Keith of bark busters is awasome. He really knows dogs. I really like that they come to the house and teach you how to train the dog in the dogs regular environment. And the service is impeccable I've called Keith three or four times each two or three years in between always calls me right back highly recommend barkbusters.
We recently had our first baby and were very anxious how our lovable but stubborn bulldog, Bruce, would interact and handle all the new sights and sounds. We definitely needed some help on how to best keep our dog happy and calm while dealing with a new baby. After one visit things drastically improved. We used to say our bulldog was very neurotic and stubborn but it turns out it was just his way of showing anxiety over new and frightening things. Bruce was very anxious by anything new and after one visit with Keith he was like a different more calm and happier dog. When I read all the reviews I admit I was a bit skeptic, but boy let me tell you- they are NOT wrong. Keith has been an incredible resource through this whole process. Having a new baby is a lot to get used to itself and we were very worried we would not be able to have our dog and baby in the same room alone, now we like to say that Bruce babysits our daughter. He truly loves her as much as he loves me or my husband. He is incredible with her and is definitely a much happier dog. Noises her toys would make or bright flashing lights used to set him off in the past, now he doesn’t even bother looking up. The peace of mind and change we have seen in him makes us wish we called Keith earlier!
I’ve had my Maltese since he was a puppy and he is currently 9 years old. I’ve taken him to training before and it was a horrible experience he ended up worse than before, biting and barking. I couldn’t take him for walks because he was impossible when he saw people or other dogs. Keith was amazing! He gave me all of the right tools to become the leader. I was nervous that Jax was already too old and couldn’t be trained but boy was I wrong. Jax is a completely different dog and I’m so grateful to Keith for helping us. Now I can take him for walks and have people over without having him bark or bite.
In short: If there is any textbook case of a literal crazy dog being educated to understand my behavioral expectations of him, Keith from Bark Busters helped me achieve that.
My dog is a very anxious and wired 2.5 yr old GSD. I have never met another dog as aggressive towards strangers as my dog. He is truly the neighborhood-terrorizer. Here are a few things that Keith helped us with:
1. Having people inside the house - my dog will never be happy about it and won’t seek attention/pets, but he will now tolerate strangers in the house. We keep him on leash or in muzzle if he is on edge but it is a HUGE improvement, as I can now have family over.
2. Barking at strangers during walks - my dog used to be on alert if there is movement 5 blocks away. Now he is relatively relaxed unless they get within 50ft, for which his hackles will be up. However, if he starts barking, I use Keith’s correction strategy so that my dog stops almost right away and redirects attention.
3. Pulling on leash - my dog has knocked me to the floor before, while on a fitted HS prong collar. He is now off the prong collar and pulls minimally, only when he sees a particular tree he wants to pee on. Still training this but IMMENSE improvement.
4. Listening to my commands - my dog is pretty good at this because he wants to please me, but the “leave it” and “drop” command were always harder, especially during walks. Now with only a verbal correction, he listens on the 1st time.
My dog is not perfect but now we have a structured approach to work through tough situations. I am VERY happy with the training that me, my boyfriend and my dog received.
We made the decision to seek out professional help when our otherwise gentle 20-month old Janey started to show signs of aggression towards dogs and people with whom she was not familiar. We noticed that her anxiety, when either of us wasn’t in sight, was also intensifying. Prior to contacting Keith at Bark Busters, we were told by a trainer that Janey wasn’t aggressive, but rather very “defensive.” He believed she needed more intensive behavioral training than he had time to provide and suggested that we enroll her in a 2-week “bootcamp”. We were concerned that a two-week separation could be detrimental and began searching the internet for a local dog behavioral therapist who could also work with us, as we are first time dog owners. That’s when we found Keith at Bark Busters.
Keith’s initial visit to the house lasted several hours. He assessed us as dog owners, reviewed the questionnaire we completed and then met Janey, whose issues with strangers were apparent. Keith was very soft-spoken and positive, which happened to be a perfect approach for her. The next time Keith came to the house, Janey approached him like an old friend.
