Since finding out we were pregnant, we have been dealing with our dogs being very possessive of me. This was causing extreme anxiety with me and I was constantly having to keep them separate. Sara came in and showed us how to take our house back with learning to assert our dominance in a way our dogs understood! In such a short time I can't believe how well our dogs have learned to listen to us and understand our space as well as our dogs! I can't thank Sara enough for giving us the tools to start our dog training journey and ease my anxiety!
Thank you for this amazing review on Google. I’m so excited I could show you how to be the best leaders possible. I can’t wait to see you all at our next visit.
Animesh P.
5 months ago
— Johnstown, CO
Our trainer is Sara and she is a gem to work with! Our pups are sweet but one suffers from separation anxiety severely that often results in barking whenever we leave the apartment. First and foremost, you can tell Sara LOVES dogs and her job. She is so friendly but also knows when it’s time to get serious, both with us and the pups. We loved that Bark Busters approach isn’t a gimmick or special product. It’s simply teaching dog parents how to communicate with their dog in a manner that establishes to the dog that we (the human) are in charge. During the first hour or so, the sole focus was on us learning how to “speak dog”. This part was so important because it lays the foundation for the actual training so that we as humans better understand how dogs communicate. After ensuring we understood that, and answering a million questions, Sara began showing us the corrective technique (yes that is singular - one technique) that has changed the way we interact with our dogs and the way our dogs respond to us. No, this technique does not involve harming or physically hurting the dogs whatsoever, it’s purely a communication thing. Within minutes of applying the corrections, we began to see a shift in the way our Aussie engaged with us. She was looking to us for her guidance rather than the other way around. This included being in her crate, establishing boundaries physically (no jumping), and pulling on leash. So what’s the catch right? It’s not magic and it’s not a one time fix. Our first session was approximately two weeks ago and while the “issues” aren’t gone, here’s what’s changed.
1) barking when left at home: used to be 45 minutes to an hour of persistent barking that began as soon as we left - now is down to 15-30 minutes of intermittent howling that doesn’t start for about 10-15 minutes after we leave. Still lots of room for improvement but this is also the one we’ve been able to dedicate least amount of training time to. Why? Because we only correct her when she howls and since we began training, her intermittent howls can have gaps of up to 15 to 20 minutes. This means that in a best case scenario, we get 3-4 corrections in an hour of training and quite frankly, we don’t have a full hour to dedicate each night (yes that’s an us problem).
2) jumping and invading personal space: this has been fixed almost entirely. The only time it continues to be an issue is when the pups get really excited (someone new at the door or we get back after being gone for several hours) but only requires one correction and the pups back down.
3) pulling on least: before the dogs would “lead” approximately 4-6 feet in front and pull tirelessly. They now will stay in step, if not a bit behind. The Aussie is taking to this better than our yorkie, he’s still trying to lead at times but given a quick correction will step back. They are still easily distracted but we’re working on that. They definitely pay much more attention during walks and are looking to see if we are giving them feedback throughout.
4) barking at door when someone walks by outside or someone is at the door: God bless these dogs, they are protectors at heart. If they hear a sound at the door, they are in go mode. Sprinting and barking at the door. This is still their instinct, but with a single correction, they back away from the door and look to us to lead and handle the situation.
Let’s address the elephant in the room, have our dogs’ personalities changed? That is, do we just have robots now? Nope! The pups still love us, we’re still their best friends. They simply look to us as leaders now. We can provide a correction and within 30 seconds we’re back to cuddling our dog. They still give tons of affection and are just as energetic as ever.
We’re incredibly satisfied with Sara as a trainer and Bark Busters as a program. We can’t wait to continue seeing improvements with our pups, and ourselves as leaders! :)
Enjoy some pup pics.
Aussie: Coral, 4 yo
Yorkie: Ezra, 2 yo
Thank you for the Google Review! It has been wonderful working with you both. I can see that you really want changing your dogs lives and yours as well. With consistency your dogs will learn from you as the leader and love you more and more. Thank you for this amazing review and I look forward to see you all again here soon.
Jacquelyn R G.
