Live a Happier Life Together With Your Dog

Are you experiencing behavioral issues with your dog? Our dog-friendly training methods can help you overcome these issues quickly. We train in your home where you and your dog are most comfortable. With our efficient, results-oriented training program, you can achieve the communication and leadership you want with your dog.

Dog Training Services

Common Dog Behavioral Issues We Address:

  • Aggression
  • Barking
  • Biting
  • Change in Address
  • Chewing
  • Destruction
  • Digging
  • Focus & Listening
  • Housebreaking
  • Improving Confidence
  • Jumping
  • Leash Pulling
  • Marking
  • New Baby Preparation
  • Obsessiveness
  • Respecting Other Pets
  • Running Away
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Sibling Rivalry – in House Tensions/ Fights

 

Not sure where your dog could use improvement? Take our free behavioral quiz today.

About Joanne

large joanne rice

Best Dog Training in Greater Tampa Bay, FL!

Welcome, I am Joanne Rice, your Bark Busters Master Dog Trainer and Dog Behavioral Therapist in Tampa Bay. After training people in the corporate world for many years and training my own dogs as a hobby, becoming a Bark Busters dog trainer was a natural fit for me. Now, over 16 years later, I have trained more than 4,000 dogs in the Tampa Bay area. As an active supporter of animal shelters, I have seen firsthand the number of dogs that are given up, neglected, or abandoned because of behavioral issues. It’s very gratifying to help people and play a part in developing a positive relationship between dog owners and their dogs through dog training.

Teach your dog to be a well-behaved, beloved family member and live a happier life together!

  • I am a Master Level Trainer with Bark Busters Home Dog Training
  • I have earned the CCPDT-KA certification from the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers
  • I am one of a few trainers in the Tampa Bay area who is Fear Free Certified
  • I have the required certifications to work with those who have received a citation from Hillsborough County or Pasco County Animal Services

Do you have a dog that has developed dog behavioral problems over time? Did you recently adopt or rescue a dog that is experiencing severe dog behavior issues with their transition home? Did you just get a new puppy and need help with basic puppy training to start your dog training off on the right paw?

We are here to help you!

Most behavioral issues cannot be effectively addressed in a group class environment. If you are having trouble at home, it just makes sense to train your dog there, or wherever you need help, so we can recreate the scenarios and teach the dog (and you) in real time.

Your dog is not a drone and should not be controlled by a remote. We never use e-collars, shock collars or prong collars. Bark Busters has a unique approach to teach you to interact with your dog in a way that is easy for you to learn, and easy for your dog to understand. You won’t need to spend a lot of time practicing each day as the techniques will become second nature. Clients usually see results in the very first session! 

Home Puppy Training. Many people get puppies that are 8-10 weeks old. They have not had all their shots yet, and should not be taken to public places until they are fully immune. However, the most impressionable period in a puppy’s life is between 4 and 14 weeks of age, so it’s best to establish good habits right from the start. With Bark Busters in-home training, you don’t have to wait to start training your puppy because the sessions are done right at home. In fact, if you book your first session before you actually get your puppy, I will do a phone consultation with you before you bring the puppy home so you are well prepared for the big day. Even if your puppy is a little older, starting a training program at home with all the family members has great benefits.

Our Puppy Training is unique in that we pace the sessions according to your puppy’s developmental stages and your progress. It is not a scheduled set of sessions in a relatively short time period. Your puppy isn’t really mature until it’s about two years old, and you may need support throughout that time, and into adulthood.

Recommended by Veterinarians. Many team members at vet clinics, and other dog-related businesses in the area, have experienced our techniques first-hand with their own dogs and regularly recommend Bark Busters to their clients and friends. The majority of my referrals come from vet staff and existing clients. You can see a list of some of the clinics that have recommended me.

Contact me today | Read my Adoption Diary | visit my Dog Training Tampa website

Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
Fear Free Certified Professional

What Makes Bark Busters Tampa Bay Unique

Bark Busters is the worldwide leader of in-home dog training, helping over 1 million families and their dogs around the globe since 1989. We wholeheartedly believe in our methods and 30+ years of results. At Bark Busters Tampa Bay, we clear up the miscommunication between dogs and humans at the root of many behavioral issues by teaching everyone to speak the same language – dog!

