Do not waste your time or money on other training services; get Mark scheduled as quickly as possible! It will be the best thing you ever do for you and your dog! We cannot say enough great things about Mark and Bark Busters! We cannot recommend him enough. The amount of positive behavior change we saw immediately was almost unbelievable. We have an 8-month-old boxer puppy, he is our 3rd boxer, so we were well prepared for the high energy and constant goofiness that comes with a boxer. We weren't prepared for dominant behavior as we had not experienced this with our other dogs. Jumping up, nipping, counter and table surfing, barking uncontrollably, not listening, etc., we were dealing with it all. We tried to take him to other puppy classes with extremely minimal results over weeks of training. Mark's approach and methods are simple yet extremely effective. After his initial visit, we saw drastic changes in our puppy's behavior. Our puppy has stopped jumping up on us, there is no nipping, no leash pulling, his dominant tendencies and shows of aggression are gone, and he has gained a great deal of independence! (This is after a few hours with Mark and just a few days of following his plan!) Mark left us with a training plan to follow that was very clear and straightforward, along with the tools we needed to work with our puppy. Do the work he says and you will see the results. Our puppy is still his goofy boxer self, but with a new found respect for us! Our only regret is wasting time and money on other trainers before calling Mark.
Mark came out to our house to work with us and our two pups. He was able to teach us how to communicate effectively with them both. It immediately started to change how the dogs acted. He also provided several techniques to help in many different situations to help us be more in control.
Absolutely worth it for the happiness of you and your dog! My puppy is a perfect angle baby inside but she would pull so bad on the leash during every single walk that I was ready to scream in frustration. After Mark showed us this great front-clip harness she is now a perfect angel baby outside as well! I'm not exaggerating - her behavior on-leash is completely different and walks are now calm and so much more enjoyable. I was also able to use the techniques Mark taught me to get her to stop biting and tugging on the leash!
Last year, we adopted a dog to add to our home, along with another dog and a cat. The addition of the second dog made my daily walks almost impossible. Together, they were extremely reactive on leash to other dogs and our neighborhood foxes. I was facing a situation where I had to walk them as early as possible in the morning to avoid dogs, but the foxes were often out. I thought I might have to walk them separately, which was not appealing! Mark came to us about a year ago, and the meeting made a huge impression on my dogs. We went through the techniques we could use to reduce the reactivity and put me in charge of the walks. Now, a year later, I no longer fear the walks and the loss of control that made it dangerous for all of us. We are not perfect by any means, but that's because of me and not the techniques! Like all dog training, it's as much about the owner as it is the dog. I recommend them highly.
Mark came out to my home about a year ago to help me with a dog walking situation. We had just added a new second dog to our family, and their reactions to other dogs as well as the wildlife on our walks was making it almost impossible for me to maintain control of them both and to keep everyone safe. Mark's techniques made it possible to have control of my dogs and walk with confidence.
Benji - a sweet dog with many issues like pulling extremely hard on the leash, resource guarding, attacking my cat, and jumping. All these problems were practically resolved within the first visit. He is like a brand new dog, he doesn't bark when someone rings the doorbell, pulls on walks, and now he even cuddles with my cat! We've seen such an improvement in his resource guarding issues as well!! Can't wait to continue to work with Benji and get him to where he needs to be. Thank you so much Mark!
We are having an outstanding experience with Mark from Bark Busters of Northern Virginia—truly a 10 out of 10! During a comprehensive initial three-hour in-home session, Mark clearly explained the core principles of the program and demonstrated several highly effective techniques that immediately improved how we communicate with and control our dog. He followed up with a phone call a week later to reinforce key points, which helped keep us on track. After just two weeks of applying what we learned, our dog’s barking has decreased by at least 90%, his on-leash walking has improved significantly, and his responsiveness to commands has dramatically increased. He even seems more comfortable and confident. It’s also reassuring to know Mark is available if we need him going forward. The results have far exceeded our expectations—we couldn’t recommend Mark more highly!
