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.

Servicing: Adams Run, Awendaw, Beaufort, Bluffton, Charleston, Charleston AFB, Cordesville, Edisto Island, Folly Beach, Goose Creek, Hanahan, Hardeeville, Hollywood, Huger, Isle Of Palms, Jamestown, Johns Island, Ladson, Ladys Island, McClellanville, Moncks Corner, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Okatie, Port Royal, Ravenel, Ridgeland, Sullivans Island, Summerville, Wadmalaw Island

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 James & Michelle

large james michelle rodriguez 1

Best Dog Training in Charleston, including Mt. Pleasant, Summerville & Goose Creek!

AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator Veteran Owned

Welcome. We are James and Michelle, your local Bark Busters trainers in Charleston since 2008. We have helped train thousands of dogs. We are: 

  • Certified Behavioral Therapists and Obedience Trainers
  • AKC Certified Dog Evaluators
  • Bark Busters National Trainers of the Year
  • Highly recommended by the veterinary community

"James and Michelle with Bark Busters have become invaluable resources for our doctors, our staff and our clients over the years."

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We are not your typical dog trainers. We are both veterans of the armed forces, have been married more than 20 years, and as owner operators we exclusively do all of the training with our clients.

We left the corporate world and pursued our dream of helping people and their dogs. We believe that the relationship between the owner and dog is the most important element of effective training. We teach dog owners how to inherently meet the needs of the dog and build a relationship built on love and respect.

Our unique and effective training approach yields people immediate and long lasting results...

"We contacted Bark Busters after already having tried a training class and multiple individual training sessions with a different trainer, and were still having disruptive behavioral issues with our 1 year old puppy. Our vet recommended Bark Busters, and literally after one session we noticed huge, wonderful differences!" - Happy Client

We assist with all types of obedience, puppy training, off leash control as well as behavior issues like separation anxiety, aggression and much more. Let us teach you why your dog is doing what he is doing and what you can do to change it.

Please reach out to discuss your situation. We love what we do and would love to share our passion, knowledge, and experience with you. Happy Dog's = Happy Families :)

Contact Us Today

Visit our dog training Charleston website

What Makes Bark Busters Charleston 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 Charleston, 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Learn More

Get Started Now

Free, No Obligation Consultation. Call 1-877-500-BARK (2275)or enter your zip code.