Our nurturing, dog-friendly approach teaches you, the pet parent, the same natural communication methods that dogs understand instinctively. Our efficient, results-oriented, training program prioritizes clear communication and leadership while addressing issues in the locations they occur.

This means faster, longer-lasting solutions for you and your dog.

Dogs learn best in a familiar, safe environment, free of outside distractions and disruptions. That’s why we come directly to your home, on your schedule to build an effective foundation for better behavior. We work first to build an effective foundation for better behavior. We teach you how to communicate with your dog. Dogs naturally live in families and look their family leaders for guidance, safety, and love. Most people don't know how to appeal to a dog's natural sense of leadership or communication. We teach you how to use friendly, canine leadership and to "speak dog" using your body language, voice tones, and timing so you and your dog communicate better! You will see results. You want to see a change in your dog’s behavior, preferably sooner rather than later.

Any Breed. Any Age. Any Issue. Get Started Today!

We customize our training sessions to achieve your specific goals and meet your dog’s unique needs. When you Learn to Speak Dog the Bark Busters Way, you get real results – and nurture positive relationships and lasting emotional bonds with your canine family member.

Learn More about Bark Busters

 

Home Dog Training

Our Services

Bark Buster trainers conduct the one-on-one training in your home, without the distraction of other dogs or the stress of being sent away for dog obedience training at a kennel. After learning in your home, our behavioral therapist and trainer will work with you as needed outside and around real distractions, once you and your dog are ready.

Life of Dog Support Guarantee

Life of Dog Support Guarantee

Bark Busters Home Dog Training provides a Life of Dog Support Guarantee that is unique in the industry. It is designed to help owners resolve their dog's behavior and obedience problems and to provide customers with the satisfaction of ongoing support and peace of mind.

Behavior Issues

Resources

We're here to help. From general dog training tips, to puppy toilet training best practices, to learning about various dog breeds we've worked with, Bark Busters offers our free tips and advice on common dog behavior problems and more.

Let's Get Started!

Connect with us Call 1-877-500-BARK (2275)or enter your zip code.

Please begin by confirming your zip code.

Tampa Bay Client Reviews

See what our clients have to say

I was so discouraged that I tried everything I knew & could not help my 5-1/2 month old chihuahua. I got him when he was 4-1/2 months old, & from what the vet & myself could tell, he was never socialized or minimally socialized. Because of this, he was extremely scared of people, barked at everything, would not walk with the leash, & when I held him around people he would constantly shake, growl/bark & try to bite if they got too close. He was a mess & I was heartbroken for him.

I decided to hire a trainer that would come to my house & what I found in Joanne was a lifeline. Before she even worked with my puppy, she asked me questions, thoroughly answered mine, & reviewed her training methods & how we’ll move forward. I was also trained during that time…..a must in my experience. Then, I brought my puppy into the room & the training began. I will say it’s imperative that you make changes & to work with your puppy/dog everyday.

Fast forward to two weeks & even before the two weeks, my puppy loves to go walking & he no longer is barking incessantly at people or other animals (a little ruff will escape every so often but when I correct him he immediately stops). He is getting more comfortable around people, & he doesn’t try to bite them when I’m holding him. The shaking is minimal. He is a completely different puppy & a much happier one too!! Our relationship has even blossomed & I have Joanne to thank for that.

This is a long review but I wanted you to know how bad things were & the difference training has made in just two weeks. If you are thinking about a trainer, I HIGHLY recommend Joanne. I am so happy I called her because no way was I able to do this on my own. Not only can I enjoy him, but little by little so can others. Don’t give up on your puppy/dog……hire Joanne!! You’ll be happy you did!!
Best decision I ever made for my dog and home. I felt so stressed out with potty training and guests coming over that I started to believe my little pup, Lola, would never be able to be trained or that I would have puppy pads forever. Joanne completely changed our lives for the better in regards to training. She provided excellent routines and tasks not only for Lola, but for us owners as well. We saw changes in Lola within a day, just by participating and being consistent. We have truly developed a much better companionship with Lola. Loved this training!
I was so discouraged that I tried everything I knew & could not help my 5-1/2 month old chihuahua. I got him when he was 4-1/2 months old, & from what the vet & myself could tell, he was never socialized or minimally socialized. Because of this, he was extremely scared of people, barked at everything, would not walk with the leash, & when I held him around people he would constantly shake, growl/bark & try to bite if they got too close. He was a mess & I was heartbroken for him.

