Bark Busters Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton Reviews
Reviews
24 Reviews ★★★★★(Average 5 out of 5)
Randy
27 days ago
— Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton
Dan is the best! I have the sweetest boy, but his hyperactivity and anxiety were getting in his way. Dan helped me realize that with proper stimulation, everyone (including me) could see the best out of Charlie. Training your dog is just part of the equation. Giving them a fulfilling life is the other part. I was skeptical at first, but the results are more than I ever could have asked for. If you're struggling with an unruly pup, please call Dan!
We first contacted Dan last year when we got our first dog. Though my husband has experience with dogs, I'm a new dog owner and had no clue what I was doing. Dan was very patient with us, and like most dog trainers will tell you, was clear that dog training was really about training the owners and then us being consistent with our dog. When we contacted Dan, I was in a bit of a panic because we had rescued our dog not knowing that she was extremely reactive to other dogs while on leash. He quickly taught us how to address it - it wasn't an overnight cure and it took time, patience and consistency. Dan is very reliable and responsive - he replies quickly to emails or calls and always manages to find time to squeeze in a quick check in session at our home. He runs through training exercises with you and has you do the exercises with your dog in front of him so he can watch and critique. He comes to your home and works with you privately and in a way that is very tailored to the layout of your house, the members of your household, etc. I'm so happy to report that we can now walk her on leash without her losing it around other dogs.
Fast forward 8 months, and we were asked by a rescue organization to adopt a second dog. We met the dog, fell in love and took him home. It turns out that Dan had briefly worked with our second dog when the dog was with his former owners, so it was just amazing luck that Dan had some background knowledge and experience with our second dog. We worked with Dan again to help with some basic behavior issues with this second dog. And again, Dan has been consistently reliable, comforting and patient with us as we found our way with both of our dogs.
I originally had a little trouble with some of the methods Dan was teaching me - this is a me issue, to be clear. I really love that Dan was very supportive of me trying to incorporate elements of what he was teaching in a way that I could actually do. He was non-judgmental and always kind and understanding as I was finding my way as a new dog owner. Thank you, Dan!
Dan has been so helpful in achieving our goals for our dog. We are first time pup parents and a bit in over our heads. We thought Dan was a dog trainer, in fact, he is an excellent owner trainer. Yes, he has trainer magic and Charlie behaves like a prince when Dan has the lead. But Dan's strength is teaching us some of that magic. Thanks to him, we have gone from a house run by a canny border collie poodle mix to having a well trained, respectful, joyful companion in Charlie. At two years old, Charlie passes his Public Access test on his first try. Thank you Dan for your ongoing support.
My wife and I grew up with dogs and for the most part, simple training (house breaking, general responsiveness) worked just fine. However, we quickly realized that was not going to be the case when we adopted our good boy, Gus, from ARF when he was 1 year and 3 months. Gus is a Pitbull/Mastiff/Terrier and is much more active and athletic than any other we have had.
Gus has high prey drive, extremely curious, stubborn and independent, highly active and a bit destructive, and took some time to learn his new name (previously Catamaran and prior to that a number)
Given all this, we felt it necessary to call in help and it could not have been a better decision - Dan and the BarkBuster principals are a game changer.
There is no magic bullet and Dan made that very clear - it is on every Dog Parent to DO THE WORK!
However, with the the tools, knowledge and routines Dan has given us, Gus is able to have more freedom to explore and we are more confident in introducing him to new experiences, places, people and other dogs.
He went from absolutely ignoring me any time we went outside to a (developing) off leash dog who is hiking right at my side and extremely attentive to the core commands (Wait, No, Come and Heel). He went from not knowing how to play with other dogs and respect boundaries, to being best friends with a Dachshund and part of a pack.
When we first told people how much we were paying for training they thought we were crazy. However, these are now the same people commenting on what a good boy Gus is and how calm and attentive he is.
Some dogs can afford to be untrained (we have had them our whole lives). Gus was not one of them. And we felt we owed it to Gus and ourselves to call in help and we are so grateful we did.
Thank you, Dan, for giving us the confidence, tools and knowledge to live our best life.
What a life saver Dan is. I was at my wits end with potty training, and he gave me such great tips and the confidence boost I needed. Winnie is doing great, and responds well to all of the tools Dan has given us for keeping her on her best behavior and improving her skills every day. excellent communicator and easy to work with. Thank you, Dan!!
Dan is seriously a magician! He is thorough with his training and knowledgeable. He is personable and wants to make sure you understand his training. Within one training, I’ve got better lead on my puppies behaviors. Plus, if something arises, I can text Dan the problem and schedule something within a week. What a convenient solution! Absolutely recommend Dan!