6 months ago
— Henderson, CO
Sarah is simply amazing! Her approach to dog training is incredible. Today she came to help us work on our dog’s jumping behaviors, and by this evening, our dog hadn’t jumped up on anyone! She is patient and very thorough in explaining the techniques that she is teaching us and she answers all of our questions. She’s very quick to respond to text messages and to set up appointments when we need her to come for a visit. I am so glad I took the recommendation. I was given to call Bark Busters for training.
Google Review: Had our first training today at home with two Jack Russell’s and a miniature dachshund. The techniques felt like they were genuinely helping and we have a few weeks of training to go but I am confident that this will be successful. I will post an update in a few weeks as we continue on with training.
Thank you for the great review! I know you and Chris have what it takes to show your pack that you are alfa. It was so fun getting to meet you two today and your pups. Can’t wait to come back and see what has progressed.
Tammy C.
9 months ago
— Westminster, CO
Sara, our Bark Busters trainer did a fabulous job! She gave us thorough explanations, examples and lots of “hands on” practice. Both dogs (one is 14) are doing well with not barking. The front door and vacuum are the biggest challenges and we are making progress!
Thank you Tammy for your Google Review! You and Ashley are great dog moms. And now you have the knowledge that you were missing to be great leaders. I can’t wait to come back over and add to the training. Keep up the good work.
Julie B.
10 months ago
— Denver, CO
Google Review: Sarah is awesome!!!! I learned so much from her after only the first session. After only two days, Sadie is already learning what she is and is not supposed to do.
I love hearing this. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to come to your house and help you two out. What a great dog you have and I’m excited to come back for more training.
Shellaugh G.
10 months ago
— Denver, CO
Sara was so easy to work with and was very patient with us when trying to "train" us to be effective dog parents. Several of her pointers have worked wonders with our puppy immediately, and other tips are going to take a bit more practice, as we found out after Sara left. It was a very comfortable and pleasant training experience overall and we will not hesitate to contact Sara with any questions or concerns we have during our training journey. Thank you, Sara, for giving us the confidence to tackle this most important task! We will be in touch soon!
Thank you Shellaugh for your Google review! You two are so smart, and your dog will be so happy with your new skills that you have now. I’m so excited to see how your efforts change your dogs life.
Charlene B.
11 months ago
— Denver, CO
I can’t thank Sarah from Bark Busters enough for her support with my dogs today. She was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and understanding. A few times, I had tears in my eyes because, for the first time in a while, my dogs were actually listening, and it gave me so much hope and happiness. Sarah’s guidance was clear, effective, and tailored to our situation. I feel like I finally have the tools to help my dogs and create a more peaceful home. I highly recommend her to anyone needing help with their pets!
Thank you for your Google review. You and your two boys were amazing leaders for your wonderful dogs today! I’m so excited to see them progress and to see you all help them grow. I am so happy you found Bark Busters and I was able to show you what you needed to do. Thank you.
Jennifer W.
12 months ago
— Thornton, CO
LIFE CHANGING!!! I thought I was going to have to rehome our dog…. Sara and her knowledge/insights saved my dog and kept the dog in our home!
The “Dog Behavior Specialist” (not a “dog trainer” that trains to sit and such) was amazing!
I adopted a large breed dog for safety concerns, and that dog ended up biting my mother when she entered my house without me beside her to introduce her to the dog - the dog bit ‘the stranger’ in the house to protect me. I knew this wasn’t a bite for no reason, but the dog was becoming more and more protective of me to visitors. Sara, the Dog Behavior Specialist, was able to show me how to be the dominant presence in my own home, and to take the fear of needing to protect me out of my dog.
In just a few hours Sara was able to stop the lunging, barking, and growling! We have been practicing what was taught to myself and my dog daily and have not had another incident (3 weeks now)! Sara was amazing at explaining to me the behaviors of my dog, taught me to “speak dog”, established me as the strong leader (that doesn’t need protecting) in my dog’s mind, and stopped ALL aggressive behaviors in JUST ONE VISIT!!!
I honestly was believing that I would have to relinquish the dog back to the shelter because of the aggression and the bite… but Sara TRANSFORMED my dog’s and my relationship so that the dog has become an amazing companion!