I decided to hire a trainer that would come to my house & what I found in Joanne was a lifeline. Before she even worked with my puppy, she asked me questions, thoroughly answered mine, & reviewed her training methods & how we’ll move forward. I was also trained during that time…..a must in my experience. Then, I brought my puppy into the room & the training began. I will say it’s imperative that you make changes & to work with your puppy/dog everyday.

Fast forward to two weeks & even before the two weeks, my puppy loves to go walking & he no longer is barking incessantly at people or other animals (a little ruff will escape every so often but when I correct him he immediately stops). He is getting more comfortable around people, & he doesn’t try to bite them when I’m holding him. The shaking is minimal. He is a completely different puppy & a much happier one too!! Our relationship has even blossomed & I have Joanne to thank for that.

This is a long review but I wanted you to know how bad things were & the difference training has made in just two weeks. If you are thinking about a trainer, I HIGHLY recommend Joanne. I am so happy I called her because no way was I able to do this on my own. Not only can I enjoy him, but little by little so can others. Don’t give up on your puppy/dog……hire Joanne!! You’ll be happy you did!!
Joanne has been great to work with on our puppy training with our very energetic lab. Before working with her our 6 month old puppy jumped, still mouthed for attention and on his human siblings, attention barked, and ruled our roost. She helped us greatly with all these concerns and more. When I had random issues following our initial training sessions she was quick to help me solve these and work through the behaviors. Our pup, while still very energetic, is now a happy companion to us all. Thank you for all your help! We highly recommend her to anyone!
We really enjoyed having Joanne work with us and our dog. She was very supportive and gave appropriate suggestions to help us encourage Macy to trust us and enjoy her new home. Our main concerns were digging, destroying our kids' toys, barking excessively with company, and pottying in the house. Macy is so much happier since working with Joanne!
Joanne was sweet and definitely knows her s*** . Very happy with service, and Joanne already made a difference few hours later
Joanne has helped us so much! Loki is a 10 month old giant schnauzer with so much love and energy. We just needed help to focus his love and energy appropriately. Joanne has given us the tools to have a happy and fulfilling life with our beloved Loki.
I highly recommend Joanne Rice, she was a savior to our household! We have a Yorkiepoo with bad anxiety problems, and a Chorkie that barked nonstop and Joanne came to our home and we were amazed on how her direction helped us with their behavior. We learned do much from her and we now have things under control.
We adopted our 4 month old puppy and realized that he was going to be a a big fella especially since his paperwork initially had Mastiff. My husband and I agreed we needed to look into a professional trainer for our young pup now rather than later. After some research we found Barkbusters who directed us to our great trainer, Joanne Rice.

From day one we saw an improvement in behavior. We enjoyed the homework too (it’s not just the trainer needing the direction). While we didn’t think our puppy was too naughty he did need training on commands to come and stay, go up and down stairs and many other commands as he wasn’t a great listener at times..

Joanne was patient and made the training process easy without overwhelming our puppy and us. Our puppy recently had a “moment” with our new furniture. One reach out to Joanne and she responded quickly with a reminder of a training tactic as well as toys that could assist us with the training to alleviate the behavior.

We would definitely recommend Joanne for your dog trainer. She is professional, prompt, understanding, a great listener and patient. We can’t thank her enough.

