I was referred to Bark Busters by both my vet and Charleston Animal Society. When we rescued our Lab/Golden "puppy", Rupp, he was a 70 pound stray with absolutely ZERO social skills or domestication. He was basically a wild animal.
Rupp didn't know a single command (not even SIT), had never worn a leash, and had no exposure to other dogs. He also had EXTREME separation anxiety, and could not be left alone for any period of time. To say I was desperate when I called James is an understatement! Walks were virtually impossible, and we couldn't let him out of our sight for a second....admittedly, I was almost in tears daily.
This service is worth every penny. In my opinion, the most valuable part is that James trained ME to train my dog. He has an awesome understanding of dog behavior and psychology, which is really the most important part of training. James is also SUPER patient. Rupp is an EXTREMELY hyper, energetic, "spirited" dog, and he requires A LOT of discipline & consistency. James has worked with us for hours, and never seems to get irritated or frustrated (like I do). Most importantly, his tips and training tools WORK, and he truly seems to care about Rupp's progress. He also doesn't use treats as training tools, which is awesome and unique.
The other thing I like so much about James is that he is realistic and honest, which helps me manage my expectations for Rupp. He asked me to make a list of things I wanted to work on, and it was three pages long. Instead of cramming everything into one session, we took baby steps and the results have been AMAZING. Rupp is now crate trained, walks effortlessly on the leash (with his leader), goes to his bed on command, stays off the furniture, and has even started walking past other dogs without reacting. The list goes on and on.
It has been less than three months, and we have had three sessions with James. Rupp is like a completely different dog. His progress has been unbelievable, and there is literally no way we could have gotten to this point without James. Which reminds me I need to book session #4. I would 100% recommend Bark Busters to anyone and everyone!
Just a few months ago, this little boy was barking and spinning in circles every time he was in the car. He was so anxious he couldn't even begin to go into a kennel. After a few short sessions with Bark Busters, he lays down or sleeps on his own (no medication) the entire ride from Columbia! I never thought he'd be so calm!!
I have been a veterinarian in the lowcountry for 13 years and I have had the pleasure of working with James & Michelle for the past several years. I had a personal in-home lesson with my own pets. I enjoyed learning their training methods and certainly approve of their techniques. I have referred numerous clients over the years (including several veterinary friends) who have had nothing but positive experiences with Bark Busters. Not only are they excellent dog trainers, but they give back so much to the community. For many years, they provide a course on "introducing pets to infants" and are involved in numerous philanthropic events. I highly recommend Bark Busters.
I have three beautiful female pit mixes, all around the age of two (I'm a sucker for rescues). The girls are very affectionate towards myself and my husband but act unruly and dismiss our commands. Whenever I have friends or family over the house the girls jump, crowd, and pester my guests. It is sad to me because people see my dogs as annoying and they don't get to see their real personality. I have people who won't even come over because they have children and three 60 lb pits is somewhat intimidating. In addition they bark incessantly at the door and windows whenever they think someone is anywhere near the house, I can't even tell you how many blinds I have had to replace. To make matters worse, and a bit more stressful, my husband is in the military and is deployed for months at a time, leaving me home to try and control three very energized dogs. On top of that I work full time and I am pregnant. When we found out my husband and I were about to expand our family we knew it was time to do something and take back control from the girls. The problem was they were so bad it was beyond repair, NO ONE could possibly be ale to help, at least that's what we thought. I was so negative about it that I had lost hope and at one point I thought I was going to have to find a home for our biggest trouble maker, RZA. I knew I could never let one of my girls leave and knew by bringing them into my home I had made a commitment to protect them and love them no matter what. We hit rock bottom and from that point decided to change things up.
After reading tons of reviews and speaking to veterinarians, kennels, and friends I decided Bark Busters was the best. I wrote James and Michelle from Bark Busters an email describing some of the problems and my desperation to fix this. I even "warned" them that they might not be able to train my dogs. We made an appointment and I crossed my fingers.
After day one.. I repeat DAY ONE I had seen the light at the end of the tunnel. James explained why the dogs were doing what they were and how to fix it. We spent two and a half hours watching the dogs and correcting them. He broke every behavior down and educated me on how dogs think. I was amazed. I knew that if I followed the instructions and remained motivated that my sweet baby girls would be transformed. As the weeks went by the easier the training got, it all just clicked and I began to understand. The dogs and I did all our homework and found a new confidence. By the time the second training session came around I was so excited to show off all the improvement my girls had made. It was such a good feeling being able to open the door, have someone enter, and not be bombarded by jumping four legged fur balls.
I would recommend Bark Busters to anyone who needs help and is willing to put in 15-20 mins of work in a day with their precious fury ones, no matter what level of disobedience your dog displays. I thought James would be packing his things apologizing while running out the door, instead he was walking out of my house unscathed and assured it would all be ok. I was able to email and call with any questions or concerns. I had constant support. The best decision I have made in a long time was calling Bark Busters, because of them my dogs are happier than ever and so am I.
Jenny Benjamin & Ryan F.