We recently rescued a 1.5 year old Border Terrier from the Oakland SPCA. While we have had pets for years we have never engaged in any formal training. This time we decided to give it a try. My wife looked online and found Dan Lan Franco from Bark Busters. We liked his stated philosophy and certainly the reviews that he has received. That said, after the first session (2.5 hours) we were impressed with Dan, his delivery, the information we received and our hands-on training. We were amazed at how our dog, Perry, interacted with him and behaved. He left us with basic homework to do each day for 10-15 minutes, which we have done. We had another session 2 weeks later to check in and report that Perry was doing quite well and he continues to do so. Needless to say, we are thrilled with Dan and his methods, and we look forward to continued success!
2 days ago my 6 month old Australian labradoodle was like a bull in a China shop.
3 hours with Dan and he has gone from sassy to sweet.
After one session Kona does not run to the door barking ready to greet my latest Amazon package. In one session and my 15 minutes of homework a day, he hears the doorbell he sits away from the door at a place designated for him and waits for me to come at my voice. It's pretty darn amazing.
Dan has been so great with our 8-month old cattle dog-mix Minnie. She is a super-sweet and smart ball of pure hyper puppy energy, and Dan has a very gentle bur confident way of taking charge while still allowing her to be the curious and excited little pup that she is. He is very reassuring, practical, and enthusiastic about his work.. I know Minnie will have an even-happier life thanks to the solid training we're starting her out with. Thanks y'all!
Our dog Luna is an angel when alone with us, but is very anxious and loud in unfamiliar situations. A few sessions with Dan has made a huge difference! Luna used to bark at random noises, jump on house guests, lunge at other dogs, and refuse to go on walks. She has shown such an improvement in all these behaviors, and while she still has a ways to go, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our previous trainer would keep recommending harsher punishments for her, but we knew that wasn't what she needed. Dan understands the root of her behavior and gives us creative ways to help her. We really appreciate Dan teaching us to work with Luna's anxieties so we can all live a happier life.
Randy
27 days ago
— Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton
Dan is the best! I have the sweetest boy, but his hyperactivity and anxiety were getting in his way. Dan helped me realize that with proper stimulation, everyone (including me) could see the best out of Charlie. Training your dog is just part of the equation. Giving them a fulfilling life is the other part. I was skeptical at first, but the results are more than I ever could have asked for. If you're struggling with an unruly pup, please call Dan!
PermalinkGrace C.
36 days ago
— Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton
We first contacted Dan last year when we got our first dog. Though my husband has experience with dogs, I'm a new dog owner and had no clue what I was doing. Dan was very patient with us, and like most dog trainers will tell you, was clear that dog training was really about training the owners and then us being consistent with our dog. When we contacted Dan, I was in a bit of a panic because we had rescued our dog not knowing that she was extremely reactive to other dogs while on leash. He quickly taught us how to address it - it wasn't an overnight cure and it took time, patience and consistency. Dan is very reliable and responsive - he replies quickly to emails or calls and always manages to find time to squeeze in a quick check in session at our home. He runs through training exercises with you and has you do the exercises with your dog in front of him so he can watch and critique. He comes to your home and works with you privately and in a way that is very tailored to the layout of your house, the members of your household, etc. I'm so happy to report that we can now walk her on leash without her losing it around other dogs.
PermalinkFast forward 8 months, and we were asked by a rescue organization to adopt a second dog. We met the dog, fell in love and took him home. It turns out that Dan had briefly worked with our second dog when the dog was with his former owners, so it was just amazing luck that Dan had some background knowledge and experience with our second dog. We worked with Dan again to help with some basic behavior issues with this second dog. And again, Dan has been consistently reliable, comforting and patient with us as we found our way with both of our dogs.
I originally had a little trouble with some of the methods Dan was teaching me - this is a me issue, to be clear. I really love that Dan was very supportive of me trying to incorporate elements of what he was teaching in a way that I could actually do. He was non-judgmental and always kind and understanding as I was finding my way as a new dog owner. Thank you, Dan!
Kathy
44 days ago
— Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton
Dan has been so helpful in achieving our goals for our dog. We are first time pup parents and a bit in over our heads. We thought Dan was a dog trainer, in fact, he is an excellent owner trainer. Yes, he has trainer magic and Charlie behaves like a prince when Dan has the lead. But Dan's strength is teaching us some of that magic. Thanks to him, we have gone from a house run by a canny border collie poodle mix to having a well trained, respectful, joyful companion in Charlie. At two years old, Charlie passes his Public Access test on his first try. Thank you Dan for your ongoing support.