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Charleston Client Reviews

See what our clients have to say

Bark busters has changed our lives. James is unlike any trainer, he is always there for anything that comes up. We've been working with him for the last 2 years since getting our dog, and he still comes out when we have questions. He's even helped us with our new puppy and the transition of bringing her into our family. This isn't just a one time, pay for training and be done, this is for the life of your pet. As life changes, as environments change, as your dog matures and other challanges come up, James has been there with us through it all. Hes only a text away, and always makes time for us. I couldn't say enough good things about Bark Busters. If you're thinking about it, just do it, its the best investment we've ever made into having a well trained, obedient, and loyal dog. He takes the time to teach you about your dog so you can understand what training works and why. If I went back in time knowing what I do now, I would have only called sooner.
Leslie Simmons
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We have an 8 month old puppy who was really starting to drive us nuts with his puppy behaviors. Barking, jumping, pulling on a leash, not coming when called, etc. Despite having already tried a group obedience class with little success, we were desperate for a different resolution to the madness. I came across Bark Busters on yelp and saw all the positive reviews so I looked into their mission/philosophy and appreciated that they don't use treats, they come to your house/tailor the training to your environment and dog, and genuinely want the dogs to be just dogs (I.e. not perfect, not show dogs, just great companions). When James arrived at the house, we explained that we had gone through a class but didn't feel we could keep up, and that it just wasn't working for our needs. He explained the difference between classes and his 1:1 training - the classes try to make dogs of varying ages / life stages keep up with the same goals each week, which is unrealistic and can result in feeling like you're failing. In his approach, they teach you what your dog (and you as the trainer) can realistically handle at his/her age, and then build on it gradually at the dogs pace, not the pace of a set # of weeks-long course. As simple of an explanation as that was, it was all we needed to know we had made the right choice with bark busters. James is super laid back, realistic, and helpful. He went through all our goals and explained how a majority of them could be solved by just one method in how we approach our dog and assert ourselves as the leader. Simple for us, simple for the dog. We saw progress during our first session and are excited to continue on! While it can seem expensive, we immediately saw the value in what they offer, and their lifetime guarantee is a true differentiator and selling point for us. I highly recommend Bark Busters - they truly built our confidence and made the training simplistic which is the best we could have ever asked for. Thank you, James & Michelle!
Chloe L.
Charleston, SC
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Our family was all over the place when it came to training our dogs. I reached out to Bark Busters as I loved the idea that they would come to our home and work with us in our house. I also was impressed that they offer a lifetime commitment to helping us work with our dogs.
James Rodriguez is our trainer. Our first visit was reassuring. He met with our entire family & our dogs. He explained the methods (loved that they don’t use shock collars) and how those methods help us understand how dogs think.
We made the commitment and the results are very encouraging. I’ve had dogs my entire life and I recommend this method to anyone struggling with their pup’s behaviors. It works!
James is knowledgeable, calm, encouraging and our dogs love him too.
Cheryl Knox .
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Well worth the money! James is so knowledgeable, honest, personable and magical with dogs. Trust him. Our dog now has No anxiety when we leave him to run errands, decreased incidences of barking to almost none- we are still in training and listens to our commands with the proper techniques taught to us :)
So happy!! And so is our dog;).
Terri C.
Moncks Corner, SC
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Today was my first session with Bark Busters. James came out and gave us so much information and explained the entire process. You could see his love for dogs and the opportunity to help with the training process. I would absolutely recommend Bark Busters to anyone with training needs. Thank you James for a great session. - Kathy Harrell
Kathy H.
Moncks Corner, SC
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We had a desperate situation. Our Vizsla that at first loved having a playmate after a few months became on edge and began attacking the little rescue dog - breaking his jaw in 3 places. The Viszla was stressed all the time and incredibly aggressive- and seemed to constantly want to go after the puppy.

The first visit with James was incredible. We laid out a plan and he level set on time for transformation and the levels of progress that may be possible and strategies if not. It was such a relief to have a plan. And he taught me a few things that made an immediate difference. I had homework and it was manageable.

We went through process, James always responded and provided guidance along the way between sessions. Every month we progressed, with a set back here and there where fortunately we had controls in place to keep everyone safe - and that, as James pointed out, brought insight on triggers. I am so incredibly grateful that we now have two dogs that snuggle together which I did not would ever be possible.

James helped me learn l how to read the dogs better and when and how to manage with simple techniques. I am so glad both dogs can have full lives now - and even play together and comfort each other.

I am grateful and cannot recommend the services enough! This would not have been a happy ending without James. It took time, practice but it was all manageable and it paid off way beyond the level I expected.
Rebecca M.
Beaufort, SC
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4 stars because it’s a little pricey but worth it! We adopted our Betty when she was around 1 year old and knew she had the potential to be a good girl. But after a few months she started testing her boundaries and we started losing hope in her. We reached out to Bark Busters and James trained us how to train Betty. Now she comes when called, walks well on leash, and we know how to redirect her or keep her away when needed. It’s also great to know we can reach back out to Bark Busters whenever we have questions or issues.
Christina Russell L.
Beaufort, SC
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Michelle Rodriguez is wonderful! It's a process, not an instant fix and you have to do the work if you want to be successful. She's super supportive and the training is available for the life of your dog. Every time we run into a new situation she's there to help me through it. If you're willing to work on the training every day you WILL see results, this program works!!! And all without fear or punishing your best friend (or friends), just learning to be the leader of your pack!
Merikay P.
Ladson, SC
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Michelle is absolutely amazing. I can not believe the changes I am seeing since hiring her. She is teaching ME how to be the leader of my dog. She is "training" me how to train my dog. What's interesting is these techniques are relatively simple once they are explained. Michelle is very knowledgeable. She is always available through phone or email. She answers questions in simple and easy to understand terms. Michelle is patient and kind. She never makes me feel bad or stupid when asking questions.

