I adopted a wonderful dog from a local rescue this past Fall that had severe separation anxiety, and I realized I needed some professional help to make sure he would be safe when he was alone. Tommy's guidance quickly made all the difference in helping him become comfortable in his new home, and has continued to help me keep learning how to be a strong leader in the relationship. He has spent time really observing my dog and explaining mannerisms and behavior as well as techniques, and is great at helping you see things from the dog's perspective. Tommy is quickly responsive to any question or concern I have via email or phone, and he always follows up to make sure that things are going well. I could not be more pleased with the training. Highly recommended.
I reached out to Tommy at Bark Busters for help with my 11 year old Chihuahua, Oscar, and recently adopted 10 year old Pitbull, Roo. I reached out on a Thursday morning and Tommy was able to come that Saturday morning! Oscar is a bit insecure, easily excitable, would bark like crazy when someone knocks on the door/greeted guests a little too exuberantly (with lots of barking included), and would bark at people and other dogs during walks. With the addition of a second dog, I knew it was time to address these behavior issues. Roo is a very sweet dog but needed some reinforcement with basic obedience, loose leash walking, and he had a habit of charging out of his crate in excitement when I would let him out (setting off Oscar and his barking). Tommy was able to quickly identify the issues that needed to be addressed for both dogs, provided great advice and training tips, and really helped me understand how to establish myself as a strong pack leader. After only two days, I already experienced a calmer morning getting ready for work and both dogs were noticeably more well behaved.
I found Tommy to be very personable, funny, and extremely thorough. He is very open and honest and I appreciated that he reiterated the need for daily practice and follow through for success. He is VERY responsive through text and email. I'm looking forward to Tommy's next visit!
I found Tommy Meyerhoeffer while generally searching online for help with our new puppy. While mostly house trained our pup was still peeing and pooping in the house in odd ways that seemed behavioral. We had been considering obedience training but really didn't feel obedience training was going to address our specific needs nor would routine weekly classes work well with our schedules. I also know from obedience training with our other dogs, one 6 or 12 week class generally isn't enough and there is almost no customization within group classes.
The reviews for Tommy were excellent and the fact that so many clients reported seeing success after only one visit really drew me in. We hired Tommy last week to help us with our 3 dogs. 2 who just need some minor work and the new puppy who needs more attention. I am happy to report that reviews were spot on! Within just a few hours in our first visit, Tommy taught our family techniques that had all 3 dogs falling into line! While we are still working on the puppy bathroom issues, Tommy has been amazing on that as well. He is very accessible to his clients by phone or email and we have been in constant touch - with me reporting observations and Tommy giving suggestions. We will have our 2nd work session with Tommy this Friday and I am really looking forward to it!
While the initial cost may seem higher than a single obedience class, I can honestly say this is much better value for the money. The one-time fee covers training for your dog for the life of the animal and Tommy is on call any time you need him. When I calculated how many general training classes I would need to cover our issues and basic obedience, general obedience classes likely would have added up to be about equal to this fee and I would not have had the on-call support that I have with Tommy. Our family highly recommends Tommy and the Bark Busters methodology for training. We have tried other means and classes and have not had the success we have seen with just one meeting with Tommy!
I found Tommy Meyerhoeffer while generally searching online for help with our new puppy. While mostly house trained our pup was still peeing and pooping in the house in odd ways that seemed behavioral. We had been considering obedience training but really didn't feel obedience training was going to address our specific needs nor would routine weekly classes work well with our schedules. I also know from obedience training with our other dogs, one 6 or 12 week class generally isn't enough and there is almost no customization within group classes.
The reviews for Tommy were excellent and the fact that so many clients reported seeing success after only one visit really drew me in. We hired Tommy last week to help us with our 3 dogs. 2 who just need some minor work and the new puppy who needs more attention. I am happy to report that reviews were spot on! Within just a few hours in our first visit, Tommy taught our family techniques that had all 3 dogs falling into line! While we are still working on the puppy bathroom issues, Tommy has been amazing on that as well. He is very accessible to his clients by phone or email and we have been in constant touch - with me reporting observations and Tommy giving suggestions. We will have our 2nd work session with Tommy this Friday and I am really looking forward to it!