So far, Keith has made a few house visits and within several weeks of following the agreed upon plan we have seen considerable progress. He has also made himself available to our inquiries via text message or email and always replies promptly. Just recently he agreed to meet us at a neutral location with other family members to assist with introductions prior to an upcoming vacation.
Janey has learned to respect the boundaries set regarding visitors and other dogs with whom she’s come in contact. The excessive pulling during walks is almost nonexistent. By no means is her behavior perfect, but since Day 1, we’ve seen an improvement. We’re confident that we’ll continue to make meaningful strides.
We highly recommend Keith and Bark Busters.
Rob and Patty Rush
We had trained my dog Wendell as a 1 year old rescued puppy through Pet Smart, but that was not enough. I contacted Keith when Wendel was 3.5 and showed aggression towards certain people. We went for the lifetime plan because we knew we wanted to continue training when we eventually had a baby. Bark Busters methods are all about obedience training and don't rely on treats, which was very different compared to the methods we previously tried. We saw instant progress on day 1 in some areas, and other areas took time and continued practice. I bought the collar Keith recommended and it was a game changer for walks. After two years of working with Keith, we just brought home our baby girl, and we are pleasantly surprised by how calm Wendell is around her. Keith answers questions through phone or email if needed, and also comes back for sessions as needed. I highly recommended Keith!
We recently had our first baby and were very anxious how our lovable but stubborn bulldog, Bruce, would interact and handle all the new sights and sounds. We definitely needed some help on how to best keep our dog happy and calm while dealing with a new baby. After one visit things drastically improved. We used to say our bulldog was very neurotic and stubborn but it turns out it was just his way of showing anxiety over new and frightening things. Bruce was very anxious by anything new and after one visit with Keith he was like a different more calm and happier dog. When I read all the reviews I admit I was a bit skeptic, but boy let me tell you- they are NOT wrong. Keith has been an incredible resource through this whole process. Having a new baby is a lot to get used to itself and we were very worried we would not be able to have our dog and baby in the same room alone, now we like to say that Bruce babysits our daughter. He truly loves her as much as he loves me or my husband. He is incredible with her and is definitely a much happier dog. Noises her toys would make or bright flashing lights used to set him off in the past, now he doesn’t even bother looking up. The peace of mind and change we have seen in him makes us wish we called Keith earlier!
In December 2021, my family adopted a dog that really needed a home - the shelter did not know much about him as he was dumped by the owners before they drove away, but he was terrified and cowering in the shelter corner and we knew we needed to save him. As a few days went by after bringing him home, we realized how rough his life has been. His tail appeared to be cut at home, he was very fear-aggressive (nipping, growling, lunging), and very skeptical of men. On top of that, he appeared to be scared of other dogs and would attack our two other dogs on sight (we kept them separated after that) and barked at dogs he saw on the street during walks.
Like many others who have reviewed Keith's services, we felt hopeless. I had fallen so in love with this dog and wanted it to work so badly, but he was so reactive and we never knew when he would snap next. We also had to keep him separated from our other two dogs because he could not stand the sight of them no matter how we attempted to introduce them.
Keith was an absolute life saver. When I heard about the "80-90% improvement in the first lesson" I thought that it sounded great, but surely wouldn't be the case for my dog. Boy, was I wrong! After the first session, my dog not only started looking to my family as "in charge", but he also calmed down a bit because it meant that he was finding his place in our house more and more.
Keith is fantastic with communication, he is very responsive to calls and texts. I even frantically called him a few days before he came for the first session when our rescue got out of the room and attacked our other dog, Keith assured me that everything would be okay and we would work on it during the session.
Today, about two months later, he is a completely different dog. Our three dogs are now best buddies and he feels much more calm as he's found his place here. This is definitely something that you have to keep up with, Keith shows you different exercises to do daily to change your dog's perspective on leadership. While I did see the 80-90% improvement after the first session, continuing to do the exercises daily has increased that improvement further and ensured that my dog does not regress into old habits.
I can not thank Keith enough for his help. His methods do not include pain-based or treat-based training (he is not anti-treat, but this method has my dog listen to me out of respect rather than reward).