…and it is for LIFETIME of the dog! I have already contacted Sara after our first session to ask other questions and she has gotten back to me promptly! I have already set up a second session for more insights to having visitors over to my house as I am expecting company within 2 weeks - just as a refresher for Athena, my dog, and me!
Thank you for your Google review Jennifer! Speaking dog is something you will have for life! Thank you for letting me come into your home and help you out.
Winnona L.
13 months ago
— Greeley, CO
Awesome trainer!!!! Really appreciate how Sara knows how to train you can really tell she loves dogs and knows her stuff.
Christina M.
5 months ago
— Milliken, CO
Since finding out we were pregnant, we have been dealing with our dogs being very possessive of me. This was causing extreme anxiety with me and I was constantly having to keep them separate. Sara came in and showed us how to take our house back with learning to assert our dominance in a way our dogs understood! In such a short time I can't believe how well our dogs have learned to listen to us and understand our space as well as our dogs! I can't thank Sara enough for giving us the tools to start our dog training journey and ease my anxiety!
PermalinkAnimesh P.
5 months ago
— Johnstown, CO
Our trainer is Sara and she is a gem to work with! Our pups are sweet but one suffers from separation anxiety severely that often results in barking whenever we leave the apartment. First and foremost, you can tell Sara LOVES dogs and her job. She is so friendly but also knows when it’s time to get serious, both with us and the pups. We loved that Bark Busters approach isn’t a gimmick or special product. It’s simply teaching dog parents how to communicate with their dog in a manner that establishes to the dog that we (the human) are in charge. During the first hour or so, the sole focus was on us learning how to “speak dog”. This part was so important because it lays the foundation for the actual training so that we as humans better understand how dogs communicate. After ensuring we understood that, and answering a million questions, Sara began showing us the corrective technique (yes that is singular - one technique) that has changed the way we interact with our dogs and the way our dogs respond to us. No, this technique does not involve harming or physically hurting the dogs whatsoever, it’s purely a communication thing. Within minutes of applying the corrections, we began to see a shift in the way our Aussie engaged with us. She was looking to us for her guidance rather than the other way around. This included being in her crate, establishing boundaries physically (no jumping), and pulling on leash. So what’s the catch right? It’s not magic and it’s not a one time fix. Our first session was approximately two weeks ago and while the “issues” aren’t gone, here’s what’s changed.
Permalink1) barking when left at home: used to be 45 minutes to an hour of persistent barking that began as soon as we left - now is down to 15-30 minutes of intermittent howling that doesn’t start for about 10-15 minutes after we leave. Still lots of room for improvement but this is also the one we’ve been able to dedicate least amount of training time to. Why? Because we only correct her when she howls and since we began training, her intermittent howls can have gaps of up to 15 to 20 minutes. This means that in a best case scenario, we get 3-4 corrections in an hour of training and quite frankly, we don’t have a full hour to dedicate each night (yes that’s an us problem).
2) jumping and invading personal space: this has been fixed almost entirely. The only time it continues to be an issue is when the pups get really excited (someone new at the door or we get back after being gone for several hours) but only requires one correction and the pups back down.
3) pulling on least: before the dogs would “lead” approximately 4-6 feet in front and pull tirelessly. They now will stay in step, if not a bit behind. The Aussie is taking to this better than our yorkie, he’s still trying to lead at times but given a quick correction will step back. They are still easily distracted but we’re working on that. They definitely pay much more attention during walks and are looking to see if we are giving them feedback throughout.
4) barking at door when someone walks by outside or someone is at the door: God bless these dogs, they are protectors at heart. If they hear a sound at the door, they are in go mode. Sprinting and barking at the door. This is still their instinct, but with a single correction, they back away from the door and look to us to lead and handle the situation.
Let’s address the elephant in the room, have our dogs’ personalities changed? That is, do we just have robots now? Nope! The pups still love us, we’re still their best friends. They simply look to us as leaders now. We can provide a correction and within 30 seconds we’re back to cuddling our dog. They still give tons of affection and are just as energetic as ever.
We’re incredibly satisfied with Sara as a trainer and Bark Busters as a program. We can’t wait to continue seeing improvements with our pups, and ourselves as leaders! :)
Enjoy some pup pics.
