now enjoyable--something I never thought I'd say. Neighbors who used to see his reactivity can't believe how calm he is now.
We can actually stop and chat during walks.

If you're willing to put in the work and want a calmer, happier dog--and a more peaceful home--I highly recommend James.

He's kind, knowledgeable, and truly supportive throughout the process. Stick with it, and you won't regret it.

James is an amazing dog behavioral trainer. He’s insightful, professional and truly cares about animals. We have two dogs that we wanted to make sure they were well trained and behaved and responded to our commands. James was very professional and thorough in his explanations and assistance in making sure our dogs received outstanding Training. I highly recommend James from bark busters If you want an exceptional experience.

James worked with us and our dog Mia and we observed a ton of progress after a single session. Mia has a tendency to jump on us at the door, dinner table, etc and generally get overexcited. She was also getting reactive to other dogs on walks. James helped us address both challenges and it’s honestly like we have a new dog. I appreciate James for his friendly and confident approach. I’m excited for future sessions with James and certainly would recommend his services to others.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about working with James. Dealing with behavioral issues with dogs you love can be stressful and emotional, and one of the biggest things for me is that James has never made me feel judged or like I did something wrong. He looks at the situation for what it is, figures out what is actually going on, and focuses on the best way to move forward.

James has also gone above and beyond in a way I haven't experienced with other trainers. He checks in, asks for updates, and makes himself available for calls when something comes up or I need help figuring out how to handle a situation. It really feels like he cares about the progress being made outside of the actual training sessions rather than just showing up for an appointment and leaving you to figure out the rest.

His approach to training is probably what sets him apart the most for me. He is very gentle and patient with the dogs, but everything he does has a reason behind it. A lot of what he teaches is actually about how you, as the human, are communicating with your dog and how to better understand what your dog is communicating back to you. He explains the “why” behind things, which has helped me understand my dogs and their behavior so much better.

He has also taken extra steps that other trainers haven't to make sure everyone is comfortable and that the dogs are being assessed fairly. He pays attention to their personalities and body language and doesn't immediately make assumptions based on a behavior. There is no one-size-fits-all approach with him.

More than anything, I really appreciate how professional and nonjudgmental James is. There is never any blame or making you feel bad about how you got to where you are. He takes the situation in front of him and works with you to figure out the best approach for your dogs. I feel so much more confident understanding and communicating with my dogs since working with him, and I am genuinely grateful for how much time, care, and effort he has put into helping us.

We adopted Gracie, a 2-year-old Treeing Walker Coonhound, from the NHSPCA in November 2025. We had previously adopted 4 other hounds from the SPCA, all with issues of being shy and unsocialized. Gracie, however, is a typical hound with endless energy. It was definitely challenging to take her for a simple walk. She was jumping on us, on the kitchen counters, stealing food off the stovetop. She was a lovebug, but she had no self-control. I was sure she was going jump off the sofa and propel herself onto the kitchen island. You could see her contemplating that move. After 6 weeks of struggling to gain some control, we turned to Mariah for help. We were stunned during our first home visit. We loved that Mariah came to our home for a one-on-one consultation. She observed Gracie's behavior in our own environment and she watched our reactions. We were doing everything wrong! It was amazing that, within an hour, Mariah had Gracie sitting and waiting for treats or her dinner. She taught us how to speak to Gracie in a language she could understand and how to control our body language to let Gracie know that we were in charge. She showed us how to keep her off the counters and how to keep her out of the kitchen while we were cooking. She gave us exercises to practice. Gracie literally improved overnight. Within a week she had mastered everything. It was truly amazing. No special equipment or treats. Just body language and speaking dog language. Once we master everything within the home, we needed to work on leash walking. Gracie was out of control when we encountered another dog walking on a leash, although she was fine at doggie daycare or around dogs off leash. She couldn't see or hear anything if she encountered another dog and she jumped, pulled, and howled until the other dog was out of sight. She was not aggressive, just extremely reactive. Mariah came back and observed this behavior. Unfortunately, it was difficult to encounter dogs due to the weather, so Mariah brought a life-sized stuffed dog to practice with for Gracie. Mariah then met us at a dog park, which was very helpful in showing Mariah her true behavior. Mariah gave us more tools and exercises to practice, which improved the behavior, but it still wasn't great. And over time, we got lazy with her inside manners. We asked Mariah to come back again. She came within a few days and spent about an hour helping us. Mariah helped us gain control inside the home again and gave us more suggestions on how to make Gracie less reactive to other dogs on leashes. In one day, we were able to get back on track. It was incredible! No yelling at or bribing Gracie. And, best of all, within two weeks of practicing walking Gracie with the new instructions, she is now able to walk the neighborhood without reacting AT ALL to other dogs. In fact, we were able to take a walk WITH another dog! It's almost unbelievable. Even my neighbors were astonished. I can't believe the difference in Gracie's behavior. She is so well-behaved but still silly, energetic and loveable! And we didn't have to travel for scheduled classes or use any special equipment. We were so impressed with Mariah! She does an amazing job teaching us how to train our dog. And we love knowing that we can call Mariah in the future if any issues arise or if we need retraining or guidance. We love having that security all for one cost. We don't have to worry about expensive lessons or traveling for group sessions in the future. We highly recommend Mariah at Bark Busters. We are so pleased with all the progress Gracie has shown is such a short period of time. Thank you, Mariah!

We wish we had called Bonnie sooner ! We are grateful to her for showing us how to better interact with our 18-week-old shepherd pup! Step one, we enter and exit before our dog Bruin...it seems simple, but it was an eye opener ! Looking forward to our next session !