Seriously, if you are looking for a trainer, I highly recommend Keith. He is knowledgeable, works with you to educate you on how to train your dog, and provides a healthy environment for your pet to be trained and feel more calm/comfortable overall.
Keith from Bark Busters has done an incredible job with our two female cane corsos. The dogs had many problems that stemmed from their upbringing in a different household before we got them so it was an everyday struggle correcting their behavior before Keith helped us. Our dogs had an intense sibling rivalry that led to dangerous fights between the two. They were super anxious when people would come over and it was impossible to take them on walks. Since our first lesson with Keith that dogs have completely changed and I cannot remember the last time they have fought. Additionally, we are able to take them on walks now and have tools/skills necessary to correct any unwanted behavior. Thanks to Keith our relationship has grown so much with our two dogs and has given them a second chance. I would highly recommend Keith as I was impressed with his approach and composure during our training sessions .
SOOO happy we won't have to give up our dog! Maddie had developed guarding issues and was quite ferocious when in that state. We had tried other trainers and at first we were happy that we learned how to manage the aggressive behavior, but it was more of learning how to avoid the behavior rather than changing it. Naturally, once we let our guard down she would exhibit the aggressive behavior once again. We thought we were going to have to take her to a shelter because we were so afraid she would end up hurting our 6-year old grandson! As a last resort, we searched for an animal behaviorist. After interviewing a few, we found Keith with Bark Busters. Boy, what a difference with even just one session! Maddie is like a different dog! At first I kind of felt a little sad because she seemed "broken" LOL! She is such a joy now though, and our relationship with our dog has much improved.
Additionally, Keith has been wonderfully responsive to our questions. We are looking forward to our next session!
Liz F.
17 months ago
— Edison, NJ
Keith of bark busters is awasome. He really knows dogs. I really like that they come to the house and teach you how to train the dog in the dogs regular environment. And the service is impeccable I've called Keith three or four times each two or three years in between always calls me right back highly recommend barkbusters.
PermalinkColleen C.
19 months ago
— Westfield, NJ
We recently had our first baby and were very anxious how our lovable but stubborn bulldog, Bruce, would interact and handle all the new sights and sounds. We definitely needed some help on how to best keep our dog happy and calm while dealing with a new baby. After one visit things drastically improved. We used to say our bulldog was very neurotic and stubborn but it turns out it was just his way of showing anxiety over new and frightening things. Bruce was very anxious by anything new and after one visit with Keith he was like a different more calm and happier dog. When I read all the reviews I admit I was a bit skeptic, but boy let me tell you- they are NOT wrong. Keith has been an incredible resource through this whole process. Having a new baby is a lot to get used to itself and we were very worried we would not be able to have our dog and baby in the same room alone, now we like to say that Bruce babysits our daughter. He truly loves her as much as he loves me or my husband. He is incredible with her and is definitely a much happier dog. Noises her toys would make or bright flashing lights used to set him off in the past, now he doesn’t even bother looking up. The peace of mind and change we have seen in him makes us wish we called Keith earlier!
PermalinkDanielle S.
20 months ago
— Old Bridge, NJ
I’ve had my Maltese since he was a puppy and he is currently 9 years old. I’ve taken him to training before and it was a horrible experience he ended up worse than before, biting and barking. I couldn’t take him for walks because he was impossible when he saw people or other dogs. Keith was amazing! He gave me all of the right tools to become the leader. I was nervous that Jax was already too old and couldn’t be trained but boy was I wrong. Jax is a completely different dog and I’m so grateful to Keith for helping us. Now I can take him for walks and have people over without having him bark or bite.
PermalinkSally F.
22 months ago
— North Brunswick, NJ
In short: If there is any textbook case of a literal crazy dog being educated to understand my behavioral expectations of him, Keith from Bark Busters helped me achieve that.
PermalinkMy dog is a very anxious and wired 2.5 yr old GSD. I have never met another dog as aggressive towards strangers as my dog. He is truly the neighborhood-terrorizer. Here are a few things that Keith helped us with:
1. Having people inside the house - my dog will never be happy about it and won’t seek attention/pets, but he will now tolerate strangers in the house. We keep him on leash or in muzzle if he is on edge but it is a HUGE improvement, as I can now have family over.