People comment all the time on how our puppy is so well behaved. In fact, I think we have a family member that was happy that our puppy was “not perfect after all” when he has the furniture incident. That behavior has been addressed and he is still our Shining Star!
Joanne is awesome! Everyone that meets us with our puppy says the same thing, “ is this the same dog?”
He is very obedient, and listens well .
Joanne follows up to make sure we are on track and to see if we need guidance
Thank you!!!!!
Joanne was AMAZING!! SO professional and gave us so much background information on the training prior to actually working on the training that it made the training make SO much sense. She worked on the things that we had requested and more. Left well written notes and homework for us that will be easy to follow. Would recommend her services to ANYONE!
We used Bark Buster 15 years ago with our Dog that passed away. First thing we said when we decided to get a new puppy was that Bark Busters was a MUST. We were so fortunate to get Joanne. The first day with the help and training in sooo many areas (we were honestly doing everything wrong) was an amazing experience. Our puppy was out of control and we were afraid to try crate training. Joanne came and within a day and I am not exaggerating we have a totally different puppy. The first night he slept in his crate and goodness what a relief. We were sleeping and waking him up every hour at night so he would have any accidents. Now he goes twice a night and we SLEEP!! We could not and I mean could not have accomplished this without Joanne. The fee we paid for a lifetime coverage paid for itself THAT DAY!! And of course she trained us.. with on site help and pamphlets and instructions what to do everyday. Don't hesitate.. change your life and make your fur baby a happy baby with Joanne at Bark Busters. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. ❤️
Enjoyed meeting with Joann. She had some very helpful tips and information.
I got a Doberman puppy in mid-April and was excited to bring the little thing home. By the time he was 3 months old, he had grown exponentially, and was turning into more than I could handle. Because of a lack of socialization options in my neighborhood (social distancing etc.), his destructive puppy behavior was starting to peak. I really needed help. He wouldn't sleep in his crate, he was still using wee wee pads, he was tall enough to counter surf, and would chew and rip everything up that he got his big paws on. I started reaching out for trainers in my area- I was desperate. Most wanted to board and train. Or their fees were too much. I needed someone skilled, reliable, knowledgeable about large breed dogs, who used ethical and safe behavior modification strategies. This is how I found Joanne. After TWO sessions with her, I have a new dog. He is now 7 months and approximately 70lbs. He is not perfect, but he respects me and listens. We have completely bonded and he is the typical velcro Doberman. Although he is still acting like a puppy in every way, we have made great headway in setting boundaries and creating a routine. For example, he sleeps every night in his crate. When the lights go out at night, I say "crate" and he runs right in. He even goes in there when he wants to rest. UNBELIEVABLE. He HATED the crate. He also now goes potty on demand. I take him to his favorite spots and say "go potty" and the deed is done. I can take mini breaks during the work day and he will go when I need him to. He is very popular at doggie daycare. They love him there. They report he gets along with all dogs- big, small, young, old. Counter surfing- gone. Treat stealing- gone. He respects my space and waits now for permission. He loves the training leash and chasing butterflies, and on our morning walk, I can jog with him sometimes so now I am getting exercise. I never thought these things would be possible. With simple strategies to keep him exercised, him busy with chew toys, socialized, and with me "thinking like a dog" and being consistent, every day is an awesome day with my Dobie. Thank you Joanne! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Joanne helped me to learn how to communicate with my dog. Before meeting her, I was very frustrated, and did not know how to focus my dog's energy or keep him from being destructive. The skills and methods shared by Joanne corrected the troubling behaviors and increased my dog's quality of life. We were having issues with crating, toileting, excessive chewing, counter surfing- puppy behavior, but my dog is a Doberman-not typical puppy size so the urgency to curtail his behavior was important. Me being consistent has dramatically improved our mom/dog relationship and he is continuing to be a loving, jolly, silly and respectable dog. Thanks Joanne for your help!
Bark busters is fantastic. Definitely recommend Joanne for dog training. It was a sure pleasure to work with her and the results were amazing with Jax. Strongly recommend Bark Busters for dog training.