After the 1st session my husband and I began to see improvements in our dog's general obedience. Michelle has given me the hope for my dog. She has given me the confidence and the know how to introduce my dog to people in a safe manner.

The program is not cheap but both my husband and I believe it to be worth every penny.
Keena P.
Moncks Corner, SC
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We have two dogs but needed the most help with our 3 year old Brittany….Ginger. For those of you that are familiar with that breed, you clearly know how energetic and spastic they can be. We had a Brittany before, but Ginger has exceeded the craziness. She had a bad habit of counter surfing in the kitchen while we were cooking. As much as we yelled at her, that bad habit continued. Walking her was exhausting. The minute she got outside, her nose led the way. She would pull so hard, and if a car drove by, she would bark and try to dart at the car. That was really nerve wracking because one day if we didn’t have complete control of her leash, she definitely would have been hit. We finally decided to hire a dog trainer. We hired James with Bark Buster. The best thing about his tactics, is that we are not just attending typical training classes teaching dog obedience. Most dog training classes have a generalized training outline. James customized the training needs based on what we wanted to be corrected. We successfully keep the dogs out of the kitchen during any cooking process. We can now walk the dogs and there is absolutely no pulling. They no longer control us while in the house or during the walks. Both dogs now understand that we are the pack leaders and that we control our expectations of them. In the end, it was my husband and I that really needed the training. We are both thrilled at the results and look forward to finally enjoying calmer walks and more peaceful times within the house.
Judy T.
Richmond Hill, GA
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James Rodriguez is a master: experienced, knowledgeable, authoritative when necessary, and successful in gently overcoming a dog's bad behavior or habits.

James first educated us on the traits of dogs in general, and our dog Rocky in particular. He was correct in all respects, and quickly taught us the best methods to help Rocky shed behavior that had become intolerable. Those methods proved to be successful.

Money well spent.