2. Barking at strangers during walks - my dog used to be on alert if there is movement 5 blocks away. Now he is relatively relaxed unless they get within 50ft, for which his hackles will be up. However, if he starts barking, I use Keith’s correction strategy so that my dog stops almost right away and redirects attention.
3. Pulling on leash - my dog has knocked me to the floor before, while on a fitted HS prong collar. He is now off the prong collar and pulls minimally, only when he sees a particular tree he wants to pee on. Still training this but IMMENSE improvement.
4. Listening to my commands - my dog is pretty good at this because he wants to please me, but the “leave it” and “drop” command were always harder, especially during walks. Now with only a verbal correction, he listens on the 1st time.
My dog is not perfect but now we have a structured approach to work through tough situations. I am VERY happy with the training that me, my boyfriend and my dog received.
Rob and Patty R.
23 months ago
— North Brunswick, NJ
We made the decision to seek out professional help when our otherwise gentle 20-month old Janey started to show signs of aggression towards dogs and people with whom she was not familiar. We noticed that her anxiety, when either of us wasn’t in sight, was also intensifying. Prior to contacting Keith at Bark Busters, we were told by a trainer that Janey wasn’t aggressive, but rather very “defensive.” He believed she needed more intensive behavioral training than he had time to provide and suggested that we enroll her in a 2-week “bootcamp”. We were concerned that a two-week separation could be detrimental and began searching the internet for a local dog behavioral therapist who could also work with us, as we are first time dog owners. That’s when we found Keith at Bark Busters.
PermalinkKeith’s initial visit to the house lasted several hours. He assessed us as dog owners, reviewed the questionnaire we completed and then met Janey, whose issues with strangers were apparent. Keith was very soft-spoken and positive, which happened to be a perfect approach for her. The next time Keith came to the house, Janey approached him like an old friend.
So far, Keith has made a few house visits and within several weeks of following the agreed upon plan we have seen considerable progress. He has also made himself available to our inquiries via text message or email and always replies promptly. Just recently he agreed to meet us at a neutral location with other family members to assist with introductions prior to an upcoming vacation.
Janey has learned to respect the boundaries set regarding visitors and other dogs with whom she’s come in contact. The excessive pulling during walks is almost nonexistent. By no means is her behavior perfect, but since Day 1, we’ve seen an improvement. We’re confident that we’ll continue to make meaningful strides.
We highly recommend Keith and Bark Busters.
Rob and Patty Rush
Angela G.
23 months ago
— East Brunswick, NJ
We had trained my dog Wendell as a 1 year old rescued puppy through Pet Smart, but that was not enough. I contacted Keith when Wendel was 3.5 and showed aggression towards certain people. We went for the lifetime plan because we knew we wanted to continue training when we eventually had a baby. Bark Busters methods are all about obedience training and don't rely on treats, which was very different compared to the methods we previously tried. We saw instant progress on day 1 in some areas, and other areas took time and continued practice. I bought the collar Keith recommended and it was a game changer for walks. After two years of working with Keith, we just brought home our baby girl, and we are pleasantly surprised by how calm Wendell is around her. Keith answers questions through phone or email if needed, and also comes back for sessions as needed. I highly recommended Keith!
PermalinkColleen B.
2 years ago
— Scotch Plains, NJ
We recently had our first baby and were very anxious how our lovable but stubborn bulldog, Bruce, would interact and handle all the new sights and sounds. We definitely needed some help on how to best keep our dog happy and calm while dealing with a new baby. After one visit things drastically improved. We used to say our bulldog was very neurotic and stubborn but it turns out it was just his way of showing anxiety over new and frightening things. Bruce was very anxious by anything new and after one visit with Keith he was like a different more calm and happier dog. When I read all the reviews I admit I was a bit skeptic, but boy let me tell you- they are NOT wrong. Keith has been an incredible resource through this whole process. Having a new baby is a lot to get used to itself and we were very worried we would not be able to have our dog and baby in the same room alone, now we like to say that Bruce babysits our daughter. He truly loves her as much as he loves me or my husband. He is incredible with her and is definitely a much happier dog. Noises her toys would make or bright flashing lights used to set him off in the past, now he doesn’t even bother looking up. The peace of mind and change we have seen in him makes us wish we called Keith earlier!