11 years ago
— Charleston, South Carolina
I was referred to Bark Busters by both my vet and Charleston Animal Society. When we rescued our Lab/Golden "puppy", Rupp, he was a 70 pound stray with absolutely ZERO social skills or domestication. He was basically a wild animal.
PermalinkRupp didn't know a single command (not even SIT), had never worn a leash, and had no exposure to other dogs. He also had EXTREME separation anxiety, and could not be left alone for any period of time. To say I was desperate when I called James is an understatement! Walks were virtually impossible, and we couldn't let him out of our sight for a second....admittedly, I was almost in tears daily.
This service is worth every penny. In my opinion, the most valuable part is that James trained ME to train my dog. He has an awesome understanding of dog behavior and psychology, which is really the most important part of training. James is also SUPER patient. Rupp is an EXTREMELY hyper, energetic, "spirited" dog, and he requires A LOT of discipline & consistency. James has worked with us for hours, and never seems to get irritated or frustrated (like I do). Most importantly, his tips and training tools WORK, and he truly seems to care about Rupp's progress. He also doesn't use treats as training tools, which is awesome and unique.
The other thing I like so much about James is that he is realistic and honest, which helps me manage my expectations for Rupp. He asked me to make a list of things I wanted to work on, and it was three pages long. Instead of cramming everything into one session, we took baby steps and the results have been AMAZING. Rupp is now crate trained, walks effortlessly on the leash (with his leader), goes to his bed on command, stays off the furniture, and has even started walking past other dogs without reacting. The list goes on and on.
It has been less than three months, and we have had three sessions with James. Rupp is like a completely different dog. His progress has been unbelievable, and there is literally no way we could have gotten to this point without James. Which reminds me I need to book session #4. I would 100% recommend Bark Busters to anyone and everyone!
Taylor G.
12 years ago
— Charleston, South Carolina
Just a few months ago, this little boy was barking and spinning in circles every time he was in the car. He was so anxious he couldn't even begin to go into a kennel. After a few short sessions with Bark Busters, he lays down or sleeps on his own (no medication) the entire ride from Columbia! I never thought he'd be so calm!!
PermalinkDr. Michelle M.
12 years ago
— Charleston, South Carolina
I have been a veterinarian in the lowcountry for 13 years and I have had the pleasure of working with James & Michelle for the past several years. I had a personal in-home lesson with my own pets. I enjoyed learning their training methods and certainly approve of their techniques. I have referred numerous clients over the years (including several veterinary friends) who have had nothing but positive experiences with Bark Busters. Not only are they excellent dog trainers, but they give back so much to the community. For many years, they provide a course on "introducing pets to infants" and are involved in numerous philanthropic events. I highly recommend Bark Busters.
PermalinkBriana B.
12 years ago
— Ladson, SC
I have three beautiful female pit mixes, all around the age of two (I'm a sucker for rescues). The girls are very affectionate towards myself and my husband but act unruly and dismiss our commands. Whenever I have friends or family over the house the girls jump, crowd, and pester my guests. It is sad to me because people see my dogs as annoying and they don't get to see their real personality. I have people who won't even come over because they have children and three 60 lb pits is somewhat intimidating. In addition they bark incessantly at the door and windows whenever they think someone is anywhere near the house, I can't even tell you how many blinds I have had to replace. To make matters worse, and a bit more stressful, my husband is in the military and is deployed for months at a time, leaving me home to try and control three very energized dogs. On top of that I work full time and I am pregnant. When we found out my husband and I were about to expand our family we knew it was time to do something and take back control from the girls. The problem was they were so bad it was beyond repair, NO ONE could possibly be ale to help, at least that's what we thought. I was so negative about it that I had lost hope and at one point I thought I was going to have to find a home for our biggest trouble maker, RZA. I knew I could never let one of my girls leave and knew by bringing them into my home I had made a commitment to protect them and love them no matter what. We hit rock bottom and from that point decided to change things up.
PermalinkAfter reading tons of reviews and speaking to veterinarians, kennels, and friends I decided Bark Busters was the best. I wrote James and Michelle from Bark Busters an email describing some of the problems and my desperation to fix this. I even "warned" them that they might not be able to train my dogs. We made an appointment and I crossed my fingers.
After day one.. I repeat DAY ONE I had seen the light at the end of the tunnel. James explained why the dogs were doing what they were and how to fix it. We spent two and a half hours watching the dogs and correcting them. He broke every behavior down and educated me on how dogs think. I was amazed. I knew that if I followed the instructions and remained motivated that my sweet baby girls would be transformed. As the weeks went by the easier the training got, it all just clicked and I began to understand. The dogs and I did all our homework and found a new confidence. By the time the second training session came around I was so excited to show off all the improvement my girls had made. It was such a good feeling being able to open the door, have someone enter, and not be bombarded by jumping four legged fur balls.
I would recommend Bark Busters to anyone who needs help and is willing to put in 15-20 mins of work in a day with their precious fury ones, no matter what level of disobedience your dog displays. I thought James would be packing his things apologizing while running out the door, instead he was walking out of my house unscathed and assured it would all be ok. I was able to email and call with any questions or concerns. I had constant support. The best decision I have made in a long time was calling Bark Busters, because of them my dogs are happier than ever and so am I.
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