While the initial cost may seem higher than a single obedience class, I can honestly say this is much better value for the money. The one-time fee covers training for your dog for the life of the animal and Tommy is on call any time you need him. When I calculated how many general training classes I would need to cover our issues and basic obedience, general obedience classes likely would have added up to be about equal to this fee and I would not have had the on-call support that I have with Tommy. Our family highly recommends Tommy and the Bark Busters methodology for training. We have tried other means and classes and have not had the success we have seen with just one meeting with Tommy!
Our vet recommended Bark Busters to help train our puppy, Bailey. With our past pets we always took them to group training with little to no results. We decided to do something different with Bailey, so we took our vets advice and emailed Bark Busters. The response was fast. Our trainer Tommy was at our house about 1 week later. We have nothing but great things to say about Tommy. He is polite, easy to talk to, friendly, knowledgeable, patient, supportive....I think you get the picture. Within minutes after the training started we saw a difference in Bailey's behavior. We couldn't believe it! The techniques Tommy taught us really worked that fast and weren't hard at all. We just had to be consistent. Tommy gave us some homework and we set a tentative, follow up, appointment. After a few weeks of practicing the skills we noticed some other behaviors in Bailey we needed help with. We emailed Tommy. He answered right away and was at our house the next weekend. THIS PROGRAM IS AMAZING AND THE PEOPLE ARE AWESOME!!! Totally worth the investment. Thank you Bark Busters and especially Tommy for helping us have the furry family member we have always wanted.
My boyfriend and I just got a 3 month old collie retriever named Chino. I was a little rusty on puppy training since it's been 10 years since I had to a puppy and wanted Chino to have a good start in training.
Tommy is a natural dog trainer. Chino responded positively to him immediately. Tommy was patient and professional. He was able to work with me and Chino, and his training methods are easy but effective. I felt at ease and had more direction in puppy training after our first session. Since my boyfriend missed the first session, Tommy took the time to do another training demonstration with us.
Thanks to Tommy, I have confidence that Chino is on his way to be a great and well behaved dog (he's already a wonderful puppy:)
We hired Tommy a bit last minute through bark busters while visiting in town from abroad. Bark busters is a bit more expensive so we were a little wary and went back-and-forth on whether it would be worth it. Ultimately we loved the reviews of bark busters and the lifetime guarantee that they offer around the world so we decided to check it out. We were also told that Tommy has a policy where if we felt we got nothing from the first session he wouldn't take any payment but that he has never had to do this and bark busters was confident that we wouldn't want to either.
Tommy was excellent. We weren't really sure what to expect as this was the first training we've had for our dog Gilly who is a nine month old German Shepherd mix and rescue. She's been having recent barking problems that make it difficult for us to take her out in the city so we wanted to bring in a professional. We had already read books and websites and tried to do this ourselves at home to no avail.
When Tommy arrived he was immediately friendly and professional. We sat down and for the first 30 minutes he observed how we interacted with Gilly, went through what the session would look like, and reviewed the basic principles. I was amazed that within the first 10 minutes Tommy pinpointed things that we were doing that were causing problems for Gilly and preventing her from improving behavior. He pointed these things out in a nice and respectful way - showing empathy and describing his own experiences with his dog and with other clients so we didn't feel like we were just screw ups.
We then moved on to specific exercises to set a foundation for training. It was very different from a lot of the trainings that we read about which were more treat-based. While I was skeptical at first I was amazed with quick results from Tommy's methods.
We started in the house and then moved on to outdoors around more dogs and people. By the end of the session Gilly was mentally tired in a good way and already much better behaved.
Tommy and bark busters was more expensive than the other options that we saw but we would highly recommend it to anyone as we saw results.