Frank and Tami McCann
Frank M.
Johns Island, SC
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Michelle began working with my dog as a 12-week old puppy. Since then, she has continued to implement training that is age appropriate as my dog enters new phases of life. I could not be happier with the results. I look forward to continuing these steps as my dog grows into adulthood. Michelle is very professional, but also just a joy to be around! I highly recommend Bark Busters and James and Michelle. You will not be disappointed.
Kelly C.
Charleston, SC
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Working with Michelle from Bark Busters has been so very helpful with our feisty (albeit adorable) little Pomeranian who kind of thought he was in charge of the world! Michelle provided super helpful tools, strategies, and information so we could understand how dogs think and communicate, and learn how to change our dogs behavior by changing our behavior. It takes practice, however the strategies work! She has made herself readily available via a combination of in person sessions, phone calls and texts. We highly recommend Bark Busters! Thank you!
Diana B.
Mount Pleasant, SC
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Bark Busters has changed our lives. James is unlike any trainer, he is always there for anything that comes up. We've been working with him for the last 2 years since getting our dog, and he still comes out when we have questions. He's even helped us with our new puppy and the transition of bringing her into our family. This isn't just a one time, pay for training and be done, this is for the life of your pet. As life changes, as environments change, as your dog matures and other challenges come up, James has been there with us through it all. He's only a text away, and always makes time for us. I couldn't say enough good things about Bark Busters. If you're thinking about it, just do it, its the best investment we've ever made into having a well trained, obedient, and loyal dog. He takes the time to teach you about your dog so you can understand what training works and why. If I went back in time knowing what I do now, I would have only called sooner.
Leslie S.
North Charleston, SC
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Michelle is great and really passionate/realistic on what you can get out of your dog. Signed up for two dog training and one of our pups passed shortly after signing up and Michelle was prompt and thoughtful to refund us accordingly.
Thomas R.
Charleston, SC
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We adopted one puppy intentionally and then fell into a stray puppy a few months later. We were in over our head and were beyond frustrated that our dogs wouldn't listen, chewed everything, barked at neighbors, dug holes, you name it, one or both dogs did it. One was so aggressive when meeting new dogs I thought we would never be able to take them anywhere or have dog friends over. This sounds dramatic, but James from Bark Busters was a life changer. I knew we were the problem, not so much the dogs, but he showed us how to communicate with them in a manner they understand and everything is different now. They are delightful. Perfect? No. But they listen better, we can leave them unsupervised for longer, and their whole demeanor is so much calmer. They are changed dogs because we are better at communicating with them.
Meredith J.
Goose Creek, SC
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James has been such a phenomenal trainer and person throughout every interaction we have had with him. When we adopted Braxton, we were informed that he had behavioral issues with children and other animals. He had bitten myself within the first few weeks of taking him in so we began to search for someone to help us since we had not experienced this before, and giving him up was NOT an option. On our first visit with James, he took the time to educate us on Braxton's learned and inherited behaviors and certain things that could and could not be completely changed. We learned how to establish dominance and recreate our family dynamic in order for Braxton to feel more secure as well as situations that helped or hindered his traits. After working with James over multiple sessions- Braxton is a COMPLETELY different dog. It has been night and day of a difference. Our bonding has strengthened immensely and he has not bitten myself or my fiance a single time since we learned our new tools. I am telling you- James is an absolute miracle worker and has impacted our life in more ways than we can express. We are so incredibly grateful for his mentorship. 10/10 recommend!
Alexis L.
Bluffton, SC
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James from Bark Busters has been our trainer and has taught us how by learning to lead our 95lb. Boxer mixed dog - Charley, we can modify his behavior tremendously in a positive way. We had been dealing with behavioral territorial, protective, and fear based issues that lead him to bite in 3 different situations. We tried other training methods in the past and nothing seemed to work.
Charley is a sweet good behaved dog when around the people he has always known, but we would always refrained from bringing other people home because of fear of his reaction. James taught us how establishing leadership and following through with consistency can change Charley’s behavior from a fearful reactive dog, to a more calm and secure dog.
Side note: While his fears of thunderstorms were not addressed in the training, by establishing leadership, his fear and anxiety of thunderstorms changed dramatically. Last night we had terrible and really loud storms in Summerville and in the past he would have jumped on the bed between my husband and I and would have been alert and shivering, but last night, I dragged his bed close to ours and instructed him to stay in his bed. Although he was alert to the noises, there were no signs of anxiety, panting, or whining and he eventually fell asleep through the storm. I truly believe that learning to lead Charley through the methods taught by Bark Busters added life quality for my family and our dog. We truly recommend them!
Diana W.
Summerville, SC
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Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value -