Look no further. If you go with Bark Busters, I promise you won't be disappointed. This is one of the best investments we've ever made. We rescued an 8 month old lab mix who had no training and was kept in a crate most of the day before he came to us. He was very sweet, but also VERY high energy, and with no training, it was a lot to handle. Bark Busters came highly recommended from a friend of ours, so we reached out. From the moment I spoke with Mark's team, I knew we'd be in good hands. I did research a few other local places before we decided to move forward with Mark, but hopefully this review can save you time from looking anywhere else. After hearing them referred to as the AAA for dogs (aka they are always there to help for the dog's lifetime), I figured we couldn't go wrong. Our first session was one week ago, and we are absolutely amazed with our pup's progress across the board. Before Bark Busters, Coal was pretty unpredictable - he would jump on us when we came into the room and bark when we left the room; he jumped over the couch and ran over anyone sitting on the couch; he chased and barked at our cat; and he'd jump up on the counters and beg when we ate meals. And all of this was while he was on trazadone as he recovered from his neuter from the shelter. I was starting to second guess our decision to get a dog. The results from our first session with Mark were immediate. Since that session, he hasn’t jumped once. He stays out of the kitchen, ignores the cat (they even eat next to each other!), and he only gets on the couch when he's invited to go to his "place". It’s incredible. Mark takes the time to give you background on the approach, show you why it works, and answer any questions you have. He provides training aids, but we haven't had to use them. And while I personally believe Mark to be a magician, you have to commit to your dog. If you read the materials and put in the time working with your dog, you will see the results you want. Added bonus: the bond that grows between you and your dog with this method really is amazing. I was skeptical that we'd really see any change after one session, but I was dead wrong - we saw change, and it all stuck.
So we have a COMPLETELY different dog thanks to Mark. We had adults over Friday night and then adults AND kids over Saturday night and while the initial doorbell ring she barked, she never once made it down the steps. Everyone was in awe, saying we have a new dog and the kids loved coming up to her, with her being calm, and letting her sniff them with NO barking or charging.
I also just ordered her L-theanine treats, high quality CBD oil, the collar and a thunder shirt. We are committed to helping her anxiety!
My two Australian Shepards Bindi and Hazel were very anxious and making life very tough and stress very high in our family. My mom stopped wanting to come over due to barking and wild behavior. I knew I had no control of the dogs and that they were anxious not knowing what I wanted. I could not talk to people at the door the barking was so out of control. With Mark’s session and 24 hours of practice my mom has come to a calm 3 hour enjoyable dinner, I have answered the door and invited someone in to chat, and we are learning door and stair manners. This training very seriously has changed the lives of our family!
Jason F.
5 days ago
— Vienna, VA
Do not waste your time or money on other training services; get Mark scheduled as quickly as possible! It will be the best thing you ever do for you and your dog! We cannot say enough great things about Mark and Bark Busters! We cannot recommend him enough. The amount of positive behavior change we saw immediately was almost unbelievable. We have an 8-month-old boxer puppy, he is our 3rd boxer, so we were well prepared for the high energy and constant goofiness that comes with a boxer. We weren't prepared for dominant behavior as we had not experienced this with our other dogs. Jumping up, nipping, counter and table surfing, barking uncontrollably, not listening, etc., we were dealing with it all. We tried to take him to other puppy classes with extremely minimal results over weeks of training. Mark's approach and methods are simple yet extremely effective. After his initial visit, we saw drastic changes in our puppy's behavior. Our puppy has stopped jumping up on us, there is no nipping, no leash pulling, his dominant tendencies and shows of aggression are gone, and he has gained a great deal of independence! (This is after a few hours with Mark and just a few days of following his plan!) Mark left us with a training plan to follow that was very clear and straightforward, along with the tools we needed to work with our puppy. Do the work he says and you will see the results. Our puppy is still his goofy boxer self, but with a new found respect for us! Our only regret is wasting time and money on other trainers before calling Mark.
PermalinkJoe P.
8 days ago
— Sterling, VA
Mark came out to our house to work with us and our two pups. He was able to teach us how to communicate effectively with them both. It immediately started to change how the dogs acted. He also provided several techniques to help in many different situations to help us be more in control.
PermalinkAmanda P.
44 days ago
— Reston, VA
Absolutely worth it for the happiness of you and your dog! My puppy is a perfect angle baby inside but she would pull so bad on the leash during every single walk that I was ready to scream in frustration. After Mark showed us this great front-clip harness she is now a perfect angel baby outside as well! I'm not exaggerating - her behavior on-leash is completely different and walks are now calm and so much more enjoyable. I was also able to use the techniques Mark taught me to get her to stop biting and tugging on the leash!
PermalinkKatie D.
45 days ago
— Leesburg, VA
Last year, we adopted a dog to add to our home, along with another dog and a cat. The addition of the second dog made my daily walks almost impossible. Together, they were extremely reactive on leash to other dogs and our neighborhood foxes. I was facing a situation where I had to walk them as early as possible in the morning to avoid dogs, but the foxes were often out. I thought I might have to walk them separately, which was not appealing! Mark came to us about a year ago, and the meeting made a huge impression on my dogs. We went through the techniques we could use to reduce the reactivity and put me in charge of the walks. Now, a year later, I no longer fear the walks and the loss of control that made it dangerous for all of us. We are not perfect by any means, but that's because of me and not the techniques! Like all dog training, it's as much about the owner as it is the dog. I recommend them highly.