My husband and I were so impressed with Tommy's visit yesterday. Not only was he well spoken and personable, he helped us train our dog when we thought she may need to be re-homed. Just after two hours, Jyn was respecting the door, the fence, and our space. Tommy also encouraged us to call or email him any time and I believe he means really means it! I would recommend Tommy and his expertise to anyone struggling with their dog. As an owner of a pitbull, I feel that I have a greater responsibility to ensure that my dog is well trained and respectful.
Tommy Meyerhoeffer visited us to help integrate our new 9 month old, a shelter dog, into our home. We already had another female, 6 years old, and saw signs of dominance and some aggression from both that we needed to correct right away. The 9 month old was also destroying a lot of things in our home. Her behavior was expected but we were clueless about how to fix the problem. Tommy visited us right away on a Sunday (which we really appreciate) and was patient, polite, and made sure to explain and answer any questions we had (trust me, there were many). He also led by example and it was interesting to see the response he got from our dogs just by being calm and collected. The methods he taught us also helped a lot. Just a day has passed and we already see signs of improvement. Both dogs are actually listening to our commands and there is a much safer and confident atmosphere for all of us. I highly recommend Tommy!
Thank you for all your help with Jake and Penny yesterday. I was truly amazed at how effective the training techniques were! I was surprised at how well Jake responded. I was really worried it was too late to help him but through your guidance and support, I learned so much about what Jake thought his role was in the house and also how we, as the owners, contributed to the situation.
I have already observed a change in Jake's demeanor since the training session. He appears to be calmer and more settled.
Lisa C.
7 years ago
— Fairfax, Manassas & Burke, Virginia
I adopted a wonderful dog from a local rescue this past Fall that had severe separation anxiety, and I realized I needed some professional help to make sure he would be safe when he was alone. Tommy's guidance quickly made all the difference in helping him become comfortable in his new home, and has continued to help me keep learning how to be a strong leader in the relationship. He has spent time really observing my dog and explaining mannerisms and behavior as well as techniques, and is great at helping you see things from the dog's perspective. Tommy is quickly responsive to any question or concern I have via email or phone, and he always follows up to make sure that things are going well. I could not be more pleased with the training. Highly recommended.
PermalinkLinda N.
7 years ago
— Fairfax, Manassas & Burke, Virginia
I reached out to Tommy at Bark Busters for help with my 11 year old Chihuahua, Oscar, and recently adopted 10 year old Pitbull, Roo. I reached out on a Thursday morning and Tommy was able to come that Saturday morning! Oscar is a bit insecure, easily excitable, would bark like crazy when someone knocks on the door/greeted guests a little too exuberantly (with lots of barking included), and would bark at people and other dogs during walks. With the addition of a second dog, I knew it was time to address these behavior issues. Roo is a very sweet dog but needed some reinforcement with basic obedience, loose leash walking, and he had a habit of charging out of his crate in excitement when I would let him out (setting off Oscar and his barking). Tommy was able to quickly identify the issues that needed to be addressed for both dogs, provided great advice and training tips, and really helped me understand how to establish myself as a strong pack leader. After only two days, I already experienced a calmer morning getting ready for work and both dogs were noticeably more well behaved.
PermalinkI found Tommy to be very personable, funny, and extremely thorough. He is very open and honest and I appreciated that he reiterated the need for daily practice and follow through for success. He is VERY responsive through text and email. I'm looking forward to Tommy's next visit!
Laura M.
7 years ago
— Springfield, VA
I found Tommy Meyerhoeffer while generally searching online for help with our new puppy. While mostly house trained our pup was still peeing and pooping in the house in odd ways that seemed behavioral. We had been considering obedience training but really didn't feel obedience training was going to address our specific needs nor would routine weekly classes work well with our schedules. I also know from obedience training with our other dogs, one 6 or 12 week class generally isn't enough and there is almost no customization within group classes.