Aussie: Coral, 4 yo
Yorkie: Ezra, 2 yo
Jacquelyn R G.
6 months ago
— Henderson, CO
Sarah is simply amazing! Her approach to dog training is incredible. Today she came to help us work on our dog’s jumping behaviors, and by this evening, our dog hadn’t jumped up on anyone! She is patient and very thorough in explaining the techniques that she is teaching us and she answers all of our questions. She’s very quick to respond to text messages and to set up appointments when we need her to come for a visit. I am so glad I took the recommendation. I was given to call Bark Busters for training.
PermalinkTamara W.
8 months ago
— Brighton, CO
Google Review: Had our first training today at home with two Jack Russell’s and a miniature dachshund. The techniques felt like they were genuinely helping and we have a few weeks of training to go but I am confident that this will be successful. I will post an update in a few weeks as we continue on with training.
PermalinkTammy C.
9 months ago
— Westminster, CO
Sara, our Bark Busters trainer did a fabulous job! She gave us thorough explanations, examples and lots of “hands on” practice. Both dogs (one is 14) are doing well with not barking. The front door and vacuum are the biggest challenges and we are making progress!
PermalinkJulie B.
10 months ago
— Denver, CO
Google Review: Sarah is awesome!!!! I learned so much from her after only the first session. After only two days, Sadie is already learning what she is and is not supposed to do.
PermalinkShellaugh G.
10 months ago
— Denver, CO
Sara was so easy to work with and was very patient with us when trying to "train" us to be effective dog parents. Several of her pointers have worked wonders with our puppy immediately, and other tips are going to take a bit more practice, as we found out after Sara left. It was a very comfortable and pleasant training experience overall and we will not hesitate to contact Sara with any questions or concerns we have during our training journey. Thank you, Sara, for giving us the confidence to tackle this most important task! We will be in touch soon!
PermalinkCharlene B.
11 months ago
— Denver, CO
I can’t thank Sarah from Bark Busters enough for her support with my dogs today. She was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and understanding. A few times, I had tears in my eyes because, for the first time in a while, my dogs were actually listening, and it gave me so much hope and happiness. Sarah’s guidance was clear, effective, and tailored to our situation. I feel like I finally have the tools to help my dogs and create a more peaceful home. I highly recommend her to anyone needing help with their pets!
PermalinkJennifer W.
12 months ago
— Thornton, CO
LIFE CHANGING!!! I thought I was going to have to rehome our dog…. Sara and her knowledge/insights saved my dog and kept the dog in our home!
PermalinkThe “Dog Behavior Specialist” (not a “dog trainer” that trains to sit and such) was amazing!
I adopted a large breed dog for safety concerns, and that dog ended up biting my mother when she entered my house without me beside her to introduce her to the dog - the dog bit ‘the stranger’ in the house to protect me. I knew this wasn’t a bite for no reason, but the dog was becoming more and more protective of me to visitors. Sara, the Dog Behavior Specialist, was able to show me how to be the dominant presence in my own home, and to take the fear of needing to protect me out of my dog.
In just a few hours Sara was able to stop the lunging, barking, and growling! We have been practicing what was taught to myself and my dog daily and have not had another incident (3 weeks now)! Sara was amazing at explaining to me the behaviors of my dog, taught me to “speak dog”, established me as the strong leader (that doesn’t need protecting) in my dog’s mind, and stopped ALL aggressive behaviors in JUST ONE VISIT!!!
I honestly was believing that I would have to relinquish the dog back to the shelter because of the aggression and the bite… but Sara TRANSFORMED my dog’s and my relationship so that the dog has become an amazing companion!
…and it is for LIFETIME of the dog! I have already contacted Sara after our first session to ask other questions and she has gotten back to me promptly! I have already set up a second session for more insights to having visitors over to my house as I am expecting company within 2 weeks - just as a refresher for Athena, my dog, and me!
Winnona L.
13 months ago
— Greeley, CO
Awesome trainer!!!! Really appreciate how Sara knows how to train you can really tell she loves dogs and knows her stuff.
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