PermalinkDarren M.
7 months ago
— Concord, CA
My wife and I grew up with dogs and for the most part, simple training (house breaking, general responsiveness) worked just fine. However, we quickly realized that was not going to be the case when we adopted our good boy, Gus, from ARF when he was 1 year and 3 months. Gus is a Pitbull/Mastiff/Terrier and is much more active and athletic than any other we have had.
PermalinkGus has high prey drive, extremely curious, stubborn and independent, highly active and a bit destructive, and took some time to learn his new name (previously Catamaran and prior to that a number)
Given all this, we felt it necessary to call in help and it could not have been a better decision - Dan and the BarkBuster principals are a game changer.
There is no magic bullet and Dan made that very clear - it is on every Dog Parent to DO THE WORK!
However, with the the tools, knowledge and routines Dan has given us, Gus is able to have more freedom to explore and we are more confident in introducing him to new experiences, places, people and other dogs.
He went from absolutely ignoring me any time we went outside to a (developing) off leash dog who is hiking right at my side and extremely attentive to the core commands (Wait, No, Come and Heel). He went from not knowing how to play with other dogs and respect boundaries, to being best friends with a Dachshund and part of a pack.
When we first told people how much we were paying for training they thought we were crazy. However, these are now the same people commenting on what a good boy Gus is and how calm and attentive he is.
Some dogs can afford to be untrained (we have had them our whole lives). Gus was not one of them. And we felt we owed it to Gus and ourselves to call in help and we are so grateful we did.
Thank you, Dan, for giving us the confidence, tools and knowledge to live our best life.
Tracy L. P.
11 months ago
— Lafayette, CA
What a life saver Dan is. I was at my wits end with potty training, and he gave me such great tips and the confidence boost I needed. Winnie is doing great, and responds well to all of the tools Dan has given us for keeping her on her best behavior and improving her skills every day. excellent communicator and easy to work with. Thank you, Dan!!
PermalinkMacKenzie C.
15 months ago
— Walnut Creek, CA
Dan is seriously a magician! He is thorough with his training and knowledgeable. He is personable and wants to make sure you understand his training. Within one training, I’ve got better lead on my puppies behaviors. Plus, if something arises, I can text Dan the problem and schedule something within a week. What a convenient solution! Absolutely recommend Dan!
PermalinkJon H.
16 months ago
— Moraga, CA
We recently rescued a 1.5 year old Border Terrier from the Oakland SPCA. While we have had pets for years we have never engaged in any formal training. This time we decided to give it a try. My wife looked online and found Dan Lan Franco from Bark Busters. We liked his stated philosophy and certainly the reviews that he has received. That said, after the first session (2.5 hours) we were impressed with Dan, his delivery, the information we received and our hands-on training. We were amazed at how our dog, Perry, interacted with him and behaved. He left us with basic homework to do each day for 10-15 minutes, which we have done. We had another session 2 weeks later to check in and report that Perry was doing quite well and he continues to do so. Needless to say, we are thrilled with Dan and his methods, and we look forward to continued success!
PermalinkConnie H.
18 months ago
— Pinole, CA
2 days ago my 6 month old Australian labradoodle was like a bull in a China shop.
Permalink3 hours with Dan and he has gone from sassy to sweet.
After one session Kona does not run to the door barking ready to greet my latest Amazon package. In one session and my 15 minutes of homework a day, he hears the doorbell he sits away from the door at a place designated for him and waits for me to come at my voice. It's pretty darn amazing.
Rob H.
18 months ago
— Berkeley, CA
Dan has been so great with our 8-month old cattle dog-mix Minnie. She is a super-sweet and smart ball of pure hyper puppy energy, and Dan has a very gentle bur confident way of taking charge while still allowing her to be the curious and excited little pup that she is. He is very reassuring, practical, and enthusiastic about his work.. I know Minnie will have an even-happier life thanks to the solid training we're starting her out with. Thanks y'all!
PermalinkAndrea C.
19 months ago
— Alamo, TX
Our dog Luna is an angel when alone with us, but is very anxious and loud in unfamiliar situations. A few sessions with Dan has made a huge difference! Luna used to bark at random noises, jump on house guests, lunge at other dogs, and refuse to go on walks. She has shown such an improvement in all these behaviors, and while she still has a ways to go, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our previous trainer would keep recommending harsher punishments for her, but we knew that wasn't what she needed. Dan understands the root of her behavior and gives us creative ways to help her. We really appreciate Dan teaching us to work with Luna's anxieties so we can all live a happier life.
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