PermalinkThe reviews for Tommy were excellent and the fact that so many clients reported seeing success after only one visit really drew me in. We hired Tommy last week to help us with our 3 dogs. 2 who just need some minor work and the new puppy who needs more attention. I am happy to report that reviews were spot on! Within just a few hours in our first visit, Tommy taught our family techniques that had all 3 dogs falling into line! While we are still working on the puppy bathroom issues, Tommy has been amazing on that as well. He is very accessible to his clients by phone or email and we have been in constant touch - with me reporting observations and Tommy giving suggestions. We will have our 2nd work session with Tommy this Friday and I am really looking forward to it!
While the initial cost may seem higher than a single obedience class, I can honestly say this is much better value for the money. The one-time fee covers training for your dog for the life of the animal and Tommy is on call any time you need him. When I calculated how many general training classes I would need to cover our issues and basic obedience, general obedience classes likely would have added up to be about equal to this fee and I would not have had the on-call support that I have with Tommy. Our family highly recommends Tommy and the Bark Busters methodology for training. We have tried other means and classes and have not had the success we have seen with just one meeting with Tommy!
Laura M.
7 years ago
— Springfield, VA
I found Tommy Meyerhoeffer while generally searching online for help with our new puppy. While mostly house trained our pup was still peeing and pooping in the house in odd ways that seemed behavioral. We had been considering obedience training but really didn't feel obedience training was going to address our specific needs nor would routine weekly classes work well with our schedules. I also know from obedience training with our other dogs, one 6 or 12 week class generally isn't enough and there is almost no customization within group classes.
PermalinkThe reviews for Tommy were excellent and the fact that so many clients reported seeing success after only one visit really drew me in. We hired Tommy last week to help us with our 3 dogs. 2 who just need some minor work and the new puppy who needs more attention. I am happy to report that reviews were spot on! Within just a few hours in our first visit, Tommy taught our family techniques that had all 3 dogs falling into line! While we are still working on the puppy bathroom issues, Tommy has been amazing on that as well. He is very accessible to his clients by phone or email and we have been in constant touch - with me reporting observations and Tommy giving suggestions. We will have our 2nd work session with Tommy this Friday and I am really looking forward to it!
While the initial cost may seem higher than a single obedience class, I can honestly say this is much better value for the money. The one-time fee covers training for your dog for the life of the animal and Tommy is on call any time you need him. When I calculated how many general training classes I would need to cover our issues and basic obedience, general obedience classes likely would have added up to be about equal to this fee and I would not have had the on-call support that I have with Tommy. Our family highly recommends Tommy and the Bark Busters methodology for training. We have tried other means and classes and have not had the success we have seen with just one meeting with Tommy!
Laura L.
8 years ago
— Burke, VA
Our vet recommended Bark Busters to help train our puppy, Bailey. With our past pets we always took them to group training with little to no results. We decided to do something different with Bailey, so we took our vets advice and emailed Bark Busters. The response was fast. Our trainer Tommy was at our house about 1 week later. We have nothing but great things to say about Tommy. He is polite, easy to talk to, friendly, knowledgeable, patient, supportive....I think you get the picture. Within minutes after the training started we saw a difference in Bailey's behavior. We couldn't believe it! The techniques Tommy taught us really worked that fast and weren't hard at all. We just had to be consistent. Tommy gave us some homework and we set a tentative, follow up, appointment. After a few weeks of practicing the skills we noticed some other behaviors in Bailey we needed help with. We emailed Tommy. He answered right away and was at our house the next weekend. THIS PROGRAM IS AMAZING AND THE PEOPLE ARE AWESOME!!! Totally worth the investment. Thank you Bark Busters and especially Tommy for helping us have the furry family member we have always wanted.
PermalinkAimee H.
8 years ago
— Fairfax, Manassas & Burke, Virginia
My boyfriend and I just got a 3 month old collie retriever named Chino. I was a little rusty on puppy training since it's been 10 years since I had to a puppy and wanted Chino to have a good start in training.