We adopted our lab mix, Penny, about a year ago and she is a year and 3 months old now. When we got her, people hadn’t been over much because it was still during covid times, but we noticed after a couple of months, if anyone did come over, she would bark at them the entire time. She also was terrible on the leash. She would pull all over the place and would be constantly trying to sniff and eat everything we walked by. In the summer of 2021, we had sold our house and moved into an apartment temporarily for a few months. Penny barked at every single person that we walked by in the hallway, outside, in the elevator, even if someone walked by the apartment while we were inside. Since she was a little older, her bark sounded scary and aggressive. We know she is a sweetheart, but it was scaring people. She also would lunge at them while she was barking, which did not help. We could not deal with it anymore. We had so much anxiety every time we had to take her out. That is when we decided to call Bark Busters. We worked with James, who was super nice and knowledgeable. Penny barked her head off at him when he walked in and he stopped it right away without any contact with her (no shock/beep collars, etc.), which is what we wanted. The first session was so informative and life-changing. It basically was a dog psychology lesson and was more about training you to be a leader for the dog. Penny was barking at everyone because we did not do a good job of showing her that we were the leaders of the pack, so she thought she had to protect us. Once we knew how to do that properly, she backed off and let us lead, meaning no more barking and pulling on the leash. Her behavior changed drastically in just one session. It takes, work, though! It’s really up to the owner(s) to get results, but it made a world of difference for us. We are so thankful for the help we got from Bark Busters! It honestly improved our quality of life!
Whitney A.
Mount Pleasant, SC
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Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, Value
If only I had a time machine… I would’ve consulted Michelle and James much sooner. If you are looking for honest, straight forward, and knowledgeable help with your dog’s behavior, this would be my recommendation. I look forward to working with Michelle again in the future.
Megan M.
Johns Island, SC
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After raising 3 sons and 5 dogs, all from babies, my husband and I brought home Sigi, an 8 week old large boned German Shepherd. With his expected size to be 125 pounds, I knew that even as experienced dog owners, we needed help! Our vet recommended Bark Busters and James Rodriquez became our friend and Trainer! James has given us a better understanding of how our dog sees us and the world and how to relate to him in ways that he enjoys and help us to be good dog parents.

Training with James is simple, goal oriented, and practical. He focuses on helping your dog become a good citizen. Sigi is now 9 months and 100 pounds, I can walk and hike anywhere with Sigi and be confident that he is under control. I have never been able to do this with my other dogs. I cannot say enough good things about James and his methods. He teaches control without cruelty! Very positive and supportive, working with James is the best investment for you and your dog!
Jayne H.
Mount Pleasant, SC
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Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, Value :
I can't speak highly enough of our experiences thus far with James (& Michelle). I'm not inexperienced with dogs, but felt at the end of my rope with a few behaviors our 3 year old dog couldn't shake. Within hours of implementing the changes James suggested, we saw drastic changes for the better and continue to feel so encouraged. If the price tag feels intimidating, divide it by the years your dog will likely be in your life. In our case, if our dog lived to be 12 years old, we would end up paying around $150/year to have a dog that was a delight to live with. That feels MORE than worth it.
Joy T.
Mount Pleasant, SC
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James is amazing! He really understands both the dog and their human handlers to be able to correct behaviors. Scheduling a visit could not have been easier and I always received a quick response from the team. I would highly recommend Bark Busters - even old dogs can learn new tricks. Thanks again for being so awesome with my fur baby!
Sydney S.
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Professionalism, Quality, Reliability, Responsiveness, Value - -
Michelle came to our house and we immediately felt at ease. She knew exactly what to tell us and how to get our new rescue, Teddy, listening to us.
All her advice and the homework has helped to make my husband and I leaders of the pack. In less than 3 weeks we are now in charge in the home.
Walks are more challenging but improving every day.
Can't say enough good things about Michelle and Bark Busters!!!
Michelle W.
Summerville, SC
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Michelle, our Bark Busters trainer, has assisted us in training our Golden Retriever puppy since 9/2020. The training methods that she utilizes and has taught us over the past year has greatly improved our dog , Gracie’s behavior.
Michelle is a professional that has years of experience in training dogs. She is attentive, friendly and very responsive to our needs.
We are extremely satisfied with Bark Busters and highly recommend them for your dog training needs!
Patty W.
Charleston, SC
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Positive: Professionalism, Responsiveness
My dog is a different dog! He used to be the boss of the house and would bite, scratch, and basically run all over me. Now I am learning how to be the boss and he has totally changed. I recommend James to anyone who is having trouble enjoying their dog. Your relationship with your dog will change so much for the better!
Katie B.
Goose Creek, SC
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