PermalinkKate D.
48 days ago
— Leesburg, VA
Mark came out to my home about a year ago to help me with a dog walking situation. We had just added a new second dog to our family, and their reactions to other dogs as well as the wildlife on our walks was making it almost impossible for me to maintain control of them both and to keep everyone safe. Mark's techniques made it possible to have control of my dogs and walk with confidence.
PermalinkJimena
3 months ago
— Leesburg, VA
Benji - a sweet dog with many issues like pulling extremely hard on the leash, resource guarding, attacking my cat, and jumping. All these problems were practically resolved within the first visit. He is like a brand new dog, he doesn't bark when someone rings the doorbell, pulls on walks, and now he even cuddles with my cat! We've seen such an improvement in his resource guarding issues as well!! Can't wait to continue to work with Benji and get him to where he needs to be. Thank you so much Mark!
PermalinkF & E.
3 months ago
— Ashburn, VA
We are having an outstanding experience with Mark from Bark Busters of Northern Virginia—truly a 10 out of 10! During a comprehensive initial three-hour in-home session, Mark clearly explained the core principles of the program and demonstrated several highly effective techniques that immediately improved how we communicate with and control our dog. He followed up with a phone call a week later to reinforce key points, which helped keep us on track. After just two weeks of applying what we learned, our dog’s barking has decreased by at least 90%, his on-leash walking has improved significantly, and his responsiveness to commands has dramatically increased. He even seems more comfortable and confident. It’s also reassuring to know Mark is available if we need him going forward. The results have far exceeded our expectations—we couldn’t recommend Mark more highly!
PermalinkKatie
5 months ago
— Leesburg, VA
Look no further. If you go with Bark Busters, I promise you won't be disappointed. This is one of the best investments we've ever made. We rescued an 8 month old lab mix who had no training and was kept in a crate most of the day before he came to us. He was very sweet, but also VERY high energy, and with no training, it was a lot to handle. Bark Busters came highly recommended from a friend of ours, so we reached out. From the moment I spoke with Mark's team, I knew we'd be in good hands. I did research a few other local places before we decided to move forward with Mark, but hopefully this review can save you time from looking anywhere else. After hearing them referred to as the AAA for dogs (aka they are always there to help for the dog's lifetime), I figured we couldn't go wrong. Our first session was one week ago, and we are absolutely amazed with our pup's progress across the board. Before Bark Busters, Coal was pretty unpredictable - he would jump on us when we came into the room and bark when we left the room; he jumped over the couch and ran over anyone sitting on the couch; he chased and barked at our cat; and he'd jump up on the counters and beg when we ate meals. And all of this was while he was on trazadone as he recovered from his neuter from the shelter. I was starting to second guess our decision to get a dog. The results from our first session with Mark were immediate. Since that session, he hasn’t jumped once. He stays out of the kitchen, ignores the cat (they even eat next to each other!), and he only gets on the couch when he's invited to go to his "place". It’s incredible. Mark takes the time to give you background on the approach, show you why it works, and answer any questions you have. He provides training aids, but we haven't had to use them. And while I personally believe Mark to be a magician, you have to commit to your dog. If you read the materials and put in the time working with your dog, you will see the results you want. Added bonus: the bond that grows between you and your dog with this method really is amazing. I was skeptical that we'd really see any change after one session, but I was dead wrong - we saw change, and it all stuck.
PermalinkAlexis
6 months ago
— Vienna, VA
So we have a COMPLETELY different dog thanks to Mark. We had adults over Friday night and then adults AND kids over Saturday night and while the initial doorbell ring she barked, she never once made it down the steps. Everyone was in awe, saying we have a new dog and the kids loved coming up to her, with her being calm, and letting her sniff them with NO barking or charging.
PermalinkI also just ordered her L-theanine treats, high quality CBD oil, the collar and a thunder shirt. We are committed to helping her anxiety!
Danielle Q.
10 months ago
— Aldie, VA
My two Australian Shepards Bindi and Hazel were very anxious and making life very tough and stress very high in our family. My mom stopped wanting to come over due to barking and wild behavior. I knew I had no control of the dogs and that they were anxious not knowing what I wanted. I could not talk to people at the door the barking was so out of control. With Mark’s session and 24 hours of practice my mom has come to a calm 3 hour enjoyable dinner, I have answered the door and invited someone in to chat, and we are learning door and stair manners. This training very seriously has changed the lives of our family!
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