We purchased lifetime training for our dog Mickey as a puppy almost 3 1/2 years ago in Virginia. We were very pleased with our original trainer but he sold part of his business due to a move. The next trainer was ok, not great but ok. Then we moved here to Florida. We have now been joined by our daughter and her 2 golden doodles. She told had purchased lifetime training in NYC and had a similar experience to ours. Her NY trainer was great. Enter Joanne! With 3 large dogs in the house we needed some help. Our dog was getting aggressive with the older of her dogs and her younger dog had some bad habits- counter surfing pulling, getting into the trash . One visit from Joanne and we are already seeing some positive results. She had some great suggestions and they are working!! The lifetime training package is worth the cost!!
Our family first met Joanne in 2013 and she was a life saver. She helped us transform our wild 100 pound, adolescent, not yet neutered Bernese Mountain Dog into the perfect family pet. With a toddler in the house and a baby on the way were at our wits end, but we started to see changes in our dog the first day we started training with Joanne. We recently called Joanne again 7 years later for help with our new pup and are so happy she is still with bark busters. She is better than we remembered- the training methods truly work. We are doing our "homework" daily with the new puppy and making so much progress. I can't recommend this training program enough!
I am soooo glad we made this investment! Before I met Joanne I thought it would be impossible to train my 2 dogs. I could never have people over or even answer the door with all the barking, jumping, whining, etc. After the first session we immediately started seeing a significant change in their behaviors and a week later we actually had people over :) I couldn't believe it!!! I highly recommend Bark Busters and Joanne Rice..you guys are truly amazing! Thank you!
Joanne was incredible! She gave wonderful input and direction for training our dog Maggie. We can see such a huge positive difference in our dog and we have only done one session so far. Thank you so much Joanne we are so glad that we contacted you I just wish I would have contacted you sooner
I thought our dog’s lessons with Joanne went amazingly. I cannot believe how quickly we got results with Buddy. I would highly recommend Joanne and really appreciate that during this time with coronavirus, she has maintained safe, but very effective, training sessions with our dog!
We met with Joanne yesterday for the first time. The experience was very positive. Joanne was very knowledgeable, helpful and compassionate with our pet Goldendoodle, Bailey. We look forward to our next visit.
Shortly after rescuing our dog we used Joanne from BarkBusters to show us how to train our dog approximately 5 years ago. Her advice and instruction gave us the tools we needed to walk our dog and truly enjoy her. Recently we called Joanne back to help us curb some bad habits on our part as well as Daisy's. The written guarantee is for real and has been very important in our being able to enjoy our dog. We do not fear taking her out when squirrels or other dogs are nearby.
Joanne is a true professional! We felt extremely comfortable with her because she was a super listener. Her teaching style is easy to understand and she provided hands on practice, which resulted in quick, positive success for us. In no time, we saw that Joanne’s methods were changing our dog’s behavior. She is awesome!!
Hiring Joanne Rice is worth every penny!. We have two small dogs 10 & 11 years old. About a month ago I brought home a new puppy. He is a standard labradoodle and expected to reach 50 lbs. My goal was to learn how to have a well behaved larger dog. Our entire family was totally impressed in our first visit with Joanne. We have incorporated her training techniques and it has been a pleasure to have our new puppy. In the first month ( 8 -12 weeks old) he would wait for us to lead him out of the door, sit quietly when we prepared to let him out of his crate and potty training is going very well. Any accidents really have been people at fault not Bentley. The second month lessons have come along as well. He sits and lays down when asked, he comes when called and is learning how to be gentle with our older dogs. I look forward to learning more from Joanne on this adventure:))
Joanne was so helpful! My dog was lunging and growling at new people but within a few weeks he was eager to meet all guests and new people. He has been more well behaved and she has taught me so many things that we will continue to work on.

Professional Dog Training Near You!

Servicing: Apollo Beach, Balm, Brandon, Dade City, Dover, Durant, Gibsonton, Lacoochee, Lakeland, Land O Lakes, Lithia, Lutz, Mango, Plant City, Polk City, Riverview, Ruskin, Saint Leo, San Antonio, Seffner, Sun City, Sun City Center, Sydney, Tampa, Thonotosassa, Trilby, Valrico, Wesley Chapel, Wimauma, Zephyrhills

Stay Connected

Learn more about Bark Busters in Greater Tampa Bay, Florida!

  • Facebook
  • X