PermalinkAlyssa D.
2 years ago
— Trenton, NJ
In December 2021, my family adopted a dog that really needed a home - the shelter did not know much about him as he was dumped by the owners before they drove away, but he was terrified and cowering in the shelter corner and we knew we needed to save him. As a few days went by after bringing him home, we realized how rough his life has been. His tail appeared to be cut at home, he was very fear-aggressive (nipping, growling, lunging), and very skeptical of men. On top of that, he appeared to be scared of other dogs and would attack our two other dogs on sight (we kept them separated after that) and barked at dogs he saw on the street during walks.
PermalinkLike many others who have reviewed Keith's services, we felt hopeless. I had fallen so in love with this dog and wanted it to work so badly, but he was so reactive and we never knew when he would snap next. We also had to keep him separated from our other two dogs because he could not stand the sight of them no matter how we attempted to introduce them.
Keith was an absolute life saver. When I heard about the "80-90% improvement in the first lesson" I thought that it sounded great, but surely wouldn't be the case for my dog. Boy, was I wrong! After the first session, my dog not only started looking to my family as "in charge", but he also calmed down a bit because it meant that he was finding his place in our house more and more.
Keith is fantastic with communication, he is very responsive to calls and texts. I even frantically called him a few days before he came for the first session when our rescue got out of the room and attacked our other dog, Keith assured me that everything would be okay and we would work on it during the session.
Today, about two months later, he is a completely different dog. Our three dogs are now best buddies and he feels much more calm as he's found his place here. This is definitely something that you have to keep up with, Keith shows you different exercises to do daily to change your dog's perspective on leadership. While I did see the 80-90% improvement after the first session, continuing to do the exercises daily has increased that improvement further and ensured that my dog does not regress into old habits.
I can not thank Keith enough for his help. His methods do not include pain-based or treat-based training (he is not anti-treat, but this method has my dog listen to me out of respect rather than reward).
Seriously, if you are looking for a trainer, I highly recommend Keith. He is knowledgeable, works with you to educate you on how to train your dog, and provides a healthy environment for your pet to be trained and feel more calm/comfortable overall.
Daniel S.
2 years ago
— Scotch Plains, NJ
Keith from Bark Busters has done an incredible job with our two female cane corsos. The dogs had many problems that stemmed from their upbringing in a different household before we got them so it was an everyday struggle correcting their behavior before Keith helped us. Our dogs had an intense sibling rivalry that led to dangerous fights between the two. They were super anxious when people would come over and it was impossible to take them on walks. Since our first lesson with Keith that dogs have completely changed and I cannot remember the last time they have fought. Additionally, we are able to take them on walks now and have tools/skills necessary to correct any unwanted behavior. Thanks to Keith our relationship has grown so much with our two dogs and has given them a second chance. I would highly recommend Keith as I was impressed with his approach and composure during our training sessions .
PermalinkMaria S.
3 years ago
— New Providence, NJ
SOOO happy we won't have to give up our dog! Maddie had developed guarding issues and was quite ferocious when in that state. We had tried other trainers and at first we were happy that we learned how to manage the aggressive behavior, but it was more of learning how to avoid the behavior rather than changing it. Naturally, once we let our guard down she would exhibit the aggressive behavior once again. We thought we were going to have to take her to a shelter because we were so afraid she would end up hurting our 6-year old grandson! As a last resort, we searched for an animal behaviorist. After interviewing a few, we found Keith with Bark Busters. Boy, what a difference with even just one session! Maddie is like a different dog! At first I kind of felt a little sad because she seemed "broken" LOL! She is such a joy now though, and our relationship with our dog has much improved.
PermalinkAdditionally, Keith has been wonderfully responsive to our questions. We are looking forward to our next session!
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