PermalinkTommy is a natural dog trainer. Chino responded positively to him immediately. Tommy was patient and professional. He was able to work with me and Chino, and his training methods are easy but effective. I felt at ease and had more direction in puppy training after our first session. Since my boyfriend missed the first session, Tommy took the time to do another training demonstration with us.
Thanks to Tommy, I have confidence that Chino is on his way to be a great and well behaved dog (he's already a wonderful puppy:)
Christina K.
8 years ago
— Fairfax, Manassas & Burke, Virginia
We hired Tommy a bit last minute through bark busters while visiting in town from abroad. Bark busters is a bit more expensive so we were a little wary and went back-and-forth on whether it would be worth it. Ultimately we loved the reviews of bark busters and the lifetime guarantee that they offer around the world so we decided to check it out. We were also told that Tommy has a policy where if we felt we got nothing from the first session he wouldn't take any payment but that he has never had to do this and bark busters was confident that we wouldn't want to either.
PermalinkTommy was excellent. We weren't really sure what to expect as this was the first training we've had for our dog Gilly who is a nine month old German Shepherd mix and rescue. She's been having recent barking problems that make it difficult for us to take her out in the city so we wanted to bring in a professional. We had already read books and websites and tried to do this ourselves at home to no avail.
When Tommy arrived he was immediately friendly and professional. We sat down and for the first 30 minutes he observed how we interacted with Gilly, went through what the session would look like, and reviewed the basic principles. I was amazed that within the first 10 minutes Tommy pinpointed things that we were doing that were causing problems for Gilly and preventing her from improving behavior. He pointed these things out in a nice and respectful way - showing empathy and describing his own experiences with his dog and with other clients so we didn't feel like we were just screw ups.
We then moved on to specific exercises to set a foundation for training. It was very different from a lot of the trainings that we read about which were more treat-based. While I was skeptical at first I was amazed with quick results from Tommy's methods.
We started in the house and then moved on to outdoors around more dogs and people. By the end of the session Gilly was mentally tired in a good way and already much better behaved.
Tommy and bark busters was more expensive than the other options that we saw but we would highly recommend it to anyone as we saw results.
Elaine D.
8 years ago
— Fairfax, VA
My husband and I were so impressed with Tommy's visit yesterday. Not only was he well spoken and personable, he helped us train our dog when we thought she may need to be re-homed. Just after two hours, Jyn was respecting the door, the fence, and our space. Tommy also encouraged us to call or email him any time and I believe he means really means it! I would recommend Tommy and his expertise to anyone struggling with their dog. As an owner of a pitbull, I feel that I have a greater responsibility to ensure that my dog is well trained and respectful.
PermalinkNatalia M.
8 years ago
— Fairfax, Manassas & Burke, Virginia
Tommy Meyerhoeffer visited us to help integrate our new 9 month old, a shelter dog, into our home. We already had another female, 6 years old, and saw signs of dominance and some aggression from both that we needed to correct right away. The 9 month old was also destroying a lot of things in our home. Her behavior was expected but we were clueless about how to fix the problem. Tommy visited us right away on a Sunday (which we really appreciate) and was patient, polite, and made sure to explain and answer any questions we had (trust me, there were many). He also led by example and it was interesting to see the response he got from our dogs just by being calm and collected. The methods he taught us also helped a lot. Just a day has passed and we already see signs of improvement. Both dogs are actually listening to our commands and there is a much safer and confident atmosphere for all of us. I highly recommend Tommy!
PermalinkSharon C.
8 years ago
— Fairfax, Manassas & Burke, Virginia
Thank you for all your help with Jake and Penny yesterday. I was truly amazed at how effective the training techniques were! I was surprised at how well Jake responded. I was really worried it was too late to help him but through your guidance and support, I learned so much about what Jake thought his role was in the house and also how we, as the owners, contributed to the situation.
PermalinkI have already observed a change in Jake's demeanor since the training session. He appears to be calmer and more settled.
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