Connie Dubois is highly knowledgeable, eminently practical, a calm presence, and offers great solutions. As a dog trainer, she understands dog psychology. In my first hour with Connie, I learned how to teach confidence to a scared dog. Amazing! Highly recommend.

I just want to think Justin for being there for myself and Lily for helping me overcome the stress of walking her on a daily basis he was Justin was patient sincere to the point and made me feel confident and good about myself taking care of my dog in a very positive and helpful way. I have called him numerous times and he’s always made me feel good and comfortable so thank you for being so good at what you do Lily is a big 93 pound Rottweiler and we fostered her then we adopted her and now she is ours and I wouldn’t want any other way but for a while there I was so afraid to walk her, but Justin came through for me and helped me on this journey. Thank you so much, Justin.

Google Review: "My precious little rescue dog had been through a lot prior to finding her permanent home with me. Because of that, she had lots of triggers and fears which caused her to act out.
Finding Bark Busters has been a real blessing! They are teaching us how to communicate… Speak the same language. These two ladies know their stuff! I was amazed how quickly my little dog Responded! I especially love that they come to my home. With their help, I am confident that we will have a more peaceful environment and a greatly enhanced quality of life in our home and out in the world. Thank you ladies!"

Bonnie was amazing with our dog. She was a rescue dog that was super anxious, was trying to be the leader of our pack, and was aggressive at times. She came in and taught us how take control, of her and how to correct her behaviors. She also worked with my kids to be able to control our dog as well. Highly recommend Bonnie

Sharon is amazing! I was so overwhelmed with 2 puppies and a few life events thrown in, training was always put off. They quickly hit the 10 month old mark and I felt like they were teaming up on me with bad behavior. Sharon spent a few hours training ME how to communicate what I expected from the pups. They were very responsive to her cues and caught on pretty quickly! I still have my work cut out for me, but feeling very positive and hopeful now. Like "I got this" and Sharon is always just a phone call away. Wish I made the call sooner, but ya can't go back!

We seeked out dog training primarily due to our dog’s reactivity to other dogs on walks. Roxy is over 100 pounds and my wife was not comfortable walking her independently. We have reached this goal and then some. Omar is an expert and goes above and beyond to be sure you are comfortable with settings expectations for your dog. He was patient with all our questions. Roxy has come a long way as we continue to work on all the skills of an obedient dog. Omar also is making sure we have all the tools we need. The harness we were given is perfect and I have recommended it to friends.

As first-time dog owners, bringing home our Bernedoodle puppy felt equal parts exciting and overwhelming. She was quiet and a bit confused in those early days, and we honestly didn’t know what “normal” even looked like.

We started working with Jared literally the day after we brought her home, and that made all the difference. What stood out right away is that he doesn’t just train the dog, he helps you understand your dog’s psychology. That shift was huge for us. Instead of guessing or reacting, we started to feel like we actually knew what she needed and how to respond.

He guided us through the basics like potty training and getting her to sleep through the night, and once those clicked, life got dramatically easier. More importantly, he gave us a framework we can keep using as new challenges come up.

Our puppy still has some separation anxiety and chews stuff and can be a bit needy, but now it feels manageable. We’re making steady, incremental progress and feel confident we have the tools to keep going.
Jared has also been great with our whole family. He builds trust quickly, explains things clearly, and makes everyone feel comfortable and capable. You never feel judged or overwhelmed.

If you’re a first-time dog owner, especially with a young puppy, I’d strongly recommend working with him early. It sets the right foundation and saves you a lot of stress down the line.

Rob was efficient thorough and a pleasure to work with , we were left feeling confident and excited to learn the skills that were taught to us, Highly recommend Five Star!!! Bark Busters Thank you from the Bavaro's

I honestly cannot say enough good things about working with James. Dealing with behavioral issues with dogs you love can be stressful and emotional, and one of the biggest things for me is that James has never made me feel judged or like I did something wrong. He looks at the situation for what it is, figures out what is actually going on, and focuses on the best way to move forward.

James has also gone above and beyond in a way I haven't experienced with other trainers. He checks in, asks for updates, and makes himself available for calls when something comes up or I need help figuring out how to handle a situation. It really feels like he cares about the progress being made outside of the actual training sessions rather than just showing up for an appointment and leaving you to figure out the rest.

His approach to training is probably what sets him apart the most for me. He is very gentle and patient with the dogs, but everything he does has a reason behind it. A lot of what he teaches is actually about how you, as the human, are communicating with your dog and how to better understand what your dog is communicating back to you. He explains the “why” behind things, which has helped me understand my dogs and their behavior so much better.

He has also taken extra steps that other trainers haven't to make sure everyone is comfortable and that the dogs are being assessed fairly. He pays attention to their personalities and body language and doesn't immediately make assumptions based on a behavior. There is no one-size-fits-all approach with him.

More than anything, I really appreciate how professional and nonjudgmental James is. There is never any blame or making you feel bad about how you got to where you are. He takes the situation in front of him and works with you to figure out the best approach for your dogs. I feel so much more confident understanding and communicating with my dogs since working with him, and I am genuinely grateful for how much time, care, and effort he has put into helping us.

We called James for help with Cookie and Coal’s persistent barking and after a couple of sessions, he’s helped us get them under control! I plan on having him back for refreshers periodically - more to keep me on track with my skills than anything!

James is easy to work with and the dogs respond really well to him. We’re looking forward to a much more quiet and peaceful home, and less anxious pups :)